TAG Heuer

Carrera Watches

The most iconic collection of the brand, Tag Heuer Carrera was first introduced in 1963. The release of this collection set a milestone to the legacy of Tag Heuer. Designed by Jack Heuer, the Carrera family was named after the iconic Mexican motor race, Carrera Panamericana. It has established itself as one of the legendary racing watches in the watchmaking industry.

As a pure motorsport-inspired chronograph, the Tag Heuer Carrera is able to meet the high-octane demands of motorsports. Its sleek and function-focused design made it one of the most popular chronograph watches in the world. Let's dig a bit deeper into the story of this remarkable Tag Heuer watch collection.

When it comes to accuracy, the original Tag Heuer company has specialized in manufacturing precise stopwatches and chronographs. In 1887, Edouard Heuer created an oscillating pinion for the Heuer stopwatches that set a benchmark for all of its later production of chronograph movements. 

In 1889, the Heuer company introduced the first Heuer chronograph at the world exposition in Paris. It started the successful journey of Tag Heuer. Since then, Heuer focused on creating high-quality movements with advanced technology in the field of watchmaking. The iconic Tag Heuer Carrera watch is amongst its chronographs that houses its own powerful movement. 

Launch of Heuer Carrera

The collection was introduced in 1963. Seeing the rising popularity of chronographs at the time, as a racing enthusiast Jack Heuer decided to create a motor racing chronograph. He designed the most practical and legible watch for racing drivers - Tag Heuer Carrera. 

The Carrera collection has acquired its name from the fascinating road race – the Mexican Carrera Panamericana. This Heuer watch was captivating and expressive that enhanced the collection for the fiercely pioneering brand.

The launch of Heuer Carrera has surprised many watch lovers and the news was spread all over the world within a short span of time. It was discussed in numerous publications. It grabbed the attention and quickly became a loved watch for many watch enthusiasts and also professional racers.

The First Heuer Carrera watch

The Tag Heuer Carrera collection is highly admired due to its splendid design with a large legible dial for readability. The first Heuer Carrera watch reference 2447D was a 36mm stainless steel watch with a Valjoux 72 manual winding movement. It does not only feature robustness but is also shock-resistant and waterproof. The contemporary look of the Heuer Carrera watch was made true to the brand's DNA. Its patent Heuer logo and the ‘Carrera' name marking are displayed on the dial.

Since the first model achieved huge recognition and success, Jack Heuer continued to produce its Carrera Automatic watches with similar design codes. One of the classics, the exemplary 18ct "Carrera Automatic" chronograph was introduced in 1970. In 1971 it was distributed amongst all the new drivers of Ferrari for timekeeping. Each of those Tag Heuer watches was personalized marked with the name of the driver. Later on, it has become one of the most sought-after Heuer watches to date.

That generation of Heuer watches was later updated with the legendary Tag Heuer Calibre 11 movement. It is one of the first-ever automatic Swiss chronograph movements. It is also one of the symbols of the golden era of the Heuer Carrera in the 1970s. 

However, the arrival of quartz movements in the 1970s was big to the Heuer Company. The impact of the quartz technology decimated the Heuer brand. Although Heuer tried to introduce a few models with battery-powered movements, the Heuer brand continued to suffer. Jack Heuer had to sell the company in 1982 and stepped down from running its operations. Finally, in 1984, the Heuer Carrera collection was discontinued.

Comeback of Tag Heuer Carrera

Techniques d’Avant Garde (known as TAG) took over the Heuer company in 1985, and after a little more than a decade it decided to bring back the legendary Heuer chronograph. 

The brand new Tag Heuer Carrera was relaunched in 1996. It was inspired by the very first Heuer Carrera reference 2447 on the dial. It featured the same clean design as the first generation. The new watch of Tag Carrera had kickstarted the next chapter of the Heuer racing chronograph and made it so popular for more than three decades.

For over half of a century, the Carrera collection has been growing continuously. It has built itself as a legendary watch by taking part in the history of motorsport’s world. The collection has offered many remarkable models that are admired by the collectors. To celebrate the Tag Heuer Carrera's 50th anniversary, the brand also came up with several new models to honor its five decades of superlative designs and innovative technologies.

Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 1887 Chronograph

The Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 1887 Chronograph is a model inspired by the vintage Heuer watches to honor the popular legends of the Tag Heuer watches. The watch is powered by the in-house Tag Heuer Calibre 1887 movement which performs excellently inaccuracy. It is available in various variations and special editions to cater different needs of wearers.

Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 16

One of the latest members of the Tag Heuer Carrera’s family is the Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 model. This Tag Heuer was released to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Tag Heuer Carrera. This model is a 41mm stainless steel watch. It is presented with two dial color options - blue and black. The design of these Tag Heuer watch is further enhanced by their latest cylindrical pushers, 3-row H-link bracelet and its minuterie inner-flange.

The Tag Heuer Carrera has successfully persisted with its excellent precision as the official timekeeper at many international motorsports events. It continues close ties with Red Bull Racing to present. As a pillar of the Tag Heuer brand, the Carrera collection has established the benchmark of the innovation and supreme quality of Tag Heuer watches. It is one of the most celebrated Tag Heuer watches in the midst of its mechanical sports watches.