The Dawning of a New Era for Porsche Design Timepieces

Porsche Design is reaffirming its long-term commitment as a watch manufacturer and announcing the game-changing purchase of a building for its new watch manufactory. The acquired building is located in Grenchen, Switzerland, an internationally renowned center for watchmaking, not far from the current production site in the city of Solothurn. It provides the ideal environment for Porsche Design to continue its tradition of excellence in craftsmanship. From its new location, the company intends to advance innovative technologies and meet the ever-increasing demand for exclusive timepieces. Stefan Buescher, CEO of the Porsche Lifestyle Group, stresses: “A good ten years ago, we made the groundbreaking, strategic decision to open our own manufactory in the Swiss town of Solothurn to manufacture our watches ourselves. This makes Porsche the only automobile brand that operates its own watch manufactory. By investing in the new building, we are taking another significant step on our successful path and underlining our strategy of solidying Porsche Design as a watch manufacturer. Our primary aim remains to develop exceptional and individually configurable timepieces that typify functionality, innovation, and the highest quality, thereby embodying the unmistakable DNA of Porsche Design.”

A Milestone in Precision and Innovation

The historic building, once the headquarters of the renowned Eterna brand, is now home to Porsche Design’s long-term entrepreneurial vision. Following extensive renovation work, the new, significantly larger site provides space for innovative developments and enables Porsche Design to widen its range of high-quality timepieces. The opening of the manufactory also represents an important step for Porsche AG, since its own watch manufactory is a key element in the sports car manufacturer’s portfolio. Our “sports cars for the wrist” are an important extension of our product range, which is why we want to continue to expand this business area,” says Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board at Porsche AG and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Porsche Lifestyle Group. “Our own watch manufactory is an exclusive part of our comprehensive brand experience. With it, we can ensure that we meet our high quality standards and inspire our customers.”

State-of-the-Art Facilities and Increased Production Capacity

The total renovation will give Porsche Design the opportunity to set up the manufactory in a manner that optimally meets its individual needs. The significantly larger site compared to the current location will not only make it possible to increase production capacity, but also create space for optimized processes and improved facilities for employees. The future premises will provide considerably more watchmaking space and, besides the production area, will include zones for product development, quality management, and after-sales service as well as warehouse and logistics space. There will also be modern offices and conference rooms. In addition, the new manufactory will house an exhibition space on the ground floor and an event area. The conversion work is scheduled to begin in October this year and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.