TAG Heuer’s Carrera watch that celebrates 60 years of the Porsche 911
TAG Heuer’s ongoing collaboration with Porsche pays tribute to the 60th anniversary of the Carrera watch and 911 sports car
TAG Heuer’s latest timepiece from its Porsche partnership is packed with 911 references
It has been 12 months since we brought news of TAG Heuer’s 50th birthday gift to the Porsche 2.7 RS in the form of a brace of special Carrera chronographs – and throughout this year the watch brand has been relentlessly celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Carrera itself with a string of new models.
The first was the ‘panda dial’ version in January, a 600-piece edition that closely resembled the original 1963 model. That was followed by an all-new Carrera with a wide and deep ‘glass box’ crystal, plus a tourbillon model, two further chronographs with conventional crystals and a new three-hand Carrera Date. And TAG Heuer hasn’t finished yet.
Having spent an undisclosed (but undoubtedly large) sum promoting the Carrera through a five-minute movie called The Chase for Carrera starring Ryan Gosling, the brand has now launched this new Chronosprint model in conjunction with Porsche.
The two marques signed a partnership deal only two years ago, despite both having enjoyed exclusive use of the Carrera name in their respective fields for decades. Porsche adopted it after its 550 Spyder scored class wins in the Carrera Panamericana cross-Mexico road races of 1953 and ’54; Heuer (now TAG Heuer) began using it in 1963 when Jack Heuer bagged it for watches after being enthralled by tales of the race.
Although banned in 1954 after a spate of fatalities, the event was revived as a stage rally in 1988 and prevails today with TAG Heuer as the official timing partner.
The Carrera Chronosprint X Porsche arrives just in time for this year’s edition of La Carrera Panamericana (October 13-19) and not only celebrates (again) the 60th anniversary of the Carrera watch, but also the 60th anniversary of Porsche’s seminal sports car, the 911.
The watch can be had in steel or rose gold, with both versions being replete with the same nods to the legendary 911, such as the running seconds indicator at six o’clock, left, marked at 50 seconds to reflect the 50kph urban speed limit reminder on the speedometer of early 911s.
More imaginative, however, is the specially developed TH20-08 movement which alludes to the 911’s impressive acceleration by driving a seconds hand that starts quickly, momentarily slows down and then catches-up with itself as it circumnavigates the dial. Yes, it’s a gimmick – but a mesmerising one.
And, by the way, there’s still ONE MORE celebration Carrera to come.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint X Porsche, £8070 (steel), £20,610 (gold). tagheuer.com
Dorset-based adventure watchmaker Elliot Brown was launched in 2013 by horologist Alex Brown and entrepreneur Ian Elliot, who first met when Elliot’s Animal lifestyle brand ventured into stainless steel watches. Elliot Brown follows Zenith as a horological bedfellow of Land Rover, with this watch featuring ‘squircle’ hour batons based on Defender rear lights and the numbers 19 and 48 – the Land Rover launch year – picked out in orange on the minute track. A vapour blasted case gives a suitably rugged look.
Elliot Brown Holton Land Rover X Elliot Brown, £475. elliotbrownwatches.com
French car and bike fan Bernard Richards founded Bernard Richards Manufacture 21 years ago with the aim of making watches with an automotive bent. The V6-44 Art Car takes its inspiration from the BMW art car project initiated by racing driver and auctioneer Hervé Poulain in 1975, since when more than 20 BMWs have been painted by artists ranging from Andy Warhol to Jeff Koons. This has a movement protected by miniature, motorcycle-style shock absorbers; limited to 150 examples.
BRM V6-44 Art Car, £5271. brm-chronographes.com
Precision is written by renowned luxury goods specialist Simon de Burton