Worn by racing legends for decades, the Carrera has become one of the most recognisable motor racing chronographs, and to celebrate the model’s 55th anniversary, Swiss watch brand Tag Heuer has created a series of new renditions that bring a touch of contemporary styling to the Carrera’s powerful heritage.
Ever since King of Cool, Steve McQueen, strapped the square-dial Tag Heuer Monaco to his wrist in the movie Le Mans, the timepiece has had a coveted place on the circuit. In an audacious bet with the Bamford Watch Department, a leader in luxury watch customization from Britain, Tag presents the Monaco Bamford, with an audacious 39mm carbon fibre case, graceful black dial, and aqua blue chronograph counters. Equipped with the automatic Calibre 11 movement, the TAG Heuer Bamford Monaco is a refreshing reinterpretation of this iconic timepiece.
In Le Mans, McQueen dons a Heuer Monaco while driving a Porsche 917K adorned with the Gulf logo. In a partnership with Gulf Oil International Tag Heuer has created the 39mm Monaco Gulf Special Edition (above). Paired with the same Calibre 11 movement, this eye-catching new timepiece comes with a brilliant blue dial adorned with Gulf’s immediately recognisable famous blue and orange stripes.
The new vintage-inspired 41mm Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Chronograph (below), which harks back to the brand’s rich automotive heritage, comes in two shade: a black version with a perforated black leather strap and a blue version with a steel bracelet. The Carrera’s dynamic differences in colour mirror a legendary duo between two first-class racers. With a dash of red, a ceramic bezel with tachometer, and three white counters situated at 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock, these two sporty models are beautiful additions to the scene of auto racing watches.
The “Tête de Vipère” stamp, issued by the Besançon Observatory, is a mark of the unrivalled precision and excellence of a watch and the new Heuer-02T calibre-paired Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer is the Carrera’s’s first timepiece to receive this prestigious recognition. Inside the magnificent midnight blue ceramic case, elegant touches of blue can also be seen on the weight, movement barrel, and tourbillon, contrasting the rhodium-plated counters. With its polished, brushed, and bead-blasted finishes, the result is a sophisticated, modern piece, reflecting the highest quality Swiss watchmaking technology.
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