The six-year project required a deep restructuring of Porsche Design watchmaking and development , he explains .
“ The greatest challenges certainly were in regards to the order and production processes ; after all , this had never been done before . The idea of a “ sports car on the wrist ” was different for every customer , and it required us to rethink our entire process . Everything from engineering , sourcing and production had to be adjusted . To do so we tapped into the brand ’ s heritage and pulled key learnings from Porsche ’ s unique automotive production expertise .”
NORTH AMERICAN LAUNCH Thus far , with only a few months of processing orders , Porsche Design says reactions to the program have been very positive .
“ The very first order we received after the program launched in the United States was actually from a Canadian customer ,” Novak reports . “ He had heard about the custom-built timepieces program and reached out to see if he could design a watch to match his 992 and place an order in the U . S . He will actually be picking up his “ sports car for the wrist ” at an East Coast dealership in the coming days .”
“ We are looking forward to continuing to introduce the program to new Porsche Design and Porsche customers alike ,” says Novak .
Indeed , customization has been a buzzword among high-end watchmaking for the past few years , and several watchmakers have embraced the possibilities of made-to-order watches , mostly with very limited color or material options .
Novak points out that as Porsche itself has enjoyed a positive customer experience with personalized automobiles , Porsche Design ’ s careful development of the process with timepieces makes perfect sense .
“ Introducing this unprecedented level of personalization in the luxury watch segment was a natural next step for us ,” he says .
“ The timepieces business unit is extremely important for Porsche Design globally and in the United States , and we believe we are keeping pace with the general desire for more individualization in watches .”
For Porsche , that customization perfectly unites its automotive realm with the burgeoning watch division of Porsche Design , as supported by its German engineering and Swiss manufacturing facilities .
“ Not only does the program highlight the connection between Porsche sports cars and Porsche Design timepieces ,” says Novak , “ it embodies the premium aesthetic , attention to detail and optimal performance expected of all things associated with the name Porsche .”
Porsche Design Custom-built timepieces are priced starting at $ 5,150 and , depending on the selections made , can range up to $ 11,600 .
48 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | WINTER 2021