TAG Heuer is marking the 60th anniversary of their legendary Carrera watch this year, and suitably for Watches & Wonders 2023, the Swiss watch brand celebrated with a huge selection of new Carrera designs. Alongside a rare chronograph tourbillon, some colourful date-only models and a duo of sporty 42mm Carrera Chronographs, we’ve been treated to a stunning pair of TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches which take inspiration from the domed hesalite crystals featured on early TAG Heuer Carrera references.
First launched in 1963 by Jack Heuer, the great-grandson of the brand’s founder and former TAG Heuer CEO, the TAG Heuer Carrera watch was designed to embody his own passions for motorsport, taking its name from one of the world’s most legendary races, the Carrera Panamericana. The designs were engineered to be clean, highly legible and robust, powered by reliable movements often with chronograph and tachymeter scales for measuring time and average speed during races. Over the years, the TAG Heuer Carrera watch has evolved, upgrading its materials and mechanics for the modern wrist and yet for its 60th anniversary, TAG Heuer harks back to the model’s past and revives the look of the original Carrera’s of the 1960’s that had unique domed acrylic crystal.
Immediately after sitting down with TAG Heuer at the Watches & Wonders 2023 event, we spotted the new duo of TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches and knew we had to get them strapped on. The 39mm wide stainless steel cases felt familiar in their sporty construction, offering sharp angled lugs, piston-shaped chronograph pushers and sleek brushed case sides, and yet the large domed glass and bezel-less rim evoked an air of vintage sophisticated we’ve never seen before in a Carrera. The deeply domed sapphire crystal glass falls over the entire case, even down the case sides to mimic the domed hesalite crystals used on Carrera watches from the 1960’s. Since there is no bezel, the tachymeter scale is removed from the case and instead placed on the outskirts of the dial, which thanks to the overflowing glass, can be read from a 90-degree angle.
The dials of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches are equally retro in their execution, available in two styles. The first is a beautiful “panda-style” colourway with a radially brushed black surface set with silver silver azurage subsidiary dials. The second is a more contemporary all-blue model with a blue brushed display and matching blue snailed counters. Both dials have striped baton hands with Superluminova inserts, baton applied indices and a box-shaped date either at 6 or 12 o’clock. The border of the dial is also beautifully curved, extending outward to meet the crystal at the very edge adding to the visual symmetry. As aforementioned, this is also where you’ll find the newly placed tachymeter scale.
As if the visuals of the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches weren’t already enough to warrant us splurging on these pieces for our own collection, they also debut a new generation of the brand’s in-house Heuer 02 automatic winding chronograph. Named the TH20-00 calibre, the movement impresses with a new bidirectional winding system for an improved power reserve efficiency of 80 hours to pair with a 28,800bph frequency rate and 33 jewels. You can admire the in-house calibre through the sapphire crystal glass case back of each TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watch and admire decorations like the striped plates and bridges and oscillating rotor with a shield cut-out.
Completing the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches is a calfskin leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching. The black-dialled piece matches its colourway with a black racing-inspired leather strap with perforated detailing while the blue dial elects a classic smooth blue leather band. Both secure to the wrist by a traditional stainless steel deployment buckle. The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches are non-limited editions and retail at £5,600.
If you’d like to learn more about the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” watches and shop the collection for yourself, head over to the Jura Watches website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 39mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Domed “Glassbox” sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment
- Crown: Screw in
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Movement: Calibre TH20-00, in-house automatic winding with integrated column wheel and vertical clutch chronograph
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, central chronograph seconds, 12 hours, 30 minutes, date
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Jewels: 33
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Blue with blue snailed counters or black with silver snailed counters. Both with Superluminova hour and minute hands
- Strap: Blue or black calfskin leather
- Buckle: Folding with double safety push buttons
- RRP: £5,000
- Limited: No
- Reference: CBS2210.FC6534, CBS2212.FC6535
