Equally as well known for his distinct style as he is for his numerous—196, at last count—podium finishes, Lewis Hamilton is a consummate watch aficionado. The new IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis Hamilton marks the racecar driver’s third collaboration with the Swiss manufacture; with previous collaborations taking on a sporty tone, using the Ingenieur Chronograph and Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar as a canvas.
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Inarguably the most refined collaboration between the duo yet, the IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis Hamilton is a teal-toned stunner. Crafted from platinum, the bright white sheen of the 43.5mm case complements the rich teal shade of the dial, which is adorned with 12 round diamond hour markers that sit alongside Arabic indices.
The bicompax dial layout sees the stopped hour and minute counters combined into a single subdial at 12 o’clock, letting the one-minute flying tourbillon take the lion’s share of the dial at 6 o’clock. There’s also a retrograde date display sitting to the left of the centre pinion which is balanced out by Lewis Hamilton’s panther logo sitting beneath the ‘IWC Schaffhausen’ name script at 3 o’clock. The timepiece is presented on a colour-matched textile strap, lending a sporty element to the otherwise dressy aesthetic.
The IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis Hamilton is powered by the in-house 89900 calibre, which features a silicone escapement with a diamond coating to reduce friction and improve energy flow. Visible through the exhibition caseback, it’s plated in gold, something IWC hasn’t done in thirty years — last seen on the Il Destriero Scafusia in 1993.
“It has been an honour and a pleasure to work with Lewis on this project. His passion for IWC and comprehensive knowledge of mechanical watches were palpable at every stage of the two-year development process,” says Christian Knoop, chief design officer at IWC Schaffhausen.
“Lewis knew exactly what he wanted and brought excellent ideas to the table. The result is a timepiece that combines his unerring sense of aesthetics and love of bold colours with some of the finest watchmaking technology ever developed in Schaffhausen.”
The rightfully bold timepiece is limited to 44 examples and priced at $292,000AUD; available on request.
Words by Theo Rosen
