*NOS* Porsche Design Military Chronograph PVD (Ref. 7177) "UAE Air Force"

When Porsche Design first opened its doors in 1972 and started producing watches, Orfina was the brand that it originally chose to be its 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, automotive association, and memorable Hollywood film appearances.

While Orfina produced a few different models for Porsche Design during the years of their partnership, the quintessential examples are those that feature black PVD cases fitted with black dials, which offer a similar overall aesthetic to the Porsche 911 dash instruments of the time. The Orfina-manufactured Military Chronograph ref. 7177 is one of the more famous models that the brand produced for Porsche Design and it is immediately identifiable due to its red 3H marketing, which stands for Hydrogen 3 (better known as tritium). The model was first sold to the public before later being issued by various nation’s military branches due to its functionality, rugged construction, and rock-solid Lemania cal. 5100 movement.

The example presented here was specifically made for and issued to the Air Force of the United Arab Emirates as designated under the "Porsche Design" text on the dial as well as the colors of the UAE presented in the 6 o'clock sub-dial. While these Porsche Design ref. 7177 that were designated to the UAE Air Force are already exceptionally rare in general, most were produced in the silver bead-blasted case, and only a few were created in the iconic factory PVD case finish. Further exemplifying the rarity of this watch, this specific example is in new old stock condition, showing no evidence of previous wear or use.