Behold The Porsche Design Chronograph 1 - GP 2023 Edition

In January 2023, Porsche Design is once again the official timing partner for the GP Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria. For the fourth fresh edition of the famed ice race, the design brand presents a limited edition of 250 pieces of a unique version of the Chronograph 1.

This time around, Ferdi Porsche, nephew of Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, inventor of Porsche Design, and organiser of the GP Ice Race since 2019, was even more intimately engaged in the creation of the chronograph and defined the design process's tone.

Back to the Beginning

The relationship with Porsche Design has a special place in Ferdi Porsche's heart, since it was his uncle who transformed the watch industry in 1972 with the Chronograph I, the first all-black timepiece, so establishing the Porsche Design brand. With this relationship, Porsche Design is sending a strong message, since the design studio has been located in Zell am See for decades.

From this location, effective and iconic Porsche designs have swept the globe since 1974. Ferdi Porsche, an architect by training, collaborated with the design team at Studio F. A. Porsche to incorporate his uncle's philosophy into the production of a clock. He closely monitored the chronograph's development at Porsche's watch factory in Solothurn, Switzerland. The outcome is a clock that superficially resembles the original from 1972 but also symbolises the zeitgeist of today.

"It has evolved into a really unique chronograph that transports me to my beginnings. The classic design, which is always on my wrist, is the ideal partner for every style, any event, and any day. "What makes it remarkable is that racing aficionados identify the narrative instantly,"

Tradition in Innovation

During the creation of the new Chronograph 1 – GP 2023 Edition, the emphasis was on enhancing its timekeeping and performance on the racetrack. The design of the GP watch is accurately based on its classic 1972 predecessor, which was inspired by the aesthetics of the Porsche 911 dashboard. On the matte black dial, fluorescent hour markers and extraordinarily brilliant Super-LumiNova® illuminating material provide maximum contrast. Together with the sapphire crystal's sevenfold antireflective, scratch-resistant, hard coating, this offers maximum reading.

But it would not be a "genuine" timepiece in the sense of Porsche Design's founder if its functionality and refined design details had not been improved in key areas: the pointed minute hand (in the original, it was rectangular), the red stop hands (in the original, they were white), and the uncoated silver titanium case. Unique to this limited edition of the Chronograph 1 is a design element that goes beyond a young generation's original design statement. Rather, the objective here is weight loss.

The WERK 01.240 calibre with flyback function and COSC certification, revolutionary quick-switch date display, and multilingual day display offer a very accurate driving. The casing has a diameter of 40.8 mm and is water-resistant to 10 bar under active conditions. The vintage Porsche Design emblem appears on the dial, crown, and clasp, as well as the rear of the case, as a nod to the original. In addition to the edition number, a laser etching of the GP emblem, a Yeti on a tractor, is also a feature. The bezel features a scale for 60 minutes, and the controls are a contrasting shade of black.

Unique Textile Strap for Racing Drivers and Winter Sports Fans

The GP 2023 Edition has two different bracelet options. The current white GP emblem, which formerly graced the GP 2022 Edition, offers a high degree of usefulness, as the textile strap enables the watch to be put on fast and worn comfortably over a ski or racing suit — for instance, while skijoring. Originally, horses were used to carry daring skiers over the ice track in this ancient winter sport. Today, sports vehicles are used to provide the necessary horsepower. As an alternative to the exclusive GP emblem, the strap is also available in a basic black version crafted from premium automobile leather and equipped with a matte-black titanium folding clasp. Customers get the high-quality clock in a black box with an acrylic plaque that has been laser-engraved. A need for watch aficionados and Porsche fanatics.

The highly limited Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – GP 2023 Edition is available for pre-order beginning December 15, 2022 at porsche-design.com and Porsche Design Stores across the globe for €8,950.

Regarding the GP Ice Race:

With the GP Ice Race 2023, a magnificent event is gaining momentum once again - a cooperation that fuses sports cars and time, as well as tradition and the future, in an inventive and aesthetically pleasing manner. Three days of thrilling racing competition under harsh circumstances and in an exceptional environment. It nearly sank into oblivion. After an absence of over half a century, the tradition has been revived. What began as an idea between two friends has become a fantastic winter event for motorsports enthusiasts. The elements that the GP Ice Race has always stood for, such as tradition and innovation, will now be joined by a purpose that is extremely dear to the hearts of the event's founders: the Ice Race will become synonymous with sustainable motorsport and forward-thinking mobility. Very similar to Prof. F. A. Porsche, who also always left his distinctive concepts for the world of future.