Porsche Design Timepieces: 10 Reasons Why Watch Collectors Should Pay Close Attention Now

1. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the company’s founder, created one of the world’s most recognisable sports cars: the Porsche 911.

The founding story of most start-ups is one of struggle – and rarely do their founders enjoy global recognition from the outset. After all, why start a new company if fame has already been achieved? Yet Porsche Design was a clear exception. When Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded the brand in 1972, he had already accomplished more than most industrial designers could dream of. Since 1962, he had served as Chief Designer at Porsche, and just a year later he created a sports car that would go on to become a legend: the Porsche 911, first presented at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show under the name Porsche 901. With this design, F. A. Porsche gave the world one of the most iconic silhouettes in automotive history.

In the years that followed, he designed the first 911 Targa with a removable hardtop and the Porsche 904 racing car with its pioneering fibreglass body. His departure from automotive design came in 1972, when the Porsche family withdrew from the operational business of Porsche KG as the company was converted into a joint-stock corporation. Although Ferdinand Alexander Porsche remained on the supervisory board, he established his own design studio together with his brother Hans-Peter in Stuttgart. Two years later, the brothers returned to their childhood home in Austria. Equipped with deep knowledge of automotive design and its technical complexities, F. A. Porsche was no newcomer to design – but rather a seasoned professional who began exploring new product categories, many of which were initially connected to the world of motoring.

2. With the Chronograph 1, the company created a true horological icon in 1972

Two years before Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was even able to establish his design studio in Zell am See, his hometown in Austria, he received what initially appeared to be a modest commission from the newly restructured Porsche AG: to design a wristwatch for long-serving employees of the company. Originally, only around 20 pieces per year were planned – but demand quickly grew, and soon the watches were being sold through Porsche dealerships. Although F. A. Porsche had a clear sense of his design principles, no one at the time could have foreseen that the watch, named Chronograph I, would become a defining symbol of the Porsche Design studio in Zell am See – and a classic of modern watch design. Approaching the task with the same dedication he brought to car design, Porsche questioned existing conventions: “My aim was to create a watch that matched the car.”

That statement perfectly captures what became the world’s first all-black production wristwatch. Just like the non-reflective dashboard of a Porsche 911, not only the dial but also the bezel, case, and bracelet were matte black. A black dial with white hands and a red seconds hand may sound commonplace today, but at a time when traditional wristwatches were increasingly replaced by fashionable quartz models and treated as jewellery, the concept was revolutionary. A timepiece stripped of any ornamentation, designed purely for function, naturally appealed to those for whom every second mattered: professional racing drivers.

As detailed in our Guide, the first examples of the Chronograph I began appearing on the wrists of prominent figures as early as 1974 – among them future Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti, who reportedly bought two of them. Others, such as Ferrari owner Gianni Agnelli, racing legend Niki Lauda, and Emerson Fittipaldi, also recognised the appeal of uncompromising design. As F. A. Porsche himself put it: “Form does not follow fashion. It is precisely the other way around.” Today, black wristwatches have become an entire collecting category and a stylistic statement embraced by major Swiss manufacturers – yet their origins trace back to F. A. Porsche’s uncompromising approach to design.

3. Porsche Design does not simply provide its clients with watches – it has built a comprehensive lifestyle world that spans everything from luggage and eyewear to laptops and smartphones.

Founded in 1972 and relocated to Zell am See, Austria, in 1974, the Porsche Design Studio evolved over the decades into both a serious watch manufacturer and the nucleus of a much broader brand universe. From the mid-1970s onwards, a growing range of products emerged: in 1978, expectations were modest, with plans to sell only a few thousand units of the new sunglasses model P‘8478. To date, however, several million examples of this first interchangeable-lens design have been produced.

Other creations soon followed – such as the P‘8479, whose single-lens design evoked the look of a ski goggle and later became iconic when worn by Yoko Ono, the artist and wife of John Lennon. Equally forward-thinking was the P‘5510 sneaker designed in collaboration with Adidas, featuring built-in suspension. Until his death in 2012, F. A. Porsche and his team continued to develop products defined by technical innovation without ever descending into gimmickry: tailored blazers for frequent drivers, lightweight luggage with exceptionally smooth wheels, coffee machines for Siemens, and kitchen knives for WMF – all designed in line with F. A. Porsche’s guiding principle: “When you rethink the function of an object, its form sometimes creates itself.”

