When it comes to iconic brands (and brand names) you are, no doubt, familiar with Porsche. How about Porsche Design? While associated with the car brand, this a separate design entity that came to be in 1972. The offer a number of watch designs, and today we’re going to talk about what they consider one of their entry-level watches – the Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity.
On the surface of things – or by just skimming the spec sheet – you might be tempted to say that the Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity isn’t anything worth attention. Simple three-hander with date powered by a Sellita SW 200. Ho hum. Oh, it’s got a titanium case? That might get some attention, but it’s more than the material here – and that’s where this becomes more than “just” another three-hander.
What may not be immediately apparent with the Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity case is how it’s lugs are there (or aren’t there, depending on how you look at it). To my eye, it looks like they started with a monobloc sort of a design to the case where they then carved out the lug portion, preserving the circular case while having it appear to float off of the lugs. Then, on top of that, you’ve got a leather strap (as shown here) or metal bracelet that extends off of them, with no break in the clean-flowing lines.
While I will admit that there’s a part of me (the strap-changing part) that isn’t as big a fan of the integrated strap, just how well the design works – in my eyes – overcomes that objection (and, I’d be going for the bracelet option anyways). Set into that titanium case (and under sapphire glass, of course) you’ve got a very clean, very German-feeling dial, complete with numerals in font that seems very signature for P-D. It’s crisp, it’s clean, and it’s legible – what’s not to like? Well, aside from the undersized date display, that is. But, small as it is, it’s not cutting into the ‘3’, so that offsets things a bit.
So, yes, in a pure “check the box” list comparison sort of methodology, the Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity doesn’t seem worth the attention (particularly when you include that pricing starts at $3,150) of a watch buyer. Just as with cars, though, watches are more than just their spec sheet. You have to consider the design, and the emotions (if any) that the design can inspire in you. And that, friends, is something that I think P-D has gotten down very, very well with this watch. To look at it, it’s simple, but they’ve done elegantly clever things in carving that case, and I can put myself down as a fan. porsche-design.us
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity
- Price: $3,150 – $3,800
- Who we think it might be for: You want a three-hander that has a LOT of focus on design
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I?ve seen? If it was in the budget, I think so!
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: A larger date disc – or under-crystal magnifier
Tech Specs from Porsche Design
- Diameter: 42mm
- Height: 11.92mm
- Material : titanium
- Finishing: black titanium carbide coating
- Crown: screwdown
- Glass: Sapphire crystal, convex, scratch?proof and with sevenfold anti?glare properties on both sides
- Case back: screw-down with logo
- Water ?Resistance: 100m
- Dial: Black | minute and hour hands, white second hand, date window at 3 o?clock, 356 silhouette and ?1948? logo
- Strap: Black calf leather with black stitching
- Clasp: titanium folding clasp
- Mechanism
- Caliber: Sellita SW 200-1
- Rotor: Porsche Design Icon Rotor
- Diameter: 25.6mm
- Height: 4.6mm
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Vibrations: 28,800 per hour
- Jewels: 26
- Limitation: 1,948 units
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