IWC Portofino Chronograph

• Elegant dress watches in stainless steel or 18-karat gold
• Reliable base calibers: Valjoux 7750 or Sellita SW500-1
• Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher with an 8-day power reserve
• Alligator leather straps
• Also available with a braided Milanese strap

The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen skillfully combines the elegant design of the Portofino collection with the sporty nature of a stopwatch in the Portofino Chronograph. Classic Portofino details include applied line indices for the hours, Roman numerals at 6 and 12 o'clock, and narrow leaf-shaped hands. In contrast, subdials for the chronograph counters and small seconds, a day-date display, and an extremely accurate minute scale all lend this timepiece its sporty touch.

The Portofino Chronograph comes in a 41 or 42-mm stainless steel or rose gold case. Each watch houses a heavily modified chronograph caliber based on a Valjoux or Sellita movement. Models from the 1980s and 90s are the exception: They are much smaller and use quartz movements.

The Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher is a particularly special chronograph. Like early manual stopwatches, this watch features only one push-piece. It is integrated into the crown and controls all the chronograph functions.

If you're looking for a classically elegant dress watch with the functionality of a chronograph, the Portofino Chronograph is the right watch for you. There are plenty of models to choose from, as this timepiece has received many updates since joining the IWC catalog in 1988. One example is the 42-mm ref. IW3910. This timepiece debuted in 2011 and is powered by the caliber 75320, which is based on the Sellita SW500-1. You can recognize this model by its mushroom-shaped chronograph push-pieces at 2 and 4 o'clock.

Set aside around 4,600 USD for a mint-condition stainless steel watch with a black or white silver-plated dial on a high-quality alligator leather strap. The version on a stainless steel Milanese bracelet costs about 5,500 USD. Depending on the model, you can save 550 to 1,000 USD by purchasing a pre-owned timepiece.

This watch is also available in 18-karat rose gold. You can choose between a white silver-plated or slate gray sunburst dial. IWC refers to the slate version as "Ardoise." Never-worn pieces sell for around 12,500 USD, while used watches change hands for about 10,000 USD.

IWC released the limited edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Portofino Chronograph in 2012. This timepiece bears the reference number 391019 and is limited to a run of 2,500 pieces. Unlike other Portofino Chronographs, this model has a blue dial, matching blue alligator leather strap, and special engraving on its case back. The winning design for the engraving came from a young Sri Lankan girl and depicts children playing. The caliber 79320, based on the Valjoux 7750, powers this timepiece. You can call a mint-condition model your own for roughly 5,900 USD. Pre-owned watches cost significantly less at around 3,000 USD.

You can save quite a bit by purchasing the reference 3783, which IWC produced from 2007 to 2010. This model sets itself apart from its successors with its rectangular push-pieces and 41-mm case. IWC equipped this watch with the caliber 79320 based on the Valjoux 7750.

The satin-brushed stainless steel edition with a white silver-plated dial and gold-plated hands and indices costs about 3,600 USD. The version with a black dial and polished stainless steel hands demands about 110 USD more.

Between 1988 and 1996, IWC introduced two variants of the Portofino Chronograph with the quartz caliber 630 from Jaeger-LeCoultre. The model with the reference number 3730 is 29 mm in diameter, making it a great choice for women. Its minute and hour counters sit at 3 and 9 o'clock, respectively, while the small seconds dial is located at 6 o'clock. IWC placed its date window between 4 and 5 o'clock. You can purchase a well-maintained model for about 3,500 USD.

The second model bears the reference number 3731 and is 35 mm in diameter. It also features the caliber 630 and has the same subdial layout as the smaller quartz model. This watch's most exciting feature is its date display. Like a pointer date , the current date is indicated by two small lines on a ring around the dial's outer edge. Pre-owned pieces often sell for as little as 2,800 USD.

The Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher with the ref. 5151 differs vastly from its sister models. At 45 mm, it is the largest chronograph in the series. What's more, it only comes in rose or white gold and uses the manual in-house caliber 59360. It provides this timepiece with a date display at 3, a small seconds at 6, and a 60-minute counter at 12 o'clock. There's also a power reserve indicator at 9 that lets you know how much of its eight-day power reserve remains.

As its name suggests, this timepiece features only one chronograph push-piece. It is integrated into the crown and is used to start, stop, and reset the chronograph function.

Unworn, this unique watch sells for about 19,500 USD. You'll find pre-owned examples in good condition starting around 17,000 USD.