Watchmaker Tag Heuer continues its collaboration with German auto marque Porsche with two new limited-edition timepieces in tribute to the first 911 to bear the Carrera name.
The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, two distinctive TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche Limited Editions showcase the signature features that have made both the 1972 sports car and the 1963 chronograph timeless objects of desire.
Revealed on 5 October 1972 at the Paris Motor Show, the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 is still immensely popular among collectors; an iconic sports car that, much like the Tag Heuer Carrera, blended racing spirit, performance and elegance in a new way. Designed for racing and rallying, the Carrera RS was the first Porsche 911 dedicated to motorsports and nicknamed “Carrera” – a name that struck Jack Heuer’s imagination when he first heard about the Carrera Panamericana.
The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 hit the market at the end of the first generation of the 911. At the time it was the fastest German production automobile of its day and the most powerful 911 available for use on the street. Lightweight and aerodynamic, it was also the first road sports car in the world to have a front and rear spoiler (soon to be known as the “duck tail”), which ensured improved driving stability and a higher top speed.
The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 was produced in a range of 27 vivid colors evocative of the 1970s, two of which were selected for the Tag Heuer tribute watches: red and the blue. The colors stood out on some of the car’s unique and unmistakable features: the bold five-spoke rims, the Carrera and Porsche logos on the body panels, and the famous solid line down the side of the car. In contrast, the rest of the body was bright white.
The same two-tone aesthetic has been applied to the limited-edition watches, which are based on the 42-mm Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph, with its elegant tricompax layout, minutes and hour chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock, and a permanent second indicator and date window at 6 o’clock. Tag Heuer has equipped its chronograph with its most advanced movement, the in-house manufactured Calibre Heuer 02, with an outstanding power reserve of 80 hours. Visible though the sapphire crystal case back, the movement’s oscillating mass is customized to represent Porsche’s three-spoke steering wheel and bears the two partners’ logos side by side.
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The blue edition is limited to 500 pieces, marked XXX/500. The finely polished steel case, rhodium- plated indexes and hours and minute hands recall the car’s chrome door handles, mirrors and window frames, while the dial is made of smooth white opaline, with two sub-counters featuring an eye-catching “azurage” finish. Porsche’s design codes are seamlessly integrated throughout the TAG Heuer piece, with its blue lacquered chronograph and central hands, blue lacquered push buttons and shield logo on the crown, and blue markings on the Calibre Heuer 02 oscillating mass. The right sub-counter design recalls the rims’ aesthetic, while the signature color stripe and Carrera logo make a bold statement on the dial, flange, case side, and strap.
For this special edition, the timepiece is presented with both a sporty fabric strap with the Porsche logo and Carrera markings, as well as an elegant steel bracelet with ergonomic H-shaped links for more formal occasions.
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The red edition is even more limited, with only 250 pieces marked XXX/250. The refined case is in 18K 5N rose gold, as are the crown, pushers, and screw-down sapphire case back. The shimmery white dial is framed with a Guards Red circular line and features rose-gold-colored applied indexes, permanent second indicator, and hour and minute hands.
The fiery signature Porsche color is also reflected in the subtle red touches on the chronograph and seconds hands, sub-counter markings, and seconds scale on the flange. The Calibre Heuer 02, which is visible through the case back, is engraved with sleek black markings. Complementing this sophisticated case is a luxurious red alligator strap with a solid rose gold pin buckle.
These two collectors’ timepieces are each presented in specially designed, co-branded TAG Heuer × Porsche packaging with vibrantly coloured inserts.
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