IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 Year of the Horse

A limited novelty for the year of the Horse.

A few years ago, the IWC brand, like many watch brands, picked up the wave of Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. On February 17, 2026, the year of the Snake will be replaced by the year of the Horse. In honor of this event, the company presented a limited-edition novelty from the Portugieser collection.

The 42.4 x 13 mm steel case of the watch is made in the classic style of the Portugieser collection. Like the previous models released in honor of the year of the Rabbit and the year of the Dragon, the watch received a beautiful burgundy dial with a set of gold-plated superimposed indexes and hands. The combination of burgundy and gold was not chosen by chance: in China, red and gold colors are traditionally associated with luck, prosperity and passion.

The main difference between the new product and previous releases is the image of the symbol of the coming year on the dial. The silhouette of a galloping golden horse can be seen instead of the word “days” on the power reserve indicator located at the 3 o’clock mark.

A self-winding IW 52011 manufacturing caliber is installed under the dial. The mechanism with a balanced frequency of 28,800 pcs/hour has a 7-day power reserve, which is provided by 2 wind-up drums. In honor of the symbol of 2026, the rotor made of 18-carat gold is decorated with the profile of a galloping horse.

The IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 Year of the Horse (IW501709) comes with a black alligator leather strap, which is equipped with a steel folding clasp. The set also includes a replaceable burgundy leather strap. The issue is limited to 500 copies.

The estimated cost of the model is €15,300.