IWC
Portuguese, Reference 325 | A stainless steel wristwatch | Made in 1946
Auction Closed
May 11, 11:29 AM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 40,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: silvered
Calibre: cal. 98 manual winding, jewelled
Movement number: 955’178
Case: stainless steel, snap-on case back
Case number: 1’117’240
Closure: stainless steel IWC buckle
Size: 42 mm diameter
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: IWC Extract from the Archives, Extract from the register and associated service invoice dated December 2023
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
The origin of the IWC Portuguese dates back to the 1930's when two Portuguese businessmen - Rodrigues and Teixeira - operating in the watch industry visited the IWC factory proposing the development of a large stainless steel wristwatch housing a movement that could match the precision of a marine chronometer, with perfect readability and the highest possible precision. This quest led to the introduction of the legendary reference 325 in 1939.
The proportions of the pieces were extraordinary at the time. A 42mm case diameter was substantially larger than an normal timepiece of an average diameter just above 30mm. To power these watches, IWC first used their calibre 74, which was originally a pocket watch movement. According to the Manufacture, only 304 examples were powered by this calibre. Until 1981 when the model ceased production, IWC only delivered 690 examples of this out of norm model.
This tool watch has now become an horological icon of the first part of the 20th century as well as an inspiration for generations of watch designers.