TAG Heuer’s Carrera may have celebrated its 60th-anniversary last year, but if you ask us, this storied family of timepieces has its best years yet to come. Any notion otherwise can be dismissed with all the speed of Niki Lauda behind the wheel on his finest day.
If proof were needed, 2024 sees the must-have accessory for racing enthusiasts return in arguably its most refined form yet: the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph. Having encountered this stunning timepiece in the flesh at Watches & Wonders 2024, we can confidently say that this tribute to TAG Heuer’s motorsports legacy acts as both a vibrant celebration of the past and a signpost to an exciting and no less influential future.
An Inspiring Legacy
The inspiration for TAG Heuer’s latest encapsulation of that undeniable racing spirit comes from the late ‘60s in the form of one of Jack Heuer’s very own designs: the 7753 SN. That original timepiece’s influence on the new release is immediately apparent thanks to its silvered dial with black subdials—the world-famous bi-compax panda—and its corresponding nomenclature; ‘SN’ meaning ‘silver’ and ‘noir’.
The driving force behind Heuer’s design was simply a pursuit of maximum legibility. This mission endures undiminished through TAG Heuer’s latest release. And while the purity of its approach enabled the original model to become a racing instrument by which others would come to be measured—thanks to the ease with which it could record lap times without distraction—the new Chronograph carries this dedication to at-a-glance readability and elevates it even further.
Style Through Legibility
At the risk of labouring the point, the new Carrera Chronograph undeniably draws inspiration from the past, but it is every inch a modern timepiece. The watch’s black azuré subdials, positioned at 3 and 9 o’clock, starkly contrast with the silver sunray-brushed dial that envelopes them. While a passing glance will certainly register this as a classic TAG Heuer chronograph design, those who take a closer look will be greatly rewarded. The inclusion of eye-catching red-lacquered hands on each sub-dial, along with red echoes on the tip of the rhodium-plated central hand and at each five-second interval, give the watch a contemporary edge that simultaneously amplifies contrast and legibility.
This contemporary aesthetic is further enhanced by the incorporation of TAG Heuer’s stunning Glassbox design, which played a big role in making last year’s Carrera range such a success. Much like those 2023 timepieces, this Chronograph’s 39mm case feels perfectly proportioned in the hand and on the wrist, while the sapphire crystal acts as a seamless continuation of the case’s shape. The curved flange, with its contrasting black and curved rhodium-plated indexes, helps to further accentuate the sense that the case and crystal are, in fact, one.
A Racer’s Heart
None of this would count for much if the Carrera Chronograph didn’t offer a level of accuracy entirely worthy of its remarkable looks and legacy. Fortunately, TAG Heuer has seen fit to use its powerful in-house movement—Heuer 02 (Ref. TH20-00)—to ensure its latest racing instrument offers incredibly accurate timekeeping, alongside a formidable 80-hour power reserve. While this last point is certainly handy, we have to confess that it feels somewhat redundant as we struggle to imagine a situation in which we’d want to take this watch off.
Speaking of which, the new Chronograph Carrera also introduces a steel bracelet to the redesigned Carrera collection for the first time. Combined with the comfort of the Glassbox design, this bracelet offers the height of comfort and wearability, lending the watch an elegance that acts as a perfect counterweight to its undeniable racing bona fides.
Racing to the Future
The importance of TAG Heuer’s Carrera timepieces has never been in question, but the new Carrera Chronograph embodies the sense that it’s possible things will only get better from here. Having encountered this beautiful new watch in person, we can happily report that TAG Heuer knows exactly what Carrera enthusiasts are looking for and is determined to wholeheartedly deliver, provided that can be used as the brand’s starting point.
With a five-year warranty, and decades of racing history in every component, the Carrera Chronograph is a perfect balance of many elements, both physical and philosophical, that all come together to craft an undeniable and eye-catching piece of racing’s future.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
- Reference: CBS2216.BA0041
- Diameter: 39.00 mm
- Movement Type: Heuer 02 (Ref. TH20-00)
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Material: Fine brushed polished steel
- Water resistance: 100 metres
- Price: AUD$9,650
