Porsche Design launches a new flyback chronograph for buyers of the new Porsche 911 Dakar , a specially designed 911 named after the famed Dakar auto rally .
For these owners , Porsche design offers its new Chronograph 1 – 911 Dakar and a variation , the Chronograph 1 – 911 Dakar Rallye Design Edition ( with an additional dial graphic ). Both watches are cased in a new titanium alloy called titanium carbide .
The new material represents a continuation of Porsche Design ’ s long history as an innovator of titanium watch cases , which were introduced into watchmaking forty years ago by Porsche Design in tandem with IWC .
The newest titanium alloy is highly scratch resistant , according to the watchmaker , which says that the “ smallest scratches caused by fine sand , for example , are now a thing of the past .”
In addition , titanium carbide is not subject to any visible aging process , is hypoallergenic , and is lighter than traditional casegrade titanium .
Porsche Design is understandably quite proud of its new metal and even calls it out in red at the top of the new watch ’ s dial with a new abbreviation “ TiC ” ( titanium carbide ).
While Porsche Design still makes the crown and pushers on the Chronograph 1 – 911 Dakar with standard titanium , the entire 42.7mm case for the watch is made using the new material , which the company spent years developing .
Porsche Design explains that the material is created by first compressing titanium carbide granules under several tons of pressure , and then sintering them at over 2,000 degrees Celsius . “ This condenses the granules and irreversibly turns them into a homogeneous compound .” The watchmaker explains that the case blank is then milled and honed into shape .
The Chronograph 1 – 911 Dakar features a colorful graphic within the running seconds aperture at 9 o ’ clock .
80 | INTERNATIONAL WRISTWATCH | SPRING 2023