This year, at Watches and Wonders 2023 Geneva, TAG Heuer celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Carrera Collection, and introduces its latest novelties to the collection.
CARRERA DATE
Watches and Wonders, Geneva – March 27, 2023:
In the 60th anniversary year of its evergreen, racing-inspired sports watch, TAG Heuer is delighted to introduce an all-new version of the TAG Heuer Carrera Date 36 mm.
The company’s designers and engineers have refined the TAG Heuer Carrera Date’s silhouette, giving it a sporty, ergonomic new profile while retaining the racing-inspired codes that define one of watchmaking’s few genuine design icons. Colorful new dials, a new tapered bracelet design, and an upgraded movement complete the core collection model’s rebirth.
TAG Heuer Carrera enthusiasts will recognize that 36-mm versions of the iconic design carry special significance because the first Heuer Carrera of 1963 also measured 36 mm in diameter. Over six decades, tastes have evolved and average case sizes have increased, but 36 mm remains an immensely popular size with women – and with many men, too. The fundamentals of the TAG Heuer Carrera’s timeless design have proved universal, giving it unisex appeal.
A watch born of genius: The TAG Heuer Carrera origin story
The first 36-mm Heuer Carrera chronograph was the brilliant invention of the legendary Jack Heuer, the last member of the founding family to serve as head of the company.
Jack’s formal education as an electrical engineer had taught him about the value of a clear instrument dial. He was also a motorsport fan, and understood how important it was for a racing driver to have a legible dashboard instrument that could be read out in the blink of an eye. These influences became central to his watch design philosophy, and in particular to the Heuer Carrera, a watch he would describe many years later as one of his proudest designs.
Jack took his watch’s name from the Carrera Panamericana, a fast and furiously dangerous 1950s Mexican road race, reasoning it would appeal to young, ambitious watch buyers. Carrera meant “race,” “career,” and “path” – words he felt would translate well across cultures. As history shows, he was right.
Six decades on, the TAG Heuer Carrera is an icon, known as a stylish, eternally modern, superbly engineered wristwatch for forward-thinking people.
Sixty years may have passed, but Jack’s genius lives on.
Shades of glory: A vivid new dial color palette
The refreshed TAG Heuer Carrera Date comes with a vibrant new dial color palette. At launch in April, there will be three dial options: one in deep TAG Heuer Carrera signature blue, a second in subtle, pastel green, and a third in warm silver. All three have a delicate sunray-brushed finish.
In May, a fourth iteration will join the lineup with a bright vibrant pink dial and an elegant snailed finish.
This bold execution captures modern tastes for maverick dial colors that break free from the tradition of black and white dials.
All four models have 36-mm stainless-steel cases and matching metal bracelets with classic folding clasps, while a liberal application of Super-LumiNova® delivers low-light legibility. Each has a raised track running around the outside of the dial, detailed with quarter-of-a-second markings to symbolize acceleration, only made more casual and elegant with a tone-on-tone finish that complements the dials.
Tighter, slimmer, better: The svelte shape of the new TAG Heuer Carrera Date
In their quest for wearability, TAG Heuer’s designers and engineers have rethought the proportions of the TAG Heuer Carrera Date while maintaining its case diameter.
From above, the measurement from the tips of the top and bottom lugs has been reduced from 43.55 mm to 41.6 mm. The case is also 2 mm thinner than the outgoing edition, now measuring 10 mm. These might appear to be marginal refinements, but they have a significant impact on both the watch’s visual profile and how it wears on the wrist, making it feel taut, athletic, and well balanced.
The crown has also been redesigned so that it sits squarer to the case edge, as has the brushed and polished three-link bracelet, which now tapers more gently into the round case.
Together, these refinements give the TAG Heuer Carrera Date its luxurious, ergonomic feel.
Power in reserve: The TAG Heuer Carrera Date gets a Calibre 7 upgrade
Less visible to the naked eye is the TAG Heuer Carrera Date’s mechanical upgrade. Previous editions were powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 Automatic, which had a 38-hour power reserve. However, the new models are all equipped with the Calibre 7 Automatic, which has a superior 56-hour power reserve.
This enhanced movement also provides the watch with a date window at 6 o’clock.
