LIFESTYLE | Wear A Custom Porsche On Your Wrist

Starting on September 1, 2020, United States buyers will be able to use the Porsche Design website to configure and order custom wristwatches. The new watch configurator is based on the Porsche configurator, and will be capable of creating approximately 1.5 million unique designs.

Porsche Design was founded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1972. F.A. Porsche, designer of the original 1966 Porsche 911, was the grandson of the founder of the family car company. A watch was the first product to be released by Porsche Design, a wholly owned subsidiary of Porsche Automobil Holding SE. The company currently sells clothing, eyewear, bags and luggage, electronics, and accessories under the Porsche Design label, in addition to timepieces.

In 2016, Porsche Design began selling special timepieces that were tied to specific cars. Only the owners of the associated cars were allowed to buy the matching timepieces. Purchasing a 2019 911 Speedster included the privilege of shelling out an additional $12, 911 (starting price) for a matching Porsche Design chronometer.

The new custom – built timepieces program does not require the purchase of a new 911, though according to Rolf Bergmann, Managing Director of Porsche Design Timepieces AG, ‘The watches belong to the cars’. The digital custom configurator will allow Porsche Design to assemble custom – built timepieces that extend the sports car ownership experience. Buyers can specify case and dial styles and colors to match or complement their vehicle, along with a selection of movements, bracelets and straps.

The custom timepieces are built around a 42-mm case, either glass bead-blasted natural titanium. A new movement, WERK 01.100, certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), is responsible for timekeeping. The winding rotor is customizable, emulating wheel designs from the latest-generation 911. A two-tone or gold Porsche Crest can be specified for the center of the ‘wheel’, and there are six different rotor types to choose from, and the rim edges can carry a color. Leather watchband straps are crafted from the same leather as Porsche seats, and can be stitched with a choice of 19 colors of Porsche yarn. Metal bracelets are made of titanium, either glass bead-blasted or black. Buyers can order two additional bracelets or straps per watch order, and use a new quick – change button system to swap wristwear without tools.

Once the customer has made all of their selections, the configurator generates a custom code, the customer can then take the code to any Porsche car dealership to start is sent to the Porsche Design manufacturing center in Solothurn, Switzerland, and the watch is produced and delivered within eight to 12 weeks. In an ideal scenario, the buyer of a new 911 might place the order for their new car and watch during the same showroom visit, and take delivery of both the car and timepieces simultaneously.

The Porsche Design custom-built timepieces will start at $6,000 and go up to $12,650, depending on options. Visit the Porsche Design website for more details.