Portuguese Minute Repeater Red Gold

In Context

At 43 mm it is a large watch — well above this catalogue’s 40 mm median, and enough to dominate a narrow wrist. At 12.3 mm it is a tall case, and it will catch on a cuff. The case back is open, so the movement is visible without taking the watch apart, and the sapphire crystal will resist everything short of deliberate abuse.

The movement is hand-wound, so winding it becomes part of the day rather than something the watch does for you. 43 hours of reserve carries it overnight, but not through a weekend in a drawer. At 18,000 vph the seconds hand advances 5 times a second, the slower and more audible rate of an older design.

IW5242-03 is one of 3 executions of the IW5242 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a red gold case. It was a limited edition. Beyond the time it carries a minute repeater.

A hand-wound minute repeater descended from IWC's calibre 95 pocket-watch movement, introduced in 1995 for the Portugieser Minute Repeater. The finger-shaped bridges are a pocket-watch inheritance, and they leave the going train visible from the crown wheel through to the escape wheel. A large screw balance and Breguet overcoil regulate it, and the repeater strikes hours, quarters and minutes.

5 other watches in the library run the IWC 95290.

IWC

Portugieser Minute Repeater White Gold

IW5240-07 · 42 mm

IWC

Portuguese Minute Repeater White Gold

IW5242-05 · 43 mm

IWC

Portugieser Minute Repeater Yellow Gold

IW5240-01 · 42 mm

IWC

Portuguese Minute Repeater Platinum

IW5242-04 · 43 mm