24/05/2024
For the Love of Horology - IWC Portuguese Chronograph (IW3714)
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The enduring look of this timepiece is probably one of the core reasons why so little has changed since its first release in 1998.
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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, they say. At IWC, they probably take the stance of “but hey, you can always upgrade it!)
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Over the years, there has been some technical upgrades and marketing tweaks (changing the product line from Portuguese for the English speaking world to Portugieser). With the release of the 3716 to replace the 3714, the replacement of the older Valjoux 7750 based movement to the in-house cal. 69355 is a good move, and the 3716 is now blessed with applied numerals.
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What is interesting is that IWC chose to do another update in 2024, with new color combinations.
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This formula is perhaps not new. We have seen simpler updates with the Lange 1, when they released a new movement upgrade back in 2015, and then new iterations of it all through the years. Other examples include the Patek 4897 / 4997 evolution.
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This was amongst the first watches that caught my eye when I first got into watches back in 2013, and even today, it remains a credible pick!!
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