What would it mean to live for eternity? In the world of horology, time – the passing of it, how we measure it and most importantly, how we spend it – are considerations at the centre of every creation. But what does it mean to create for a lifetime that we will never see? Swiss watchmaker, IWC Schaffhausen have considered this possibility, releasing a timepiece at this year’s Watches & Wonders that features a calendar, leap years and all, that will be precise for 400 years without corrections. Oh, and let’s not forget the moon phase display that will only deviate by one day after 45 million years. Just in case we’ve managed to find a way to stick around until then.
Introducing the IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar – a truly showstopping addition to the watchmaker’s line-up that has you asking, is anything truly possible? The iconic Portugieser collection is at the centre of this year’s novelties – extending to chronograph, automatic and tourbillon variations – but this high-complication centrepiece takes the refreshed offering to new heights. If you’re still perplexed by how such a horological feat is possible, all I can say is – me too. The piece begins with a standard Gregorian perpetual calendar, which accounts for the differing lengths of months and mechanically adds a leap-year day at the end of February every four years. But the limitation here is that a perpetual calendar can only be programmed for a four-year cycle, meaning that the first manual correction to the calendar indications will need to occur in 2100. I know, it’s a lot to digest, but stay with me. Of course, IWC found a solution – a newly developed “400 years” gear, which automatically skips three leap years over four centuries, ensuring that the calendar functions are correct until at least the year 3999. Remember that point I made about living for eternity?
There’s no doubt that the Portugieser Eternal Calendar is one seriously special watch and having had the opportunity to visit the watchmaker’s manufacturer in Schaffhausen ahead of Watches & Wonders, it’s clear that innovation is truly pouring out of the brand. The Portugieser collection has remained a long-standing icon within the watchmaker’s DNA, but in this year’s novelties, it was fascinating to see how the silhouette has evolved. Speaking with Christian Knoop, IWC Schaffhausen’s chief design officer, he ascribes the collection’s enduring popularity to its timeless design features.
“This is not the first time that the Portugeiser collection has been reimagined, so the work that we have to do as designers is to find the balance between extremes – firstly, honouring the timeless aesthetics of the collection, but also showcasing the luxury appeal and the preciousness of these pieces,” he shared. “I feel we really achieved that continuation of the collection this year by honouring the design codes that will always be intrinsic to the watch, and then experimenting with the variation of different colours.” My personal favourite of the new shade offerings is Horizon Blue, but alongside Silver Moon, Dune, and Obsidian, the four dial colourways not only represent the different atmospheres of day and night but communicate a quiet, fresh elegance.
Editor's notes:
For the ‘eternal’ moon-phase, IWC has employed its hallmark Double Moon configuration, which shows the moon as viewed from both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
A new tourbillon model was also launched this year – the Portugieser Hand-Wound Tourbillon Day & Night. The most interesting note about this piece is that you can bring the mechanism to a complete standstill and set the watch with down-to-the-second precision thanks to an integrated tourbillon stop.
