Portugieser Automatic or Annual Calendar

Hello everyone

I'm new to this forum but it's already a long time since I dream of owning an IWC watch. I always liked the design of the Portugieser Automatic (5001 and 5007). When I went to an IWC boutique to see it on my wrist, they also showed me the similar (in terms of design) Portugieser Annual Calendar. In my opinion an annual calendar is a great complication to have. But on the other side you pay a lot for it compared with the Automatic.

I'd very much appreciate knowing your opinions on that. Thank you

Welcome to the Forum.

I bought a 5001 as my first IWC back in 2004. I still wear it often. The clean design, discrete bezel and large dial retains many of the design cues of the original Ref 325 from 1939.

The Annual Calendar has the odd distribution of the month and day of the week windows. I am of the opinion that it was a design compromise for the module to work with the chosen movement. One of your choices is pretty much perfect the other lacks perfection, in my view.

Welcome to the forum. Although the Annual Calendar is a nice watch, it's not as perfect looking as the Portuguese Automatic.

Kind regards,

Clemens

Thank you very much for your welcome and your responses. Your watches look great.

Clemens, is that an IW500705 with a brown strap on your first picture? In my opinion the brown fits much better with the steel case than the black.

Thanks,
Adrian

I would take the Automatic. It is a natural beauty, whereas I consider the Annual Calendar an engineered beauty: a bit artificial. Furthermore, when considering the Annual Calendar, I would go one step further and take the Perpetual Calendar: it looks much nicer to me, and the jump in price from the Annual Calendar is relatively small.

Kind regards,
Paul

Hi Adrian, it is the 500107 (white dial, blue hands, dark blue strap) and I had a tan brown aftermarket strap that I put on during summer :-)

Kind regards,

Clemens

If I were you, I would go for the Automatic as well. I will tell you why.

It's the safe choice. The Automatic is a watch, like Ralph already mentioned, is a true classic. The Annual calander is a great watch, don't get me wrong, but it is more of a complicated offspring of the original I would say. The Automatoc is truly IWC. Designwise and movement wise.

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And while the 42.3mm Automatic will show nice proportions on most wrist sizes, the 44.2mm Annual Calendar will need a substantially bigger wrist to look convincing.

Welcome and congratulations on your very good taste.

I also agree with all my friends here who gave you advice I could not fault.

Which ever watch you select, it will be fantastic.

Thanks to all of you for your valuable advices.
As you all support my previous tendendy towards the Automatic, i'll definitely go for that one.

And, as Paul mentioned, there still is the Perpetual Calendar. Step by step.. It's always good to have a dream.

Best regards,
Adrian

I recently purchased the annual calendar and could not be happier-I have always wanted the perpetual calendar but looking back the dial was just too cluttered for me and I need a clear second hand for my work. furthermore I love the day, date and month easily visible and not needing to adjust the setting except once a year is a bonus. to me the annual calendar is a little more unique but the automatic is of course beautiful. this should be the toughest decision you ever make!

OK, I had the Portugieser Automatic 500107 silver dial/blue hands once and loved the watch. But: The Annual Calendar for me is one step beyond. And: Compared to the Perpetual it's much more affordable because it comes in steel. And I love the blue dial. The date alignment for me is not odd. It fits very well and the watch bears much harmony and balance on the dial. The 44 mm for me fits better than "just" 42 which I consider quite small meanwhile. Though my wrist is not the strongest.
But I'd love to see this watch at the brown Santoni strap. But I guess this is just subject to negotiation at the IWC dealer.
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Portuguese Automatic for me. The dial of annual calendar doesn't appear as balanced as the Automatic's one. Plus strange order of the date.

Regards
JK