In 2011, Porsche Design launched its first smartphone in collaboration with BlackBerry, the P‘9981, followed later by its first laptop, the Book One. Introduced in 2017, it was the world’s first notebook to combine the features of a convertible and a detachable device – its screen could be rotated 360 degrees or removed entirely. Today, one can even live in a Porsche Design environment: that same year, the Porsche Design Tower Miami opened its doors. The 60-storey residential building features a unique engineering highlight – a car lift that allows residents to drive directly into their apartments. The vehicle key also serves as the key to the home.

4. Porsche Design has created legendary watch models with leading Swiss brands such as IWC — unmistakable in design and pioneering in technical terms.

The world’s first black wristwatch, the Chronograph I, was initially produced by the Swiss company Orfina on behalf of Porsche Design – and it quickly became a success. The early models were equipped with the Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, later joined in the military versions by the robust Lemania 5100. Beyond the racetrack, the watch began a second career in the late 1970s: thanks to its functionality, outstanding legibility, and reliability, it was adopted by several armed forces, including the German Bundeswehr, the Swiss Army, and various military units in the United Arab Emirates. Several American air squadrons also commissioned customised versions, often featuring their squadron emblems on the dial or caseback. Eventually, the Chronograph I even appeared on the wrist of actor Tom Cruise in the Hollywood blockbuster named after one such fighter squadron.

Fotocredit: bulangandsons.eu

The story did not end with that single watch. In 1978, Porsche Design began its collaboration with IWC Schaffhausen. Their first joint project combined an anti-magnetic movement with a compass integrated into the hinged caseback – the so-called Compass Watch, known as IWC Reference 3511. With this model, IWC and Porsche Design experimented for the first time with a material ideal for wristwatches yet notoriously difficult to machine: titanium. This lightweight, saltwater-, acid-, and sweat-resistant metal became the focus again in 1980 with the Titanium Chronograph – the world’s first serially produced wristwatch made entirely from titanium. Today, all Porsche Design watches are crafted from this material. The model was also the first to feature chronograph pushers fully integrated into the case, a principle revived in 2017 with the Monobloc Actuator.

Over nearly two decades of collaboration – lasting until 1997 – many other models followed: the rare Chronograph II with an aluminium case and fibre-reinforced bracelet; the Ocean 2000, water-resistant to 2,000 metres (alongside its sister model, the Ocean 500, resistant to 500 metres); and the minimalist SL and Ultra-Sportivo lines, whose innovative rubber straps would later inspire early Hublot designs.

This period marked the true beginning of Porsche Design’s evolution into a watch manufacturer in its own right. When the Porsche Holding acquired Eterna in 1996 – the inventor of the ball-bearing-mounted rotor – the brand produced further milestones in watchmaking. Among them was the 2004 Indicator P‘6910, a model now little known but historically significant as the first mechanical chronograph to display elapsed time digitally. The movement consisted of over 800 individual components, and by 2007, the watch retailed for €110,000. Its unconventional design paid homage to the most powerful Porsche of its time, the Carrera GT. The chronograph pushers were inspired by the car’s pedals, while the winding rotor echoed the design of its alloy wheels – marking the first time such a motif had been used in a watch by Porsche Design. The P‘6910 Indicator was ahead of its time and remains the most expensive wristwatch ever produced by the brand. When Eterna was sold to a Chinese company in 2011, the partnership with Porsche Design gradually came to an end.

5. With its Timepieces Manufacture, Porsche is the only car manufacturer to operate its own watchmaking facility

In 2015, the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See – where all designs are still approved today – was renamed Studio F. A. Porsche in honour of its founder, who passed away in 2012. Since 2017, Porsche Design has once again been fully owned by Porsche AG, after the automotive group acquired the remaining privately held shares. For watch collectors, however, the more significant milestone came in 2014 with the founding of Porsche Design Timepieces AG in Solothurn, Switzerland. Having spent decades creating limited-edition watches for various Porsche automobile clubs around the world, the next logical step was to connect timepieces and cars even more closely. Porsche Design pursued two key strategies under the concept of the “sports car on the wrist.” The first was to develop limited-edition watches linked exclusively to limited or high-performance Porsche car models. The second, under the custom-built Timepieces concept, was to create the first fully configurable wristwatch – analogous to how Porsche vehicles are individually tailored to customer specifications. To achieve this, the company established its headquarters in Solothurn – at the heart of Switzerland’s watchmaking supply triangle, surrounded by highly specialised manufacturing partners.

