Kicking off the Swiss brand’s 160th anniversary is a new commemorative TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronographs Collection. Overall, the brand is marking the milestone celebration with a series of new watch releases. And this new collection does not disappoint. It is a true testament to the opulence and rich history of the Swiss luxury watchmaker.
Related: Celebrity men’s watches: Six brands that hit the mark
The beloved Carrera was originally introduced in the early 1960s as TAG’s contribution to the automotive industry. As years passed by, the highly refined style of the lavish timepiece would go on to be reimagined through multiple variations of updated strap and case designs.
The iconic sports watch bears the slogan “Born on the racetrack in 1963”. More specifically, its roots are at the 12 Hours of Sebring sports car race in Florida. At the time, Jack Heuer – now TAG’s Honorary Chairman President – was the event’s official timekeeper. While working there, Jack first heard about the legendary Carrera Panamericana Mexico Road Race.
The Carrera Panamericana’s had a reputation for being the most dangerous race of any type in the world. Inspired by that, Jack designed the iconic Carrera especially for professional drivers and sports car enthusiasts, a true celebration of TAG’s sporting spirit.
Brand new designs
Now, the latest reawakening of the Carrera includes four new stunning chronographs boasting brand-new designs. That includes a transparent case back for a closer look at how the watch actually operates. Also, there’s a stainless steel case, and a tachymeter. Plus the awe-inspiring, advanced Calibre Heuer 02 automatic movement.
This new collection takes cue from the 1964 Carrera’s renowned monochrome silver-dial model. The updated chronograph features new, exquisite dial colour options: green, black, and blue. The sleek, clean dials are further elevated by Super-LumiNova® coated hands. And that gives the timepiece exceptional luminosity, both day and night.
Stainless steel bracelet
According to Jack, he wanted, “a dial that had a clear, clean design. I decided to use the inside bevel of the tension ring of the glass to carry the markings.”
Depending on the wearer’s choice of dial colour, the new Carrera offers a stainless-steel H-shaped bracelet. Also, there’s a lavish, genuine crocodile leather strap.
But what truly makes this watch exceptional – especially for car lovers and professional drivers – is its unique tachymeter. This sporty feature is what allows the watch to determine the speed of a car. It first triggers the chronograph, stops it at the one-kilometer mark. At that point it then displays the speed on the bezel.
Finally, the new Carrera takes things to the next level with the iconic Swiss-made Calibre Heuer 02 movement. That’s made visible through the uniquely transparent case back. The automatic column-wheel chronograph movement is built entirely in-house. And there is no power reserve issue here. The Carrera offers a massive 80 hours.
The new TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph Collection starts at CAD$6,650. It is currently available at TAG Heuer online. It will also be available through Maison Birks starting on October 5.
*All images courtesy of Maison Birks.
