Watch Paparazzi

Writer Frédéric Beigbeder spotted wearing IWC

Frédéric Beigbeder, the Paris-based novelist, literary critic and enfant terrible of French letters, was photographed wearing an IWC Portugieser Automatic 7 Days on what appears to be a waterfront setting, the watch visible on his left wrist against a white T-shirt. The close-up confirms a striking deep blue lacquered dial — a configuration that has become one of the most desirable variants in the modern Portugieser family.

The IWC Portugieser Automatic 7 Days ref. IW500710 is powered by the in-house IWC calibre 51011, a 17-jewel automatic movement with a full seven-day power reserve achieved through a twin-barrel architecture. The movement operates at 21,600 vph and offers approximately 168 hours of autonomy — enough to survive a long weekend in the country or, more relevantly for Beigbeder, a book festival bender. Power reserve is indicated by a retrograde arc subdial at 12 o'clock, graduated from 0 to 7 DAYS, while small seconds sit at 9 o'clock and the date appears at 6. The 42.3mm stainless steel case wears generously but remains classical in profile, descended directly from the original 1939 Portugieser design commissioned by Portuguese retailers who wanted a pocket-watch movement in a wristwatch case.

From a collector standpoint, the blue-dial Portugieser 7 Days occupies comfortable territory: accessible enough to be a legitimate entry into IWC's dress watch hierarchy, distinctive enough to stand apart from the crowd. The alligator strap with a deployant clasp visible in the image is consistent with IWC's standard fitment for this reference. The blue dial variant has consistently held its value better than the white or silver-dial versions on the secondary market.

Beigbeder's taste in watches aligns with his cultural persona — literary, European, quietly anti-bling. An IWC Portugieser signals classical restraint rather than ostentatious wealth, and the blue dial adds just enough personality to avoid stuffiness. It is precisely the kind of watch a Parisian intellectual chooses when he wants to wear something serious without appearing to try too hard.

At retail the IW500710 lists around $13,900 USD in stainless steel. On the grey market, blue-dial examples trade close to retail or at a modest premium, reflecting steady demand without speculative fever — a stable, mature timepiece in every sense.