Porsche Design Sport Chrono Subsecond 39: Grit and Elegance

“Everyone is capable of complicating things. Few are able to simplify.” These are Bruno Munari’s words, one of the greatest designers ever. A quote to keep in mind when looking at and handling a Porsche Design watch. Since its foundation almost 50 years ago, the brand has created innovative objects that combine intelligent functionality and design, two key features in watchmaking that are the essence of a timepiece like the Sport Chrono Subsecond 39.

We can confirm this by experience, because we firstly had the opportunity to hold it in our hands, wear it, and try it on during the press presentation; then we shot it, highlighting its DNA. The feeling we got is quite simple: it’s a beautiful watch, in some ways surprising, very Porsche Design.

THE SOUL OF THE SPORT CHRONO COLLECTION

The Sport Chrono Subsecond 39 belongs to the Sport Chrono collection presented in 2020, and is inspired by the Porsche Design Sport Chrono package – which wants to transfer the design, materials and performance of the Stuttgart sports cars onto the wrist. The collection’s name comes in fact from this package, which is mounted on Porsche cars.

This watch offers a nice surprise as, unlike the first Sport Chrono generation with its generous 42mm titanium case, this one gets smaller with a 39mm diameter.

What does this mean? Certainly not less sportiness, but instead, better fit and endless top performance, as befits a collection that is gaining more and more strength in the Porsche Design assortment. This is mainly due to the research in terms of materials, ergonomics, finishes and technology for the Sport Chrono timepieces. So, let’s go into the details of the Sport Chrono Subsecond 39, precisely following this order.

SPORT CHRONO SUBSECOND 39 – TOP MATERIALS

Let’s start with the materials and the titanium case: a grade 5 titanium which is the preferred alloy for those who want to make high quality watches, because it is purer and more stable than that of lower grades, and also much more difficult to refinish. The better the workmanship, therefore, the higher the quality standard of the watch. If we think that the case and lugs are made in a single piece, we can understand the technical difficulty behind this process. The folding buckle is made of titanium as well.

The buckle leads us to another noble material: the leather of the strap. It matches the color of the dial, and it is the same used for the Porsche cars’ upholstery. The matching stitching helps to make the watch sober but no less sporty, given the softness and wearability of the material which, as mentioned, we touched with… our wrist.

ERGONOMICS BY PORSCHE DESIGN

Wearability calls for ergonomics. And when we talk about watch ergonomics, we should go back to talking mainly about the case. Well: 39mm is the first indication of wearability which, together with the approximate 47mm lug-to-lug, makes the timepiece fit comfortably even on the thinnest wrists. Although the hollowed and slightly curved lugs may seem bulky, this is just an impression because the watch is unexpectedly enveloping as you wear it.

Another part that is not considered so often, but is important when it comes to ease of use, is the winding crown. That of the Sport Chrono Subsecond 39 is well sized and with a knurling that makes it very easy to handle when setting the time and date. Going back to the case, perhaps it’s a little thick (12.25 mm), but it’s only a detail.

THE QUEST FOR DETAILS

Now: the finishes, starting again from the case – without it seeming like our obsession. Because the alternation of satin finishes (internal and external lugs and case side) and glossy details (bezel), brings us back to what was said before on the technical and aesthetic values of the watch – given the difficulty of working grade 5 titanium to these levels of perfection. The sapphire crystal is also noteworthy, if only for the seven layers of anti-reflective coating that make it immune from any light trick.

And now let’s come to the dial. Its brown shade is beautiful (coffee or chocolate, depending on each wearer’s sensitivity …) and is enhanced by the circular satin finish that characterizes both the inner part and the minute scale, separated by a step. The number ring, on the other hand, has a very subtle grained finish that sets it apart from the rest of the dial and recalls that of the small seconds at 6 o’clock.

Ceramic indexes, numerals and hands are generously coated with Super-LumiNova for super legibility in the dark. The date window at 3 o’clock is small and almost blends into the dial, also because of the date disc’s black background. It is however congruent with the understated soul of the Sport Chrono Subsecond 39. In addition to the brown dial, Porsche Design also created the watch in deep black and in a beautiful blue shade.

THE HEART OF THE SPORT CHRONO SUBSECOND 39

We now come to the technology which, as in any Porsche is expressed to its highest level in the engine: when talking about a watch that leads us to the caliber. It is the same movement encased in the 42mm version, the Porsche Design WERK 03.200: an automatic caliber produced by Porsche and on which the company releases, as always, very few technical details. It is known for sure, as declared and specified by the writing on the dial below the logo, that it is a chronometer movement certified by the COSC, the Swiss chronometric certification institute (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres).

As many will know, this means, among other things, that the watch must have an average daily deviation of -4 / + 6 seconds. However, most high-end watches are well below this threshold. The power reserve, on the other hand, is low for a three-hands watch with small seconds: 38 hours. Porsche Design engineers will have to work on it.

ALWAYS PROGRESSING IN QUALITY

The latest generation of models in the Porsche Design Sport Chrono collection proves that sophisticated design succeeds, regardless of size, by preserving its harmonious appearance. For the first time, Porsche Design has chosen a case diameter of less than 40 millimeters, which gives the models an even more elegant aesthetic, and appeals to watch lovers with smaller wrists.

Finally, a note about the price. Each version of the Porsche Design Sport Chrono Subsecond 39 costs 4,450 euros. Not a common price for a three-hands watch, justified by what was said so far: from the impeccable but complex workmanship of the titanium part, to the refined finishes of the dial, up to the study and development of an internally developed caliber. The fact that Porsche Design was able to remain below the psychological threshold of 4,500 euros while offering these technical features is a note of merit for the brand. Because , it doesn’t matter whether it’s Swiss or German: in watchmaking quality pays off. Always.

By Davide Passoni