Prof. Porsche took inspiration from the sports car’s dashboard design language, with a matte black background and white, instrument-style indication for distortion-free displays. True to the original, the dial of the Chronograph I – 75 Years Porsche Edition features a tricompax layout and a weekday and date indication at 3 o’clock. It goes without saying that there is also a tachymeter scale for measuring distances.

It also goes without saying that the case is made of titanium, a signature of Porsche Design. Water-resistant to 100 meters, it has a a diameter of 40mm and measures 14.15mm in height. It sports the brand’s hallmark contemporary black titanium carbide coating.

Also no surprise in terms of the motor: The Chronograph I – 75 Years Porsche Edition is driven by the brand’s self-winding caliber WERK 01.140, which is a C.O.S.C. certified chronometer. Its rotor that can be admired through the sapphire case back echoes the Porsche 911’s iconic Fuchs alloy wheels and prominently displays the Porsche crest.

Also a nod to the anniversary is the specially developed textile leather strap, which is adorned with a light-blue decorative stitching and a central red stripe. It is accompanied by a secondary black leather strap.

The Chronograph I – 75 Years Porsche Edition retails for $11,000 and will be available for ordering on Porsche Design’s website from June 8, 2023.

To learn more, visit Porsche Design, here.

In 2022, Porsche Design is paying tribute to some of its most iconic product creations. Among them is a faithful re-edition of “the first all-black chronograph” from 1972, the legendary Chronograph 1.

In 1972, Professor Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche, the visionary behind the legendary Porsche 911, established his own design studio separate from the family car making business founded by his grandfather. Driven by the idea to apply his signature design language to products beyond automobiles, the first and most iconic product to emerge from that studio was a wristwatch, simply called the Chronograph 1, which would prove both influential and enduringly popular and serve as the precursor to other items under the Porsche Design brand, including sunglasses, luggage, and even electronics.

This year, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of both Porsche Design and the Chronograph 1, the company has unveiled a (almost immediately sold-out) limited-edition timepiece that channels the trendsetting look of the 1972 original, alongside a restored Porsche 911 S 2.4 Targa automobile from the same year that takes aesthetic cues from the watch and vice versa.

Visually, the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 — 1972 Limited Edition is a nearly pitch-perfect replica of the historical model — which is probably best known these days as the watch Tom Cruise sported in the 1986 blockbuster film Top Gun (and which will make another appearance in the sequel) — albeit occasionally swapping historical verisimilitude for high-tech modernity in several important aspects (the 40.8-mm case of the new model, for example, as well as the bracelet, are made of bead-blasted titanium with a black carbide coating rather than the PVD-coated stainless steel of the original). Roland Heiler, Chief Design Officer of Porsche Lifestyle Group and Managing Director of Studio F. A. Porsche, said, “Iconic designs like these are timeless and built to last. They are honest, sleek and strive to perform as best as possible without compromise. This is at the center of every Porsche Design product, and will continue to be as we move into the next 50 years.”

Like the Chronograph 1 from the 1970s, which brought elements of car dashboard design to a watch dial in a way that hadn’t been done before and also brought the now ubiquitous “all-black” aesthetic into mainstream watchmaking, the 500-piece Limited Edition comes with a matte black case, dial and bracelet; white, luminous-coated hands and markings on the dial for optimum legibility; and a high-contrast red central stopwatch hand behind an anti-glare crystal, made of hardened sapphire. True to the 1972 model are the typography on the tachymeter scale surrounding the dial as well as for the day and date display at 3 o’clock, and the baton shape of the hands. A vintage “PD” logo appears on the dial, crown, clasp and caseback.

Behind it, the chronograph features a Porsche Design chronograph caliber. T he newly developed Porsche Design Caliber WERK 01.140, from the WERK 01. family of automatic movements, which Porsche Design began producing in 2017 at its horological workshop in Solothurn, Switzerland, is a COSC-certified chronometer with an integrated chronograph function and a 48-hour power reserve generated by a black chromeplated “Porsche Design Icon” rotor.

Both the watch and the movement were developed and manufactured at Porsche Design’s in-house watchmaking facility. Unsurprisingly, the 500-piece limited edition was quickly sold out shortly after its introduction in January. The good news, however, is that we will most likely see more versions of this model in 2022. After all, an iconic design such as the Chronograph 1 is indeed timeless.

Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition Specs:

Manufacturer: Porsche Design Timepieces AG, Biberiststrasse 18, 4500 Solothurn, Switzerland 

Reference: 6041.7.01.001

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds (subdial at 9 o’clock), daydate display, chronograph: hours (0 to 12), minutes (30), (red) central seconds hand 

Movement: Porsche Design 01.140 chronograph, COSC certified, 28,800 vph, 25 jewels, 48-hour power reserve, diameter = 30 mm, height: 7.9 mm 

Case: Glass-bead-blasted titanium case with black titanium carbide coating (uncoated titanium caseback), sapphire crystal, water resistant to 100 m

Bracelet and clasp: Glass-bead-blasted black titanium bracelet with titanium carbide coating, steel folding clasp with fine adjustment 

Variations: Chronograph 1 — 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design with modern logo and sapphire caseback (Ref. 6044.0001), limited to 750 pieces and available exclusively to buyers of the new Porsche 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design sports car 

Dimensions: Diameter = 40.8 mm, height = 14.15 mm 

Price: $7,700

To learn more about Porsche Design, click here, and to subscribe to the WatchTime print magazine, click here.    

