When IWC and Porsche Design began their collaboration in 1978, they established one of the most influential partnerships between industrial design and Swiss watchmaking. At its centre was Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the designer responsible for the original Porsche 911, whose approach prioritised functional clarity, technical innovation and the elimination of unnecessary decoration. The Compass Watch, introduced that same year, was the first major expression of this philosophy. Rather than simply adapting conventional watchmaking to a new aesthetic, Porsche conceived an entirely different kind of wristwatch, combining an automatic timepiece with a concealed magnetic compass and emergency signalling mirror. The resulting design was both an instrument for exploration and a remarkable demonstration of the possibilities offered by unconventional materials and engineering.

Dating to the late 1970s, this ref. 3510 belongs to the earliest generation of Compass Watches, featuring a lightweight black-coated aluminium case and matching integrated bracelet. Measuring 39mm, the watch incorporates a hinged upper section that lifts to reveal a magnetic compass beneath the dial, together with a mirror intended for emergency signalling. Its matte black dial reflects Porsche's uncompromising approach to legibility, with bold white hands, luminous hour markers and a distinctive crosshair arrangement. This example features the early Type 1 dial, distinguished by its particular combination of IWC typography and Porsche Design signatures, together with the original aluminium bracelet incorporating a side-release clasp. Inside is IWC's automatic calibre 375, specially adapted to minimise magnetic interference with the compass. Combining innovative construction with a design that remains strikingly contemporary, the original Compass Watch represents an important milestone in the history of both IWC and Porsche Design.