Customization is arguably the ultimate expression of luxury. For this reason, Porsche recently launched an “Exclusive Manufaktur” service by which exacting clients can custom build their dream sports car. Now, the same precisionists can tailor their own Porsche timepiece, too.
This week, Porsche Design launched a new web-based configurator that allows watch enthusiasts to design their own bespoke chronograph with an array of special custom details. Nearly six years in the making, the configurator offers roughly 1.5 million different design options and was rolled out Stateside on September 1.
“No other car manufacturer or watch brand currently offers such a customizable and exclusive program of this kind,” Jan Becker, CEO of Porsche Design Group, said in the press release.
Considering the wristwatch’s many intricate parts, it’s a natural candidate for personalization, and the program lets prospective watch owners make choices down to the smallest detail. All of the custom chronographs are based on Porsche Design’s flagship Chronotimer Series 1 and are fitted with the new in-house movement (the chronometer WERK01.100). The highlight of this movement is the customizable winding rotor that features the wheel designs of the latest-generation Porsche 911.
The first step in the build-a-watch process is to select the 42mm case. You can choose between a glass bead-blasted natural titanium case or a black-coated titanium case. Upon request, each custom piece can also be individualized with laser engraving on the back of the case. Next, it’s time to choose the colors of the hands and accents, along with the design of the bracelet. Opt for a calf leather strap and you can even pick the hue of the thread that adorns it. The dial, meanwhile, can be personalized via inlaid colored rings and features minute markers in the style of the speedometer developed by F. A. Porsche.
The online configurator sits somewhere between engraving your initials on the back of your watch and commissioning a one-of-a-kind piece by a high-end horologist, and it’s priced accordingly. The basic custom-built timepieces start at $5,150 and can reach up to $12,500 if you jam-pack your shopping cart. Each unique creation takes eight to 12 weeks to complete. That gives you just enough time to start on a custom Carrera to match.
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