Big Decision: Buying the Perpetual Calendar - Help Please

Thanks Andrew, you're right - I thought only about other perpetuals given the topic, to the exclusion of other series which slipped my mind, like the Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar.

IWC Pilot Perpetual Calendar

Question: How do I adjust the date backwards?
I am a frequent traveller, the problem I face is when the time zone changes, the date can be set forward, but can't go back.
I end up using another watch for 9 days, to drain out the power (7 days), wait for 2 days so that the date becomes right.
Also, what happens if a mistake is made while setting the date by a month?
Don't wear the watch for a month and a half?
Please Help.
Thanks

The simple answer is don't adjust the date backwards...ever. Plan ahead if you travel with a perpetual. Take another watch for travel where the date goes backwards. You can always pull out the crown and wait for the time to catch up. But never turn the time backwards if it is between 8pm and 2am.

I have two IWC perpetual calendars, the Portuguese Perpetual Calendar which I bought in 2009 and the big pilot perpetual middle eastern Limited edition (in 2012) and both had the problem that the weekday went wrong shortly after I bought them.
Which is not really a problem, it is just not nice to be told the "repair" will take 3 month or more (when in fact my first one was fixed in HK in a matter of 3 or 4 days)

The bigger problem seems to come after a few years..... My Portuguese Perpetual (a 500 year mechanical calendar) stopped working after about 3 years of service, the mechanism blockedAs per diagnose of IWC, the "Lubrication is no longer satisfactory" and caused the blocking, not to mention the oxidized hands mentioned in the report.
On top of all that disaster, IWC wants to charge me 1.250,-USD for that, meaning, the watch will cost me USD 208.000,- over the next 500 years only on Lubrication (and I thought I only have to have my grand grand son change the years number)

very disappointing, but the reality is that the watches are very nice, the service and quality may not reach that standard

Rolf W.

A few times a year the first (and maybe last) post of somebody here is about a complaint. If this would be the standard procedure for every complaint, then IWC would do very well on quality. As for me, another "statistic", none of my 10+ new IWC watches had this kind of a problem. There are no real statistics available to us, mortals, comparing brands on amount of repairs per year per watch sold, but here was written that IWC indeed does well on this subject.

Kind regards,
Paul

i don't think many people write their experience as you start giving up with what you liked....

But I started listening around and I am not alone, not at all;

Rolf, what did IWC do to fix the issue? It seems that I just had the same problem with my PPC. When the month went from February to March the day of the week did not match the date it was suppose to be. There is no way that I know of to adjust this myself to fix it. It seems that I will have to send it in for service. Would like to know what they did for yours and have you had the problem come up again.

thanks

Hi All:

I am new here - after more than half a century on this planet, I recently bought an IWC Portugieser Chrono Automatic.

I fell for the design and the finish (i.e., the beauty) of this mechanical watch, as well as for its iconic appeal and the reputation of IWC, including its "engineering appeal", so to speak.

Only later I realized two things:
1. the IWC advertising campaign "engineered for men" and even more politically incorrect promotion in the recent pat - refreshing (sic!);
2. the movement is a modified ETA Valjoux 7750 - the more I read about it, the more I got into a state of cognitive dissonance (typical post-purchasing behavior, I guess).
Nevertheless, I do like the watch and enjoy every day that I wear it. If anything, it would appear a little overpriced in hindsight, given the movement inside. But then, I am not here to complain...

Quite on the contrary, I find myself infected with a new virus. I am seriously considering to add a Portugieser perpetual calendar - which would be my second mechanical watch. My initialconcerns re. the size are gone - I got used to the Chrono and now I think I would get used to the even larger size of the perpetual as well. I have even begun to like the size - which gives these watches (in my eyes) a nice masculine touch, different from Jaeger LeCoultre, or example.

The reason that I am joining this wonderful forum: I would like to ask for some advice.

1. Are the improvements (ceramics inside...) of the latest update worth to wait for?
2. I would prefer the single-moon version,on the one hand; on the other hand, the blue version seems especially nice.

What would you recommend, given your experience and your background with IWC? After all, this will be a fairly big investment and I don't want to get it wrong...

Thanks in advance
Hans

Hans, first of all congratulations on your fantastic IWC. I had this watch for several years and was very happy with it. The movement is fantastic and never reason for any problems.
Second congratulations on your decision to go for a Perpetual. I really appreciate these watches. One day I want to have one of these too. Of course the modifications are great but the previous movements had a very high standard as well. I guess in the end it comes down to personal taste, if the new design appeals more to you or the previous one. In fact the single moon version hasn't changed that much from the outside I think. Whatever you like best, you cannot go wrong with either of them.
I even think the ceramic levers inside the movement have been there recently as well in the previous version but I'm not sure about that.

I did it.
I bought my second IWC only a few months after the first one.
Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Single Moon (White Gold / Ardoise Dial Plate / Brown Strap).
What a wonderful watch.

Awesome. Congrats!! How about some pics?

Biggest congratulations on that milestone!!!

I will be happy to share some pics - I need help, however, how to upload files into this forum.

Thanks,
Hans
(happy about both [!] his new watches like he last was at Christmas, when still a little boy)

I just hope this will work out...
... here are a few pictures (not professional ones, rather taken with the cam of a smartphone):

Portugieser Chronograph Automatic (my first IWC):

and

Portugieser Perpetual Calendar (my second IWC now):

Best wishes
Hans

This morning I would like to share a random observation.

Each time I look at my watch because I wish to check the precise time, it makes me smile. Both of my IWC Portugieser watches - but most of all, the perpetual calendar - do have this effect.

Admittedly not exactly cheap, they quite obviously were excellent choices.

Hans

I feel the same way. My BPP just makes me smile. Constantly. That's a good thing! I love my IWC's. Absolutely love them.

Looking forward to the pictures of your new toy...ps congrats on the MBA

Just bought a Portuguese perpetual calendar double moonphase. Somebody who have experience with the new 2015 model?

Thanks in advance

Kind regards