Ed Sheeran Launches IWC’s New Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium, First in the World to Wear It

Ed Sheeran, known as much for his chart-topping music as his passion for horology, debuted International Watch Company’s (IWC) latest innovation – the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium – onstage during the opening night of his “Ragnarok and Roll” tour in Melbourne, Australia. The singer and watch enthusiast is the first person globally to wear the new timepiece.

The History of the IWC Portugieser

The story of the IWC Portugieser dates back to the late 1930s when two Portuguese merchants commissioned IWC to create an oversized wristwatch. This request diverged from the smaller watches prevalent at the time. IWC responded by adapting a pocket watch movement into a larger wristwatch case, producing several hundred of these models between 1939 and the 1970s. The design lay relatively dormant until the early 1990s when IWC re-released a special edition, which subsequently grew into one of the brand’s most celebrated collections. GQ

Introducing Ceratanium: A New Material for a Classic

Traditionally offered in rose gold, steel and platinum, the Portugieser collection now features a more contemporary material: Ceratanium. This new iteration, the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium (ref. 371631), presents a monochromatic design. Ceratanium is an in-house IWC alloy combining ceramic and titanium. The material undergoes a high-temperature firing process, resulting in a dark finish, increased hardness, and enhanced scratch resistance. GQ Magazine

Sheeran and Hemsworth: An Arm Wrestling Match and a Watch Debut

Sheeran’s unveiling of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium wasn’t a quiet affair. He kicked off his Melbourne concert series with an arm-wrestling match against actor Chris Hemsworth, further highlighting the watch’s debut. People, GQ

A Legacy of Innovation

IWC has a history of pushing boundaries in watchmaking. In the mid-1980s, IWC watchmaker Kurt Klass oversaw the development of the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, a complicated dress watch also available with a ceramic case, demonstrating the brand’s early embrace of innovative materials. GQ Magazine