Tag Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition, POA.
Tag Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition, POA.
Image: Supplied

With collection names such as Formula 1, Monaco, and Autavia — not to mention past models like the Daytona, Montreal, Silverstone, and Monza — it is clear that the universe of Tag Heuer is intrinsically linked to, and inspired by, the high-speed world of motor racing.

One of the most iconic of its timepieces is the Carrera. Launched in 1963 as a tribute to the border-to-border Carrera Panamericana Rally in Mexico during the 1950s, it has seen numerous iterations over the past six decades — from the elegant and sporty to jaw-dropping, avant-garde, and Connected. When heir Jack Heuer took over as CEO in 1962, the story and name of the Carrera — meaning race, career, dash, or sprint in Spanish — inspired him to develop a new collection of modern chronographs with a pure, functional dial design. The collection launched to market the following year.

2020 marks the 160th anniversary of the original Heuer brand founded by Edouard Heuer in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, in 1860. To kick off the year of tributes, Tag Heuer has revealed the Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition, which will be available from June. This celebratory edition is perfectly timed as demand continues to grow for useful tool watches, particularly those in stainless steel and inspired by vintage timepieces. To date, the Carrera Calibre 5 and Calibre 16 have been the closest aesthetically to the original — often referred to as “2447S” — so the new edition will be a welcome addition for enthusiastic collectors who will no doubt be clambering for one of the limited 1,860 pieces.

The monochrome, silvered-dial model of 1964, with its “azurage” sub-dials and starburst silver dial, was chosen as the inspiration for the 160th anniversary edition. While the design of the new stainless-steel chronograph is much the same as its predecessor, it is slightly different in shape and size, now measuring 39mm instead of the original 36mm. Inside, the Valjoux 72 movement is replaced by Tag Heuer’s modern in-house calibre Heuer 02, which affects the placement of the permanent second indicator at 6 o’clock instead of at 9 o’clock on the 2447S. The balance of the Heuer 02 oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and has an impressive power reserve of 80 hours. The central hour and minute hands have also been updated and are now facetted with beige Super-Luminova coating. To complete the retro aesthetic, the original Carrera name and Heuer shield appear on the dial. The watch features a fixed, polished bezel with a simplified chronograph 60-second/minute scale marked on the silver flange of the dial. This special edition comes with a black alligator strap and is presented in special packaging. 

Picot & Moss 011-669-0500 or visit Tag Heuer

 From the March issue of Wanted 2020.

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