For the ceremonial opening of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and the 'F.A.T.
Mankei', Porsche Design is paying tribute to the popular destination for motor sports fans from all over the world with a specially developed textile/leather strap:
the Mankei strap. The multi-location 'Mankei' not only combines a restaurant,
café and accommodation in one, but is also the home base of our partner, F.A.T. International. The Mankei strap was designed in collaboration with F.A.T.
International exclusively for the coveted Chronograph 1 Utility – Limited Edition, expanding the existing set of the Slate Grey 'Bund' strap made of Porsche vehicle leather and the White F.A.T. Ice Race textile strap with a third option for your wrist.
At the end of the 1970s, Porsche Design developed a 40,8-mm stainless steel military chronograph that was ahead of its time. The iconic timepiece not only impressed with its high level of reliability and outstanding wearing comfort, but also proved to be an ideal watch design for aviation. The matt Black PVD coating, which was new at the time, reduced reflections, thereby ensuring glare-free readability, even in bright conditions. International air forces, such as the U.S. Air Force, were so impressed by the innovative timepiece that they equipped all of their officers with the Porsche Design icon.
With the new Chronograph 1 Utility – Limited Edition, we have used titanium carbide – specially developed and patented by Porsche Design – for the very first time, making the timepiece's case even lighter, more durable and more scratch-resistant. The design of the new edition, and in particular the matt Black dial, is of course still reminiscent of the 1970s icon and continues to offer optimal readability.
This limited edition watch is delivered with three different straps. The Slate Grey 'Bund' strap, made of Porsche vehicle leather with quick-change mechanism, is inspired by the design of the legendary military chronographs. The White textile strap, with badge showing the coordinates of the F.A.T. Ice Race, was developed in collaboration with F.A.T. International in 2024 on the occasion of the ice races in Zell am See and Aspen.
With the third strap, the Mankei strap, Porsche Design and F.A.T. International are celebrating the Mankei opening while paying tribute to the ever-growing F.A.T. community. The textile/leather strap is produced in a trendy Beige tone and the design is rounded off by the embossed coordinates of the Mankei on the inside of the strap.
The Chronograph 1 Utility – Limited Edition by Porsche Design has won the INHORGENTA AWARD 2024 in the “Watch Design of the Year” category. With over 130 submissions in nine categories – around half of them from abroad – the prize is considered one of the most important awards in the international jewelry and watch industry and was presented at INHORGENTA Munich 2024. A top-class jury of international experts – including watch expert Gisbert L. Brunner and Zurab Zazashvili (founder and CEO of swisswatches.media) – recognized the unique design, the innovative concept in terms of materials, functionality, and technology, as well as the high recognition value of the Chronograph 1 Utility – Limited Edition.