Porsche Design Sport Chrono is like car engineering on the wrist.

When the designer of the legendary Porsche 911 left the family company to start his own design company, the first product he made was an unprecedented watch. That was about 50 years ago, but his company Porsche Design still offers a convincing combination of car manufacturer and watchmaker credibility, unique-all of which are perfectly reflected in the Sport Chrono. It is as stylish, elegant and sporty as a sports car on the wrist, and the reduced size of the new version has suddenly exposed the brand to a whole new audience.

Model: Porsche Design Sport Chrono Subsecond 39
Case diameter: 39mm
Case depth: 12.25mm
Waterproof performance: 100m
Movement: Sellita SW261-1 automatic chronometer

Porsche Design is a company that should attract more attention from watch lovers, and Sport Chrono is a good reason for them to revisit. Although not the most famous watch of the brand, it demonstrates the outstanding aspects of Porsche Design: sharp original design, excellent structure and unique personality with car style. The new version offers the brand’s smallest watch to date, with a diameter of 39 mm, demonstrating their aesthetics to a wider audience. Titanium case, one-piece strap and Swiss automatic movement, the dial design also matches the dashboard clock provided as an option in some Porsche vehicles.

For whom
This is not just a watch for car enthusiasts or Porsche owners (although these groups may find more to appreciate). This also applies to watch lovers or anyone who appreciates high-quality manufacturing and design-if you have seen enough new vintage watches, you can use them for a lifetime, and have thought about “what happened to modern watches”, the Sport Chrono by cheap Porsche Design It may be a refreshing change. Those who were previously attracted to Porsche Design watches but find that their long lugs make their watches clumsy, usually over 42mm, will find a reason to re-recognize the brand.

Alternatives
Porsche Design’s 1919 series of watches (including Sport Chrono) use hollow, architecturally styled lugs to make them interesting and distinctive-more or less unique in the world of watches. However, if you like general car connectivity, then you have many options, including brands that specialize in racing and car style watches. Autodromo is one of the best, and its Group B ($975) and Intereuropa series are more affordable options that are worth checking out.

For a more direct connection with iconic vehicles, the Danish brand REC uses metal recovered from actual cars recovered from its avant-garde designed watches (some of which are Porsches). The Porsche Design timepiece is inspired by the instrument panel, but the French brand Reservoir has taken this concept a step further, combining a single retrograde minute hand with a digital jumping hour display to more closely mimic the appearance of the instrument.

Don’t be fooled by the name of Porsche Design Sport Chrono: this is not a product of a car manufacturer or some co-branding event, nor is it a chronograph. Yes, “chrono” is a commonly used abbreviation for “chronograph”, but this watch does not include a stopwatch function; and, yes, Porsche Design has the same name as one of the most iconic sports car companies in the world. Although the relationship with Porsche (such as a car company) may cause some confusion, many of the charms of Porsche Design copy watches also lie in this.

Porsche Design was founded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (the designer of 911 and other famous Porsche cars) after leaving the car manufacturer founded by his grandfather. Therefore, it was originally a company independent of the more famous car manufacturers. The first product manufactured by Porsche Design (produced for them by the watchmaker Orfina) also had an impact on the watch industry as the world’s first all-black watch. Chronograph 1 came out in 1972, even in the classic watches of the same era, it is also a striking watch.

Today, the company exists under the umbrella of automakers, offering a wide range of luxury goods, from sunglasses and clothing to suitcases, pens and more. After cooperating with other brands (most notably IWC and Eterna) to produce watches for many years, Porsche Design has finally redoubled its efforts in its watchmaking industry through its Timepieces AG department, producing watches in Switzerland. The first model (based on Chronograph 1) made its debut in 2014.

The 1919 series, including the Sport Chrono, is clearly modern, but its name refers to the creation of the Bauhaus design movement that inspired the brand concept. Since the debut of the series, there have been many iterations of different dial designs (and some complex functions), but it is easy to define its unique lug design. Although the shape and concept look simple, it is completely unexpected-and it is unlikely to be easy to implement. (For example, please note that the strap is integrated into the design, so you can’t even see how it is connected.)

By 2021, the watches in this series are basically 42 mm wide-if you want, you can still get the Sport Chrono Subsecond version of that size. However, keeping the watch’s proportions at 42mm wide results in the lug-to-lug distance making the watch quite large to wear on thinner wrists (such as mine). In 39 mm, the ratio is just right, and the longitudinal measurement of the watch is about 43 mm in the corner where the lugs contact the wrist (the corner at the top of the case is about 47 mm).

Like almost all modern Porsche Design watches, the case is entirely made of titanium-it seems to refer to a watch made by IWC in 1980, which was one of the first watches made of titanium. (This is actually the first one.) It is an excellent watchmaking material because of its lightness and comfort, but also because of its technical appeal and visual quality that differs from standard steel. The appearance of titanium will vary significantly depending on its surface treatment-sandblasted matte finish is a common choice. Sometimes it looks dull, but the contrast between matte and high polish makes the Sport Chrono have a higher-end bearing.

The shiny elements here are very reflective, and I asked whether Porsche Design uses chrome plating. (Obviously, no-this is just polished titanium.) The blend of finishes really gives the feel of the automotive world, and it is this touch that makes the Sport Chrono feel high-quality and in harmony with the image of the car manufacturer. Oh, the button is also bead-blasted titanium, which is actually a folded “butterfly” variety, not the traditional “soup” because it is made from.

In addition to details and finishes, when you hold the Sport Chrono in person, the most striking thing is its sturdiness. This is always best evaluated by manipulating the crown to wind or setting the watch: in some watches, the crown may shake, feel stiffness when winding, friction or “loose” when winding, etc.—— Here, it feels like you are operating the rudder of a ship. This is its sturdiness and smoothness, which undoubtedly helps Sport Chrono feel more suitable for mid-range luxury prices.

Impressive construction, exquisite design, excellent finishes, technology and exotic materials… These factors should all be considered when evaluating the value proposition of a watch, and Porsche Design provides them (and an enjoyable Prestigious name). This watch is powered by the Observatory-certified Sellita SW261-1 (belonging to the common automatic movement of the Sellita SW200 series), with some custom decorations-you can’t see it anyway, because it is hidden behind a solid back cover .

The movement only provides time and date, and the second hand is displayed in an embedded subdial at 6 o’clock. This is a simple and exquisite design that serves the established mission of the brand to always maintain functionality and legibility. The hour markers and hands (including the second hand) are very bright, and there is a subtle circular drawing on the dial to give it a sunburst effect without too much distracting reflections. 3D elements are visually interesting, such as the slanted ring around the dial with scales, and the details that are carefully observed under a magnifying glass.

If you don’t have a matching car, wouldn’t it be weird to wear a Porsche Design watch? of course not. Would it be better if you had a matching Porsche? obviously. But this is a modern style and car connection, you can’t really get anywhere else in the exquisite, high-quality packaging. Some people feel that the manufacturer’s suggested retail price is relatively high for watches that purchase movements in the market today, but this is a good example of why when evaluating the value of a copy watch, “the source of the movement” is not Not always the most important thing. If you appreciate the design and engineering of Porsche cars, this is a great way to experience it on your wrist.