Dream on: the new TAG Heuer Carrera Date is a modern-day classic
Despite extensive revisions and upgrades, the TAG Heuer Carrera Date remains rooted in the design’s racing traditions. The TAG Heuer Carrera has always been a paramount example of original design and Swiss refinement. Now its hugely popular 36-mm version has a slender, sculptured new profile that, like Jack’s 1963 original six decades ago, means it will live long in the memory.
CARRERA PLASMA
Watches and Wonders Geneva – March 27, 2023:
TAG Heuer’s breakthrough, Diamant d’Avant-Garde technology enabled the Swiss luxury watchmaker to use lab-grown diamonds for the first time ever, in 2022, on a chronograph case, crown, dial, and indexes. This year, the brand is taking its cutting-edge and industry-defining CVD expertise one step further, adding lab-grown diamonds in custom, creative shapes to the exclusive timepiece’s aluminum bezel and bracelet.
With the brand celebrating the 60th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Carrera, a historic milestone for 2023, it was only fitting that the iconic flagship collection was once again chosen to express TAG Heuer’s enduring avant-garde spirit and commitment to innovation.
The Diamant d’Avant-Garde technique reaches new creative heights, defying convention and pushing boundaries. It also offers TAG Heuer clients and collectors the opportunity to own a truly disruptive, never-seen-before watch design, combining the most advanced technical know-how with daring style and stunning finishings.
The spectacular new TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde Chronograph Tourbillon 44mm is a matte black chronograph echoing the signature features of the TAG Heuer Carrera, with its highly legible, uncluttered bicompax dial, facetted lugs, sporty elegance, reliability, and timeless spirit.
The 44-mm case, bezel, and bracelet are made of sleek black sandblasted anodized aluminum, set with lab-grown diamonds of various imaginative shapes throughout. The case includes 4.3 carats of 48 lab-gown diamonds, while the bezel features 26 for a total of 1.9 carats, and the bracelet holds 34 for a total weight of 1.9 carats.
The crown is a single 2.5-carat lab-grown diamond, optimized in growth and cut for the sharpest, cleanest fit. The two steel chronograph pushers at two and six o’clock are enhanced with a black DLC coating, allowing the diamond crown its place to shine boldly as a functional jewel.
The arresting 4.9-carat dial, made up of 12 diamonds and three polycrystalline diamond plates, is one of this piece’s most groundbreaking features. The brilliant result is achieved by growing a vast number of diamond crystals as one, as well as creating breathtaking reflections and light effects in a single diamond entity –one of the many creative applications of CVD technology.
This unique dial design is punctuated by 12 white gold indexes set with lab-grown diamonds.
The hours and minutes hands are rhodium-plated with matte black lacquer and white Super- LumiNova® for optimal legibility, joining the fine rhodium-plated central hand.
At three and nine o’clock, we find the two elegantly contrasting minutes and hours chronograph sub-counters, made of black polycrystalline diamond and animated by finely polished rhodium- plated hands.
The black aluminum bracelet echoes the signature TAG Heuer Carrera H-shaped link tapered bracelet, known for its thoughtful ergonomics and streamlined style, dotted with a constellation of 34 avant-garde diamonds totaling 1.9 carats. It is fastened by a double- folding steel clasp with safety push buttons, in matching matte black.
With almost every visible component on the standout new chronograph set with Diamant d’Avant-Garde diamonds, the piece weighs a total of 15.5 carats (124 diamonds in total). These lab-grown diamonds, carefully selected for the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde , are manufactured by TAG Heuer’s network of partners, such as Lusix and Diamaze, who are specialized in this disruptive, cutting-edge technology.
Just as impressive is the watch’s top-of-the-line movement, the Calibre Heuer 02 Tourbillon Nanograph. Developed and manufactured in-house, the COSC-certified chronograph movement features a tourbillon, beating through the dial at six o’clock. It offers a unique, 65-hour power reserve that was specially developed for the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma. This special edition has been extensively hand-finished, and features the oscillating weight in the form of the TAG Heuer shield.
Thanks to its exclusive carbon nanotube hairspring, the piece delivers exceptional levels of anti-magnetism, shock resistance, stability across temperature ranges, and refined geometry for excellent chronometric performance. It also represents an inspiring, thorough approach to mastering the carbon material both on and inside the timepiece, completing the fully carbon-infused vision of the watch.
