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The Icon Since 1972
Living Legend – The Chronograph 1 from Porsche Design
In 1972, the world’s first black wristwatch made its debut.
Its most significant comeback followed in 2022. Within a few years, Porsche Design launched ten variants, some of them extremely rare, for collectors and enthusiasts, which further developed the original concept in an innovative way. This collection reflects the fusion of technology, precision and timeless style.
Two years ago, exactly 50 years after its design by F.A. Porsche, this model returned as the Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition. There is now a whole series of special models, some of which are extremely rare and sought-after.
Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design.
Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition.
Founder Ferdinand Alexander Porsche
Creator of two icons: First the Porsche 911, then the Chronograph 1
In 1963, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who had studied at the Ulm School of Design, and his team created a car design for eternity: the Porsche 911, which was still called the 901 when it was unveiled at the IAA in the same year. In its racing form, it is the most successful sports car ever built.
The legendary ‘F. A. Porsche’ – as he was known outside the family throughout his life – first immortalised himself as the designer of the Porsche 911, and then became economically independent of the automobile company. When the members of the Porsche family left the operative business of their own company in 1972 (the conversion of Porsche’s legal form to AG required this), Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded his own design studio. Two years later, he returned to Austria in Zell am See, the area in which he had grown up.
1972
THE DESIGN: THE CHRONOGRAPH 1
A timepiece the likes of which had never been seen before
The Chronograph 1 was a timepiece that had never been designed before: F.A. Porsche’s design is widely regarded as the world’s first fully black watch. With this creation, the designer of the 911 applied his automotive design philosophy to horology. Inspired by the view of a 911 dashboard, he crafted a watch that combined maximum functionality with a modern aesthetic. It featured a tachymeter scale, a 30-minute counter at twelve o’clock, a 12-hour counter at six o’clock, and a seconds display at nine o’clock. The white numerals on the matte black dial ensured optimal legibility, while the black-on-black design eliminated any reflections.
The Essence of Porsche Design
The Chronograph 1 is the essence of Porsche Design. In 1972, automotive designer Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded his own design studio in Stuttgart. The very first commission was the Chronograph 1, originally intended as a gift for the well-deserving employees of Porsche AG.
F. A. Porsche
Das Designstudio
Das erste Projekt war eine außergewöhnliche Uhr für verdiente Mitarbeiter der Porsche AG: Der schwarze Chronograph 1, die erste schwarze Armbanduhr der Welt. Sie ist ein Uhrenklassiker der Moderne, der schnell von Formel-1-Größen getragen wurde und am Arm von Tom Cruise im ersten Top Gun-Kinofilm Kultstatus erreichte.
“OPTIMISE THE FUNCTION. UNCOMPROMISINGLY REDUCE FORM TO THE ESSENTIALS. OVERCOMING THE FAMILIAR IN ORDER TO KEEP DISCOVERING THE NEW, BETTER SOLUTION.”
– Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Founder of Porsche Design
1972 – 2022
Chronograph 1
How the watches came to Porsche – the history of the world’s first black chronograph wristwatches
Collector status despite large quantities
Around 50,000 models have been built by various manufacturers on behalf of Porsche Design over five decades: first by Orfina, later by Eterna and today by the Porsche Design subsidiary in Solothurn in its own Porsche Design manufacture – as the highlight of the model range.
Although the watch was not exactly produced in small numbers back then, it has a steadily increasing value for collectors and Porsche enthusiasts. Well-preserved chronographs from back then are rare, because unlike today, the powder coating was not as resistant back then, which is why new-old-stock models always fetch higher prices on the vintage market.
DISCOVER MORE
The topic of watches was always there in the Porsche family
To understand the current philosophy of the Chronograph 1, you have to immerse yourself in the history behind it. Through the way that F. A. Porsche transferred the design principles from the sports car to the wrist, he developed an unmistakable DNA that is still consistently applied at Porsche Design today: Porsche Design therefore does not have to invent anything in order to create the classic watch, as it was a matter of course for F. A. Porsche to think progressively.
The beginnings: A wristwatch for Porsche AG anniversary
Initially, this model was not a commercial project, but a wristwatch for anniversaries at Porsche AG. The request to Mr Porsche to design such a watch therefore initially comprised only 20 wristwatches – annually. The question of why a chronograph goes without saying for car enthusiasts. Only a few collectors know, however: the Porsche family had always liked to surround themselves with good watches, and knew their way around the segment very well.
A solid gold wristwatch for Porsche drivers
You can read about it in the Porsche archives: since the mid-fifties of the last century, Porsche customers who reached the 100,000-kilometre mark with their Porsche were given a solid gold watch with Porsche lettering as a gift for the first time. Due to the high quality of the vehicles, more and more customers reached this mileage, which is why from the end of the 1950s, a gold pin was presented to recognise frequent drivers.
Early models
Porsche Design Chronograph 1 from 1972
The aesthetic of the Chronograph 1 made it a horological sensation, setting the stage for a trend that only gained mainstream popularity over time. While the stealth look is ubiquitous today, it was equally daring and unique in 1972.
