The smallest watch in the new catalogue

I wonder whether you realise what the smallest watch is in the current catalogue. Samuel compared this catalogue with the one of last year, at the German forum. Not only did he list the new watches, he also listed the watches that disappeared. Quite an interesting list, see catalogue list. As the Spitfire UTC and the old Portofino's went, the smallest watch now is the Mark XVI. I wonder how long that will be the case: next year it is Pilot's watches year, I wouldn't be surprised if a new Mark XVI (maybe called Mark XVII?) would be presented at the same size of the current Portofino Automatic, maybe housing the same movement. With the disappearance of the UTC, no second time zone watch is available at the moment. Maybe this is the time to either think about a Spitfire UTC, or a Mark XVI.

Kind regards,
Paul

interesting. thanks for headsup Paul - this is one of the reasons I love this forum: early red flags as well as a whole different perspective to watches/watch collections

so far based on what I know the Mark series has only been 36-39 mm ?

a summary taken from here:
Mark IX: 1936-1944, IWC caliber 83, diameter: 36mm+
Mark X: 1944-1948, IWC caliber 83, diameter: 36mm
Mark XI: 1948-1984, IWC caliber 89, diameter: 36mm
Mark XII: 1993-1999, IWC caliber 884 (Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. 889/2), diameter: 36mm
Mark XV: 1999-2006, ETA Cal. 2892A2, diameter: 38mm
Mark XVI: 2006-____, IWC caliber 30110, diameter: 39mm
except for a few special editions in titanium using ETA Cal. 2892A2
+insert mine (based on my understanding-please correct me if wrong)

It would be interested to see what's next. My personal hope (unrelated to the Mark series) is for a Big Pilot 5004 or subsequent UTC.

Hannes Pantli commented in MF's interview that IWC re-launched big watches with the Portuguese line. I suppose that trend has not stopped since, given the new lines launched by IWC and other brands too especially in the last two years.

The Mark IX is 36,5 mm: www.fliegeruhr.ch/mark_ix.htm

That's why I stick to older models :)

Thanks Bas.

I have been calculation the average diameter of all IWC watches of the recent collecton in the IWC catalogues since 1988, here is how they grew from year to year:

This is a really interesting and, somehow, scaring research.

I wonder when time will come to reverse this trend, maybe just a little but, to my humble opinion, except for some models naturally/historically devoted to big dimensions, some big watches look quite ridiculous, especially on small wrists, without any apparent reason to be so big, but to be seen at a distance of 100 meters :(

As a small wrist owner, I totally agree with you.

in my opinion, this is a trend that is unlikely to be arrested or reversed anytime soon.

To me timepieces are no longer just used to tell time - mobile phones that we are likely to look at more often than our watches do that, complete with day and date in a single short customizable line (based on what I see of people I meet and am surrounded by - exceptions abound, including me).

I have met low and mid end watch designers in Asia over the last 8 years who are eager to switch to designing in another industry as their industry becomes more commoditized. And the chief reason why I believe the high end watch manufacturers continue to thrive is because of their concerted effort and strategic direction to move towards aesthetics, and not just aesthetics for an exclusive 'elite' class, but aesthetics that appeal to a growing segment of the market that may not even have thought to think about timepieces that way. I feel a bigger/thicker dial/bezel/casing permits more character & 'story-telling' to be captured within a timepiece. This could be superficial, but it certainly is working I think.

Admittedly this can be derived from my own personal, subjective interpretation of the market - because I certainly have been made to think about timepieces in a different way since starting to collect years ago, and recently having discovered IWC. my 2 cents, and I am reminded of this:

“Size isn't everything. The whale is endangered, while the ant continues to do just fine.” William E Bill Vaughan

I think these have some character @ 35 mm

5441s / 325s ?

yes bas, very true. this dial has been in my dreams as mentioned previously :) u know my weakspots and are not shy to hit them squarely ! I deserve it.

No intention to hit your weekspots. It's just that I like them.

These are ref. 3531.

Lovely watches. The second one from the left looks very familiar, I wore it the other day after maybe more than a year. I think it looked far too small, I am completely used to 44 mm watches. I am not even sure I would buy a 40 mm watch these days. The modern model that looks very much like this small Portuguese Automatic is the Portuguese Handwound. It being quite thin makes this watch a super wearer, as I know from experience, having a few of them. I am quite sure that puting the small Portuguese Automatic on the market again would make it only successful as a ladies watch.

Kind regards,
Paul

Hi Paul,

If I had the funds I would buy it from you :)

Hmm, interesting, looking through the catalogue, I would say the Pilot is 15% larger than the Portofino Automatic. The Portofino Automatic is 1mm larger (40mm v 39 for the Pilot) in diameter but is only 9.5mm high compared with the Pilots 11.5 so from a total volume point of view the Portofino is a fair bit smaller - nit picking i know :) but I find it is not just the diameter of a watch that makes it feel small or large. On the same basis, I would say that the Top Gun Double Chrono is the largest watch currently in the collection as although it is slightly smaller in diameter when compared to a BP, it is a fair whack taller making it about 12% larger than the BP.

My 2 cents :)

Ben