Watch Paparazzi

Actor Donald Glover spotted wearing IWC

At the Academy Awards, Donald Glover — actor, musician, and showrunner behind Atlanta — was photographed wearing an IWC Portofino Chronograph cased in 18ct rose gold. The pairing of an all-white linen ensemble with the watch's brown alligator strap and warm rose gold case was considered and coherent, the kind of styling choice that suggests the wearer actually chose the watch rather than having it placed on his wrist by a stylist.

The reference in question appears to be the IW391020, the rose gold iteration of the current-generation Portofino Chronograph. The 42mm case houses IWC's in-house Calibre 89361, a column-wheel controlled flyback chronograph movement with a 68-hour power reserve. The slate-grey dial — referred to by IWC as 'ardoise' — features applied rose gold indices and subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock for running seconds, 30-minute and 12-hour counters respectively. The day-date display at 3 o'clock is a practical touch rarely seen on dress chronographs at this tier.

The Portofino line has occupied a specific niche in IWC's catalogue since its 1984 debut: elegant, understated, and emphatically not tool-watch adjacent. Where the Pilot and Aquatimer lines court function, the Portofino courts civility. The 18ct rose gold Chronograph sits at the apex of that ethos. Collectors regard it as a serious alternative to comparable offerings from Lange and Patek, particularly buyers who value in-house movement manufacture at a comparatively accessible price point within the grand complications bracket.

Glover's watch choices have consistently leaned toward the refined end of the horological spectrum, avoiding the diamond-set maximalism common among his peers in the entertainment industry. The Portofino suits him: intellectually credible, Italian-riviera-named, quietly expensive.

At retail, the IWC Portofino Chronograph IW391020 in 18ct rose gold lists at approximately $38,500 USD. On the secondary market, prices have softened modestly from pandemic-era highs, with clean examples trading in the $28,000–$33,000 range — making it a compelling proposition for collectors who prioritize movement quality and case finishing over speculative resale value.