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The TAG Heuer Carrera: A legend of motorsports

The TAG Heuer Carrera is one of the most well-known racing watches. The watch is a real classic with its three-hand dial and chronographs. The young Jack Heuer was inspired in 1962 by the well-known and to date world's most dangerous car race the "Rallye Carrera Panamericana". So he dedicated it a watch series: The TAG Heuer Carrera.

TAG HEUER GRAND CARRERA CAV5115.BA0902

Top features of the TAG Heuer Carrera

The original TAG Heuer Carrera watch with the reference number 2447 and the calibre Valjoux 72 was initially available only in black and white and had a 36 mm dial. Today the watch is available in five different sizes, the smallest at 39 mm. Interestingly, the Rolex Daytonas and Heuer Carreras of 1963 have more in common than one would think at first. Both watches were equipped with dials of the Swiss manufactory Singer. It can be seen immediately that both models have the same hour hands and identical digits on the sub-dials. Also used in 1963 Rolex slightly modified the calibre Valjoux 72 for their Daytonas.

Thanks to the elimination of the rotatable bezel, a total of 2 mm could be obtained on the dial diameter, compared to the popular Autavia. The sub-dials of the tracking second and the minute and hour counter were set one level lower to create a three-dimensional impression. The Carrera is known with two to three sub-dials, the first watches were manufactured until 1980 without a date. Today, every Carrera comes with a date display. There is a wide range of different models of the TAG Heuer Carrera series in both vintage and modern styles. Therefore, the "Classic Series" was introduced in 1998, which appeared with the latest technology but in old design. Even the logo has been changed from "TAG Heuer" to "Heuer" for this watch.

Despite the different designs, the timepiece is both sporty and elegant, making it consistently popular with both racers and their fans. Because it´s very tidy and straightforward design also fits perfectly with the suit.

TAG HEUER CARRERA CV2013.BA0794

Popular TAG Heuer Carrera models

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph (Ref. CAR2014.FC6235) is equipped with an in-house movement, the TAG Heuer Calibre 16. The model is available in many different versions, whether in noble gold or classic leather, everyone will find what they are looking for with this model. It is equipped with three totalisers and a date display, yet it does not look cluttered, but straightforwardly elegant.

With the TAG Heuer Carrera (Ref. CV2A1R.BA0799) you always keep track of everything. With a date and weekday display at 3 o'clock, an automatic calibre, small second and a tachymeter scale, this model is the ideal companion for athletes and sports fans alike. Whether you prefer simple watches or want a real eye-catcher, this model is the right choice for you.

The TAG Heuer Grand Carrera (Ref. CAV511A.BA0902) is both stylish and functional. The handy flyback function makes it possible to reset the second hand of the stopwatch with just one push of a button. This is not something that can be taken for granted. With most chronographs, it takes three steps to set the hand back to zero. During a race, this can waste valuable seconds. The watch is also water resistant to a depth of 100 metres, so it can be worn while swimming or snorkelling. Protected by a domed sapphire crystal, it is also exceptionally robust and scratch-resistant.

The story of the TAG Heuer Carrera

The Swiss watchmaker Edouard Heuer founded the watch manufactory Heuer in 1860. As early as 1880, he was the first watchmaker worldwide to produce chronographs in series. This was the first milestone in a continuing success story. Over four generations, the company was passed on to members of the family, most recently to the successful entrepreneur Jack Heuer.

This was in 1962, as an avid racing fan in Florida at the famous Sebring International Raceway as he talked to the parents of the successful racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez. They raved about the legendary yet dangerous car race Carrera Panamericana, and with their enthusiasm, they set the young entrepreneur in such a position that he decided to develop an equally legendary watch and designate it after this race. The idea for the Heuer Carrera was born. One year later, in 1963, the watch already was launched. In contrast to its predecessors, the Heuer Carrera did not use the distinctive rotating bezel to guarantee better readability in any extreme situation.

The watch was immediately popular among both racing drivers and people who were simply interested in motorsports. The old Carrera vintage models still have the classic Heuer motif, after the merge with the TAG group in 1985, the motif was changed to the now known TAG Heuer logo.

Other popular models from TAG Heuer

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 was inspired by the fast-paced life of racers. Not only designed for the racetrack itself, but also for the fans next to it, the watch is appreciated for its ruggedness and comfort. Equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel and ceramic specially designed for this watch, the Formula 1 is both tasteful and functional.

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer is the diver's watch of TAG Heuer. It combines the significant features of a divers watch with the advantages of a chronograph. Water resistant to a depth of 300 or 500 meters, the watch is also popular with professional divers. The bezel is rotatable to one side and equipped with a 60-minute scale. Luminous numbers and hands ensure that time is easy to read even in deep darkness.

A particularly eye-catching watch is the TAG Heuer Monaco. With its square shape, it is full of character. Many models today have a size of 39 mm x 39 mm and are therefore still close to the original from the early 1970s. The watch on the wrist was made famous by Steve McQueen in 1971 in the movie "Le Mans". The Monaco can score not only with this film appearance but also with technical brilliance. It was the first square, waterproof chronograph with an automatic winding mechanism. Under the reference number CAW211P.FC6356 you will find the TAG Heuer Monaco with the Caliber 11, which is very similar to the original model thanks to the left mounted crown and is very popular with classic enthusiasts.

Often wrongly in the shadow of TAG Heuer Monaco. The Classic Classic Monza is available in a modern yet classic pillow shape reminiscent of 1930s designs. Already Niki Lauda got a TAG Heuer Monza for the World Championship title presented. The first watches of this series were operated by a calibre 15, which was one of the first automatic chronograph calibres. Later, the calibre 12 was introduced for this series. The two models can be well distinguished since the Monza had a flying second display at 10 o'clock with the calibre 15, but the calibre 12 watch only a small second at three o'clock. In 1980, a model with an hour counter at nine o'clock was made.

The TAG Heuer Link can be recognised by its steel bracelet made of S-shaped links. It is not common for a watch to be named after its bracelet, but the TAG Heuer Link is exactly that. It provides a high level of comfort thanks to the elegant links and is available as a simple three-hand watch as well as a chronograph with up to three subsidiary dials.