Porsche Design’s Chronograph 1 titanium leads Motor Sport-inspired watch innovations

If you’ve ever been into a Porsche Design store you’ll know that the legendary German marque is involved in more than just making cars. It can sell you anything from a coffee machine to a penthouse apartment.

But it all started with the Chronograph 1, the first product to be created after the Porsche Design studio was set up in 1972 by the holder of the pen behind the 911, FA ‘Butzi’ Porsche. As many a Porsche-o-phile will know, Butzi embarked on the enterprise after Ferry Porsche, son of Porsche cars founder Ferdinand, became so exasperated by family in-fighting that he banned relatives from holding executive roles within the main company.

The Chronograph 1 starred on the wrist of Lewis Collins who played Bodie in The Professionals, which ran from 1977-83. Watches didn’t have the same following then as they do today, so Bodie’s went largely unnoticed – but an all-black Chronograph 1 in pristine condition sets collectors drooling.

One reason is that, despite it being Butzi’s initial stab at horology, the watch was one of the most groundbreaking sports chronographs ever seen. For a start, it was the first all-black wristwatch – bracelet and case – to have been created using the physical vapour deposition treatment (PVD). Secondly, its dial, inspired by the speedo and rev counter of the 911, hid the first examples of the Valjoux 7750 movement, an early self-winding chronograph calibre that became a benchmark mechanism used in numerous other important watches.

Last year, Porsche Design set out to celebrate the 1975 Chronograph 1 (which had an uncoated steel case) with a titanium model, kicking-off a plan to produce a limited series of 1000 such watches each year. The 2026 versions have now arrived, complete with matte black dials and high-contrast white numerals.

Beneath the dial you’ll find the WERK 01.140 calibre, produced at the firm’s new manufacturing facility in Grenchen, Switzerland. And, just like the very first all-titanium watch – made by Porsche Design in 1980 – the new model gets an all-titanium, bead-blasted bracelet to match the sensibly sized 40.8mm case which features a sapphire crystal back providing a view onto the movement, inset.

It’s likely to be highly sought-after since sales of many Porsche Design watches are restricted to buyers of specific cars. So be quick.

Porsche Design New Chronograph 1 All Titanium, £6950. porsche.com

Formula 1 timekeeper TAG Heuer has set horophiles all of a dither with its new Evergraph mechanism. What makes it special is that the levers and springs of a conventional chronograph are replaced by just two flexible components: one for starting and stopping and the other for re-setting. The oscillator is made from carbon and the movement is inverted, placing the barrel, gear train and Carbonspring balance on the dial side. The movement debuts in TAG Heuer’s square-cased Monaco.

TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph, £20,000. tagheuer.com

Tissot this year marks an impressive quarter-of-a-century as the official timing partner of MotoGP – and 23 years since it created its first MotoGP-inspired watch. Five new models were added to the line-up in advance of the first race of the 2026 season, with the flagship piece being this chronograph powered by a tried and tested Valjoux movement. The mechanism is housed in a hefty, 45mm steel case topped with a forged carbon bezel insert and attached by a suitably sporty strap in red rubber. Limited to 2026 examples.

Tissot T-Race MotoGP 2026, £1950. tissotwatches.com