We could certainly have talked to Audi’s chief designer, Massimo Frascella, about cars. But we didn’t. Instead, the conversation turned to the hunt for rare timepieces and the question of why watches are far more than mere objects.
Yes, the man is a passionate collector.
Mr Frascella, what watch are you wearing at the moment?
Today I’m wearing an IWC double chronograph, reference 3711. The strap isn’t original, but the watch itself is beautiful. I’ve been hunting for this model for years. Once I found a perfect example, complete with box and papers, at an Italian dealer. We’d already agreed on the price, but suddenly he said: “You know what? I think I’d rather keep it myself.” That’s sometimes the problem with watch dealers: they love watches just as much as their customers do. Then last year I received another notification – I’d set it up that way online. Another Italian dealer, full set, original rice-grain strap, everything perfect. The only difference: the date display was in German. This time, however, I didn’t hesitate. The watch dates from the early 1990s, from the so-called ‘neo-vintage’ phase between vintage and modern. The domed sapphire crystal is a distinctive feature. After two years, IWC changed the design and switched to a flat crystal, resulting in the reference 3713. That’s why the early 3711 models are much rarer today. This was exactly the version I was determined to have.
Why did you choose this watch?
I like to switch things up. Over the past few weeks I’ve been wearing a 38-millimetre Zenith El Primero Original 1969, including during Milan Design Week. That was followed by a few days with the Sky-Dweller. But today I knew we’d be talking about watches. So I thought: I’ll go for something special. I simply love wearing this watch.
“If I want to know what time it is, I look at my smartphone. Of course, I can see the time on the watch, but most of the time I just glance at it. I like having it on my wrist.”
Massimo Frascella
How often do you look at your watch to see what time it is?
Actually, never. If I want to know what time it is, I look at my smartphone. Of course, I can see the time on the watch, but most of the time I just look at it. I like the way it looks on my wrist. Whether it’s a small or larger watch – this one measures 42 millimetres – each one has its own weight and character.
Are watches something rational or something emotional for you?
Definitely emotional. I’m not a watch specialist who can explain every movement or every technical refinement. Of course, I understand the craftsmanship behind them, but watches fascinate me just as much as cars, particularly on an emotional level. I still remember clearly the first time I saw the IWC Mark 11 – that military watch from the 1950s – in my early years as a collector. Its simplicity fascinated me immediately. From that moment on, the hunt for precisely that watch began.
As a designer, what do you look for first
As with cars, I look first at the proportions. The size must suit the character of the watch. A Panerai or a Big Pilot needs presence and size. A Universal Genève Polerouter, on the other hand, works precisely because of its elegance and slim profile. After that, I immediately look at the dial and the finishes. With the Royal Oak, I’m fascinated by the interplay of brushed and polished surfaces or the tapisserie pattern on the dial. With the Mark 11, it was the incredible clarity of the black dial and the simplicity of the hands. Or take the Grand Seiko Snowflake – one of my favourite models. That dial, the polished titanium hands, that texture: incredible.
What, for you, defines good watch design?
First and foremost, it depends on what the watch is intended for. A dress watch, a tool watch, a military watch… each has its own function and its own character. I like watches with a history. The Moonwatch embodies the legend of the NASA missions. The El Primero represents the first automatic chronograph. But ultimately, what connects me to watches above all is their aesthetics: proportion, finish and the way everything is executed.
How many watches do you actually own?
Far too many. The last time I counted, there were 54 – I know people who have far more. Interestingly, I got into watches just as late as I did into car design. I didn’t buy my first proper watch until 2014. Yet the collection doesn’t seem all that small today. Over the past two years, my interest has waned a little, simply because I don’t have the time to devote to it more intensively.
Do you choose the watch – or does the watch choose you?
Good question. In the end, I probably do choose the watch. But I prefer the more romantic idea: that the watch chooses me. That it’s lying somewhere, calling out to me.
If you were only allowed to keep a single watch – which one would it be?
I often ask myself that question. Even narrowing it down to ten watches would be difficult. When it comes to just one watch, on the one hand I think of my favourite watch. On the other hand, it would actually have to be the most versatile watch – a watch for everything: dinner, travelling, the seaside, everyday life. My favourite watch is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra Thin, the classic one with the AP logo at six o’clock. Proportionally speaking, the larger versions don’t work quite as well for me as the original. But if I were really only allowed to keep one, it would probably be the Rolex Explorer.
Vintage or modern?
My heart belongs to the vintage Reference 1016. Nevertheless, I own both. The modern Explorer was a wedding anniversary present. My wife and I bought two Explorers back then – she got the 36-millimetre one, and I got the 39-millimetre one.
Is life without a watch unthinkable for you?
Yes. It’s one of the worst feelings imaginable: realising you don’t have a watch on your wrist. Something immediately feels wrong. Almost as if I were standing there naked or had forgotten something. I never leave the house without my watch. It’s simply part of who I am.
MASSIMO FRASCELLA was born in Tuscany in 1971. He completed his training at the Istituto d’Arte Applicata & Design in Turin before beginning his career at the legendary Stile Bertone design studio. After working for the Ford Motor Company in the UK, Lincoln/Mercury and Kia in California, he joined Jaguar Land Rover in 2011, where, most recently as Head of Design, he was responsible for the redesign of the Defender, the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport. He has been Chief Creative Officer of AUDI AG since 1 June 2024. In this role, he is responsible for the overall design strategy and all customer touchpoints – from the exterior and interior to UI/UX design and the brand’s racing cars.
PHOTOS: Audi Motorsport AG
INTERVIEW: Michael Köckritz for ramp
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