In 2017, IWC introduced a proprietary alloy called Ceratanium, or ceramized titanium, a hard, lightweight material that combined the best of ceramic and titanium. Oh, and it happened to look pretty cool as well. The material has been used sparingly in the intervening years, largely appearing across the brand’s sport-watch portfolio, from the Pilot to the Aquatimer collections. This week, Ceratanium is making its first appearance in the Portugieser collection with a new, limited-edition 41mm chronograph featuring a Ceratanium case affixed to a black rubber strap. In an effort to drive the point home, the rest of the watch is fully murdered out making the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium a decidedly sporty take on this otherwise dressier collection.
[toc-section heading=”What’s New”]
The new watch is the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium, and it turns the classic chronograph layout on its head by rendering every detail in shades of black (insert Henry Ford quote here). The Portugieser is a historic watch with roots that date back to the late 1930s, and its modern aesthetic is largely referential to that history. That underlying design remains intact here, with a large, open dial hosting Arabic numerals at each hour, and a set of leaf hands tracking the time against them. The two subdials are arranged vertically, retaining a symmetric layout that recalls the original time-only references that had subsidiary seconds located at 6 o’clock.
Using Ceratanium (which has been a mainstay of the Pilot’s Top Gun series) within the Portugieser collection is an unexpected move, as it’s a material that’s been associated with performance features more than for its formal qualities, but the execution with this release brings out an entirely different personality. Ceratanium itself isn’t quite black, instead appearing as a matte grey that’s best experienced in the metal. Paired with the black dial, it stands in contrast as a shade or two lighter, which is a good thing to help create some separation.
The dial itself is black on black, with only the different textures separating the hands and the hour markers from the base dial. If you’re looking for legibility, this isn’t the choice for you. However, there is something undeniably cool about this execution that leans into the conceptual nature of our relationship with our watches and why we wear them at all. As a result, this one will be quite polarizing in nature.
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The Ceratanium case measures 41mm in diameter and 13mm thick, with a 48.2mm lug-to-lug distance. Overall, a large but pleasant footprint on the wrist. With no bezel to speak of, the dial will make the watch appear a bit larger, but in practice, this is a watch that should work with most wrists out there. The lightweight nature of the material will mitigate some of the size as well. The open caseback reveals a (smoked) view of the IWC manufacture automatic chronograph Caliber 69355, providing 46 hours of reserve.
[toc-section heading=”Pricing and Availability”]
Just 1,500 pieces of the Ceratanium Portugieser Chronograph are planned for production, each priced at $14,600. The watch ships on a black rubber strap, though it also offers a great opportunity to introduce some color by way of additional straps. You can learn more at iwc.com