6. Since 2017, Porsche Design has been creating strictly limited special-edition watches made exclusively for collectors of rare Porsche cars

Many serious watch collectors dream of owning their own reference within a brand’s catalogue. At Porsche Design, that dream comes unusually close to reality. With the launch of the Chronograph 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series in 2017, Porsche Design entered new territory. As the only car manufacturer with its own Swiss watch manufacture, Porsche offered customers the opportunity to order a wrist chronograph produced in exactly the same limited quantity as the car itself. For the past eight years, Porsche Design and its in-house manufacture in Solothurn have immortalised some of the rarest and most desirable Porsche models in equally exclusive timepieces made specifically for their owners.

Watches linked to GT cars, for example, are generally not limited by production number, yet they remain rare due to low manufacturing volumes and high purchase prices. Importantly for collectors, every watch is reserved exclusively for buyers of the corresponding car. If a limited-edition vehicle or series has sold out and not every owner has ordered a matching watch, no additional pieces are produced. However, both original and subsequent car owners can still order a watch later, provided one was not purchased initially. With a take rate of around 50 percent among limited-edition chronographs, these models become even more attractive to collectors. Porsche goes one step further: certain car models offer multiple design packages that are reflected in the corresponding watches.

The 2022 Dakar Chronograph, for instance, was released both in the striking Rallye Design (Rothmans) and in a standard version. Similarly, the final 718 Spyder RS with a combustion engine offers a Weissach Package – a performance specification that also extends to the design of the watch.

Each of these versions differs in its details, meaning that there is never just one watch per car model, but rather several customised variants that may differ from the official press images. Since 2018, a total of 18 such models have been created, the most recent being the Chronograph 911 Spirit 70 – inspired by the heritage-themed Porsche model of the same name.

7. Since 2020, Porsche Design has been the world’s only watch manufacturer capable of producing fully individualised watches in series – each one matching its owner’s Porsche vehicle

Over the decades, the Porsche Design team has repeatedly drawn inspiration from details and principles of sports car engineering. Examples include the design of a pipe modelled on the cooling fins of an engine block, or the functional concept behind the most recent GMT watch, the 1919 Globetimer UTC, whose time-zone adjustment mechanism is inspired by Porsche’s dual-clutch transmission system. In the 2017 Monobloc Actuator, the mechanism of the integrated chronograph pushers within the case design mirrors the rocker-arm system used for valve control in the Porsche RSR racing engine.

Since the founding of the watch manufacture in Solothurn in 2014, Porsche Design has pursued one particularly ambitious goal: not only to transfer the design philosophy of its sports cars to wristwatches, but also to apply the same principles of highly customisable production.

Through an online configurator – which appears directly after selecting a car model – customers can assemble their personal timepiece from millions of possible combinations. Every component is produced individually and only after the order is placed, exclusively by Swiss suppliers, and assembled by hand at Porsche Design’s manufacture in accordance with a sustainable made-to-order principle.

Each colour variant of these watches matches the original paint tones of the configured Porsche vehicle, while the leather and decorative stitching of the straps correspond exactly to those used in the cars. A particular highlight is the winding rotor, which replicates in detail the wheel rim design chosen by the customer. To offer a fully individualised wristwatch with virtually endless configuration options, Porsche Design had to rethink and adapt the traditional watchmaking process. Colours, materials, and design elements are now planned years in advance alongside vehicle development to ensure that each new car launch coincides with a matching timepiece.

Initially, the custom-built programme allowed collectors to configure chronographs exclusively for 911 models. In 2024, the offering expanded for the first time to include a world-time model: the UTC Globetimer. Today, the Custom-built Timepieces programme is available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and, more recently, Japan and Poland – with further markets to follow in the coming years. In addition to the web-based configurator, customers can also design and order their watch at participating Porsche Centres. And naturally, Porsche enthusiasts who do not (yet) own a car can also purchase one of these timepieces – or, for existing owners, configure a watch for their vehicle at a later stage.

8. Like Rolex, Porsche Design embodies a continuous pursuit of technical innovation and functional excellence within a framework of timeless design

Some collectors might object to the comparison – after all, Rolex stands at the pinnacle of mechanical watchmaking, known for its uncompromising quality. Yet that reputation rests on one fundamental principle: a constant commitment to improving its products rather than resting on past achievements. Porsche Design has followed the same philosophy since its foundation in 1972. A prime example can be found in one of the most demanding components of any wristwatch: the case. Porsche Design’s evolution in material technology illustrates its approach clearly. In 2022, the brand celebrated its 50th anniversary, which also marked fifty years since the launch of the first black wristwatch – the Chronograph I. The new anniversary model, like the original, was presented in a black case, but unlike the 1972 Orfina models in black-coated stainless steel, it was crafted from lightweight titanium.

