AN ICON ENTERS DARK MODE: IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN PRESENTS THE PORTUGIESER CHRONOGRAPH CERATANIUM®
Schaffhausen, February 26th, 2026: IWC Schaffhausen unveils the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium®. Entering dark mode, the iconic chronograph is presented in an all-black version crafted in Ceratanium®, an IWC-developed material that combines lightness and hardness with a distinctive dark finish. Alongside the Ceratanium® case, crown, and pushers, the watch features a black dial with black appliques and hands, and a rubber strap in the same shade. The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium® is presented in a limited edition of 1,500 pieces.
Since its introduction in 1998, the Portugieser Chronograph has brought a touch of sporty elegance to IWC Schaffhausen’s Portugieser collection. With its two vertically arranged subdials and an inner flange with a quarter-second scale, the chronograph has established itself as one of the Swiss luxury watchmaker’s most recognizable and popular watch designs. IWC now presents a creative reimagining of this timeless classic: the first all-black version crafted from Ceratanium®.
With its clean, pure and timelessly relevant aesthetic, the Portugieser Chronograph has captivated me from the beginning. I am excited to combine this unique design with Ceratanium®, one of our most significant material innovations. The all-black execution is different from anything we have ever done before. It emphasizes the chronograph’s mere shape, ensuring that nothing distracts the eye from its distinctive silhouette.
Limited to 1,500 pieces, the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium® (Ref. IW371631) features a 41-millimetre case, crown and pushers crafted from Ceratanium®. Developed by IWC, this advanced material combines the lightness and robustness of titanium with a hardness and scratch-resistance similar to that of ceramic. Another characteristic of Ceratanium®, which is based on a special titanium alloy and fired at high temperatures in a kiln, is its distinctive, dark and metallic finish. The all-black design of the chronograph is further enhanced with a black dial, black appliques and black hands. The applied Arabic numerals, indices and quarter-second scale are discreet elevations against the background of the black dial. A black rubber strap with a square pattern complements the monolithic look of this watch.
ROBUST AND RELIABLE CHRONOGRAPH MOVEMENT
The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium® is powered by the IWC-manufactured 69355 calibre, a mechanical chronograph movement engineered with a focus on robustness, reliability and longevity. The column-wheel control mechanism for the chronograph function provides clearly defined phases in the switching sequence and offers distinct tactile feedback when the buttons are pressed. The movement features an automatic doublepawl winding system, which reliably builds up a power reserve of 46 hours in the mainspring.
IWC Schaffhausen is the Engineer of Watchmaking. In 1868, the American watchmaker and engineer Florentine Ariosto Jones established the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. By combining the best of human craftsmanship and creativity with cutting-edge industrial technology and processes, he laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach to watchmaking.
IWC’s distinctive and pure design is brought to life through collections ranging from elegant dress watches to sports and luxury sports watches, notably the Portugieser, Portofino, Pilot’s Watches and Ingenieur. Over its more than 150-year history, IWC has earned a reputation for creating professional instrument watches and functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust and easy to use.
A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramic, IWC specializes in performance materials such as Ceratanium®. IWC’s advanced engineering division XPL develops technologies that enhance the durability of mechanical watches and extend their applications to environments with extreme conditions such as jet aviation and human spaceflight.
IWC is a leader in luxury watchmaking, crafting timepieces built to last for generations and continuously improving every aspect of how it manufactures, distributes and services its watches responsibly. Empowering the next generation of engineers, the brand also partners with organizations that work globally to support children and young people. IWC. EngineeredTM.