The new TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde is the ultimate expression of TAG Heuer’s drive to combine advanced
innovation with bold creativity. It represents the next step in the brand’s exploration of the boundless potential offered by the Diamant d’Avant- Garde Technology. Only a limited number of pieces will be produced with this highly exclusive design, available upon order in TAG Heuer stores worldwide. A first, commercially available piece can be expected for September 2023 at a price point of CHF 500,000.
CARRERA GLASSBOX
For the 60th anniversary of its eternally Modern TAG Heuer Carrera timepiece, TAG Heuer introduces two exceptional new models inspired by the collector favorite “glassbox” design.
Watches and Wonders, Geneva – March 27, 2023:
At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023, TAG Heuer is proud to celebrate the 60th anniversary of a global icon: the TAG Heuer Carrera. For six decades, the Swiss watchmaker’s timeless model has defined performance watch design, racing spirit, and the culture of success.
Since its introduction in 1963, the TAG Heuer Carrera has become a symbol of aspiration, achievement, and good taste. Across six decades, it has appeared on the wrists of icons of cool – from Mick Jagger to James Hunt to Ryan Gosling. Always the same stylish profile, backed by Swiss mechanics and refinement.
For the TAG Heuer Carrera’s 60th anniversary, TAG Heuer is pleased to introduce two new models: the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph and TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon, both of which promise to become keystone designs in the company’s collection of contemporary watches
Racing start: How an icon was born
The story of the TAG Heuer Carrera has become a legend. It began in the early 1960s when a young Jack Heuer, freshly installed as the company’s chief executive, went to 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida, a race timed by Heuer. There he met Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez, whose young sons were already on the path to becoming successful racing drivers.
They told him about a race in their home country of Mexico called the Carrera Panamericana, a furiously fast and extremely dangerous road race that ran on five occasions in the early 1950s before it was cancelled.
Jack, who had an uncommon knack for harnessing the power of a good story, was intrigued by the speed, emotion, and romance of the race, and decided that it would make a good name for one of his new lines of wristwatch chronographs.
Carrera was a word with multiple meanings and could be translated as “race,” “career,” or simply “path.” This, Jack decided, was the perfect name for a watch with a racing spirit aimed at a young, stylish, upwardly mobile generation in tune with the increasingly liberated tastes of the 1960s.
Jack was a production engineer with a specialty in electrical engineering, having studied at the prestigious Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. He was culturally curious too, and had developed an interest in the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and the furniture designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and had even saved up to buy an Eames lounge chair for his dorm room. In the work of these two icons, he saw a compelling marriage of modernism, function, beauty, and the ability to create a signature style. All this would be carried over into the watch designs that he oversaw – and into the Heuer Carrera.
In 1963, the Heuer Carrera made its debut. This was a carefully thought-out design and a clear expression of Jack’s philosophy. On the one hand, it was a tool, created to be useful and functional, so its design was clean and legible, without any extraneous elements that would distract the wearer’s eye. On the other, it was also modern and inventive. It was Jack’s idea, for example, to push the tachymeter scale onto the tension ring – an innovative device proprietary to the Carrera that was used to hold the crystal in place and protect the watch from dust and water.
The purity and simple effectiveness of the design also made it beautiful, so much so that across six decades, the TAG Heuer Carrera has become a perennial favorite among watch buyers and collectors, an industry icon, and an incredible success story.
Jack’s inspired vision is still in place – and still as potent as it was 60 years ago.
A new timeless classic: Introducing the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
To time with the TAG Heuer Carrera’s 60th anniversary, TAG Heuer’s designers and watchmakers have reworked and improved its form, readying it for its seventh decade of service.
This starts with the stainless-steel case. Measuring 39 mm in diameter, it has a universal quality, while the overall ergonomics have been honed and refined, making the watch as comfortable to wear as possible, even across a range of wrist sizes.
The case is topped with a sapphire crystal shaped liked the domed hesalite crystals found on Heuer Carrera models from the 1970s, only now, the crystal has been redeveloped so that the curve flows seamlessly over the tachymeter scale that runs around the dial edge and into the case. In the same way, the flange and indexes have been curved, too, further contributing to the watch’s seamless aesthetic, coherence, and legibility. In keeping with Jack’s original purpose for the watch, this development is more than aesthetic – it also means the tachymeter can be read from a wider range of angles.
