IWC swings open the doors to its first Nordic boutique in Copenhagen

What was once a Lacoste boutique on Ny Østergade 3 in central Copenhagen is now where one can find the latest IWC Portugieser Horizon Blue in white gold, a Portofino Complete Calendar, or the largest ever Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition 'Lake Tahoe' made from over 35,000 Lego bricks. This impressive piece, the largest work ever created by the artist M’Brick, is showcased in the large windows where, from a distance, the Lego bricks form the iconic Pilot's Watch.

Directly opposite the new IWC boutique stands the Bang & Olufsen store. Reflected in the window housing the M’Brick artwork, it serves as a subtle reminder that we are indeed in the heart of the Danish capital.

The IWC boutique's contemporary design draws inspiration from its surroundings while maintaining a distinctive brand aesthetic. The 110-square-meter open space exudes quality and timelessness, furnished with classic Danish designs from Handvärk, Gubi, and Icons of Denmark. Naturally, the boutique features a bar, underscoring the significance of purchasing a new IWC. This momentous occasion is best celebrated with a glass of chilled bubbly.

During my visit to the impressive new premises in Copenhagen, I had the pleasure of speaking with Christian Knoop, IWC's chief design officer. Discussing design and architecture with Knoop felt seamless, given his extensive background in various design projects, including furniture, electronics, machines, and aircraft interiors, before joining the Swiss powerhouse.

Knoop acknowledges his particular fascination with Danish design, telling me that Jacob Jensen and Bang & Olufsen inspired his studies of industrial design. But it all started with Lego. "I was crazy about Lego as a child. I was building everything from Lego, and I was destroying, reconstructing and reinventing stuff,” Knoop recalls with a big smile. Knoop also mentions German designer Dieter Rams and Danish Jacob Jensen (of Bang & Olufsen) as primary inspirations drawing him to ihis career path, along with his admiration for iconic designs by Arne Jacobsen and Mies van der Rohe. “They were my design heroes and the design of the IWC boutique in Copenhagen is somewhat inspired by Rams' brown tones and Jensen's love for wooden details,” Knoop says, while turning around to admire the, admittedly, exquisite interior of the 110-square-meter boutique.

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Even though Knoop works for one of the most coveted watch brands, he is still fascinated about everything design. “I will forever be inspired by the reduced shape with the highest possible finish and I always pay great attention to material. This is the formula I used for this boutique,” Knoop says, admitting it is not only about minimalism but rather the right use of shape, materials and finish. And that, mind you, is what not only Danish, but Scandinavian design is all about. IWC boutiques may be located in many other capitals around the world, but never has the interior fit a capital better than Copenhagen. At least when discussing Knoop's sources of inspiration.

Of course, Knoop and I not only talk about Scandinavian design as we are, after all, sitting in the IWC boutique. A boutique that sells watches. And this year, IWC has introduced not only revamped iterations of the iconic Portugieser collection but also introduced the Portugieser Eternal Calendar. A watch that offers a moon phase accuracy of 45 million years and a perpetual complication that is accurate to year 3999 (as it is not yet decided whether year 4000 is a leap year or not). This, of course, is an impressive watch and by many, rightfully, voted as the watch of Watches & Wonders 2024.

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While the Eternal Calendar is undoubtedly impressive, the attention to detail in the 'lesser' Portugieser models of 2024 is equally remarkable. At first glance, some may appear to simply feature new dial colours. However, the models with Horizon Blue, Dune, and Obsidian Black dials offer much more than just a fresh hue. In fact the most notable design change is the completely redesigned and refined case construction, featuring a slimmer case ring and a more slender side profile. “The Portugieser 42 is one millimetre slimmer”, says Knoop, while showing me the side of the Obsidian dial watch made in 18-carat Armor Gold®. A precious material that is 30 per cent more scratch-resistant compared to conventional gold.

Combined with box-glass sapphire crystals on the front and back, this new construction makes the watches particularly pleasing to the eye and easy on the wrist. “We looked at the Portugieser reference 5000 from the year 2000, which had a plexiglass crystal, and used this as inspiration to the box glass fitted on the new models” says Knoop. “The new box glass design makes the watches more airy and adds more light to the dial."

Thanks to a new case back construction, the slimmer case design now offers enhanced water resistance of 5ATM. This improvement better aligns with the watch's maritime heritage, originally sold to Portuguese merchants in the 1930s, which inspired the collection's name. Appealing to all, the Horizon Blue Portugieser Chronograph stands out within the contemporary collection. Its dial colour is striking, and the case, made from precious white gold, adds to its allure. Additionally, the watch transforms in appearance when paired with one of IWC's colourful rubber straps, introduced a few years ago.

As Knoop remarks: “Put a black alligator strap on the Portugieser Chronograph with Horizon Blue dial looks elegant. Put a white rubber strap on it, and you can take it to the beach during your holiday. These new coloured rubber straps prove how much the strap can change the appeal and the character of a watch,” Knoop says, also admitting that the 40.9 mm Portugieser Chronograph especially has a non-gender specific appeal.

IWC might be renowned for its masculine allure, but the collection offers something for everyone. Whether it's the Portofino with its elegant blue dial, moon phase, and diamonds, the versatile Ingenieur, the sporty Aquatimer, or the array of Pilot’s watches, there's something to suit every taste if the newly revamped Portugieser isn’t your style. All these exquisite timepieces are now showcased in the new IWC boutique in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.