Classic AVI 42mm

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the ref. 765 AVI Co-Pilot that first took to the skies in 1953, Breitling releases new editions of the Classic AVI in 42mm stainless steel cases. Like the 46mm diameter versions launched two years ago, they pay homage to four aircrafts, the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, Vought F4U Corsair, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and de Havilland Mosquito.

A black dial and golden brown leather strap represent the versatile Mustang, which is also available in pink gold. A blue dial combined with a black strap is a tribute to the Corsair naval aircraft. A khaki dial along with a brown strap signifies the camouflage look of the Warhawk. A black dial with black ceramic bezel on a brown strap recalls in color the Mosquito aircraft known as the “Wooden Wonder.” The hues of the airplanes’ official insignia and markings add bright accents to the hands and subdials of the luminescent dials.

At the heart of this pilot’s squad ticks Breitling’s self-winding caliber 23, based on ETA/Valjoux 7753. It works behind a closed case back which is engraved with the silhouettes of their respective planes.

Pricing for the Breitling Classic AVI 42mm starts at $5,800.

Super AVI Mosquito Night Fighter

At a time when aluminum and steel were often hard to come by, the engineers of the de Havilland Mosquito used a material that was in no short supply: wood. Known as the “Wooden Wonder,” the aircraft stirred things up when it surpassed its metal peers in performance, becoming one of the fastest planes built between 1940 and 1950.

There were numerous versions of the Mosquito, including a light bomber and transportation plane. The Super AVI Mosquito Night Fighter was inspired by the Night Fighter 2, a two-seat black aircraft designed for night flying. With its black ceramic case, black military leather strap, and black dial with anthracite subdials, the Super AVI Mosquito Night Fighter chronograph pays homage to the aircraft’s dark livery.

As with every Super AVI, the striking design includes large Arabic numerals. This is combined with a black ceramic case with a diameter of 46mm and a pressure resistance of 10 bar. A second time zone can be selected thanks to the 24-hour scale on the inner bezel and the GMT hand with gray tip. The Super AVI is driven by a COSC-certified Breitling manufacture caliber B04, which offers a power reserve of 70 hours. The movement is visible through the open titanium case back, which features the silhouette of the Night Fighter.

Pricing for the Breitling Super AVI Mosquito Night Fighter is marked at $12,100.

To learn more, visit Breitling, here.

Recalling a bright and cloudless summer sky, the newcomer is powered by the Swiss luxury manufacture’s genuine HUB1280 caliber. Revealed via skeletonized dial is its column-wheel and other sophisticated elements, such as the date wheel. This self-winding chronograph movement offers a 72-hour power reserve.

The watch face showcases the typical design, with an alternation of Arabic numerals and hour markers, which are coated with Superluminova for great legibility in the dark. It is framed by the signature bezel, here likewise crafted from light blue ceramic, with the six signature Hublot screws.

Limited to 200 pieces, the summer edition comes with a Velcro strap with sports fastener and a lined natural rubber strap with a titanium deployant buckle.

Pricing for the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sky Blue is marked at $23,800.

To learn more, visit Hublot, here.

While stainless steel is, for many, the preferred material for luxury sports watches, gold still has its fans. In fact, after a decade or two of pink gold being on the rise, it is now yellow gold that is making a comeback. Especially for those who enjoy a more classic look, this is indeed a very tempting material. Seductive are also the following four sportive watches that look great in gold;

Breitling Super Avi B04 Chronograph GMT 46 P-51 Mustang

These two Breitlings perfectly illustrate the difference in appeal between stainless steel and gold. While more of a good-looking instrument in the first, the latter adds a dash of glamour and luxury while being just as capable. Granted, 18 karat gold is a softer material than stainless steel, so it damages quicker, but unless you are going to wear it when things get really rough, you should be fine. What I also like about aviation watches in gold is that they tend to age very nicely. I suspect that this has something to do with the chronograph complication that they are often fitted with, which amplifies their practical nature.

Panerai Luminor Calendario Perpetuo

This watch almost contradicts what Panerai stands for, as it combines a complex movement with an innovative perpetual calendar complication with a Goldtech case. This is Panerai’s proprietary alloy with a slightly higher copper content to give a richer hue. Because of the way Panerai worked with this material and the way it integrated the complications in the overall design, it remains grounded in the DNA of the brand. It also shows how powerful the Luminor design is because while a 44mm diameter large watch in polished gold sounds like too much of a good thing, this Panerai proves that it is temptation for the wrist and a luscious alternative to their stainless steel and titanium models.

Angelus Chronodate Gold

Gold and the color blue always go very nicely together, as this Angelus Chronodate underscores. The two really get a synergy going that makes the blue look more luxurious and the gold more sportive. Angelus works this to a further degree of perfection by giving the blue dial different finishes that interact differently with the gold case. It results in a precious, sportive creation that quite literally unites the best of both worlds.

Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only

Hublot is a brand that always seems to be ahead of the curve when it comes to trends. This is also the case with the return of yellow gold in a more prominent position within their collection. With the Big Bang Integral Time Only, they make it almost all about this material as there isn’t even the distraction from a chronograph movement, a complication the Big Bang is well-known for. By alternating brushed and polished surfaces, Hublot succeeds in maintaining a sportive look for this watch, making it almost like an understatement. As it is also fitted with a gold bracelet, one can expect that the heft of the Big Bang Integral Time Only on the wrist is quite substantial. As this is even more than if it had been made from stainless steel, one can consider this the sportive feel of luxury.

What sports watch would you like to wear in gold? Let us know in the comments!