The iconic chronograph from the Schaffhausen manufacture has been entirely clad in black in its latest iteration, thereby adopting a surprising, sporty persona.

Watchmaking experiments involving classics yield mixed results—though typically, the outcome is rather lackluster. After all, the very nature of a classic is that it stands on its own merits, requiring no superfluous modifications to withstand the test of time. IWC Replica, however, decided to take a risk—performing what amounts to open-heart surgery—and took one of its most classic and elegant chronographs, the Portugieser Chronograph, into the workshop.

The Portugieser Chronograph model was originally unveiled back in 1998 as a version of the iconic “Portugieser”—a true icon of the manufacture—enriched with a chronograph complication. The watch was designed with great subtlety, housing a simple dial featuring two sub-dials and a set of elegant, rounded hands within a compact, elegant case. In this form, the Portugieser has remained a continuous fixture in the brand’s collection, serving as the foundation for numerous variations. Until now, however, the classic version had remained almost entirely untouched.

It was not until three decades after the debut of the Portugieser Chronograph that IWC Replica ventured to release an all-black edition. Moreover, this is a so-called “all-black” version—one entirely clad in black. Measuring 41 mm in diameter and 13.1 mm in thickness, the case is crafted from an in-house developed composite material known as Ceratanium. This material combines the properties of titanium with the characteristics of ceramics. It is fired in a kiln using specially prepared molds. The finished material features a black hue with a slightly metallic texture on its matte surface. The signature crown and the two chronograph pushers—styled in the classic “mushroom” shape—are also crafted from Ceratanium.

IWC has paired the black exterior with an equally black dial. The layout of the classic Portugieser Chronograph has been retained, featuring a pair of sub-dials arranged at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions, Arabic numeral hour markers, distinctive circular minute markers, and a set of feuille-style hands. The chronograph and small seconds sub-dials are adorned with a snailed finish. Although every element of the dial is black, the polished finish on the hands and markers should significantly enhance legibility.

Beneath the glazed, smoked case back, IWC has fitted the automatic Calibre 69355. The movement features a column-wheel chronograph, a 46-hour power reserve, and a frequency of 4 Hz.