Hello everyone. I've been lurking on the IWC forum for the past year or so and finally joined as I received my first IWC 2 weeks ago. The 3531 has been my grail watch since I got into watch collecting and after 3+ years of searching I finally found one.
I came across my 3531 when I noticed a fellow collector (located in the Netherlands) had recently purchased a Dornbluth 04.0 Midi (his grail watch) and in his post stated that he had previously purchased the 3531 as it had a similar appearance to the ultra-rare Dornbluth, which he figured he would never procure. After a long search, this gentleman was able to purchase his grail Dornbluth as a result of the kindness of a collector who wanted to help make a fellow collector's watch dream come true by selling him his grail watch. I decided to shoot him an email and explained my sitaution and this gentleman returned the kindness he had been shown to another watch nut (me) in search of his grail.
After a 5 week wait (the U.S. has a new law in place regarding packages incoming from abroad weighing over 500 grams - it takes forever as these packages are shipped by sea) the IWC arrived and I couldn't be happier.
I had never seen the Small Portuguese in person but knew if it was half as stunning as it is in pictures that it would be a watch I would have for a lifetime. Upon receipt it went above and beyond my expectations. The 3531 is the perfect dress watch. The silvery dial and rose golf leaf hands and arabic numerals contrast perfectly. The alternating polished and brushed surfaces of the case meld in perfect harmony. The 3+ year long wait was worth it. I don't know about you but the thrill of the the chase is usually the most invigorating phase of a watch aquisition but for me, with this watch, wearing the watch daily is the best.
Please post pictures of your 3531, whether ss, rose gold, black dial or silver. Also, any thoughts on your 3531 would be interesting to hear.
My 3531:
