Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC All Black
Porsche Design has launched an all black edition of its 1919 Globetimer UTC watch.
Introduced two years ago, Porsche Design’s 1919 Globetimer UTC is a GMT watch that offers intelligent functionality, optimized legibility, and convenient, easy operation. Previously available in three different color variants, the chronometer-certified timepiece features black titanium carbide coating and a black leather strap made of Porsche interior leather.
Derived from the simple and precise handling of the Porsche double-clutch transmission, the display of the world’s 24 time zones can be adjusted in 1-hour increments – without the loss of the current time display – by simply pressing the form-fitting push-button which is ergonomically embedded into the case.
Each push of this button causes the short, local-time, hour hand to advance clockwise one position. When flying east, each push of the “+” button advances the second time zone by an interval of one hour. When flying west, pressing the “–” button causes the UTC hands to move in the opposite direction. All the while, the UTC hands automatically move, remaining in synchrony.
To ensure this occurs at midnight and not at noon, the time needs to be set correctly just once. A circular window on the left-hand side of the dial facilitates this task: a white dot appears here during daytime hours, while the aperture remains black at night. Porsche Design has also taken into account the reference time indicated by a second, and clearly distinguishable hour hand with a distinctive luminous tip. This hand turns once every twenty-four hours, displaying the home time.
Perfect legibility is another essential feature. To intuitively display the time from any viewing angle, the dial’s radius was designed to be as large as possible, while the titanium case was made uncommonly slim. Well-balanced styling imbues this watch with a unique lightness, further enhanced by the handsomely shaped wristband.
Color contrasts, distinctive hands, indices and numerals combine with the generous use of nonradioactive Super-LumiNova luminous material to minimize the chance of misreading, even in poor visibility conditions. In addition, a sevenfold antireflective coating and an extra hard-coated treatment protect the sapphire crystal.
The 1919 Globetimer UTC All Black is also powered by the Porsche Design Caliber Werk 04.110. The movement is equipped with a bidirectional winding rotor. It builds up a 38-hour power reserve with its balance paced at four hertz. The front of the caliber is equipped with an innovative time-zone mechanism specially developed by Porsche Design and manufactured by the Swiss complication specialist Dubois- Dépraz.
Before starting serial production, the mechanisms underwent several long-term tests in compliance with the strict criteria of Chronofiable®. The impact test’s candidates receive a blow equivalent to nearly 5,000 times their own weight, while each push-piece must withstand at least 10,000 switching cycles.
Before encasing, each movement must also prove its timekeeping accuracy for fifteen consecutive days at the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). The caliber must not lose more than four, nor gain more than six seconds per day, throughout the fifteen- day trial. During this time, the movement undergoes testing in five different positions and at three different temperatures.
The 42-millimeter titanium case with a black titanium carbide coating perfectly pairs with the black leather strap made of high-quality Porsche car leather. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters.
The 1919 Globetimer UTC All Black is available at a starting price of 6,250 EUR (RRP).
