IWC has updated its Portofino line with a hint of retro flair inspired by the dolce-vita days of the collection’s namesake village on the Italian Riviera. This year, IWC introduced four new models, starting with the understated Portofino Automatic ($4,200 to $10,800), now in a 40 mm case with a sleeker appearance. The Portofino Chronograph ($5,500 to $6,500) also speaks softly with a slightly upsized dimension of 42 mm and soft contours. Playing up their vintage Italian character, the Automatic and Chronograph are available with a Milanese mesh bracelet that recalls watches from the ’50s and ’60s. For the jet set, IWC added a Portofino Dual Time ($8,700 to $17,600) that allows you to simply change time zones and date using the crown, while tracking your home time with a 24-hour display. And at the top of the line is the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days ($10,000 to $18,700) featuring a robust new IWC-manufactured movement, which is comparable in size to a pocket watch movement, though its design is resolutely modern. The Dual Time and Hand-Wound Eight Days pieces are outfitted with special leather straps by Santoni, a renowned Italian shoemaker that treats the leather so it appears gently aged. “The watches are designed a little in that style of the ’50s and ’60s,” says IWC’s CEO, Georges Kern. “They are not vintage, but they have a touch of discretion and elegance.” (www.iwc.com)
