(If you’re interested to learn more about first-time buying, check out my post on the 5 MYTHS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEFORE BUYING YOUR FIRST LUXURY WATCH)
So, what makes IWC, and more specifically the Portofino, the right choice for first-time buyers? Brand history, timeless appeal, and classic appearance – features that will serve you well for years to come.
The Blend of European Precision and American Ingenuity
Over 140 years ago, young Boston engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones resisted the trend of westward expansion (and ultimately western Swiss watch making) and headed east. With the desire to pair centralized manufacturing with European craftsmanship, Jones left E. Howard Watch and Clock Co., and headed to Switzerland, the cradle of watch making.
He was met with skepticism in the Geneva region, where watch making was perfected in small workshops and home studios. Jones’ dream of manufacturing watches in an expanded location while maintaining the precision expected of Swiss timepieces soon found a home along the Rhine, in Schaffhausen.
Schaffhausen had a rich history of clockmaking prior to Jones’ arrival, with records showing a clockmaker’s guild dating back to the late 1500s. Pursuing his vision, Florentine Ariosto Jones and Swiss industrialist, Heinrich Moser, built a home for IWC in 1875 along the banks of the river on land previously used as an orchard for the All Saints monastery.
Not much has changed a century and a half later as IWC continues to pursue the pioneering spirit of their creators. Couple that with luxury construction and you get a manufacturer with an eye for unmistakably timeless wristwatches – the original vision of Jones and Moser.
Mediterranean Classical Elegance
Portofino, Italy. Audrey Hepburn. Laurence Olivier. They are the essence of class, elegance, and timelessness in our social conscience. This was the demand recognized by IWC in the late 1970s.
Portofino has been a vacation destination for the rich and famous for decades. A small Italian resort town with the laid back atmosphere desired by visitors from around the world, Portofino is luxurious relaxation wrapped around a natural cove in red terracotta tile. The city is simple, dignified in its luxury, and picturesque in beauty.