Portugieser ZF reps

[Yacht-Monster]

Hi all,

Spent the last few evenings exploring the IWC reps out there and reading this sub-forum. Never thought I'd try a IWC but that's the joy of this hobby isn't it.

Managed to narrow down my search to two different ZF reps and have read everything there is about them here but was hoping I could get some more experienced opinions please.

First is the Portugieser Automatic that was kindly reviewed here on RWI https://trustytimewatch.io/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_189&products_id=22960
Second is the Annual Calendar https://trustytimewatch.io/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_189&products_id=19779

At first I was thinking the AC looked very close to the gen, but I'm thinking about the first offering as there's less to stand out as being a little off. What do you lot think? I'm torn between both of these and really can't decide.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Teamjlf]

I have the ZF annual calendar. It’s a solid watch, smooth winding and quiet movement. My example has good accuracy at @ +6 secs per day. Case finishing is excellent but I find the top crystal somewhat “cloudy” This coulee the result of some dial refraction or it may actually be the crystal. It’s not bad but it isn’t “crystal clear “

the let down is the deployant clasp. As with most clasp of this design, it’s not very comfortable and doesn’t sit on the wrist nicely. I have many deployant clasp straps and I guess they’re all pretty much the same… not real good. The buckle doesn’t snap in as nice as you’d want… it has a muted click and doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. The strap itself is actually quite nice. Good texture and suppleness but the deployant hardware is a let down.

overall in terms of look and feel ZF have done a good job.
I enjoy wearing mine and in time I may secure an OEM clasp for a better experience.

 

[Yacht-Monster]

I have the ZF annual calendar. It’s a solid watch, smooth winding and quiet movement. My example has good accuracy at @ +6 secs per day. Case finishing is excellent but I find the top crystal somewhat “cloudy” This coulee the result of some dial refraction or it may actually be the crystal. It’s not bad but it isn’t “crystal clear “

the let down is the deployant clasp. As with most clasp of this design, it’s not very comfortable and doesn’t sit on the wrist nicely. I have many deployant clasp straps and I guess they’re all pretty much the same… not real good. The buckle doesn’t snap in as nice as you’d want… it has a muted click and doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. The strap itself is actually quite nice. Good texture and suppleness but the deployant hardware is a let down.

overall in terms of look and feel ZF have done a good job.
I enjoy wearing mine and in time I may secure an OEM clasp for a better experience.

Thanks for this. Really appreciate you sharing the pros and cons of this watch. I can live with an average clasp and this rep looks so close to the gen.

 

[Tschacko]

Well the interesting thing is that I find the Clasp quite okay. It is exactly like the GEN.
Saying that the IWC is a pretty simple clasp so it might be not nice for every wrist.
But the Portugiesers are great.
If you want to adjust it the official method also from IWC is bending it, to have a tighter or a lighter hold.


The strap however I would replace with a nice leather one.

 

[Tobel]

These are very different watches in terms of size (40mm / 13 thick Vs 44mm /14 thick) as well as in the price of their gen equivalent

I'd recommend you choose the one that better fits your wrist size and style as well as whether you're ok to wear the rep of a watch worth USD 20k

 

[Teamjlf]

Gen is 44.2 diameter by 14.9mm thick with 22mm lug
i measure my ZF rep at 44.1 and 14.9 w/ 22mm lug
take into account slight vernier and measure error and they are basically identical. Dimension wise this is very close to Gen. I haven’t seen a Gen in the flesh to compare crystal clarity though, as stated, the crystal has a very slight fogginess about it ?

 

[Plaasbaas]

Both models are really good, but quite different in size as has been pointed out. But while I am very much into the Portugieser 7 days (44mm), I also fancy the automatic with seconds @6 (40mm). That one is definitely on my wish list.

About the clasp: As has been said, the remedy for a clasp that does not close tightly is to carefully bend the inner part a bit (more). I have actually bent mine back out of fear to break my fingernail trying to open it. For it to sit comfortably on your wrist you need the correct strap in the correct size to fit the individual circumference of your wrist. Especially the short end of the strap must have the exact length, so that the clasp sits directly in the middle of your pulse. The rep strap usually looks OK but is in fact not good at all, closer to plastic than leather - and you'd be lucky if it is by chance the correct length to make the clasp a comfortable fit for you personally. Change the strap and the overall look and feel of your Portugieser will change tremendously for the better.

One should know though, that the Portugieser 7 days movement, also the one with the annual date complication, is not a standard movement. They run stunningly accurate and reliable, but if it breaks you'll be on your own. No spare parts, no possibility to swap in another movement unless you can source the exact same one.

 

[Plaasbaas]

Mine says 'Hi'

 

[Yacht-Monster]

Thanks everyone for their input. This is going to be a hard decision. My initial hesitation with the annual calendar was that the calendar itself might be too dissimilar from the gen (like with the PP grand complications reps), but it looks so close that it's very hard to tell them apart.

I think I'll end up with both of them, but will have to decide on one for now.

Thanks all.

 

[Yacht-Monster]

Just visited the IWC AD in my city and the annual calendar is a big a it sounds at 44mm. Quite a F-off watch and I've got 19.5cm wrists.

Think I'll go with the 40mm automatic. Huge thanks to everyone for the advice.