Da Vinci
IWC's complication-focused round dress line, first introduced in 1969 with the perpetual calendar mechanism developed by Kurt Klaus. The Da Vinci has carried tourbillons, perpetual calendars, and rattrapante chronographs inside a round case with the distinctive stepped lugs and often a coin-edge bezel; the modern Automatic 40 (IW356601) is the accessible, elegantly proportioned entry into the family.
References in this family
Which ref to buy
The Da Vinci Automatic 40mm (2017 onward) is a round watch with a subtle tonneau reference in the integrated lug design -- softer than the Pilot, less conservative than the Portofino. The Cal. 35111 movement is shared with the Portofino. It occupies a middle aesthetic ground in the IWC catalog.
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IWC Da Vinci Automatic 40mm -- the softer IWC, for buyers who find the Pilot too aggressive and the Portofino too plain.
- The case for it:
- The Da Vinci case has more personality than the Portofino without the sport associations of the Pilot. The integrated lug shape gives it a 1970s Geneva aesthetic that ages well. Same movement as the Portofino but in a case that reads differently.
- Consider instead if:
- The Da Vinci lacks a strong identity. The Portofino is a cleaner dress watch; the Pilot line has deeper history. The Da Vinci is the IWC you buy when you cannot decide. For buyers with a clear preference, another IWC family is probably the better choice.
Rankings last reviewed 2026-06-07. Editorial perspective only. Not financial advice.