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Porsche Design Chronograph (Ref. 7750), 1980s — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Porsche Design Chronograph (Ref. 7750), 1980s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Porsche Design (maker)
Date
1980s
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 40 mm
Stock no.
OFPD7750
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (OFPD7750)
Catalogue title (original)
1980s Porsche Design Chronograph (Ref. 7750) (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number OFPD7750), this is a wristwatch by Porsche Design, dated 1980s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 40 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 — Craft & Tailored

When Porsche Design first opened its doors in 1972 and started producing watches, they chose Orfina to be their partner and manufacturer. The various Porsche Design by Orfina watches that were produced from the early 1970s into the 1980s have garnered a cult-like following over the years due to their distinct appearance, deep auto-racing ties, and memorable Hollywood film appearances, with their most famous appearance being on the wrist of LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell played by Tom Cruise in the hit movie "Top Gun". The watches utilized the automatic day-date chronograph Valjoux 7750 movement which, from a complication perspective, packs a mighty punch. Orfina produced these references in stainless steel with two finishes. A black PVD variant like the one seen on Maverick's wrist, and a bead-blasted anti-reflective stainless steel like we have here. And what a beautiful example this is, featuring a 40mm case with a screw-down case back, mineral crystal, Internal tachymeter bezel, and black dial with tritium luminous indexes. It's especially rare to find one like this, with its original bracelet, the case fully intact and unpolished (with the exception of the very top of the bezel, which was lightly polished), and featuring its original finish. This is a clean example with dial and hand lume that have aged to a vintage-perfect dark pumpkin coloration—and an especially perfect way to get into Porsche Design for anyone who likes stainless steel finishes over PVD black ones. SPECS Stock # OFPD7750 Brand Porsche Design By Orfina Style Chronograph Model 7750 Serial N/A Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Matte Black Millimeters 40 Strap Porsche Design Stainless Steel CASE & BRACELET The case is in excellent condition and mostly retains its antireflective brushed finishing —with a slight polish on the top of the bezel near the crystal edge— with nominal signs of previous use present. The case retains its original crown with the Porsche Design logo and pump pushers. The original mineral glass crystal does exhibit some minor wear and faint scratches. The unpolished case back is in excellent condition, showing all of its original factory engravings. The watch comes supplied with its original Porsche Design stainless steel bracelet, which is in impressive condition and retains 24 links that show almost no stretch and will fit up to a 7 1/2-inch wrist. DIAL & HANDS ACCESSORIES

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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