Appointed chief executive of TAG Heuer in 2020, Frédéric Arnault is often described as a son of Bernard Arnault, now the world’s richest man thanks to his controlling stake in LVMH. But the younger Arnault, who was just 25 when he took the job, is notable amongst watch industry bosses for his background.

In contrast to the marketing or sales background that characterise most executives in the business, Mr Arnault has a degree in computational and applied mathematics from École Polytechnique, a French science and technology university with a long list of accomplished alumni, including Nobel laureates, presidents, and captains of industry (including the senior Arnault).

Mr Arnault has been in the top job for two years, while it typically takes three to five years to develop an all new watch and even longer for a movement. As a result, his vision for TAG Heuer has yet to fully materialise in its products, but hints of his outsider’s perspective and inclination towards technology are already apparent.

This has manifested itself in TAG Heuer’s Connected smartwatch and its solar-powered dive watch, but more notably in its flagship mechanical offering, the Carrera Plasma, an unorthodox jewelled chronograph that makes liberal use of synthetic diamonds.

Synthetic diamonds grown to fit perfectly into the case of the Plasma, which is made of anodised aluminium

But the most tantalising creations lie perhaps two to three years in the future, given that one of Mr Arnault’s first big hires was the duo of Carole Forestier-Kasapi and Edouard Mignon, now TAG Heuer Movements Director and LVMH Chief Innovation Officer respectively.

In their previous jobs, the pair helped shaped movement development and industrialisation at Cartier and its parent Richemont, creating cutting-edge complications utilising exotic materials but also mass-produced in-house movements.

For an insight into where TAG Heuer is heading, I spoke with Mr Arnault at LVMH Watch Week that took place earlier in January.

Frédéric Arnault (FA): I think we saw each other at Watches & Wonders…

SJX: Indeed, Watches and Wonders [where you showed] the Plasma. Are concept watches like the Plasma going to be a recurring theme?

FA: Yes, but now we don’t consider them as concept watches the same way we had them in the past.

SJX: Like Mikrogirder and so on…

FA: We will sell this; not in significant volumes, but allocated to select customers.

SJX: You will continue with the experimentation with different materials?

FA: Of course. And even with the Plasma. You’ll see a new Plasma at Watches & Wonders, along with high horology – new movements and new complications.

The Plasma has a polycrystalline diamond dial set with baguette-cut diamonds

SJX: Something that is unconventional for a luxury watch brand is the Connected watch. It is in a way your brainchild because Connected was the first thing you took on when you joined the brand. What is the rationale for Connected, and where do you see it going?

FA: We have a unique position in the smartwatch segment. We are the most elegant offering and we also take inspiration from traditional watchmaking. And we see that’s what our customers love about the Connected – it doesn’t look like a smartwatch. We can track the watch faces wearers use and the most popular are those inspired by the world of mechanical watches.

But we do it with the best technology that we can have, from the chipset to the operating system. Every day we track usage of the Connected, we look at the numbers, like how many people were wearing a Connected watch yesterday. That allows us to ensure we develop features that adds value for the wearer on a day-to-day basis.

SJX: So consumers like digital faces with hands, more or less.

FA: With hands of course. Or even skeletonised dials where you can see some parts of the movement. In fact, we will go one step further to make complications for the Connected that look mechanical but are impossible from a mechanical perspective. We can create them on a screen and our team will have a lot of fun designing them.

SJX: Where do you want to take it in, say 10 or 15 years?

FA: I would love to tell you that we have a 10- or 15-year vision for the Connected watch. That’s true for our mechanical watches where we have a roadmap going up to 10 years.

But the pace is much faster for the Connected, especially for the movement, and we have to react to the market’s evolution. There’s a large ecosystem of partners for Connected, while the competition is going very fast. So we have to be much more agile in the development process, in pivoting, and making product solutions.

What I can say is that the vision for Connected has been set. It’s about continuous improvement. We have two sizes. We’ll do a launch every two years. We have some key themes designed into our watch faces, like health and wellness, sports, golf, triathlon. We have strong ideas and a strong strategy, while in terms of execution, we have to be very agile.

SJX: I guess this must be 15 years ago, TAG Heuer made [the Monaco Sixty-Nine] that was one half-mechanical and the other half-electronic, with a hinged case. Is this something one day you will bring back? Combining Connected and mechanical in one watch?

FA: Never say never, but I don’t think both worlds are compatible. If you want the best in Connected technology, it has to be fully Connected. If you want the best in mechanical technology, it has to be fully mechanical. And we don’t like compromise.

Frederic Arnault in Singapore. Image – TAG Heuer

SJX: As for your traditional watch line-up, I remember when we met at Watches & Wonders you mentioned the brand is segmenting itself according to movements – Sellita, Kenissi, in-house, solar, quartz. Can you tell us more about this?

FA: The movement is heart of the brand; key to the quality of the watch. So we are segmenting the offering into three movement types.

Quartz – standard and solar. But solar quartz will take more and more space going forward because we believe it’s an amazing value-add for the customer.

For mechanical, there’s the three-hand [at the entry-level], where we want to bring the best quality to all of our three-hand movements. We are working on eventually having a five-year warranty [for three-hand], largely for our own movements.

And then there’s the chronograph. We are concentrating all of our efforts on the Heuer 02, which is now taking more and more space in the collection [within the] Carrera and Monaco. And we will also develop complications on the Heuer 02. You will see one complication this year, another one next year. They will be simple complications but ones that tell an amazing story.

And last but not least, we are considering working a comeback in the high-horology segment with ground-breaking, innovative complications. You will have a small preview of it [at Watches & Wonders] this year.

One of the brand’s more traditional chronographs, the Carrera Chronograph “60th Anniversary”

SJX: Ground-breaking complications must be one of the reasons you hired Carole Forestier-Kasapi and Edouard Mignon. In their previous roles they developed avant-garde complications and I assume that is where you want to go. Can you share your vision for this?

FA: I can definitely share a vision. We will stay in a territory where we are legitimate and credible. For that there’s one complication that is fundamental for us, which will be the focus of all of our efforts. It’s the chronograph of course.

Before doing wristwatches, Heuer did stopwatches. Our first wristwatches were chronographs. We were the first to do a micrograph that measured a hundred of a second – more than a hundred years ago. There’s so many things we can do with the chronograph, so before doing anything else we will really focus our efforts there.

An upscale rendition of the Heuer 02 with the bonus of a flyback feature found in the new Monza

SJX: I look forward to that. The last question returns to the Plasma. This is probably the first high-end mechanical watch with synthetic diamonds as decoration. What was the appeal of the material?

FA: Ever since I joined the brand, I saw the “avant-garde” in our name. This idea is so powerful and we needed to make it a reality in terms of product. So we need to come up with avant-garde technical innovations every year.

But the idea also gives us a lot of freedom: avant-garde in the movement, avant-garde in materials, avant-garde in design. Why not avant-garde jewellery? But what is avant-garde jewellery?

Naturally, it has to be lab-grown diamonds. Watch brands have not yet figured out the right way of entry in this field. So that was also a reason we went into this segment.

We wanted to create something new and not just replace natural diamonds with lab-grown diamonds. We realised we needed to leverage this technology to design something that will be impossible to do with natural diamonds.

You saw the first expression of the concept. There are so many other expressions we could have done. And there so many more expressions of the idea that you will see from us in the future. [laughs]

The enormous diamond crown of the Plasma

SJX: In luxury goods, the convention is natural diamonds. What do you say to the consumer who believes that natural diamonds are a must-have?

FA: We sold already quite a few of these pieces and the lab-grown diamond aspect was one of the key points of appeal, especially with this execution. If you want this design, you have no solution in natural diamonds. You cannot have a diamond crown of 2.5 carats, a functional component that’s one block of diamond. You cannot have this dial in this polycrystalline diamond – it simply doesn’t exist.

SJX: Will synthetic diamond be used for functional components in the movement one day?

FA: We are working on it.

SJX: Thank you for your time.

]]> https://watchesbysjx.com/2023/01/tag-heuer-carrera-chronograph-60th-anniversary.html Thu, 12 Jan 2023 05:00:35 +0000 https://watchesbysjx.com/?p=146829 Jack Heuer introduced the Carrera in 1963 as a chronograph for race-car drivers. No frills yet stylish design, the Carrera was perfect blend of form and function. Sixty years on TAG Heuer is celebrating its signature chronograph with a faithful revival, the Carrera Chronograph “60th Anniversary”, the first in a series of commemorative models that will […]]]>

Jack Heuer introduced the Carrera in 1963 as a chronograph for race-car drivers. No frills yet stylish design, the Carrera was perfect blend of form and function. Sixty years on TAG Heuer is celebrating its signature chronograph with a faithful revival, the Carrera Chronograph “60th Anniversary”, the first in a series of commemorative models that will be launched over the year – but it will be the only vintage remake amongst the commemorative editions.

Presented in the modern-day Carrera case of 39 mm, it is a near-identical replica of the classic Carrera ref. 2447 SN with its distinctive “panda” dial. While it incorporates the key elements of the original, the brand has updated the watch with its in-house automatic movement and of course scaled up the design to match.

Initial thoughts

I was struck by its understated styling of the Carrera Chronograph “60th Anniversary”. It’s a remake that doesn’t try to do too much but performs well. The original was clearly a functional sports chronograph but still elegant, something that this remake inherits. And the simplicity of the original ensures that it doesn’t look dated.

Admittedly, this is not exactly novel since TAG Heuer already released the remake of the ref. 2447S with an all-silver dial in 2020. But the “panda” dial is undoubtedly more appealing. It’s perfect homage to the 1960s and the brand’s history in motor racing. The dial gets the details right, including the “Heuer” logo, brushed finish, recessed registers, and even the perforated “racing” strap. And I like that fact that the brand stuck to the original design entirely and left out a date window at six.

The dial also sports faux-vintage Super-Luminova. Such “lume” is overused in vintage remakes, but in a few instances it works, including this one. The parchment lume goes well with the silvered, “panda” dial.

But as is the case for all of TAG Heuer’s vintage remake, the large is quite large, especially when compared to the original. The 39 mm is manageable, even appealing when considering modern sizing norms, but it is pretty thick at over 14 mm. The tall case mean that the proportions are not quite the same as the original. 

Retailing for US$7,400, it is slightly more expensive than the standard models in the present collection (that are also larger in diameter), but not much more so. With the in-house movement and good execution, it is well priced.

And this has a bit of extra appeal as the last Carrera vintage remake. Subsequent Carreras will sport a different case and modernised dial design.

A long way since 1963

TAG Heuer’s affinity for motor racing is rooted in its history, which is replete with famous drivers, champion teams, and major races. No watch encapsulates that like the Carrera (except maybe the Monaco). The original was named after Carrera Panamericana, the road rally that took place across the rugged terrain of Mexico. Notorious due to the multiple casualties that occurred during the race, the Carrera Panamericana was cancelled in 1954.

Not long after, Jack Heuer, great-grandson of the brand’s founder and then its chief designer, sought to create a chronograph that was legible and minimalist, one that did away with the scales common in chronographs of the preceding decades. He learnt about the Carrera Panamericana in the early 1960s, leading him to christen the new creation “Carrera”.

An example of the Carrera ref. 2447SN that sold in 2017. Image – Phillips

Over the years, the model has been updated with assorted features and redesigned several times. While some ventured far from the original in terms of styling, recent Carrera models have returned to the aesthetics of the original, culminating in the 60th anniversary “panda”. The anniversary model replicates the ref. 2447SN (“S” for silver and “N” for noir), which stands out for its restrained yet high-contrast design.

The dial stays faithful to the original in both design and finish. The dial is silver with a sunray-brushed finish, while the sub-dials are recessed and stamped with a concentric pattern.  Importantly, the dial recreates the proportions of the original, more or less, resulting in a pleasing, balanced layout.

But of course, as is often the case with remakes, the new dial feels, well, new as compared to the original. The printing and finishing are more pronounced, particularly with the patterning on the registers.

The case is the same one found on past Carrera remakes. It sticks to the form of the original but on a larger scale at 39 mm by 14.3 mm. The diameter is a good size that still gives it a vintage feel, though the thickness takes away from that. 

The case height is inevitable due to the movement inside, which is the same calibre found in  TAG Heuer’s more premium chronographs. The Heuer 02 is the brand’s workhorse in-house movement, featuring a column wheel and vertical clutch, along with a substantial power reserve of 80 hours.

The Heuer 02

Concluding thoughts

The Carrera 60th Anniversary is a good-looking watch that is fairly affordable. The vintage design is simple enough that it remains fresh, a quality that has been preserved in the remake. Overall, this strong release from TAG Heuer that will please both longtime fans of the brand and those who have just discovered it.

Key facts and price

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “60th Anniversary”
Ref. CR5090.FN6001

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 14.3 mm
Material: Polished steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Leather strap with folding clasp

Limited edition: 600 pieces
Availability: At TAG Heuer boutiques and retailers beginning January 2023
Price: US$7,400 (10,150 Singapore dollars inclusive of GST)

For more, visit Tagheuer.com.

