In 1860, TAG Heuer – known as Heuer at the time – was founded by Edouard Heuer in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. To honour the 160th anniversary, the Swiss luxury watchmaker is introducing the TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition – with a design from the 1960s, powered by a highly modern in-house movement.
When back in 1962, then-CEO Jack Heuer heard the story of the legendary road race Carrera Panamericana, he knew immediately that this would be the perfect name for a new timepiece. The following year, the first Heuer Carrera chronographs left the factory. The renowned monochrome model of 1964, with its three azurage counters and starburst silver-coloured dial, was the inspiration to honour the 160th anniversary of the brand with a new timepiece. Often referred to as “2447S”, this model is now being re-introduced with some updated elements.
The new stainless-steel chronograph TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition features many of the same design highlights as its predecessor, such as an eternally elegant dial and polished case and pushers. However, the timepiece now measures 39 mm instead of the original 36 mm. The permanent second indicator is at 6 o’clock instead of at 9 o’clock due to the difference in the construction of the Valjoux 72 from 1963 and today’s Heuer 02 movement. Another change from the original is the shape of the central hour and minute hands, which are now facetted and coated with beige SuperLuminova. The “Carrera” name and HEUER shield are printed on the dial, which is protected by a domed sapphire crystal that gives the watch a retro appearance reminiscent of the original Heuer Carrera.
The anniversary model is powered by manufacture movement Calibre Heuer 02 with a power reserve of 80 hours, column wheel and a vertical clutch that improves the precision of the start-and-stop functions as well as the running of the chronograph second hand. Furthermore, the new movement Calibre Heuer 02 is slightly thinner with 6,95 mm compared to its predecessor Calibre Heuer 01 with 7,30 mm. The new TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition is worn on a black alligator strap, limited to 1860 pieces (a nod to the year that Heuer was founded) and available from June 2020. Price: 5’850 euros.
