Up Close and Personal with TAG Heuer’s ‘Triumphant’ Carrera Day-Date Upgrades

The TAG Heuer Carrera line is one of the foundational blocks on which the Swiss watchmaker’s reputation is built, and within that, the Day-Date collection provides an accessible entry point into the brand’s premium timepieces. 

This week at Watches and Wonders, the Carrera Day-Date received a significant boost. Alongside announcements around the reintroduction of its Formula 1 timepieces and the arrival of the impressively over-the-top Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph | F1, perhaps TAG Heuer’s most intriguing bit of news—for me, at the very least—was related to its new Carrera offering.

This consisted of a number of enticing upgrades to Day-Date models that will make them more compelling than ever moving forward. Plus, the maison announced a gorgeous new timepiece that almost immediately entered the fray to compete with the reverse panda chronograph, chronograph skipper, and teal-green chronograph at the top of my Carrera wishlist. More on that in a moment.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with these new releases in Geneva, so let’s discuss the upgrades first and then explore four top picks from the range and see what they’re like on the wrist.

A Clearer View

This evolution of the Day-Date shifts it a little further up the TAG Heuer totem pole, but it remains an affordable timepiece as far as the output from Swiss maisons goes. The first upgrades over the previous generation focus on improved legibility.

First, there’s an updated three-dimensional dial design intended to increase readability via larger, more spaced-out markings. Second, legibility has been further improved through an update to the bezel geometry, offering a thinner, more refined shape that creates a wider crystal opening for a clearer view. Finally, a reimagined dial construction—inspired by the highly successful Carrera Glassbox—is designed to gift these watches a greater sense of depth, improving legibility once again.

Colours and Comfort

Given the Day-Date functionality is key to these watches’ identity, it’s only fitting that it has also seen an upgrade, with the brand adopting a more tone-on-tone approach this time around. For example, the 2025 incarnation of the Carrera Day-Date with the blue sunray dial features a matching blue date disk. It’s such a small detail, but the white date disk sported by the previous incarnation now looks downright daggy by comparison. 

Then again, these small details make all the difference in the world of watches. Another is the introduction of a triangular marking on the rim of the dial to further emphasise the Day-Date functionality. 

Further, TAG Heuer has revisited the Day-Date line’s bracelets and straps with a view to improving wearability. A quick-change link system has been introduced to the steel bracelet, freeing users to adjust sizing themselves without the need for fiddly tools, while the leather strap on the black fine-grained dial model (ref: WDA2110.FC6614) now sports light blue accent linings down the sides.

Emblems of Triumph

There are upgrades internally, too, with the new range of watches powered by variations of the manufacture movement TH31. Co-developed with AMT and produced exclusively for TAG Heuer, the movements boast 80 hours of power reserve and a five-year extended warranty. Aesthetically, the change introduces a shield-shaped rotor that’s visible through the glass caseback, and let’s be honest, if you’re going to buy a TAG Heuer, you want it to come with that signature touch. 

Speaking of signature touches, TAG is also introducing a curious little detail that most people would never notice until it was pointed out to them. It consists of the engraving of a victory wreath on the caseback, which acts as a nod to the Carrera range’s link to racing. At first glance, it just looks like a circle, but on closer inspection, you can see the individual leaves — have a close look at the photo above to see if you can spot them next to the engraving of ‘CARRERA’.

It’s a nice, if superfluous, touch that won’t affect your enjoyment of your new TAG Heuer timepiece. Although, at least it’s a sure-fire way to differentiate a new Carrera from pre-2025 models at a glance. 

With that done, let’s take a quick look at four of our favourite models from the new range…

Carrera Date Twin-Time

• Reference: WDA2114.BA0043
• Movement: Calibre TH31-03
• Dial: Teal, sunray-brushed 
• Case: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Diameter: 41 mm
• Thickness: 12.57 mm
• Strap: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Water-resistance: 100 m
• Power reserve: 80 hours
• Price: AUD$7,250

My top pick from the Day-Date announcements isn’t really a Day-Date at all. Rather, it’s this gorgeous TAG Heuer Carrera Date Twin-Time that more than deserves its own spotlight moment. 

From the moment I laid eyes on that teal finish and the teal and white track around the dial’s edge, I was in. There’s something wonderfully retro about it, despite being a thoroughly modern timepiece, and the red lacquered tip of the GMT hand, which is mirrored in the ‘Twin-Time’ on the dial, are just delightful finishing touches. 

Carrera Day-Date – Blue Dial

• Reference: WDA2112.BA0043
• Movement: Calibre TH31-02
• Dial: Blue, sunray-brushed 
• Case: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Diameter: 41 mm
• Thickness: 12.7 mm
• Strap: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Water-resistance: 100 m
• Power reserve: 80 hours
• Price: AUD$6,250

Through just a few subtle changes, this blue-dialled number has proved a massive upgrade over the previous model. The level of polish and aesthetic sophistication has taken a significant leap forward. It may not be hugely apparent in the photos, but trust me, when you see the two of them side by side in the flesh, the difference is stark. 

Plus, the on-wrist comfort here is top-notch. I can’t really fault the updated bracelets across any of these models when it comes to finish, feel, or ease of adjustment. 

Carrera Day-Date – Black and Red Dial

• Reference: WDA2113.BA0043
• Movement: Calibre TH31-02
• Dial: Black and red, opalin
• Case: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Diameter: 41 mm
• Thickness: 12.7 mm
• Strap: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Water-resistance: 100 m
• Power reserve: 80 hours
• Price: AUD$6,250

There’s not a huge amount to be said about this reference that I didn’t say about the last one, except swapping in this black-and-red dial for the last model’s sunray-brushed blue makes it significantly less traditional. So, if you’re looking for a Day-Date that’s more likely to turn heads, this could be the ticket. 

Red’s a dial colour that, for me, disqualifies a watch from daily-driver duties, so that’s something to consider. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t worth having available to wear every now and then. If you already have a safe option and are looking for something more daring, or, well, you just really like red, this is for you. 

Carrera Day-Date – Black Dial, Steel and Gold

• Reference: WDA2111.BD0001
• Movement: Calibre TH31-02
• Dial: Black, opalin 
• Case: Fine-brushed/polished steel
• Diameter: 41 mm
• Thickness: 12.7 mm
• Strap: Fine-brushed/polished steel and gold
• Water-resistance: 100 m
• Power reserve: 80 hours
• Price: AUD$12,600

We’re wrapping things up with a touch of luxury. The point of difference between this watch and the remainder of the new Day-Date range is the use of 18-karat 5N gold across the dial’s plated indexes and hands as well as the H-shaped bracelet. 

It certainly gives this incarnation of the Carrera Day-Date an extra special something and increases the price accordingly.