The Brand New IWC Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia = Obrigado Opulência! (Translation: Thank Y.O.U. Oppulence!)

"This is the most complex IWC ever made - it took ten years to develop - and it is awesome. The front of the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia features the solar time, the sidereal time (both can be set independently), power reserve and a very large tourbillon as seconds display. The sidereal time (a true 24 hour scale) is immensely accurate - deviating by just 11.5 seconds per year! And, this isn't just any tourbillon, it's a true constant force tourbillon, "which compensates for the continuous depletion of energy in the barrels and transmits a steady trickle of energy to the balance. Two barrels aligned in parallel guarantee a minimum of two days’ constant power. All this time, the seconds hand mounted on the titanium cage of the tourbillon advances in one-second intervals."

Then, on the back, we have a perpetual calendar in the form of a circular cut-out that counts the days of the year continuously: the 1st of January is day 1, the 31st of December day 365; or, in the case of a leap year – indicated by the letters LY, number 366. On the edge of the caseback, you also have the current time of day, the sidereal time as well as sunrise and sunset with arrows in a 24-hour rhythm

But, what [is] the star of the show (get it, "star", because it's an astronomical watch??) is the night sky display. The horizon is engraved in yellow and is completely customizable to the client's location, so that the calculation of the angle on the horizon will be accurate. IWC will then machine the cams which control the sunrise and sunset to display correctly for that client. Essentially, each owner of the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia will be at the center of his own astronomical universe. The caseback also features a polarized filter that makes the watch appear grey by day and blue by night.

And, IWC being IWC, they made this highly complicated watch to be worn every single day. It is water resistant to 3 bars and shockingly shock-proof (according to IWC, of course). The case size is 46mm (this is a really complicated watch, 46mm makes sense), and each piece is customizable by the client in terms of case material (red gold or platinum), dial color, strap color / material (NATO, anyone?) and of course, horizon.

So, we've got a constant force tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, and a super cool astronomic sidereal display on the new IWC reference 5041 Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia. Since each piece is built to order, anyone who decides to purchase one should expect a one-year wait for delivery."

Information Courtesy Of: Hodinkee.Com

CHRIS LIVE AKA SHAKER SAYS: Expectations can only rise to dizzying heights when a watch manufacture of such great esteem as the I.nternational W.atch C.ompany dares to make the claim that their latest towering timepiece is, indeed, the "most exclusive and most complicated mechanical watch ever created by IWC Schaffhausen". Word? Y.O.U. don't say. However, whereas such excited amplifications might well be dismissed as boilerplate P.ublic R.elations hype-machine speak coming from any other firm, IWC Schaffhausen's century-plus history of Swiss innovative excellence should do much to squelch any doubts that might fiendishly fester in the minds of ever hard to please pessimists. Look, L.O.V.E. of watches need not be complicated by wayward emotions my friend. The only complications one should wish to encounter on this rich pavé stoned paved road to glory is that of masterfully set mechanisms. To that end, it is my great pleasure to introduce Y.O.U. to the IWC Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia.

The result of 10 years of extensive brow furrowing research is an immaculate instrument that takes the always popular Portuguese model and unites solar time (NOTE: Solar time is just a reckoning of the passage of time based on the Sun's position in the sky. Basically, the 24 hour standard time cycle as we know it.) with sidereal time (NOTE: Now, THIS concept is a little bit more difficult to explain boys and girls ... lol. Ummmmmm, sidereal time is a time-keeping system astronomers use to keep track of the direction to point their telescopes to view a given star in the night sky. It involves following the vernal equinox as it corresponds to the Earth's rotation on any given day, so, yeeeeeeah, that's about it ... lol.), together with astronomical displays, in a single watch that all falls beautifully beneath the flowing banner of high craft and conceptualism. "Front, back and side to side" the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia is as striking from the constant power tourbillion front as it is from the night sky display and perpetual calendar on the reverse. Whoa!

Oh yeah, be forewarned that because each piece is built to order, Y.O.U. can expect at least a 1 year wait for delivery ... which is more than enough time to really look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that Y.O.U. just dropped like 100 racks on a watch! LOL. Go hard or go home playboy! Good shit!