Two years after TAG Heuer and Porsche forged an official partnership, the two businesses that share the Carrera name for their cars and watches have unveiled a fresh pair of chronographs: the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche.
The two Carrera watches arrive in the 60th anniversary year of the sporty chronograph and it has also been 60 years since Porsche first launched the 901, which became the famous 911.
TAG’s two new watches draw on design elements from both the history of the timekeepers and the sports cars.
“This watch perfectly encapsulates the essence of the motorsport universe which is a shared value in our partnership with Porsche. We have seamlessly merged the heritage of the 911 and the TAG Heuer Carrera, leveraging cutting-edge technology and unique design,” says Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer.
“It is a testament to our shared values of precision, innovation, and a deep appreciation for our respective histories,” he adds.
TAG Heuer is introducing a modified version of its in-house caliber TH20 for the watches.
The automatic TH20-08 chronograph movement is designed for precise measurement of short time intervals — for example, Porsche 901’s acceleration at its launch in 1963 from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.1 seconds.
This is achieved with a central hand that quickly accelerates at the start of each minute then gradually decelerates over 60 seconds before restarting.
The movement, which has a rotor designed to look like Porsche’s three-spoke steering wheel, is on display through a crystal case back.
There is an 18ct rose gold version of the watch and a piece in steel, both measuring 43mm and sold on leather straps.
The steel model has a silver dial while the gold edition has a more vintage beige hue.
Nods to the Porsche 911 are found in red lines on the flange that mirror the 0-100 km/h in 9.1 seconds of the 901.
The 6 o’clock subdial has a reference to the dashboard of the 1970s Porsche, where the area around 50 km/h was often highlighted to indicate the recommended speed in urban areas.
A red portion of the 9 o’clock subdial is a reminder of the a rev limiter, which Porsche set at 6800 revolution per minute.
The dial is protected under a domed glassbox crystal glass, which TAG Heuer reintroduced earlier this year as part of its 60th anniversary Carrera collection.
The rose gold reference is retailing for £20,550. The steel piece is £8,050.
