A celebratory timepiece for the Carrera's 60th anniversary and a surprise release from TAG Heuer. 

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Carrera, designed by Jack Heuer when he led the firm in 1963. Named after the Carrera Panamericana rally, renowned for its rugged terrain and deadly route, the watch was inspired by contemporary designers Heuer admired in his time. With clean lines, strong legibility, and a three-register dial with an inner chapter ring, the Ref. 2447 is the model from which all modern Carrera timepieces are derived. 

So it's unsurprising that the first watch launch by TAG Heuer in 2023, during the LVMH Watch Week, would be a Carrera. To commemorate this important anniversary, the brand has produced a modern remake of the Ref. 2447 SN, one of the most collectable Carreras of the late 1960s.

Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary

The first-generation models of the Carrera featured silvered or black dials. This evolved into dials with contrasting counter treatments, such as silver with black sub-dials or the 'panda', and black with silver subdials or the 'reverse panda', by the late 1960s. The 'SN' refers to the dial colours, 'silver' and 'noir' (black) for the model. Doubling down on the importance of legibility, the hour markers bear stripes down the middle in black, with white hands and markings on black counters for visibility.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary is an accurate revival of the Ref. 2447 SN and limited to 600 pieces globally, with exactly the same dial details, vintage lume on the hands and dots over the hour markers, and the vintage Heuer logo. The 12-hour counter is positioned at 9 o'clock and the 30-minute totaliser at 3 o'clock. The case is updated to a larger 39mm, with an extruding sapphire crystal and old-school pushers.

The watch is powered by the Heuer 02 calibre with an 80-hour power reserve. Via the seethrough caseback, you can see the skeletonised oscillating rotor and column wheel, as well as engravings on the case with the limited edition number. According to TAG Heuer, there will be more releases as the year proceeds, but this is one of the most important as it recalls one of the most iconic models in the Carrera's early history.

More importantly this will be the last Carrera that bears this design, with a new Carrera appearing at Watches & Wonders Geneva in April 2023. The new design of the Carrera is 2 years in the making, and we're looking forward to presenting you with details of the new watch soon.

Monza Flyback Chronometer

The Monza makes a return in 2023 to TAG Heuer's collection. First launched in 1976 with integrated lugs that curved into the case middle, it was the brand's first use of a black-coated case, with a black dial and red details. The look and feel of the watch were inspired by the Monza track, where Heuer partnered with Ferrari to great success.

The new Monza has a cushion-shaped case with integrated lugs as well, thus adding a twist to the original design. It features a skeletonised display that reminds one of the steering wheel in a racing automobile. A two-register layout indicates the small seconds at 6 o'clock and a 30-minute totaliser at 3 o'clock. The counters have a translucent, fumé blue sapphire crystal display with white markings, as well as a blue date window at 9 o'clock. The indexes and seconds hand are lacquered in blue, and the hours and minutes hands are with black and white lacquer.

The Monza Flyback Chronometer is powered by the Calibre Heuer 02 Flyback and is COSC-certified. Its 42mm case is made of carbon with a PVD-coated titanium caseback, and its crown and pushers are in black DLC-treated steel. It's water-resistant to 100m and comes with a black woven-pattern textile strap with blue stitching and carbon folding clasp. All in all, the watch is truly striking, with the blue and red accents on the watch standing out against the black dial and case.

Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph

TAG Heuer introduced its first solar-powered movement last year with the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph. It has now improved on the original model with a titanium case, making it lighter, more durable, and even more ideal for the outdoors. As with the original, the watch's solar-powered battery can run for the whole day with just two minutes of sunlight, and when fully charged (~20 hours of light), it can run for six months.

The watch features green and blue lume markers and hands for high visibility in the dark, with the polar blue inspired by the light of the sky in the Arctic Circle and the Northern Lights. The 40mm case is in sandblasted Grade 2 titanium with a matching bracelet, which makes it incredibly light. The sandblasted case adds to the rugged good looks of this watch.

The watch will be in stores from Feb 2023. More on the LVMH Watch Week will be coming in the next few days; stay tuned.

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