Equally pronounced are the new pushers, which have been shaped and positioned to make them as efficient for the user as possible. At its heart, the TAG Heuer Carrera remains an extremely refined watch, designed for purpose and defined both by its function and its form.
At launch, there are two models: one with a signature blue dial on a blue calfskin leather strap, and a second with a racier, black-and-silver “reverse panda” dial, the nickname given to black watch dials with high-contrast white or silver subdials. The reverse panda model is a greatest hits compilation of some of the most coveted Heuer Carreras of the 1960s, such as the reference 3147 Dato 12, the first Heuer Carrera with chronograph and calendar functions, and the reference 2447 NS, perhaps the rarest Heuer Carrera of them all, with an extremely limited production run of just a few years. It comes on a black perforated calfskin leather strap.
Both new models continue the TAG Heuer Carrera’s legacy of cool with a fresh, highly memorable look.
Moving with the times: The Calibre Heuer 02 continues to evolve
Inside both iterations of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph is an evolved version of TAG Heuer’s in-house automatic chronograph caliber, the Heuer 02.
Named TH20-00 and visible through the watch’s sapphire crystal case back, the next-generation movement now features an oscillating weight offering bidirectional winding, whereas previous versions only charged the movement’s mainspring if the rotor moved in a counter-clockwise direction.
This evolution, overseen by TAG Heuer’s Movements Director Carole Forestier, is more significant than it may initially appear. In daily use, it delivers faster and more reliable winding, ensuring the watch is running closer to its maximum 80-hour power reserve and improving precision for more of the time it is in use. TH20-00 also has elevated finishings, thereby conforming to TAG Heuer’s vision to create technical yet elegant watches and movements. It joins the TAG Heuer TH30-00 and TH50-00 calibers in the new series of movements.
The two watches offer two expressions of the same evergreen philosophy. The blue model is inspired by modernity, whereas the black-and-silver model picks up more strongly on the TAG Heuer Carrera’s racing pedigree. Subtle differences in the application of the subdial scales help achieve this, as does the position of the date: at 6 o’clock on the blue, and pushed up to 12 o’clock on the black-and-silver model to make the chronograph readout as clean as possible.
TAG Heuer is so confident in the advanced mechanics behind these watches that it is offering a five-year warranty on both new models.
Harmony in contradiction: How the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph marries opposites
A closer look reveals that the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph continues the spirit of the 1963 original, combining considerations that at first seem to contradict one another.
For example, viewed in cross-section, the watch’s silhouette is fluid thanks to the seamlessly curved edges of the domed sapphire crystal, yet also angular due to the case’s taut flanks and muscular, avant-garde lugs.
How does it do this? TAG Heuer’s designers worked to balance brushed and polished surfaces next to one another, so that the watch’s visual impact is both velvety and assured. At the same time, carefully applied finishes to those angled edges mean they feel smooth to the touch. The effect is startling: An ergonomic yet strident design that is precise yet refined, technical yet elegant. Jack’s vision continued.
Calming the whirlwind: Meet the first “glassbox” TAG Heuer Carrera with a tourbillon
TAG Heuer is also delighted to announce the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon. This elegant new model serves as a sister watch to a collection of previously introduced TAG Heuer Carrera tourbillon pieces with larger, sportier case designs.
The new watch follows the same design principles and shares a base form with the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph, only it has a dial elevated by an aperture at 6 o’clock that reveals a tourbillon cage.
First perfected more than 200 years ago, a tourbillon is a continuously rotating cage that surrounds the escapement and is designed to counteract the influences of gravity on the accuracy of a mechanical movement. Even today, few watchmakers have mastered its complex form. TAG Heuer is among an elite group of manufacturers to have done so.
The new watch is powered by TAG Heuer’s in-house tourbillon movement, the TH20-09. The chronometer-certified automatic movement also has a chronograph function and is backed by a 65-hour power reserve.
Every element of the watch has been refined to reflect the mechanical beauty of the tourbillon. For example, thanks to the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon’s curved sapphire crystal and fluid form, the tourbillon’s beauty can now be observed from a wider range of angles. And, on the dial, the flange and indexes have been subtly curved to mirror and complement the crystal’s edge, enhancing the watch’s elegant feel.
