IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Receives Updated Manufacture Movement

In addition to launching exciting watches like the Big Pilot’s Top Gun Edition Ceramic, IWC has been quietly revamping a great many of their collections. Foremost among the revamped models is the Mark XX, which received some nice quality-of-life upgrades. The next watch to receive a similar update is the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 IW391502.

It’s an unexpected choice from IWC because the 39mm editions only debuted last year, in fact we covered the launch here. The new watch is virtually identical to those 2021 editions, featuring the same dial design and case, but this time in monochromatic silver white.

What’s new is the movement inside, which has been updated from the IWC 79350 modified Valjoux 7750 to the in-house IWC 69355. Its 46-hour power reserve is an improvement on the previous calibre but over all it’s very similar with 30-minute timer and small seconds functions in addition to hours, minutes and chronograph seconds. Although now the finishing – perlage and Côtes de Genève – is visible due to the addition of an exhibition caseback.

The updated IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 IW391502 is priced at £6,100, which is £400 more than last year’s model. Between the increased power reserve, in-house movement, exhibition caseback and fresh colourway, that’s a justifiable price hop.