IWC Portuguese Automatic 5000-04 Luxury Watch Review

http://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/iwc#.VXXbmFqRMlI IWC of Schaffhausen, Switzerland is the foremost German-Swiss watchmaker. Founded by an American in 1868 and based far from the western Swiss "Watch Valley," IWC has a history of going its own way. In the 1-of-750 Portuguese Automatic 5000-04, IWC combines its legendary 42mm "Portuguese" case with an in-house Cal. 5000 movement and 18-karat rose gold. As the debut platform for this 21st Century movement, the landmark IWC Portuguese 50000 also became the first automatic non-chronograph “Portugieser” since the model’s 1939 launch. Designed in 1939 at the behest of its Portuguese market import managers, the "Portugieser" model, as it is known in German, was considered a monster. Engineered specifically to house a pocket watch movement (seen as essential to achieve accuracy in those days), the watch was over 33% larger than the typical men's watch of the period. It was considered a monster at the time, but history has vindicated its unconventional style and elevated the Portuguese to icon status. In an age that reveres large watches and considers sub-40mm cases downright dainty, the Portuguese is a style leader. Within the famous case, IWC's modern day Portuguese 5000-04 benefits from the circa-Y2K arrival of the Schaffhausen firm's in-house caliber 5000. Designed and constructed entirely by IWC, the movement boasts a 7-day power reserve and IWC's famous mid-century "Pellaton" automatic winding system. One of Swiss industr