Introducing the IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph “Ocean Racer” for the Volvo Ocean Race

IWC prolongs their partnership with the Volvo Ocean Race and emphasizes this by introducing a new special edition, the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph “Ocean Racer”. For the second time IWC will be the Official Timekeeper and sponsor of the IWC 24 hour Speed Record Challenge. While the previous edition for the Volvo Ocean Race sported a technical style and was executed in titanium, the new Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph “Ocean Racer” is made in stainless steel and has much more classic looks.

The IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph “Ocean Racer” is the second Yacht Club dedicated to the partnership between IWC and the Volvo Ocean Race and is a limited edition of 1,000 pieces. Its silver-plated dial has applied blued numerals, blued hands and the hour indices are coated with Super-LumiNova. The watch measures 45.4 mm in diameter and comes on a black rubber strap featuring an alligator leather inlay. It’s water-resistant to 6 bar (comparable to a depth of 60 meters), meaning it’s perfectly fit for use in and around water, however when you want to go deep-sea diving we suggest you opt for an IWC Aquatimer.

Inside ticks the IWC-manufactured calibre 89361 (the same that can be found in the IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic ref. 3904), featuring a flyback function and which measures time intervals of up to 12 hours, shown by an hour and minute hand, in the subdial at 12 o’clock. At 6 o’clock is the small second hand and the date is visible through an aperture at 3 o’clock. The movement has 68 hours of power reserve and features IWC’s double-pawl winding system. By the way, did you know that this is the only Portuguese model with a crown protector?

Befitting the sailing theme, the rotor looks like a ship’s wheel, and is visible through the sapphire case back. Engraved around that sapphire pane, is “IWC PORTUGIESER YACHT CLUB OCEAN RACER • ONE OUT OF 1000”. This model is called “Portuguese” in English, but in German, the language spoken in Schaffhausen, it is “Portugieser”. That’s why the case back is engraved with the German “PORTUGIESER” and not the English name for this watch.

“The Volvo Ocean Race stretches the world’s best sailing crews to their limits,” says IWC CEO Georges Kern. “We are proud that for the second time we are the event’s Official Timekeeper, partners to the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team and sponsors of the 24-hour speed record: it puts us at the very centre of international sailing.”

The 2014 Volvo Ocean Race will start in Alicante, in October 2014, and the final destination is Gothenburg, where the race ends in June 2015. Seven teams will be battling for victory under the most extreme conditions.

Specifications IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph “Ocean Racer”

• Case: Stainless steel, 45.4 in diameter, 14.5 mm in height, convex sapphire crystal with antireflective coating on both sides, flat sapphire pane in case back, 60 meters water-resistant
• Movement: IWC-manufactured calibre 89361, 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 38 jewels, 68 hours of power reserve, automatic winding supported by IWC’s double-pawl winding
• Strap: Black rubber strap with alligator leather inlay, folding clasp in stainless steel