IWC & OTAM: Chro-Ciera In Portofino

The sea has always been a great source of attraction for man, and of inspiration for many timepiece manufacturers. In perfect Watch Insanity style, today we’ll get to know the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph, a sports version of the famous IWC Portugieser collection created for and dedicated to sailing lovers.

Surfing on the waves aboard Mr. Brown, the OTAM 80HT yacht –remarkably elegant and with a great powerboat appeal– we discovered and explored the vessel’s qualities and characteristics, combined to those of the Portugieser Yacht Club.

In the Portofino gulf, one of the most famous Yacht Clubs in the Mediterranean where it’s not unusual to catch a sight of some the most beautiful boats in the world, watches and yachts get together to create a perfect mix made of sport, design, and technology, thus generating a unique experience.

IWC and OTAM put their natural inclination for style and performance under the light at once. The steel case with rubber strap and the bronze hull are the perfect carte de visite for a day in a perfect Yacht Club style.

We get on board Mr. Brown: 25,50 meters long, the hull is made of aramat, vinylester resin to guarantee maximum stability to the deep V-keel even in choppy waters, allowing the boat to safely maintain a cruise speed of 40 knots.

It’s under the waterline though that IWC and OTAM demonstrate their strengths: Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph, equipped with the automatic 89361 calibre produced in-house and water-resistant to 6 bar, reveals its sporting qualities with a flyback function, an additional flange with a quarter-second scale for measuring short stop times and an analogue display for longer stop times on a subdial. The timepiece, with a 43.5mm diameter case and a slate-coloured dial, has crown protection and is the only Portugieser model to feature luminescent hands and indices.

‘80HT has the possibility to be equipped with 2 or 4 MTU engines of 2600HP each, obviously paired to a surface drive able to provide a perfect hydrodynamic performance. The model we sail on is set with 4 motors, in this case equipped with TRIMAX transmissions –leader in the engine-powered nautical competitions world. This system transforms the boat into a true high-performance version able to reach 54 knots while maintaining an agile and docile nature during the run, in spite of the hull’s great dimensions and strength.

As for the interiors, OTAM was able to combine it racing DNA with a particularly singular style, working together with architect Achille Salvagni to create the umpteenth Unique OTAM, never similar to its predecessors. Mr. Brown is the perfect example to illustrate the philosophy of the Italian shipbuilder, a proud ambassador of the ships “Made in Italy.” Expert in customization –in the true sense that this word can assume in today’s nautical world– and always synonymous with high quality and reliability. Totally Custom, Totally OTAM: artisans specialized in shipbuilding since 1954. Not a simple shipbuilder, and certainly not a serial manufacturer.

IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph and OTAM ‘80HT turned out to be a perfect pair for true connoisseurs, performance lovers who don’t want to sacrifice comfort and elegance, under any circumstance.

Recently, IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph was introduced under a new look: displaying a blu dial with white digits, the red second hand and the blu rubber band make this timepiece an ideal partner for the summer. This model is available in every IWC boutique for €12.300.

By Luca Maffei