THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ORFINA 
MODEL: 8190
YEAR: c2005
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 42mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

In 1972, Ferdinand Porsche, the mastermind behind the legendary brand, set out to create lifestyle accessories with the same engineering ethos as his cars. This venture led to the birth of the Porsche Design Studio and, most notably, the PD01 watch. Around this time, Ferdinand discovered Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD), a cutting-edge process that transforms the coating material from solid or liquid to vapour under vacuum, before depositing it onto the substrate. The result is a robust, durable finish—an ideal match for the PD01, which Ferdinand affectionately dubbed the “Obsidian-Looking Watch.”

For this venture, Ferdinand partnered with Orfina, a then-obscure watch brand owned by his close friend Umberto Maglioli—a star of the racing world with stints at Lancia, Ferrari, and Porsche. Maglioli, a two-time F1 podium finisher and winner of the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, concluded his racing career at Porsche Engineering in 1969. Their bond fostered a trust that extended beyond the racetrack to precision timekeeping.

Orfina became known for another reason—its iconic appearance on Maverick’s wrist in Top Gun. The 7176S is famed for withstanding 7G forces without any noticeable performance loss—such as those encountered while piloting an F-14 Tomcat.

The present example, ref. 8190, also features the revered Lemania 5100 movement. The pilot chronograph is extremely legible, with orange accents on the chronograph hour, seconds, and running seconds hands. The movement came to us in great health, running at +2 s/d, 285 amplitude, with a 0.2 ms beat error. 

A super cool neo-vintage Orfina with a cult following.