Further details help elevate the watch’s overall look and readability. The deep azuré subdials are surrounded by high-contrast silver rings, making the chronograph read- outs as legible as possible. In the same way, the minutes scale running around the outside edge of the dial is punctuated by fiery orange detailing over each hour marker. A final, almost nostalgic touch is the chronograph’s central seconds hand, which has a crisp, triangular shape inspired by 1960s racecar dashboard instruments.
As with the TH20-00, the TH20-09 was created by TAG Heuer Movements Director Carole Forestier and the Swiss watchmaker’s technical teams, so that it now delivers bidirectional winding, increased efficiency and accuracy, and a higher level of finishing. It comes with a five- year warranty.
Even with such refined detailing, the watch is arguably characterized most by its stylish, timeless color palette: stainless steel for the 42-mm case, a signature TAG Heuer Carrera blue dial with a circular brushed finish, and a blue calfskin leather strap. A sapphire case back showcases the TH20- 09 and completes the drama.
A path into the future: the new TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox models carry the legend forward
TAG Heuer’s designers and watchmakers have developed these new collection pieces in such a way that they witness the TAG Heuer Carrera’s past and yet also describe its future. The legacy of Jack Heuer’s original design is clearly evident in these TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox watches: they are timeless yet modern, precise yet refined, elegant yet technical, ergonomic yet striking, and functional yet beautiful. They are, in short, timeless modern icons.
Carrera Chronograph
Watches and Wonders, Geneva – March 27, 2023:
Inspired by the handsome, ageless design of the original 1963 Heuer Carrera, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph propels a heroic story into the future with fresh, dynamic styling and a tank full of racing spirit.
At launch, there are two new collection pieces, both with 42-mm stainless steel cases. The distinction is in the dial: there’s a choice of blue or black, both decorated with vivid orange detailing that recalls classic race car speedometers.
The new models are powered by TAG Heuer’s in-house automatic chronograph Heuer 02 movement. Both are finished with high-end calfskin straps.
Six decades in the making, the new high-performance TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph captures the evergreen racing spirit of the iconic TAG Heuer Carrera.
In the beginning: A racing chronograph inspired by a legendary road race
The original Heuer Carrera of 1963 was the creation of Jack Heuer, the company’s visionary chief executive and great-grandson of its founder. Jack named his racing-inspired chronograph after a 1950s Mexican road race called the Carrera Panamericana, believing it would appeal to professional drivers, sports-car lovers, and ambitious, forward-thinking young watch buyers.
He was right. Over the past 60 years, Jack’s round, instrument-like chronograph has become an icon and one of the most influential designs in watchmaking. Generations of sophisticated watch buyers have recognized it as a symbol of aspiration, excellence, and style.
Stylish performers: Introducing the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph continues a story begun 60 years ago by perpetuating a classic form: a simple round case, fluid integrated lugs, and ergonomic chronograph pump pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock. Just as evocative of those original 1960s designs is the new model’s beautifully balanced dial with its highly legible 3-6-9 subdial layout, quarter-of-a- second scale running around the edge of the dial, and precise, unfussy detailing.
There are two dial options at launch: One in TAG Heuer Carrera signature blue and one in brooding black, both with a sunray-brushed finish for an extra touch of elegant sophistication.
Both models will be remembered for their detailing. Each is defined by punchy splashes of color designed to make the watch easier to use and to amplify its thoroughbred racing style.
The most prominent of these is a gradient orange ring that runs around the edge of the dial and links the applied hour markers. It creates a colorful crescendo and provides the watch with a visual soundtrack that mimics the sound of a race car building up speed.
Alongside this, the new central chronograph seconds hand and subdial hands are in a red inspired by sports car dashboards. Lastly, the alternate indexes on the small seconds at 6 o’clock and the 10-minute/10-second markers on the flange are in a fiery orange.
These high-energy details add to the watch’s legibility and elevate its sporty posture.
Finishing touches: the spirit of luxury
Both models come on high-quality calfskin leather straps in either blue or black to match the dial. These straps are fitted with a stainless-steel folding clasp.
The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph is inspired by the successes of the past and of those yet to come. With its bold color palette, ageless styling and high-quality movement, it continues the TAG Heuer Carrera’s famous story – the story of an icon.
Discover more from TAG Heuer’s Carrera Collection at our boutiques, or online.
