The IWC Portuguese vs Panerai Luminor comparison must start with looking at these two historically superb brands.
International Watch Company (now IWC Schaffhausen with parent IWC International Watch Co. AG) was founded in 1868 by Florentine Ariosto Jones in Schaffhausen Switzerland. IWC has been building timepieces for many militaries since the 1940’s.
Since then, IWC has become a popular brand for aviators all over the world, and world travelers alike. For over 150 years of precision engineering and timeless design, owners of an IWC timepiece can experience unparalleled elegance on their wrist. Today, IWC Schaffhausen is one of the leaders in environmental protection and sustainable development.
Panerai has a very long history of watchmaking since the 1860’s – with over 150 years of excellence and innovation. However, its production volume was quite low early on. In comparison to IWC, Panerai was a very niche player and didn’t impact the market to any great extent as a pure watchmaker, until the 1990’s. In fact, Panerai didn’t even consider itself solely a watchmaker – rather a tool designer for the Italian military – and particularly to the Italian Navy Seal team.
IWC Portuguese vs Panerai Luminor
The first thing to notice between the IWC and the Panerai timepieces is that they are both quite different in their functionality. The IWC is a chronograph. It has a stopwatch function which has become extremely popular due to the craze for Rolex Daytona timepieces. The two pushers on the right side of the chronograph give the IWC an array of features that the Panerai just isn’t built to accommodate.
The Panerai Luminor Marina 8 Days is made to wear in the water. It has a simplistic design which is very clean. However, it can withstand a tremendous 1000 feet of water pressure as opposed to a mere 100 feet on the IWC.
The Panerai Luminor 8 Days PAM00510 also has a much larger case. It has a beefy 44mm case diameter vs a mere 40 mm case on the IWC. The larger case gives the Panerai great visibility in both day and night time. The picture above shows the Panerai in the darkness.
The Panerai has stunning green lume which shines brightly at night or even when diving in the darkness of the ocean. The 12, 6 and 3 o’clock positions are easily readable. The hour markers are large and the minute and hour hands are highly legible. The small seconds dial appears at the 9 o’clock position.
The Panerai has an incredible power reserve of 8 days. However, it is not an automatic. It is powered by a Panerai in-house Caliber P.5000 which must be manually wound. It beats at only 21,600 vph and is made with only 146 components. It has 21 jewels, and includes both a Glucydur balance and an Incabloc Parachoc anti-shock device to help it withstand the athletic endeavors such as sports or diving activities.
The polished steel bezel is a simple look and is clean compared to the busier face of the IWC. It doesn’t have all the functions of the IWC, but it does what it is meant to do well.
The IWC Portugieser Chronograph IW371604 is a beautiful timepiece which can be enjoyed on both sides because both the front and the back have a sapphire crystal covering.
The numerals around the timepiece are highly visible. Rather than hour markers it actually shows the numerals 1-12, however 12 and 6 are cut off slightly because of the two chrono dials which are both significantly larger than the ones found on a Rolex Daytona.
The case is slightly smaller than 41 mm. The movement is an IWC-manufactured 69355 caliber which beats at 28800 vph. It has 46 hours of power reserve, and is built with 27 Jewels and 194 components.
The IWC comes with a black or blue face with silver hour markers and hands or a white face with gold markers.
Both the IWC and the Panerai are similar in price. The IWC has a recommended price of $7,950 and the Panerai retails at $6,600. However it is likely that you would be able to find these spectacular timepieces for less in the grey market.
So, which one is the better timepiece – IWC Portuguese vs Panerai Luminor? The IWC has tremendous features. Besides the chronograph feature and the automatic winding mechanism, it has a stunning beauty and functional dial with actual numerals rather than markers throughout. It is clearly the more complex watch of the two. If you need to track lap times or any of these these features, this is by far the hands down winner.
However, if you are looking to have an active lifestyle, play sports or especially go swimming or diving, you will want to go with the Panerai timepiece. It is built for Navy Seals. It is fully capable to support your active lifestyle. Not only can it handle greater diving depths, but it is made with strength and with components that won’t damage when it is banged around.
Rubber B offers many bands for both the IWC and the Panerai timepieces. All Rubber B bands are made from the highest quality vulcanized rubber and are manufactured in Switzerland – the home for the finest timepiece manufacturing in the world.
Panerai bands with many colors and styles can be found here. All the Rubber B straps for IWC timepieces can be found here.
