Wear a gorgeous IWC watch! 18K gold models are recommended

IWC is known for its highly practical tool watches, such as the Ingenieur, which was created as an antimagnetic watch, and the Portugieser, which originated as a high-precision model. This article focuses on the 18K gold models in the brand's lineup. Gold, a "precious metal" with a long history in human history, is often used in special models, and we hope that by focusing on these, you will gain a deeper understanding of the collection.

Solid gold watches are also great! IWC watches

　This time, we will be focusing on 18K gold models from the IWC lineup. IWC is known for its tool watches, such as the "Ingenieur," which originated as a pilot's watch and an antimagnetic watch, but it also has a history of producing elegant gold pocket watches, wristwatches based on those, and complicated watches with unique mechanisms. Due to this background, IWC still has a lineup of gold models today. The purpose of this article is to gain a deeper understanding of IWC's wide-ranging collection by focusing on IWC's 18K gold.

The history and present of gold in watches

　Gold. This metal, with the chemical symbol Au and atomic number 79, shines with a golden luster when polished, and because of its rarity and its indestructible nature, it has been a symbol of wealth and power since ancient times, and has been highly valued for use in currency and ornaments. In other words, gold is a "precious metal" with a long history in human history.

　Timepieces, including clocks and pocket watches, have a history of development as status symbols, precious crafts, and decorative items. It was only natural that gold, a precious metal, would be used for these items, and it continues to be used for special models today. Gold's ease of processing, allowing it to be molded into complex shapes for cases and to incorporate intricate details, is also thought to have contributed to its use in timepieces.

　Now, high-purity gold is very soft, so historically it has been alloyed to adjust its properties depending on the application. The color tone has also been adjusted by the composition, resulting in yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold. Today, each watch brand proposes its own alloy to give it special color tone, strength, and other properties.

5 IWC 18K Gold Models

　Here are five 18K gold models from IWC's current lineup.

Ingenieur Automatic 35, Ref. IW324903

　The first model we will introduce is the 18K red gold model of the Ingenieur Automatic 35, which was added in 2025 as a new 35mm case size. The current Ingenieur was completely redesigned in 2023 and was initially available in a 40mm case size.

　The 2023 update was notable for its revised design concept, which returns to the Ingenieur SL (Ref. 1832) designed by Gérald Genta in 1976. The original's distinctive features are evident not only in the overall silhouette, but also in the smooth lines connecting the case side and bracelet, and the screws on the bezel. The Ingenieur Automatic 35, added in 2025, has been slimmed down to 35mm in diameter, and every part and detail has been revised to maintain the design codes and styling.

　The featured watch, Ref. IW324903, features a gorgeous 18K rose gold exterior, with the dial, indexes, hands, and date disc all in gold. The distinctive case shape is crafted from 18K rose gold, and the satin-finished base with polished edges and bracelet links adds a touch of gold brilliance.

　Additionally, the 40mm Ingenieur Automatic 40 will also have an 18K rose gold model, Ref. IW328702, added as a new model for 2025. This model has a black dial and a more toned-down design.

Big Pilot's Watch 43 Tourbillon "Le Petit Prince" Ref. IW329502

　Next up is the Big Pilot's Watch 43 Tourbillon "Le Petit Prince" Ref. IW329502 in 18K Armor Gold®. "Le Petit Prince" refers to the world-famous novel "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. IWC has previously released models that pay homage to the great pilot and writer Saint-Exupéry and his works, and this is one of them. The story behind IWC's lineup of models themed around "Le Petit Prince" can be found in a previous article (http://www.webchronos.net/features/77847/) Please refer to the following.

　This model features a sunray-finish blue dial and brown calfskin strap, which are common to the Petit Prince lineup. As the name Big Pilot suggests, it features a striking 43mm case and a large diamond-shaped crown.

　The case is crafted from IWC's proprietary alloy, 18K Armor Gold®. 18K Armor Gold® was introduced in 2019 along with the Big Pilot's Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon "Le Petit Prince," and is characterized by its higher hardness and superior wear resistance compared to conventional 18K gold alloys. In recent years, it has also been used in the IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Retrograde Chronograph Ref. IW394009, marking its adoption in special IWC models.

　This model is equipped with the Cal. 82905 automatic movement, which features a flying tourbillon with a second hand stop function at the 6 o'clock position when correcting the time. While many previous Le Petit Prince models have had an image of The Little Prince on the case back, this model has a transparent case back and uses an automatic winding weight depicting The Little Prince standing on his home asteroid.

"Portofino Complete Calendar" Ref. IW359002

　Next up is an 18K red gold model from the Portofino, IWC's dressiest collection. The name Portofino comes from the port town of Portofino in northern Italy, known as a resort town for its scenic beauty. Reflecting this, the Portofino collection is developed as a simple and elegant dress watch collection, and is gaining popularity.

　This time we will be looking at the Portofino Complete Calendar Ref. IW359002. This model features a coaxial month and date display at the 6 o'clock position on the dial, as well as a coaxial day of the week and moon phase display at the 12 o'clock position.

　The Portofino collection began as a collection of multi-function pocket watch movements housed in round pocket watch-like cases. Furthermore, throughout the history of timepieces, the depiction of the natural world, such as the calendar or the phases of the moon, was considered an important symbol of status, and gold was often used for special models featuring such mechanisms. From this perspective, this model can be said to be rooted in the history of Portofino and timepieces.

Portugieser Automatic 40, Ref. IW358402

　Next up is the Portugieser Automatic 40, Ref. IW358402. This model is crafted in 18K white gold, a departure from previous models with a yellow hue.

The Portugieser originated in the 1930s as a model created in response to a Portuguese merchant's request for a wristwatch with the precision of a marine chronometer. The original model used a pocket watch movement to achieve high precision, and featured Arabic numeral indexes and leaf-shaped hands, which were inspired by pocket watch designs. This remains the design code today. Also, because the original model used a pocket watch movement, many models feature a small seconds hand that borrows from this movement.

　The featured "Portugieser Automatic 40" features a small seconds hand at 6 o'clock and is a design that strongly reflects the design of the original model. The dial color of the Ref. IW358402 is Horizon Blue, and the combination of the 18K white gold case and the Horizon Blue strap creates a bright and refreshing finish, with a classic yet modern feel that is sure to be its charm. Also noteworthy is the refined shine of the 18K white gold, which adds to the elegance of this dress watch.

Portuguese Chronograph, Ref. IW371625

　The last watch on our list is the 18K red gold Portugieser Chronograph, Ref. IW371625. As mentioned earlier, the origins of the Portugieser lie in the large pocket watch case and design, which have been incorporated into chronograph models. This model has been popular for many years, and many people may imagine the styling of this watch when they hear the word "Portugieser."

　Previously, the Portugieser Chronograph was equipped with an automatic chronograph movement that was an ETA movement with original IWC customizations, but in 2020 it was updated to the in-house Caliber 69355, which is also fitted to this model, while keeping the design the same. IWC is a brand that specializes in movement development and has many highly practical chronograph movements, so one of the attractions of the current collection is that you can see the Caliber 69355 in action through the case back.

　The featured model, Ref. IW371625, combines an 18K red gold case with an obsidian dial. The subdued, elegant color of the 18K red gold is accentuated by the black, and the combination with the black alligator strap creates a chic finish. The sporty feel of the fine scales and subdials that support the chronograph function, combined with the chic color coordination and texture of the materials, make this a particularly elegant model in the collection.