EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TAG HEUER CARRERA

Since 1963, there have been a lot of ups and downs for the Tag Heuer company and more specifically for the Carrera. First, in the 1990s we witnessed the great return of the Carrera : as we talked about previously, we travel back to a challenging time for the company and its reputation, which led to the departure of Jack Heuer from the family business.

In 1970, the second-generation of Two-Register Carreras was born. At the same time, the Carrera saw dozens of different variants, before the impact of the quartz technology took its toll and the Heuer brand began to suffer.

Jack Heuer stepped down from running its operations and in 1984, the Carrera collection was discontinued.

In 1996, eleven years after the acquisition of Heuer by TAG, the new Carrera was released. Inspired by the very first watch to display “Carrera” on the dial, it featured the same clean aesthetic that had made it so popular more than three decades earlier when it kickstarted the next chapter in the history of the chronograph.

More recently, three new references were launched for the 60th birthday of the Carrera : the Calibre 7 GMT “reverse panda” based on the Sellita SW300 and two new chronographs flyback with different takes.

Regardless of the numerous collections like the Date, Porsche, Chronograph, Chronograph Sport, Sailing Complication and exceptional pieces, there still are some details that remain the same no matter which Carrera you choose to buy.

The earliest Heuer 2447N set the stage for the Carrera. As we'll see, Heuer would go on to produce variations of the Carrera, but many of the most recognizable elements – tension ring, angled lugs, black or silver dial – would carry through the manual-wind Carreras. For example, inside every watch, you always have a Valjoux 72 three-register chronograph with "Ed Heuer & Co." inscribed on the bridge.

You may not have noticed it but the not less famous Monaco V4 really looks like the ancestor of the Carrera in many ways we won’t explain here, but we encourage you to view it yourself.

Every Carrera watch, from the vintage models to the exclusives ones, offers unique features that stand out among luxury timepieces. Whether you're drawn to the blue dials or the elegance of silver, the Carrera will offer a style for everyone. Add your favorite model to your cart and enjoy free delivery on selected options.

1969 provided the debut for the first automatic chronograph Carrera. Before that, all Tag Heuer watches, including early Carrera models, relied on manual mechanisms to power their movements. Watchmakers painstakingly made complex chronograph designs that required regular winding by the men wearing them to maintain the watch's power reserve. While manual watches offered simplicity, they also demanded constant attention and care to ensure a correct functioning.

The introduction of automatic movements marked a turning point in the world of chronograph watchmaking. These innovations, featured in iconic collections like the Tag Heuer Carrera, used a rotor mechanism to harness the natural motion of the wearer's wrist, refilling the power reserve without the need for manual winding. This innovation provided users an enhanced convenience, redefining the balance between precision and ease of use.

This transition to automatic chronographs marked a significant evolution, offering convenience without compromising performance -the perfect reason why so many enthusiasts are willing to pay for this iconic timepiece.

Jack Heuer drew on his passion for modern architecture, design and motor sports to create the original Tag Heuer Carrera reference 2447 in 1963. 60 years later, functionality and readability are still at the heart of this serie made for tracks.

The Carrera’s designer learned about a new invention by a watch crystal manufacturer : an angled steel tension ring would hold the crystal in place against the case in a way that would increase water resistance. Jack had the idea of painting this tension ring and using it to show the 1/5 second demarcations leading to a simpler and cleaner dial, easier to read at high speed.

Indeed, as we saw previously, this watch is most known by drivers as they love to wear it on tours because of its easy reading.

Let’s start with the collaboration with the Ferrari team : in 1971, Jack Heuer struck a deal with Scuderia Ferrari (by then CEO of the company) to provide time-keeping equipment. Their drivers started to wear Heuer watches at every race and the watchmaker began the first non-automotive brand to sponsor motor racing. 

A surprising deal that placed Heuer at the center of the racing world and catapulted one of their Carrera (we’ll go into details in a moment) into a symbol of success. In fact, in 1971, every member of Ferrari’s Grand Prix Scuderia, with whom Heuer had signed on as Official Sponsor and Timekeeper, received a splendid gold Carrera engraved with his name.

Then came 1974 : two of the Ferrari drivers, Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni, quickly became ambassadors for the brand and sponsored. Many years later, the partnership continued to go on with Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna as new ambassadors.

Of course we won’t forget Tag Heuer and Porsche : an alliance forged by innovation, officially made in 2021. While it’s by chance that the name ‘Carrera’ is central to both brands, their passion for technology and innovation is what made them destined for collaboration.

Two historic families, Edouard Heuer and the foundation of his brand in 1960 and Ferdinand Porsche, establishing the Porsche company in 1931. A few decades later, just like Jack Heuer, Ferry Porsche took over for his father in 1948.

Moreover, both names come from the legendary race in Mexico. 1963 is a huge year for both brands : it’s the launch year of the Carrera collection for Tag Heuer and the release of the iconic 911 for Porsche. The brands are reunited years later, still without an official union between them in the movie Ford v. Ferrari with Golfe and McQueen. 

Finally, a collaboration between the two companies came out with a stunning watch we’ll talk about later.

We’ve talked about the special relation between Ferrari and Tag Heuer before, but we haven’t told you which iconic watch ensued by this link : let us introduce you to the gold 1158 CHN Carrera, a without-price edition delivery specially for the original Grand Prix members.

One of the wonderful limited editions by Tag Heuer is with Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, founder of Fragment Design, which is a wbn 2447NT.

Next, we must talk about the iconic movie Ford v. Ferrari released in 1971 with Alexander McQueen, where McQueen drives a 917k Porsche. Tag Heuer then decided to match the watch with the car which was adorned with a Gulf logo and a new collaboration was born.

Don’t forget Tag Heuer and Kith who brought the 1986 TAG Heuer Formula 1 Series 1 back to life with a modern twist. The Tag Heuer Formula 1 x Kith collaboration showcases striking aesthetics in vivid colors and inherits a revolutionary fusion of identity and creativity.

Today, the Carrera is still a pillar of the TAG Heuer brand and continues its close ties with motorsports, particularly thanks to its relationship with Red Bull Racing.

Last but not least, the launch of a long awaited collaboration between Porsche and Tag Heuer as we have seen previously. The first watch by the two luxury companies announced a long serie of others, as famous as their predecessor.