The IWC Portugieser began in 1939 as a practical response to a request for a large wristwatch with the precision of a marine chronometer. IWC adapted a pocket-watch movement for a wristwatch case, creating the oversized proportions and restrained dial that became hallmarks of the collection. The familiar origin story needs one qualification: IWC’s records place the first recorded delivery in Odessa, while documented deliveries to Portugal followed in 1942.
Why is it called the Portugieser?
IWC dates the watch’s origin to 1939, when Portuguese importers asked for large men’s wristwatches powered by high-precision pocket-watch calibres. The company’s archival account describes a Lisbon wholesaler approaching IWC in the late 1930s with a request for marine-chronometer precision in a wristwatch. IWC says the intermediaries are believed to have been Rodrigues and Antonio Teixeira; their role is not established as certain. The company’s chronology also dates the Portugieser’s birth to 1939 (IWC company history; IWC archival account of Reference 325).
What was the original IWC Portugieser?
Reference 325 put a pocket-watch calibre in a wristwatch
The watch that became Reference 325 paired a pocket-watch movement with a large wristwatch case. IWC gives the case diameter as 41.5 mm. Its design included a railway-track-style minute ring, Arabic numerals, slender feuille hands and a small-seconds display. The shared case was designated model 228 in IWC records; Reference 325 became the designation for the watch model.
IWC says early examples used Calibre 74 and later ones Calibre 98. A later version for the German market used Calibre 982, which added a shock-absorption system. These variations mean the original Portugieser was not a single, unchanging specification (IWC archival account of Reference 325).
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- Bauhaus Style Wristwatch: This dress watch pays homage to “Bauhaus”, featuring minimalist and straightforward big face dial without any extra design, extremely distinctive. Transparent back design, you can see the movements clearly.
- 2.5D Curved Mirror: Unique mineral 2.5D domed mirror, light transmittance is 99.6%, scratch-resistant and wear-resistant. Decorated on 316L stainless steel case, makes the watch more durable and prolongs its service life.Water resistant to 30 meters in general, withstands rain and splashes of water, but not suitable for bathing, swimming or diving
- Automatic self-wind movement, over 110 individual intricately moving parts and 24 jewels provide energy for this watch. As an automatic mechanical watch, it doesn’t need battery, it is powered by wrist shaking, full energy can power up to 40 hours.
- Automatic Movement Watch: Mechanical watches must be worn at least 8 to 10 hours a day, if it does not get enough energy, please wind your watch manually by rotating the crown about 20 laps.If the watch doesn’t get enough energy, it will work slowly or cause a large deviation.
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There was no single original dial
Reference 325 appeared with multiple dial treatments. IWC documents silver-plated and black dials, Arabic or Roman numerals, plain layouts and sector dials. The well-known dial of the 1993 Reference 5441 should therefore not be treated as the one definitive template for every original Reference 325.
Where did the first Portugieser go?
IWC’s review of its sales records identifies the first recorded delivery as 22 February 1939, to wholesaler L. Schwarcz in Odessa. The company records deliveries to Portugal later: to Pacheco on 2 February 1942, then to Rodrigues & Gonçalves in Lisbon on 17 June 1942. IWC says the reason for the gap is not definitively known. Wartime disruption to trade is a possible explanation in its account, not a confirmed cause (IWC archival account of Reference 325).
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- Band Material: Fluororubber
- Band Width: 20mm 21mm 22mm
- Band Length: 120+80mm
- Band Thickness: About 3.5-4.0mm
- Before purchasing, please make sure to use a physical ruler to measure the width of the interface between the watch and the strap, then select the corresponding size strap based on the measured size. This strap is suitable for all watches with a straight interface. As long as the strap interface is the right size, it can be installed.
How many original Reference 325 watches did IWC sell?
IWC’s archival sales-record account documents about 250 Reference 325 sales by 1945. That is the company’s documented sales figure through that year, not a total for the model’s lifetime production. The same account describes further case production and later unused inventory, so the 1945 figure should not be read as a complete manufacturing total (IWC archival account of Reference 325).
How did the Portugieser return?
In September 1973, retailer Golay expressed interest in large watches. IWC says it subsequently sold another generation of Portugiesers powered by Calibre 982, a refined version of Calibre 98 with shock absorption. This revival renewed the design lineage, but it does not make every later or current model a direct reissue of Reference 325.
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- ⌚ Brushed Finish Dial: Automatic self-wind mechanical watch for men, follows classic Minimalistic style. Unique brushed finish dial design with die-casting concave sub-dials, luminous clock hands, you can see neatly arranged circles on the dial, reflecting the high quality metal feel of the dial. Transparent back design, you can see the watch’s movement clearly and completely.pesticide
- ⌚ 35 Hours Energy Storage: The upper sub-dial is energy dial ,let you always know the running energy of your watch. If the watch doesn’t get enough energy, it will working slowly or cause a large deviation. You can manually wind up the crown to full energy to keep the watch working well, energy dial can’t exceed 35. Date window at 3 o’clock.
- ⌚ 2.5D Arc Hyperbolic Mirror: Unique mineral curved mirror, light transmission with a light transmission of 99.6%, scratch resistant and wear resistant. Case diameter is 41mm, case thickness is 11mm. Lug width is 20mm.
- ⌚ Automatic self-wind movement: Doesn’t need battery, wrist shaking provides energy to keep the watch working. When using for the first time, please manually wind up the watch to get enough energy. Using for 10 hours a day can get enough energy for the watch, if you take off it, you can also manually wind up it to keep working well.
- ⌚ Water resistant to 30 meters in general, withstands rain and splashes of water, but not suitable for bathing, swimming or diving. For any questions, please feel free to contact us.
How is today’s Portugieser related to the original?
IWC continues to present the Portugieser as a current collection (IWC Portugieser collection). Its connection to Reference 325 is best understood as a design lineage: the collection carries forward the identity of a large, legible watch rooted in the original pocket-watch-calibre concept. The company’s current collection page establishes that the family remains active, but the available historical material does not establish that every modern model is a direct reissue or provide a complete current model-by-model specification.
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