TAG Heuer Carrera 01 Aston Martin 

CASE : stainless steel with special motif, burhsed
black ceramic bezel with tachymeter scale and Aston Martin engraving

DIAMETER : 45mm

MOVEMENT : Calibre Heuer 01 Automatic

FUNCTIONS : Hours, minutes, seconds, simple calendar, chronograph, GMT

DIAL : Opaline black with special pattern

CASEBACK : Screw-in stainless steel caseback with black PVD coating and special engraving

STRAP : matt black leather with special motifs

WATER RESISTANCE : 100m

 

TAG Heuer Carrera “Tête de Vipère”
Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer

CASE : blue ceramic case, lugs and bezel with tachymeter scale

DIAMETER : 45mm

MOVEMENT : Calibre Heuer-02T, tourbillon, self-winding, Besançon Observatory “Tête de
Vipère” chronometer certification

FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, chronograph

DIAL : black openworked

CASEBACK : stainless steel sapphire caseback with black PVD coating,
sapphire crystal pane

STRAP : matt black alligator leather sewn onto black rubber with blue topstitching

WATER RESISTANCE : 100m 155-piece limited edition

Carrera Panamericana. It was in tribute to this legendary 1950s car rally that Jack Heuer decided in 1963 to create a watch that would go down in the history books and remains to this day the best-seller of the brand that was renamed TAG Heuer in 1985. The TAG Heuer Carrera stands for 55 years of success that have seen this model evolve step with the times without ever losing its soul. Mastering successive interpretations is a daunting exercise for the watch industry, yet once again the brand has risen to the challenge with its customary panache. Especially since this legendary line has not confined itself to merely issuing a re-edition, but has instead opted to venture off well-signposted roads, like the driving aces of the famous Mexican race. See for yourself with a close-up look at six new TAG Heuer Carrera models.

INSIDE THE ASTON MARTIN DESIGN STUDIO

For a smooth start on well-known roads, let’s begin with two sporty chronographs. Two Calibre 16 models riding the increasingly trendy vintage momentum. All the aesthetic codes are ther e: mushroom-type pushers, black or electric blue dials on which three dashboard-type opaline white counters standout in striking contrast, teamed with strategically placed vibrant color accents. Add an inner bezel ring displaying eighths of a second and a tachymeter scale, and the wearer could easily imagine himself in the role of legendary racing-driver Juan Manuel Fangio. This stylish, naturally automobile- inspired composition is governed by a major factor much cherished by the brand : legibility. The latter is a must for these chrono graphs, especially given their modest 41mm diameter that ensures an ideal fit on any wrist. After this warm-up lap, the going gets tougher, which is where the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Aston Martin hits the track. In this instance, TAG Heuer has shown itself capable of adapting this model to the inimitable style of these sports watches imbued with an inimitable British sense of chic. To achieve this, the brand worked directly with the Aston Martin design studio. The key features of the Heuer Carrera have been preserved, but with a few sophisticated twists. The lugs have been slightly hollowed so as to echo the streamlined bodywork of the gorgeous British cars, while the openworked hexagonpatterned dial echoes the subtle details of the new Vantage. The motorization is also worthy of these speed machines, since the timepiece is equipped with one of the best in-house TAG Heuer movements: the Heuer 01, equipped with the famous oscillating pinion invented and patented by the brand in 1886 and serving to activate the 2/1000th of a second chronograph function! Power, elegance and refined touches are all clearly present but in subtle, discreet ways, forming a winning combination that a certain Mr Bond would doubtless have appreciated.

THE TOURBILLON TURNS SPORTS CLASSIC

TAG Heuer’s blend of aesthetic and mechanical mastery reaches a new pinnacle in the new Carrera “Tête de Vipère” Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer. The tourbillon has become a classic that is interpreted in all manner of ways, but very few timepieces have given it genuine technical credibility by appropriately including it within a sporty and contemporary style. From a technical standpoint, this tourbillon chronograph delivers authentic chronometer-worthy levels of performance. It is one of the rare models that can pride itself on earning the extremely stringent Besançon Observatory viper’s head hallmark, a guarantee of excellent craftsmanship and extreme precision that has been granted to only 500 models since 2006. Aesthetically speaking, this TAG Heuer Carrera is endowed with a remarkably effective design. Its case, its bezel and its midnight blue ceramic lugs create a subtle contrast with the chronograph’s black dial, crown and pushers. Combined with the blue touches on the tourbillon carriage and barrel, this color combo gives it a resolutely technical and powerful look while instilling it with a truly elegant allure. And as beautiful things are often rare, only 155 of these watches will be produced. Lastly, in the final straight before the finishing line, the pedal hits the floor with the two next models, as TAG Heuer has shown a great deal of boldness and smartness in its determination to lead the race all the way. The brand has indeed grasped and anticipated the expectations of a globalized world that is hurtling ahead at lightning speed. This year, in order to appeal to ever more youthful and nomadic customers, it is therefore introducing the Carrera Chronograph GMT. An openworked dial, a crown-adjustable red-lacquered GMT hand, two-tone ceramic bezel with 24-hour scale, date, chronograph function ; this everyday instrument with a resolutely urban look that is bound to appeal. But to win the race among new generations, TAG Heuer has unleashed its fatal weapon: the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 41. Since 2016, the brand has already positioned itself as the Swiss leader in the field of luxury smart watches designed to win the hearts of tech fans. This year, it plans to do even better and find its place on smaller, notably feminine wrists, by offering a 41mm model enhanced with several improvements in terms of memory capacity and display quality.

The TAG Heuer Carrera may be 55 years old, but it shows no sign of petering out. And while its motto remains “Don’t crack under pressure”, a watch icon like this could well cause even the most reasonably minded consumer to “crack under pleasure”.