Portugieser Hand-Wound Tourbillon

The tourbillon is one of the most outstanding achievements in the art of watchmaking. The balance, pallet lever and escape wheel are placed in a tiny cage that rotates around its axis once a minute. This constant rotation contributes to offset the effect of gravity on the watch’s oscillating system while, at the same time, creating a visual spectacle on the dial. In the Portugieser Hand-Wound Tourbillon, the flying tourbillon has been placed at 6 o’clock. It consists of 56 individual parts and weighs only 0.635 grams. Thanks to the tourbillon stop, it can be brought to a complete halt, allowing the time to be set with down-to-the-second accuracy. The pallet lever and escape wheel have been coated with Diamond Shell® technology. The smooth diamond-coated surface reduces friction, which improves the flow of energy in the movement. The case and crown are made of 18-carat Armor Gold®. Thanks to a modified microstructure, this innovative new material boasts significantly higher hardness values than traditional gold alloys. The applied Arabic numerals and feuille hands in gold harmonise beautifully with the silver-plated dial. The IWC-manufactured 81905 calibre has been engineered specifically for this timepiece. The movement consists of 159 individual parts and is manually wound, storing a power reserve of 84 hours in its mainspring. Through the sapphire crystal case back, one can admire the decorations on the bridges and the solid gold medallion with the “Probus Scafusia” inscription. This elegant Portugieser is fitted with a black alligator leather strap from the Italian shoe manufacturer Santoni.