Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronotimer Flyback Limited Edition (now with proprietary movement)

When Porsche Design makes a watch, it does so according to the “Deutsche Gründlichkeit” philosophy, a way of engineering and constructing everyday objects with as little fuss and as much efficiency as possible, all focused on the use of the item. After the Porsche Design 1919 collection, it is now turn for the Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronotimer Flyback Limited Edition to receive the new flyback movement. Let’s find out more.

Let get one thing straight from the start: the new Porsche Design Caliber Werk 01-200 is equipped with a proprietary movement, not a fully in-house developed and constructed one. It’s a thin line between the two, but an important distinction for purists, collectors, watch nerds (guilty!) and other enthusiasts. Too often watches claim to have an in-house movement only to reveal that the movement is actually based on a pre-existing movement.  And in this case, it is no exception. The movement of this model is based on a Valjoux 7750 and has received some improved parts (gear train, main spring and fine adjustments, for instance) and is, of course, a flyback movement, as the name implies. Porsche Design isn’t an integrated manufacture, yet the effort to offer an exclusive movement to clients, with improved functionalities, is to be applauded.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, the Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronotimer Flyback Limited Edition (quite a mouthful), is still an impressive package. Built with inspiration and engineering principles drawn from the Porsche 911 RSR race car, the collection contains a special one-piece (in look anyway) titanium case, a material which is used for all Porsche Design watches. It is still the same rather large watch at 45.5mm in diameter and 15.6mm height, but it wears well on the wrist.

Part of its comfort is due to the integrated rocker switch to activate the chronograph function, something we have discussed extensively in previous articles on the Monobloc collection. This rocker switch is based upon the mechanical valve control system in the Porsche racer. The narrowest of tolerances allow for the rocker switch to slide over the recessed sapphire crystal covering the dial.

Secondly, the superbly integrated strap increases the comfort factor and, despite the large dimensions of the watch, the steep angle at which the strap is attached ensures a narrow fit to your wrist (the watch photographed here is worn on a rather small, 17cm wrist). The watch doesn’t protrude over the edge of your wrist as much as some of the other, similar sized watches can do. Finished with a double folding buckle, you have a great overall package. For this new Limited Edition, Porsche Design has crafted a rubber strap with Alcantara inserts  – the same material used in the interior of a Porsche.

Just as with the previous limited edition Monobloc model, Porsche Design has chosen a carbon fibre dial to enhance the racing heritage. The black dial is the perfect background against the white and red details that make up the indications. The combination of colours is similar to the theme of the race cars; white, red and black. It couldn’t be much sportier, could it? The dial has a 12 & 6 chronograph display, with the 30-minute counter on top and the 12-hour counter at the bottom, both with red hands. A long, slim central red hand completes the flyback chronograph display. The dial is enhanced with a date window at 4 o’clock, a running indicator at 9 o’clock, the PD logo at 3 o’clock, a tachymeter scale on the outside of the hour and minute track and a 60-second (or 60-minute, as you wish) scale on the bezel.

The Porsche Design Caliber Werk 01-200 is, as we mentioned, a proprietary movement. That means it uses a base movement but has received several updates exclusive to Porsche Design. Developing a movement from scratch is an extremely costly thing to do, so this is a good direction to go in while keeping prices in check. The Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Flyback Chronotimer Limited Edition will be available from the beginning of June 2018 and will retail for EUR 7,950 incl. taxes. It will be offered in a run of 251 pieces only, so be quick! More information on Porsche-Design.com.