Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 ref. 7176D Lemania 5100 Sandblasted Grey, 1970s
- Maker / attribution
- Porsche Design (maker)
- Date
- 1970s
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 41 mm
- Stock no.
- W-3257
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3257)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 ref. 7176D 'Lemania 5100" Sandblasted Grey (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-3257), 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 41 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 one seriously cool piece—designed with direct input from none other than Ferdinand Porsche himself. We’re big fans of the sleek, semi-integrated bracelet paired with the clean black dial, day-date layout, and that standout '70s Porsche Design logo. It’s pure chrono charm. The 41mm grey sandblasted case remains sharp with strong lines. On the dial you’ll find three sub-dials, German-language day and date windows, and a bold orange chronograph seconds hand. The tritium lume has aged to a warm yellow patina, adding to the vintage character. An internal tachymeter bezel frames it all perfectly, and the watch comes on its original PD-signed three-row bracelet with matching sandblasted finish and fits wrists up to 18.5 cm. Inside ticks the legendary Lemania 5100—fully serviced and ready to go. As seen on screen in the original Top Gun , this one is a collector favorite, and for good reason. Want to chat more about it? Drop us a line—we’d love to hear from you. Specifications: Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 Reference 7176D 40mm steel sandblasted case Serial 2031xxxx dates to the 1970s Black dial with day and date windows in German language Lemania 5100 movement Porsche Design 3 row steel matte sandblasted bracelet Fully serviced by our watchmaker One-year mechanical warrantee
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
Related records
Wristwatches · 1980s
Porsche Design Chronograph (Ref. 7750), 1980s
Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles
Wristwatches · 1970s
Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 ref. 7176 NOS, 1970s
Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen
Wristwatches · 1970s
Porsche Design by Orfina Chronograph 1 ref. 7177 'Military' NOS, 1970s
Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen
Wristwatches · 1970s
Porsche Design Early Orfina Kilometer Bezel - Box and Tag (Ref. 7176s), 1970s
Huntington Company (dealer)
Wristwatches · 1970
Wristwatch by Heno, Switzerland, 1970
Museum Rotterdam
Wristwatches · 1960–1986
'Tri-Compax' calendar chronograph wristwatch in gold case, by Universal, Geneva, Switzerland, 1960–1986.
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · 1969–1970
Beta 21 Quartz wristwatch movement, made in Switzerland, 1970.
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · c. 1969
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, ref. 145022-69st, c. 1969
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva