Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 ref. 7176 NOS, 1970s
- Maker / attribution
- Porsche Design (maker)
- Date
- 1970s
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 42 mm
- Stock no.
- W-2436
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-2436)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 ref. 7176 NOS (English)
Editor's note
The dealer's brand field named another maker; the dealer's own listing title identifies the watch as Porsche Design.View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-2436), this is a wristwatch by Porsche Design, made in Switzerland, dated 1970s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 42 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Bulang & Sons
This is a very cool watch, that is in literally new condition! Ferdinand Porsche was personally involved in the design of this watch. The black dial with red and white hands reminds us of the speedometer and tachometer design of the old Porsche 911. The result was a simple killer look thanks to the black PVD-coated case and easy readability of the dial. The 42mm case is in pretty much perfect condition, with the PVD coating showing only the minimum marks as a result of storage over the years. The black dial features three sub dials and also two cool orange hands – one for the stopwatch hand and the other in the hours counter. The tritium lume has taken on a nice patina over the years. The watch will come on the original PVD-coated steel five-link bracelet. As this watch is in completely untouched condition, we have decided to not even open this time capsule. The watch is running fine, but for everyday wear a service might be recommended. These watches were featured in Top Gun and have become very popular with collectors. We know you’ll love this time capsule, so please get in touch to discuss it some more with us. Specifications: - Reference 7176 - 42mm steel case with PVD coating - Serial 2031xxxx dates to the 1970s - Black dial with day and date windows - Lemania 5100 movement - Original Porsche Design hangtag - PVD five-link bracelet with PVD coating - One-year mechanical warrantee - Includes a handmade leather watch pouch
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
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