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IWC’s 2024 Portugieser collection brought a genuine case redesign to the Automatic 42, while the Automatic 40 and Chronograph updates focused more on profile, dial colors, and materials. The launch also introduced the Portugieser Eternal Calendar as the collection’s headline complication. The watches were announced at Watches and Wonders Geneva on 9 April 2024 under the theme “A Tribute to Eternity.”
What changed on the 2024 Portugieser Automatic 42?
The Automatic 42 received the collection’s clearest structural update: IWC re-engineered its case construction to create a slimmer profile and added double box-glass sapphire crystals. The larger opening in the display back also gives a broader view of the movement. IWC’s 2024 release describes the construction changes; the specific before-and-after measurements below were reported by Fratello Watches.
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CITIZEN Men's Automatic Tsuyosa 40mm Stainless Steel NJ0150-56X | $346.64 | Buy on Amazon |
| Specification | Previous Automatic 42 | 2024 Automatic 42 |
|---|---|---|
| Case diameter | 42.3 mm (Fratello Watches, 2024) | 42.4 mm (Fratello Watches, 2024) |
| Case thickness | 14.1 mm (Fratello Watches, 2024) | 13 mm (Fratello Watches, 2024) |
| Water resistance | 3 bar (Fratello Watches, 2024) | 5 bar (Fratello Watches, 2024) |
The diameter increased by 0.1 mm even as the reported thickness fell by 1.1 mm. That distinction matters if you are comparing fit: the update is slimmer, but it is not a smaller-diameter watch. The movement is IWC calibre 52011, with a seven-day power reserve and ceramic components in its Pellaton winding system. The family is identified by reference IW5017.
How does the Automatic 40 differ from the 42?
The Automatic 40’s 2024 story centered on a refined profile, double box-glass sapphire crystals, and additional precious-metal and dial combinations—not a newly redesigned case and movement. Fratello Watches notes that its underlying case and movement were not new for 2024. It uses calibre 82200, with ceramic components in the Pellaton winding system and a 60-hour power reserve.
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- The "Tsuyosa" Automatic, from the NJ015 series, brings ultramodern sports styling right to your wrist. Executed in a versatile 40mm footprint, the sophisticated design of the watch makes a strong impression via a silver-tone stainless steel case and a seamlessly integrated, matching bracelet.
- . Underneath an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the sporty timepiece makes use of a sunray green dial, with a 3 o’clock date window and contrasting silver-tone details adding to its classic aesthetic. Powered by an automatic movement and offering up to 50 meters of water resistance, the refined timepiece is a daily wearing choice ready for work, play, and everything in between. Caliber 8210.
- 3 Hand with Date, Automatic, 42 Hour Power Reserve
- Sapphire Crystal
- 50M Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
| Feature | Automatic 42, 2024 | Automatic 40, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Case update | Re-engineered, slimmer construction | Profile and crystal presentation updated; base case not newly redesigned for 2024 (Fratello Watches, 2024) |
| Movement | Calibre 52011 | Calibre 82200 |
| Power reserve | Seven days (IWC, 2024) | 60 hours (IWC, 2024) |
| Dial-side indication | Power-reserve display and small seconds | Small seconds; no power-reserve display |
For a current official specification example, IWC’s EU product page for Automatic 40 reference IW358402 lists a 40.4 mm diameter, 12.4 mm height, 5-bar water resistance, and a 20 mm strap. These are current page specifications, not a claim that every 2024 Automatic 40 variant has identical dimensions or materials. The page displayed €24,300 including VAT when accessed on 8 October 2026; it is not the model’s 2024 launch price.
What was new for the Portugieser Chronograph?
The reported 2024 Chronograph additions were new dial and case-material combinations, rather than a reported change to its case size or movement. Fratello’s launch coverage identified Horizon Blue with white gold, Obsidian with red gold, and Dune with steel.
For a current specification reference, IWC’s US page for the steel Dune-dial IW371624 lists a 41 mm case, 13 mm height, 3-bar water resistance, calibre 69355, a 46-hour power reserve, and a 20 mm strap. The page displayed US$9,200 excluding VAT when accessed on 8 October 2026. That is a current US-page price, not a 2024 launch price; regional taxes and prices differ.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which colors and dial details define the 2024 collection?
IWC named four signature dial colors: Horizon Blue, Dune, Obsidian, and Silver Moon. The company said the palette drew inspiration from the day-and-night cycle. The launch materials describe the following dial-making process:
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- A brass base is finished with a sunburst or finely blasted surface before color is applied.
- Fifteen layers of transparent lacquer are applied, then fine-ground and polished.
- Subdials are milled into the brass base and lacquer.
- Appliques are mounted individually by hand.
These are IWC’s descriptions of its manufacturing process. The color names are collection-level signposts; they do not mean every model or case material was offered in all four colors.
Where does the Eternal Calendar fit?
The Portugieser Eternal Calendar was the complication-led centerpiece of the 2024 collection announcement. IWC called it its first secular perpetual calendar and said its moon-phase display is designed to require a one-day adjustment only after 45 million years. That figure is IWC’s stated theoretical accuracy claim, not an independently tested result. It is separate from the Automatic 42’s case redesign and the color-and-material additions to the Automatic 40 and Chronograph.
How the 2024 models fit the Portugieser lineage
IWC traces the Portugieser to the late 1930s, when a high-precision pocket-watch movement was used in a large wristwatch. The Automatic 40 follows the lineage of Reference 325 from 1939; the Automatic 42 is linked to the original Portugieser Automatic introduced in 2000. IWC’s official launch material summarized the continuity this way: “The Portugieser remains timeless and has retained its freshness to this day.”
Choosing between the Automatic 42 and 40
The core decision is not simply 42 mm versus 40 mm. The 2024 Automatic 42 has the case redesign, a power-reserve display, and a seven-day movement reserve; the Automatic 40 offers a smaller named size, a simpler dial layout, and a 60-hour reserve. Check the exact reference’s dimensions, metal, dial, and strap before deciding: the current IW358402 specification is one Automatic 40 example, not a universal specification for every model in the family. No hands-on comfort comparison is established here.
For a strap replacement, the cited current IWC pages specify 20 mm for Automatic 40 IW358402 and Chronograph IW371624. Strap width is reference-specific; verify lug, clasp, and attachment details for the exact watch rather than assuming all 2024 Portugiesers use the same width.
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