Porsche Design Chronograph 911 Spirit 70 hands-on – a rare watch with a lot under the hood

Among manufacturers of the best watches on the market, limited editions and rarities are nothing too uncommon. It's one of the things which sets certain models apart, as users can proclaim to proudly own something which no-one else does.

Still, you've probably never seen a limited edition quite like this. The Porsche Design Chronograph 911 Spirit 70 is limited to just 1,500 pieces. That's the same as the car itself, with the intention being that each car owner can choose to also purchase a commemorative timepiece which matches the run number of their car.

In short – you'll probably never see one of these again. And if you do, you'll know the person wearing it dropped the best part of £200,000 (approx. $270,000 / €235,000 / AU$412,000) to snag both it and the corresponding Porsche 911 Spirit 70.

There's more to Porsche Design watches than you'd think

Like many of you, I probably had a pre-conceived notion or two about Porsche Design watches. I'd assumed – as is the case with many brands with similar names – that a third-party was trading on the name of an established brand to offer a sub-par product. That couldn't be further from the truth.

The Porsche Design brand was kicked off way back in 1972 by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – the brain behind the original Porsche 911. That same year, he designed the Chronograph 1 – the first all-black timepiece in history and a watch which made its way onto the wrists of everyone from Marco Andretti to Tom Cruise in Top Gun.

The pieces are all crafted from titanium, they all use chronometer-certified movements and they're all made in the heart of watchmaking – Switzerland. Make no mistake – these are 'proper' timepieces, and deserving of proper recognition.

What is the Porsche Design Chronograph 911 Spirit 70 like to wear?

Okay, let's talk about the model in question. You'll find a gorgeous chequered pattern on the dial, which contracts and expands to give the illusion of a waving flag.

That's broken by a pair of sub-dials at the 12- and six o'clock positions, which offer minute and hour divisions for the chronograph. You'll also find the PD logo in gold at the three o'clock position, with a date window at four o'clock.

On the wrist, the model is neat and feels really comfortable. The leather strap feels fitting for a watch like this, and is supple enough. I did, however, find the case a little on the tall side. It's not a total deal-breaker, but you'd expect a product at this price point to be a little sleeker.

That price, by the way, is £11,950 / €11,950 / $12,553 – I did check for Australian pricing but it doesn't seem to be offered on that site. Certainly not cheap, then, though for the customer who is already dropping a six-figure sum on their new car, probably a neat addition.