The London Lounge

I'm interested in a good chronograph. Any opinions on IWC's portofino, portuguese, and (single) automatic pilots chronograph models?

DDM

Hi DDM...they are excellent for the price. The base movement for the IWC chronographs are the Valjoux 7750 or 7760 (even the Grande complication and Il Destriero are rebuilt variants). I particularly like the split seconds Portugese, handwound...very handsome.

IWC is known for making watches of engineering standard rather than absolutely the last word in hand work. And taken in this context, they are great watches - robust, well designed, and quite beautiful.

I have a quite a few mechanical watches and even worked in the business for a while. IWC is a fantastic brand, well respected and well made. Of all my watches, my IWC Fliegercronograph is the watch I wear most. IWC is often thought of as the brand with the most comfortable bracelet as well.

Thanks for all of the comments. I appreciate the characterization of IWC as an "engineer's watch". As I'm not after a dress watch on this round, a sporty, tougth, engineer's watch hits the mark I seek.

MrWynn, a question for you sir. Do you find the filegerchrono thick at 14MM? It's my only real concern. I've looked a the watch in a couple of shops but they are always on a bracelet and I cannot really tell how the watch would feel better fitted. I found a good secondary market in the watches and am going to have a shop send a FChrono and a Mark XV (not chrono) on approval.

Looking through the other threads in this section of the Forum I was able to branch out and find many things. Pchongs review of Phillipe Dufour's simplicity introduced a crisis in me. I do not think that I could better imagine a dress watch for myself than this:



How do I find one for myself after I win powerball?

As to chronographs, here are the two top finds. ($15K for the first and $55K the second - nobody said this was easy).

Parmigiani Toric: http://www.parmigiani.ch/images/toric_c ... 02710.html

Patek 5960: http://www.goldarths.com/0106/Columns/RDC/pp5960/

for chronographs, my preference again lean the Lange Datograph and family...the 1815 Chronograph, Double Split Chronograph, Tourbograph, or the Datograph Perpetual. Some pictures below:

The Datograph - movement...can anyone resist this?


The Datograph Perpetual


The Datograph Perpetual

Pchong - amen brother. The Lange is beautiful, the back is mesmerizing and, being a fan of the easy to read face, give my vote of the date size.

Do you have any others in the closet with which tease me?

DDM

pchong wrote:
The Datograph - movement...can anyone resist this?

It's sublime. I've played with one and the pusher action is something else!

Lange is an amazing watch, but if you want to talk about thick! I don't find my IWC too thick at all, however it is not appropriate as a dress watch. I often wear it with suits and it's not a problem at all. Due to it's antimagnetic soft iron core, it is weighty and took a few days to get used to but I love it nonetheless.

The watch I have my eye on is a Nomos Tangente, as I'm in need of a more subtle dress watch.

The Portugese is thick and wide enough to give your shirtmaker something to take into account but I think that it looks great even with a suit and I don't think the size will be at all noticeable after a couple of days (if you aren't used to wearing a larger watch)

PChong, great pictures of an amazing watch!

DDM,

Did you go ahead with a purchase of an IWC?
I have one, and like them very much.

There is no doubt that I would like to add an A Lange Big Date to the collection,
but it will have to wait for the moment.

The watch I wear most often is a Portu. I love it. Better yet, women love it.