An icon was born in 1962 when then-CEO Jack Heuer designed a wristwatch after hearing fabled tales of the legendary Carrera Panamericana sports car racing event.
His sketches materialised a year later and Heuer was compelled to name it after the evocative sounding Carrera. The watch design was based on a crucial aspect of motorsports — legibility.
Dial elements were kept simple and the clean dial layout was a reflection of the concept. Yet, it still managed to capture Heuer’s passion for action in its bold and confident styling. Since then, the TAG Heuer Carrera has become one of the best-known collections for the brand and has spawned numerous variations over the years.
The incarnation to celebrate it’s 160th birthday? The TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph.
—
As TAG Heuer celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, the spirit of Jack Heuer endures as it introduces a new take on the inimitable Carrera. Named the TAG Heuer Sport Chronograph 44 mm Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic, the collection remains bold but adopts a contemporary interpretation of the Carrera DNA.
Sleek is a word that fits the description of the new timepieces and the various exterior elements are engineered towards its look. The 44mm case, while daunting at first, is given a combination of polished (shiny) and brushed finishings (matte) to trick the eye into believing the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph has a slimmer demeanour.
Wrist comfort is enhanced with ergonomics and lightness with the new H-shaped bracelet and a pair of shorter lugs. A subtle circular finishing to the dial softens light reflections and gives a punchy contrast when paired with the rhodium- plated hands and applied indices. Legibility with the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph — that Jack Heuer so greatly emphasised — remains a constant.
—
Printed texts “Heuer 02 80 hours” at the bottom of the dial speak forth of the turbocharged 80-hour power reserve movement within.
The Carrera family always features TAG Heuer’s advanced movements and in this instance, the in-house automatic chronograph calibre Heuer 02 drives the timepiece like a well-oiled machine.
The construction and innovations that have gone into producing the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph are a testament of the brand’s forward-thinking and avant-garde nature.
Manufactured in TAG Heuer’s Chevenez manufacture, the 168-component movement features a column wheel and vertical clutch system that provides smooth and responsive actuations of the chronograph function.
A pair of 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters on the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph dial (three and nine o’clock respectively) work in tandem to record elapsed time up to 12 hours.
These elements increase the functional appeal of the timepiece and presents itself as more than just a wristwatch; it is as a race-car dashboard on the wrist.
—
Three different dial colours — green, blue and black, dominate the four-piece TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph collection.
A handsome British green dial is paired with a stainless steel bezel for an industrial look. The other three feature ceramic bezels — the striking blue-on-blue and black-on-black are winning combinations.
Lastly, the black and rose-gold piece makes the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph crowd-puller with its 18K 5N rose-gold crown and pushers.
Today, the original concept and design Jack Heuer conceived have evolved as the lines between work and play, professional and lifestyle are blurred.
A chronograph should no longer be relegated to the confines of a car cockpit and tarmac. The chronograph which was set out to time races can now be used in virtually all scenarios that require one to record elapsed time.
What has been intended for racers are now designed for racers of time — modern men, who in their everyday lives can count on the legibility and reliability of the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph to convey time effortlessly while looking sleek.
RELATED ARTICLES
Louis Vuitton Masters an Ancient Enamel Technique
Chart Life’s Adventures With Dual Time Watches
