Portofino

The name Portofino evokes the seaside village on the Ligurian coast, a "dolce vita" destination that during the economic boom years attracted film stars and crowned heads: a fitting reference for a collection conceived as the more understated and elegant soul of the IWC catalog. The first model, reference 5251, debuted in 1984: a relatively large case with a slim profile, Breguet-style hands, elongated Roman numerals and a moon phase display at 3 o'clock — a golden moon on a blue disc that collectors affectionately nicknamed "the fried egg" for its round, eye-catching shape against the light-colored dial.

The Portofino's aesthetic approach has its roots in the large "Lepine" pocket-watch movements of the 1970s, which shaped the collection's generous proportions and minimal dials once adapted to the wrist. True to the spirit of founder Florentine Ariosto Jones — who favored engineering functionality over pure stylistic tradition — the Portofino has remained, over the years, the elegant and measured counterpart to the brand's sportier lines, such as the Pilot's Watch and the Ingenieur.

In 2008 the collection was reissued with the in-house caliber 98800, while in 2014 a photographic campaign by Peter Lindbergh, featuring several well-known faces from cinema, relaunched its contemporary image. To mark the brand's 150th anniversary in 2018, new executions arrived with lacquered dials; over time the line has also been expanded with women's versions featuring smaller cases and diamond-set editions, broadening its audience beyond the traditional men's watch.