Greetings and welcome to the world of IWC. Today, I will be your guide to the proper usage, care, and maintenance of IWC Portugieser Chronograph Classic in Steel. It's important to note that although this is an automatic winding time piece, nevertheless it can be manually wound by taking the crown in its first position flush to the case, and turning it in a clockwise direction 20 to 30 turns. Now, you'll know your watch operating because the constant seconds hand at six o'clock will begin to advance.
At this point, you can set the time, set the date, put the watch on the wrist, and the natural course of kinetic action on the wrist in conjunction with the case back winding rotor will ensure that the watch fully energizes its 68 hour power reserve. However, it's also important to note that should you wish to fully wind the watch to its 68 hour maximum autonomy, you can do this by turning the crown in the clockwise direction.
The best way to use this to set your watch precisely, is to stop the constant seconds hand when it reaches 60, and then advance the minute hand to the next nearest minute, relative to a reliable reference timer, such as an online atomic clock. Now, when the reference timer catches up to the exact minute and second you've set on your watch, push the crown back in. You'll note the seconds hand continues to advance, now you've synchronized you watch, but what if you want to set the date?
Well, the intermediate position is known as quick set, between flush to the case and pulled out for stop seconds, there is a quick set functionality. Now, you can rapidly cycle the date should the watch run down, or encounter an irregular length month. It's important not to use this feature between the hours of 8PM, and 3AM, as this is the period during which the watch's automatic date jumper is engaged through midnight. Attempting to use the quick set from 8PM to 3AM, will crash the movement. So, always take care not to set the date using the quick set from 8PM to 3AM.
Moreover, it's important to note that this timepiece water resistant to 3 ATM is suitable exclusively for surface exposure for splashing, accidental exposure to rain. It's not designed for submergence or aggressive sports activity. It should also be noted that you can help to avoid accidental drowning when your watch is exposed to water. Do not use the chronograph pushers and neither wind the watch nor set the watch using the crown, but keep it flush to the case.
It is also important to note that unlike mechanical specifications, water resistance is not a static feature of your watch, and over time as seals age and lubricants dry up, your watch will be relatively less water resistant. Therefore IWC advises having the watch water tested every 12 to 24 months at an authorized service center to ensure that factory rated hermiticity is still intact.
Now, it is also important to note that magnetism is a threat that is ubiquitous in modern life. It's everywhere. In the closures of purses and wallets, and refrigerators, high powered wiring looms, speakers, sub-woofers, and MRI equipment. The hair spring at the center of your watch is balance. Its heartbeat is a [Ferris 00:05:35] hair spring that can become magnetized. The result will be erratic time keeping, and if you suspect due to running very fast or running very slow, that your watch has become magnetized, take it to an authorized IWC service center where specialized equipment is available to quickly and easily demagnetize the watch and restore it's performance.
Shock and concussion however can have more permanent and serious effects. A fine mechanical movement is vulnerable to extreme concussive effects such as, for example that experience during tennis, golf, batting, firearms, marksmanship, riding ATVs, mountain bikes, or snowmobiles. Therefore disuse the watch during these activities to provide a measure of insurance against concussive damage to your movement.
IWC recommends a comprehensive overhaul of a fine mechanical wacth approximately every five years. This involves cosmetic reconditioning of the watch, restoration of water resistance, disassembly, cleaning, oiling and regulation of the movement. This should be performed exclusively at authorized IWC service centers where specialized equipment, trained personnel and original factory replacement parts are available to preserve the value of your watch as both an instrument and as an investment. Moreover, these agencies exclusively are authorized to back all work and parts invested with an original IWC factory service warranty.
Finally, visit our website at
https://goo.gl/3tp4qf and call text or email our experts who will be happy to walk you through every phase of the use and care of this or any IWC premium time piece.