The client's individual wishes are the priority.
In the age of modern technology, going out of your way to fulfill the wishes of your future client is becoming the norm. Famous watch manufacturers are increasingly considering "off-the-shelf construction kits" as attractive marketing models.
Jaeger-LeCoultre launched Atelier Reverso in 2016: the manufacture's first personalization system via app or boutique, where clients could choose from the most diverse range of modification options for Reverso models. At the time, the manufacture said there were some 5277 possible combinations.
In 2018, the company Armin Strom set up its own online watch configurator for customization. In 2020, Piaget introduced their own “Style Selector” customization service for the ultra-thin Altiplano Ultimate Concept. Now in the year 2023, the turn has come for IWC to bring an individualization program to its boutiques.
At least for the time being, the service is only available for the Portugieser Chronograph model and only at two of the brand's boutiques: at the Dubai Mall and Shanghai Taikoo Hui Mall. Clients are invited to choose the case material (stainless steel or gold) along with the dial color of and strap.
The IWC individualization service isn't limited to standard combinations and offers a broader range of options. For example, the system has a palette of 16 colors available for the dial, which include exotic tones such as turquoise, indigo, aubergine, and ginger.
Appliqués and hands can be rhodium- or gold-plated. It all depends on the client's vision of the dial. The list of available options for the strap offers calfskin, alligator leather, rubber, and there's also the option of a steel bracelet or environmentally friendly paper-based strap material called TimberTex.
According to IWC, delivery time for these individualized models is within approximately three weeks.