LES TUGAS MODEL 01

Nuno Margalha
5 days ago
3 min read

The first step towards a truly Portuguese watch

The movement is an automatic ETA 2824-2 with 25 jewels, a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour , and a 38-hour power reserve . The decision to eliminate the date complication reinforces aesthetic and functional purity, focusing on the essential timekeeping—hours, minutes, and seconds.

The 316L stainless steel case , CNC-machined in Lisbon from a solid block, combines brushed and polished surfaces that emphasize the balance between robustness and elegance. The sapphire crystal front allows for a glimpse of the dial, the result of a hand-applied pad printing technique , while the transparent screw-down caseback reveals the Swiss movement and highlights the quality of the construction .

The black rhodium-plated dial , with a hand-applied white sector scale , is accompanied by silver-plated polished steel hands that give it a clear readability and a strong identity.

The natural suede strap , produced in Vila do Conde, reinforces the artisanal character of the set, with a 316L steel buckle engraved with the “ |||| ” logo.

THE FIRST PORTUGUESE WRISTWATCH

We consider Les Tugas to be the first Portuguese wristwatch .

We established criteria that 70% of production costs would be allocated to Portugal , as well as that all design, research and development that gave rise to the project would be carried out in Portugal , as well as the final inspection and adjustment of each piece.

These are criteria commonly used to determine the national origin of a product and reflect Les Tugas ' commitment to Portuguese production, know-how and identity.

Each component carries a fragment of Portugal:

– Machined box in Lisbon ;

– Polishing in Porto ;

– Leiria transport box ;

– Dial in Mem Martins ;

– Glass from Salvaterra de Magos ;

– Vila do Conde Belt ;

– Recordings performed in Carcavelos ;

– Final assembly and adjustment carried out in Lisbon .

LES TUGAS AVAILABLE PERMANENTLY

This is not a limited edition. We intend for Les Tugas to become an iconic watch in permanent production, currently only available on the IPR website.

TECHNICAL SHEET – LES TUGAS MODEL 01

MOVEMENT

Caliber: ETA 2824-2 (automatic, Swiss Made)
Frequency: 28,800 alternations/h (4 Hz)
Power reserve: ~38 hours
Rubies: 25
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds ( (no date, no 'ghost' position) )
Winding: Automatic and manual

BOX

Material: 316L Stainless Steel
Process: CNC machining from solid block
Diameter: 39 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Back: Screw-down, with clear sapphire crystal
Front glass: Colorless sapphire, interior anti-reflective treatment
Crown: Not threaded, signed with engraving
Finish: Side brushed, polished on front and beveled surfaces

DIAL AND HANDS

Dial: Matte black with white ink sector scale applied by hand pad printing
Hands: Polished steel with galvanic silver plating

BELT

Material: Natural suede
Color: Slate Gray
Buckle: 316L Steel, engraved with logo

ORIGIN OF THE PARTS

Design and development: Lisbon
Box (CNC machining): Lisbon
Recordings: Carcavelos
Display: Mem Martins
Polishing of the case and screws: Porto
Suede strap: Vila do Conde - Gião
Glass: Salvaterra de Magos
Movement: Switzerland

ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS

Water resistance: 5 ATM (50 meters)
Final assembly and adjustment: Portugal
Warranty: 3 years
Series: Limited production – number engraved on the back
Costs: 70% allocated to Portugal

LOGO AND PHILOSOPHY

LES TUGAS: We chose this expression and use it with a humorous tone. The best watches are usually associated with French-speaking countries, but many of them are largely made by Portuguese people, so we are all Les Tugas .

Les Tugas is the most Portuguese watch ever, designed and engineered in Portugal, and has an ETA 2824 movement inside, one of the most reliable Swiss movements, possibly the result of the work of many Portuguese people both in Switzerland and Portugal.

The result is the most Portuguese wristwatch in history , but it also marks the creation of a network of watchmaking services that can serve all future brands. We offer our knowledge through our school and make the network we've built available to anyone interested in creating Portuguese watchmaking because:

Les Tugas — that's all of us!

|||| : four vertical lines intersected by a fifth diagonal line that evoke the primordial human gesture of counting and marking time. Each line represents one of the essential phases of the watchmaking process— design , manufacture , finishing , and assembly . The fifth line, which intersects all the others, symbolizes the synthesis of these stages: the coherence, rigor, and technical mastery that characterize contemporary Portuguese watchmaking.