Legendary for its engineering and design quality, Porsche is now applying the principles behind its sports cars to a range of custom-build Swiss timepieces
The design and manufacture of sports cars and luxury watches have many aspects in common; among them the highest engineering standards, the demand for ultimate precision, and the urge to provide a satisfying experience for the customer.
No surprise then that Porsche, globally renowned for its sports cars, has turned its attention to the world of mechanical wristwatches, through its exclusive lifestyle brand subsidiary Porsche Design.
The revolutionary program is based on production principles utilised in Porsche sports car manufacturing, aiming to take the creation of exclusive Swiss wristwatches to the next level.
Configurator
With the custom-built Timepieces program, the concept of a fully customised timepiece, perfectly tailored to match one’s dream Porsche, entered into production for the first time.
Ingeniously, the online configurator for watch design takes its overall look and feel from the well-established Porsche car configurator for models such as the Porsche 911 range. Using the configurator, the watch is digitally visualised down to the smallest detail to provide customers with a realistic depiction of their dream timepiece. Features including pricing for each configuration are displayed in real time.
The first step in the virtual timepiece configurator is to select the case, choosing from a 42mm glass-bead-blasted natural titanium case or black titanium case coated in titanium carbide. “Titanium and black-coated titanium cases are what Porsche Design timepieces have become known for. This originated with the designer of the Porsche 911, Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, and we will never change anything about it,” Rolf Bergmann, Managing Director of Porsche Design Timepieces AG explains.
The legendary design by F. A. Porsche has found its contemporary interpretation in the cases of the custom-built timepieces that are based on the Chronotimer Series 1.
Movement
The movement of the custom-built timepieces is the caliber WERK 01.100, which features a 48-hour power reserve. The highlight of this COSC-certified movement is the customisable winding rotor, featuring the wheel designs of the latest-generation Porsche 911.
There are nine rotor types available based on Porsche wheel designs from the classic 911 Carrera rim, including the two-tone Porsche Crest in the centre of the rotor, to the 911 Carrera Exclusive Design with a gold badge at its centre. The colour on the rotor edge can also be customized using the original Porsche colour palette.
The rotors on the new watches correspond to a 1:22 scaled-down version of the original rim, adapted to the geometry of the timepiece, with the Porsche Crest, which measures around 50 mm on a vehicle rim, a mere 3.3 mm wide and 4.4 mm high on the winding rotor cover.
Metal and leather watchbands are available in three sizes. Metal bracelets are made of skin-friendly titanium and all versions feature individually screwed-down links. Again they are available in glass-bead-blasted natural titanium or black-coated titanium carbide, with a choice of closing mechanisms – a folding clasp with push-pieces or fine adjustment. Leather straps are crafted from the same hides used for Porsche automobile interiors and come in the 14 official interior colour options of the Porsche 911. For the stitching on the leather strap, a total of 19 different colours of genuine Porsche yarn are available, giving endless configuration possibilities.
The dial is personalised via inlaid coloured rings, featuring minute markers in the style of the design-defining classic speedometer developed by F. A. Porsche, with 27 Porsche 911 exterior colours to choose from. Additionally, customers can personalise the ring on the watch face with historic and iconic Porsche colours including Gulfblue, Rubystar, and Mintgreen – vivid shades from the 1990s that have gained cult status among Porsche fans. The watch’s bezel can feature either traditional minute markers or a tachymeter for tracking speed or distance.
Personalised
The watch hands can be personalised, with a choice of classic Essence in black or sporty Performance hands in matte-white with red tips. The timepieces can be individualised with laser engraving on the back of the case, up to 12 characters, for instance the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the owner’s 911. Engraving can also be applied to the watch box, and corresponding car visuals requested for the emblem on the timepieces’ box, with the fonts and lettering featured on the rear of the customer’s car applied as well.
A basic custom-built Timepiece starts at $5,500 USD and, depending on the options selected by the customer, can range up to $12,500 including up to three additional leather straps. Orders are placed online and through Porsche dealers.