IWC has been relatively reserved with their use of Ceratanium since introducing the proprietary alloy in 2017. The ceramized titanium is notoriously difficult to wield, but its physical and aesthetic properties push it well beyond mere black ceramic. We’ve seen how well it works in the Pilot’s and even Aquatimer collections, and now, for the first time, it’s making an appearance in the brand’s classic Portugieser collection. The new Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium fully leans into the theme with a black on black dial, black rubber strap, and even a smoked exhibition window in the caseback.
Ceratanium is one of those things that must be seen and handled in person in order to be fully appreciated. While images place in the same realm as black ceramic, in the flesh it’s far more nuanced. Rather than appearing black, it takes on a soft greyish tone that reflects a fair amount of light back to the viewer, and the uniform satin-like texture, which is soft to the touch, only exaggerates the effect. It’s lightweight, as you’d expect, but that doesn’t feel like its defining feature. Against the black dial and black rubber strap seen here, the case itself is actually the lightest component of the bunch, providing at least some contrast to the situation.
The case itself measures 41mm in diameter and 13.1mm in thickness for an overall pleasant footprint on the wrist, but the uniform color and lack of a bezel will provide a much larger visual impact than you might expect. The dial is a sea of black details whose only point of contrast is their differing textures. The leaf hands and applied hour markers are polished black sitting atop a softer black surface, and while it may be chic, it’s about as far as you’ll get from any practical level of legibility. But that’s not really what this watch is about. It’s more of a style statement than anything else.
In that regard, it almost feels like a time-only reference would have been a more logical choice for this kind of execution, as the sub-dials are damn near invisible here, even with their radial texture. The whole thing is powered by IWC’s manufacture caliber 69355, and automatic chronograph barely visible through the black tinted caseback. You have to respect IWC’s commitment to going all the way with this theme, and even if it’s polarizing in nature, it’s anything but boring.
Overall this is a welcome, if unexpected, expansion of the use of Ceratianium, and while I’d still love to see it come to the Ingenieur line, I enjoy seeing it applied in a collection such as the Portugieser. My hope is that IWC can sort out any production challenges in a manner that would allow for more Ceratanium bracelets to be produced for watches like this, as they heighten the overall experience of the material. As is, this one will be ripe for colorful strap options, though it is not equipped with the brand’s quick swap strap system.
The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium is limited to 1,500 units planned for production, each priced at $14,600. IWC
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