REV IT UP!
The announcement made early February of the historic alliance between the Swiss watchmaking brand and the German automotive manufacturer was marked by the launch of a sporty chronograph which enhances the… Carrera collection, of course!
On February 4 this year, just a few days after the LVMH Watch week, one of the watchmaking brands of the world’s leading luxury group announced its partnership with Porsche. Since the 1960s, the paths of TAG Heuer (Heuer back in the days), the chronograph specialist and race track enthusiast, and the German automotive manufacturer had often crossed. This time round, the collaboration kicks off with the creation of the Carrera Porsche Chronograph. This new ensemble, like the Carrera unveiled in 1963 infused with Jack Heuer’s passion, is admittedly built for speed but understated enough to be worn on a daily basis, far from the paddocks.
Waterproof to depths of 100 m, its 44 mm-diameter steel bodywork is equipped with two piston-shaped pushers on the right side of the case middle to control the chronograph function. A fixed bezel topped by a black ceramic ring engraved with a white tachymetric scale and boasting the name Porsche in red sets off this metallic case. The screwed caseback features a sapphire-crystal porthole which center stages the spoked steering wheel typical of these racers. It also gives us a glimpse of the workings of the Heuer 02 caliber, a motor which vibrates at a frequency of 4 Hz and delivers a power reserve of 80 hours.
The dial, coated with gray sandblasting conjuring up the tarmac, and hovered over by two rhodium-plated hour and minute hands, showcases three snailed black counters: the small seconds embracing the date aperture (at 6 o’clock), the minute totalizer (at 3) and the hour one (at 9) and, just like the chronograph direct-drive, all three are enhanced with bright red striations.
Price: CHF5,700 (leather) – CHF5,900 (steel) www.tagheuer.com
By Sharmila Bertin