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Australia has long been a market with a particularly robust enthusiasm for TAG Heuer, so it should come as little surprise that the Swiss maison holds a similar affection for the good people of the Land Down Under.
Now, in a move that will have Aussie fans flocking to their local boutique, TAG Heuer has launched the Carrera Australian Limited Edition, a watch with plenty of white-knuckle adrenaline in its DNA as it draws inspiration from chronographs donned by racing legends of the past. Limited to just 75 numbered pieces and with a retail price of AUD$11,800, perhaps the most challenging race will be the sprint to secure one of your very own.
TAG Heuer Carrera Australian Limited Edition Key Specifications:
- Reference: CBS221E.FC6613
- Case Diameter: 39 mm
- Case Material: Steel with brushed and polished finishing
- Caseback: Sapphire display engraved with ‘Australian Limited Edition’ and ‘xx/75’
- Crystal: Glassbox domed sapphire crystal
- Strap: Perforated black calfskin strap
- Clasp: Polished steel folding clasp with double safety push buttons
- Movement: In-house TH20-00 automatic chronograph
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Dial: Silver dial geometrically brushed in a Côtes de Genève pattern
- Subdials:
- 3 o’clock black azurage minute chronograph counter (blue lacquered hand)
- 6 o’clock permanent second indicator (grey lacquered hand)
- 9 o’clock black azurage hour chronograph counter (blue lacquered hand)
- Edition: Limited to 75 pieces
- Price: AUD$11,800
Local Collaboration and Classic Inspiration
TAG Heuer claims the Carrera Australian Limited Edition came about through a collaboration with some of Australia’s most devoted watch enthusiasts. According to the watchmaker, the process began in 2023 via a discussion in Sydney between Australian collectors and Nicholas Biebuyck, TAG Heuer’s Global Heritage Director. The final result combines local expertise with the classic Heuer aesthetics embodied by the Heuer Autavia 1163 and the Heuer 1158 CHN ‘Success Watch’.
The former of these was released in 1969 and was a leap forward for chronographs. It was the first TAG Heuer chronograph series to feature a model name on the dial, and it combined durability with visual clarity to better serve racers and pilots. In tribute, the Carrera Australian Limited Edition features black subdials and blue chronograph and subdial hands, along with blue dial markers and a symmetrically placed date window at 6 o’clock.
The latter was a solid gold TAG Heuer Carrera chronograph gifted from Jack Heuer (great-grandson of Heuer founder Edouard Heuer) to Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson in the 1970s. Ultimately worn by several of the era’s top drivers, it became a coveted piece among collectors, and its Côtes de Genève-finished dial (divided into three vertical sections and complemented by black subdials) can be seen mirrored in the new Australian edition.
Case, Dial, and Movement
The Carrera Australian Limited Edition sports TAG’s signature pairing of a 39mm fine-brushed and polished steel case and glassbox domed sapphire crystal glass with a double anti-reflective coating. One of contemporary watchmaking’s more sublime alignments of size and shape, it’s encouraging to see TAG sticking with this winning formula.
Beneath the glass, the watch sports a silver dial with the aforementioned Côtes de Genève-style vertical brushed finish, upon which sit two black azurage counters adorned with blue lacquered hands. It’s a classic high-contrast racing look that I really appreciate. Less conspicuously, the bottom of the dial houses a permanent second indicator with a grey lacquered hand.
Turning the watch over, there’s an open caseback engraved with ‘Australian Limited Edition’ and the watch’s ‘xx/75’ numbering. The sapphire glass on the reverse reveals the in-house Calibre TH20-00 automatic movement featuring bidirectional winding and an 80-hour power reserve, which is covered by a five-year warranty. The final touch comes in the form of a black calfskin strap with racing-style perforation.
Price and Availability
The TAG Heuer Carrera Australian Limited Edition is available now exclusively from TAG Heuer’s boutiques across Australia and online. Limited to just 75 pieces and priced at AUD$11,800, it’s a classic TAG Heuer racing timepiece imbued with a little extra love from Australian watch enthusiasts.
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