Description:
In recent years, collaborations between automotive brands and watchmakers have become increasingly common, with the two worlds often intersecting and influencing each other.
This watch can be considered a true precursor of such collaborations. In this case, however, it is not merely a partnership, but rather the transformation of an automotive brand — Porsche — into an actual watch brand. The concept behind this creation comes from Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche. Unlike the engineers that defined much of his family’s legacy, Alexander was primarily a designer. He is famously responsible for the iconic design of the Porsche 911. Building on his design philosophy, he later decided to create his own watch brand and chose IWC as his technical partner. The collaboration began in 1978 and lasted for nearly 20 years, during which a number of unusual, highly functional tool watches were produced — practical, innovative, and unmistakably driven by design. The present watch is a perfect example of that philosophy.
This model is among the earliest watches to feature a PVD-coated case, a technology that was highly innovative at the time. While black PVD versions are more commonly found, this military green variant is significantly rarer and particularly sought after by collectors. The luminous dial features a clean, highly legible layout. However, the true highlight of this piece lies in its ingenious case construction: by pressing the two pushers located on the final bracelet link at 6 o’clock, the case opens to reveal an integrated compass and an emergency mirror, which also functions as a screw-down caseback for the movement.
The watch is furthermore accompanied by its original box.