The original coating on those early steel cases tended to wear off over time, particularly along the edges. By contrast, the titanium watches introduced from 1980 onwards steadily advanced Porsche Design’s material expertise. Following the 2022 relaunch, all black titanium models were equipped with an especially scratch-resistant titanium carbide coating. In parallel, the manufacture began experimenting with an even more ambitious step: producing an entire case made from the same material. First introduced in 2023 as a limited-edition Chronograph 1 – 911 Dakar for buyers of the off-road 911 model, the Chronograph 1 Utility – Limited Edition, launched in 2024, features a case made entirely of ceramic-based titanium carbide (with the crown and pushers still in titanium). The case is manufactured in Germany.

Titanium carbide – a fine powder pressed and “baked” in a multi-stage process at around 2,000 degrees Celsius before being milled and polished – combines remarkable lightness with extreme hardness and scratch resistance. However, due to its brittleness, it can only be machined using diamond tools. Undeterred, Porsche Design’s engineers developed a new inner construction for the Chronograph 1: beneath the durable titanium carbide shell lies a watertight titanium container, enlarged by two millimetres in diameter, ensuring 100-metre water resistance for the Utility limited edition.

9. Porsche Design plans counter-cyclically and with a long-term vision – acquiring a new manufacture building in the midst of a watch industry downturn

While Swiss watchmakers are facing challenging times in the aftermath of the post-Covid boom, the situation pales in comparison to the profound transformation currently reshaping the global automotive industry. The shift affects all brands with deep roots in combustion-engine production. Against this backdrop, it is far from self-evident that Porsche continues to invest heavily in its Timepieces division. Many manufacturers would likely abandon such non-core segments – but not Porsche. In June 2024, Porsche Design announced the acquisition of a new facility for its watch manufacture in Grenchen, Switzerland, not far from its existing production site. Interestingly, the building – into which the first employees and watchmakers will move during the summer of 2025 – has strong historical ties to the brand: it formerly housed the workshops of Eterna, the Swiss watch company that produced Porsche Design timepieces for around fifteen years, including the Porsche Indicator. After more than a decade of operating its own assembly line, Porsche’s decision marks another clear commitment to the long-term development of Porsche Design as a watch manufacturer.

According to industry experts, the current annual production is estimated at around 5,000 timepieces. However, with the continued success of the Custom-built Timepieces programme, capacity limits are already on the horizon – even if car sales were to soften. For now, these watches are offered only for the 911 series and not yet across all markets. Should customers of Porsche’s high-volume model lines, such as the Cayenne and Macan, be granted access to the programme in the future, manufacturing capacity in Switzerland would need to expand significantly. For context: in 2024 Porsche delivered approximately 300,000 vehicles worldwide, including about 50,000 units of the 911, for which customers can currently configure bespoke Chronograph or Globetimer models. By comparison, around 100,000 Cayennes and 83,000 Macans were produced in the same year. Given the sheer scale of potential variants – running into millions – and the increasing demand for service as the client base expands, Porsche Design’s strategy of planning counter-cyclically and investing in production capacity well ahead of time is not just visionary but vital for long-term sustainability.

10. No other manufacture will connect the experience of one’s own car and watch as closely in the future

As thrilling as it may be to watch Formula 1 cars and wear the timepiece of a major sponsor, true emotion arises when you experience something with your own watch in your own sports car. Since the 1960s, the term factory delivery has held special meaning for Porsche enthusiasts around the world. Collecting a sports car directly from the place of its creation has long been a highlight for Porsche owners. Around 25 people a day collect their new Porsche directly from the Stuttgart plant – many of them international visitors eager to experience the exhilaration of driving their car on a German autobahn at least once in their lifetime.

Since the opening of the Porsche Museum in 2009, the factory delivery has evolved into an integral part of the brand experience. So why should that not extend to watches – especially at a time when many Swiss manufactures are offering elaborate factory tours to help customers engage more deeply with their timepieces? Those who read the announcement about Porsche Design Timepieces AG’s new headquarters closely will have noticed that, alongside additional space for watchmakers, the new building will include dedicated event areas. Imagine not only collecting your Porsche 911 in Zuffenhausen, but a few days later, after a scenic drive through the Alps, picking up your custom-built wristwatch at Porsche’s own watch manufacture in Switzerland. Perhaps you arrive in your car with the matching Roadster Aluminium Trolley in the boot and a pair of Porsche Design P‘8994 sunglasses – perfectly coordinated with your new watch. For Porsche and Porsche Design enthusiasts, the idea of driving to collect a watch may be the ultimate experience. Those who enjoy such moments should stay tuned with Swisswatches – the official inauguration of the new facility is planned for spring 2026.

porsche.com