Pellaton winding and a full week
By Marco Bellini, Zurich ·
The Pellaton winding is named after Albert Pellaton, IWC's technical director in the years after the war, and it is still one of the nicest things to watch move through a caseback. The rotor drives a heart-shaped cam, and two pawls rock against it to wind the barrels in both directions. In the 52010 those pawls and the wheels next to them are ceramic, which wears less than steel. Good decision.
Two barrels, 168 hours, seven days, and a power reserve display on the dial. That's a useful number. Take it off Sunday evening, pick it up the following Saturday, still running.
Now the case. 42.4 mm by 13.6 mm is a lot of watch. The Portugieser dial is large and flat and the lugs are short, so it doesn't look as big as it measures, but under a shirt cuff it catches. I'd also prefer it without the date.
13,800 to 14,700 USD. Next to a Glashütte at this money the finishing is plainer, production-grade, perfectly clean. Next to most of what else you can buy at this price, the movement architecture is more interesting. Sensible if you like a big dress watch and hate winding. Not for slim wrists.