Limited to 50 pieces, IWC pairs a striking purple dial with platinum, a perpetual calendar, and a flying tourbillon!
IWC’s Portugieser collection is one of the brand’s most prolific lines, with its origins dating back to the late 1930s. Precision has always been central to the Portugieser’s identity, stemming from the very first model, when two Portuguese merchants approached IWC to create a wristwatch with the same technical precision as a pocket watch. The Portugieser collection also has very distinct styling, with clear Arabic numerals, slender hands, and a railway minute track that allow it to stand out both within IWC’s collections and in the wider world of watchmaking.
The Portugieser line has also carried some of IWC’s most complicated timepieces, ranging from stunning perpetual calendars and Eternal Calendar models to tourbillon retrograde chronographs, grand complications and perpetual calendar tourbillon models. This clearly shows that the Portugieser is a playground for IWC’s watchmaking, while still featuring incredibly beautiful dials.
This leads us to the brand’s latest venture in the Portugieser collection, with the introduction of the Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon in a stunning purple hue. Limited to 50 pieces, the new Reference IW504509 brings together a platinum case and a deep purple sunray dial, with its two headline complications being a flying minute tourbillon and IWC’s crown-controlled perpetual calendar.
Platinum Meets A Distinctive Purple Sunray Dial
The Portugieser collection is generally known for its substantial profile, and with this model housing two highly complicated mechanisms, the case proportions are large, with a 45mm diameter. Made from platinum, its size and material give the watch considerable presence on the wrist, even before accounting for the weight of the precious metal. I personally think platinum and a purple dial work extremely well together, as the naturally silvery-white appearance of the material provides a cool setting for the darker, richer purple tones.
The timepiece retains the traditional design codes of the Portugieser collection, from the case’s rounded profile to the arched-edge sapphire crystal covering the dial and the sloping lugs that aim to contour to the wrist. The polished surfaces throughout the case and bezel give this watch a refined, luxurious appeal, complementing the high complications sitting underneath.
The IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon also has a distinctive look compared to more traditional models with the same complications, as the flying tourbillon is placed at 12 o’clock rather than the more familiar 6 o’clock position. It still presents a very balanced layout, with the tourbillon itself acting visually as its own subdial. While it’s certainly not the most complicated piece in the Portugieser line, it’s still a beautiful watch that showcases technical watchmaking at its finest.
This is enhanced further by the new dial colour. Alongside the existing dark blue sunray and silver-plated dial versions, the latter offering a more classic look, this model introduces deep purple as its defining visual feature. Adding character to the dial is the sunray finish, which gives the purple different hues depending on the lighting angle.
The rhodium-plated leaf-shaped hands and Arabic numerals, together with the silver-toned calendar details across the three subdials, provide a subtle contrast against the deep purple dial. They allow the information to remain legible without taking attention away from the colour. The calendar layout includes the 3 o’clock subdial, which displays the date and power reserve, and the 6 o’clock subdial, which shows the month and moon phase. Lastly, the 9 o’clock subdial displays the day of the week, with the IWC logo inside.
At 12 o’clock sits the second defining complication of this impressive timepiece. The flying minute tourbillon easily becomes the dial’s main mechanical focal point, with its cage completing one full rotation every minute and creating continuous movement in an otherwise calendar-focused display. The gold-toned balance wheel also introduces a warm contrast against the purple dial and surrounding silver tones.
Two High Complications And Seven Days Of Power
Inside this latest Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon sits IWC’s manufacture calibre 51950, an automatic movement comprising 447 components. Its Pellaton winding system uses the rotor’s movement in both directions to wind the mainspring.
While the watch offers an incredible 168 hours of autonomy, or a seven-day power reserve, its frequency is on the lower side, operating at 2.75Hz (19,800 vibrations per hour). This does not inherently mean less accurate timekeeping, while a lower frequency generally reduces energy demands. The sapphire caseback provides a view of the calibre 51950, revealing Geneva stripes, sunray brushing on the large winding wheels, gold-coloured engraved lettering and, of course, that 18-carat gold rotor.
Initial Thoughts
The proportions of the case certainly make this a statement piece. Adding the stunning purple dial enhances this further, making it easily one of the standout models in the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon line and giving it an entirely new personality. I personally think pairing this purple hue with a platinum case is the perfect choice. While golden tones would have given it a more luxurious aesthetic, they would also compete for attention with the dial itself.
Outside of the aesthetics, the mechanical ingenuity of this model is where the real appeal lies for me. The combination of a perpetual calendar and a flying tourbillon, along with the impressive seven-day power reserve, gives the watch a depth that goes well beyond its striking purple dial. For me, it’s this blend of traditional watchmaking and a beautiful, distinctive dial that makes this latest Portugieser such a compelling addition to the current collection!
IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | IW504509 |
| Dimensions | 345mm case diameter x 15.3mm thickness |
| Case | Platinum with screw-in crown |
| Dial | Purple sunray-finished dial with applied rhodium-plated Arabic numerals and leaf-shaped hands |
| Crystal | Arched-edge sapphire with antireflective coating on both sides |
| Caseback | Sapphire crystal exhibition caseback |
| Movement | Automatic IWC manufacture calibre 51950 with Pellaton winding, 447 components, 54 jewels and an 18-carat gold rotor |
| Power Reserve | 168 hours / 7 days |
| Beat Rate | 2.75Hz / 19,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | 30m / 3bar |
| Strap/Bracelet | Hand-coloured black Santoni alligator leather strap with platinum folding clasp |