50 Years of Making Things Better

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

- By Roger Ruegger

Both the bracelet and case are made of titanium and covered with black titanium carbide coating; the solid caseback, however, comes in sandblasted titanium.

- 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 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.

Fifty years after the founding of the company, Porsche Design has revived a unique timepiece, inspired by the original Chronograph I from 1972, in an exclusive limited edition of 500 pieces.