Chronograph 1 Military
Unlike other models now considered iconic, the Chronograph 1, with its black powder coating, was a sales success from the outset. It stood out without being polarising. Much like the 911, F.A. Porsche created a product that was both highly unconventional and remarkably appealing. Tens of thousands were produced during the quartz crisis. Initially, the Chronograph 1 featured a Lemania 5100 movement (reference 7176s), later replaced by the Valjoux / ETA 7750. The first models were manufactured by the Swiss company Orfina.
Chrono 1: You’re in the army now!
From the late 1970s, the Chronograph 1 enjoyed a second career off the racetrack. Due to its almost glare-free readability and thus maximum functionality, it was also used by many armies: by NATO, the German Armed Forces, the Swiss Army, but also by the Emirates and, of course, especially by the US Air Force, which used the head of a tiger in its logo. Whether air or naval forces, these units commissioned the watches to equip their units from Porsche Design in Zell am See.
The most important military variants
The popular military variants can be recognised by the ‘Military’ lettering and a red ‘3H’ symbol, which indicates the use of tritium, a low-level radioactive light source. Even rarer are the matte-green coated ‘Military MK II’ variant and the grey ‘Nato Chrono’. The military versions are available with Nato bracelets, but also with the classic steel bracelet. Some dials are adorned with the Orfina name and the Orfina flame on the crown, while others are completely and exclusively decorated with ‘Porsche Design’ lettering and logos. In short, it is an exciting microcosm for collectors.
The Chrono 1: The Epitome of Cool
THE CHRONO 1 IN FORMULA 1
Interestingly, the first Chrono 1 watches were worn by prominent personalities as early as 1974. The model was particularly popular in the Formula 1 paddock: Mario Andretti wore the Chronograph 1 in the year he became Formula 1 World Champion in 1978, and there are also photos of Ferrari boss Gianni Agnelli and racing driver Niki Lauda, as well as Emerson Fittipaldi.
TOP GUN
THE FILM THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING: TOP GUN
When US director Jerry Bruckheimer began filming ‘Top Gun – They Fear Neither Death nor the Devil’ in 1985, the aim was to provide the actors with authentic equipment. The Top Gun flying squadron was conveniently based in Miramar near Hollywood. As the Tigers wore the Chrono 1, Bruckheimer himself went to the Porsche Design Store in Beverly Hills and asked for this model. They lent him the Chronograph 1 that actor Tom Cruise wore in the first part of Top Gun in 1986.
TOM CRUISE WEARS THE PORSCHE DESIGN CHRONO 1
Nobody at Porsche Design had thought of equipping Tom Cruise. Of course, the Chrono 1 was once again worn by Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ in 2022 – and explicitly not as paid product placement. Incidentally, it was the identical watch from the 1980s, as the model had been deliberately taken back at the time in order to keep the collector’s item safe. In 2019, producer Bruckheimer approached the team in Zell am See again and made another enquiry to Porsche Design. Tom Cruise wanted to buy the watch after filming, but Porsche Design refused. It would remain in the family for the time being.
DISCOVER MOREVarious rare tribute editions of the Chronograph 1
Porsche Design has often paid tribute to the original model and adopted design codes from the Chronograph 1 in the past, such as the Porsche Design P`6510 Heritage Black Chronograph 1972 Limited Edition in a limited edition of 911 pieces. With a diameter of 44 mm, the black PVD-coated stainless steel model sits much larger on the wrist than the smaller original from 1972 with a diameter of 38 mm. The watch was fitted with the ETA/Valjoux 7750 calibre.
The Comeback
PORSCHE DESIGN IS CELEBRATING THE COMEBACK OF ITS MOST FAMOUS PRODUCT WITH A SPECIAL MODEL TO MARK THE COMPANY’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Anniversary Model of the New Beginning
Improved design, up to date technology
In 2022, Porsche Design celebrated five decades of the Chronograph 1. The Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition blends the spirit of the 1970s with the forward momentum of the 2020s. Two years ago, this iconic model—one of the most successful in the company’s history—returned to the collection. While it retains the exact look of the original 1972 watch, many details have been modernized and updated to bring it into the present.
CHRONO 1
“THIS WATCH WAS MISSING – AND NOW IT’S BACK.”
– Roland Heiler, former head of the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See, on the occasion of the relaunch of the Chrono 1 in 2022.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LIMITED EDITION 2022
LIMITED TO 500 PIECES
The comeback model, initially limited to 500 pieces, can only be distinguished from the original by true connoisseurs. The tachymeter scale and the day-date display retain the exact typography of 1972. However, the case, bracelet, and clasp are now made of titanium, while the original Chronograph 1 was crafted from stainless steel. Additionally, the new model is powered by the WERK 01.140 calibre, whereas the earliest Chronographs were equipped with a Lemania 5100 movement.
The Chronograph 1 of the 21st Century
The new model now has a significantly smaller and more harmonious diameter of 40.8 mm and a height of 14.5 mm. No watch in recent Porsche Design history has ever been produced so closely to the historical model. Incidentally, this model was fittingly presented together with a lovingly restored 911 S 2.4 Targa from 1972 – the last automobile design by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche before he left Porsche AG and founded his design studio – which makes this model something very special.