LVMH Watch Week, the year’s first significant watch fair, just kicked off in Singapore. In some ways a warmup for Watches & Wonders in March – the biggest watch fair of the year – the LVMH Watch Week is where the watchmakers owned by the French group show off their wares.

Amongst them is TAG Heuer, which has revived one of its less-known racing chronographs from the 1970s but in a thoroughly modern style. The Monza Flyback Chronometer is a flyback chronograph featuring an open-worked dial and a 42 mm carbon composite case.

Initial thoughts

Perhaps the most aggressively modern chronograph in TAG Heuer’s current line-up, the new Monza liberally reinterprets the 1970s original. While the vintage Monza is not famous as the Carrera or Monaco, it is interesting in several respects, including the fact that it was the first serially-produced Heuer to sport a black-coated case.

The carbon case and open-worked, asymmetrical dial show another face of TAG Heuer, but one that still fits with its motorsports-chronograph heritage. Certainly a TAG Heuer that is different, the Monza has clearly been conceived to cater to contemporary tastes, which is a good thing given that TAG Heuer already has an ample offering of faithful vintage remakes.

But the new Monza comes with a caveat, a steep price. Coming in at US$13,500, the Monza costs double the Autavia Flyback Chronograph that has the same movement but a no-frills steel case. Even considering the carbon composite case and fancy dial, the price premium is difficult to rationalise.

A racing classic for the modern-day

Like most TAG Heuer chronographs, the Monza Flyback Chronometer reflects the brand’s long history in motor racing. First released in 1976, the Monza was designed by Jack Heuer, great-grandson of the brand’s founder, to celebrate Ferrari’s twin Formula One victories in 1975, when the team won both the constructor’s and driver’s championships. Austrian driver Niki Lauda clinched the title after placing third at the Italian Grand Prix, which took place at none other than the Monza Circuit.

Since then, the Monza has come and gone, appearing in various guises over the decades. In the early 2000s, the brand debuted several versions of the Monza in a compact 39 mm steel case. And in 2016, the Monza was redesigned as a limited edition for the model’s 40th anniversary. All 21st century Monza models, however, more or less hewed to the styling of the original.

Austrian Formula One driver Niki Lauda at the Italian Grand Prix in 1975. Image – TAG Heuer

A welcome refresh

The new Monza is refreshing break from its predecessors. It retains the cushion-shaped outline of past models, but it’s now 42 mm of carbon composite. Carbon composite is commonplace now, especially for sports chronogaphs, but it still has appeal for its distinctive look and feel. Not only does it result in a lightweight case that is comfortable on the wrist, but the marbled composite material evokes the monocoque cells of Formula 1 cars that protect the driver.

Interestingly, the composite case is constructed of two parts with the bezel and case middle being separate, resulting in a distinct border between the two. Because carbon composite cases are often created in a mould, a one-piece construction is more cost efficient and thus more common.

Despite the modern stlying, the new Monza does have hark back to the vintage original with pump-style pushers that add a retro touch. 

While the crown is carbon composite, the pushers are DLC-coated steel

The large case results in an expansive dial aperture that can accommodate the complex design. The dial is open-worked in the centre and ringed by both pulsometer and tachymeter scales. And it has “racing” accents of red and blue as expected of a motorsports-inspired chronograph. 

Interestingly, the blue hour markers are actually blue Super-Luminova

Two details stand out on the dial. One is the skeletonised date wheel that adds to the visual intricacy of the dial. The date wheel is black but set against a Super-Luminova background within the date window so that the date numeral is still visible in the dark. And the second are the tinted sapphire discs for the twin registers, one for the elapsed minutes and the other for the constant seconds.

The “lume” shot. Image – TAG Heuer

As with many of TAG Heuer’s mid- to high-end chronographs, the Monza is powered by the Heuer 02. But this is a slightly more upscale version of the movement that has both a flyback mechanism as well as COSC certification.

As expected of a competent, modern chronograph, the movement features both a column wheel and vertical clutch. And it has a substantial power reserve of 80 hours, so you’ll not need to worry about the watch running out of juice.

The Heuer 02 COSC Flyback

Concluding thoughts

The Monza Flyback Chronometer will turn heads, if for no other reason than it looks very different from most of TAG Heuer’s other chronographs. The overall package is well executed, while the case material and in-house movement give it some technical credibility. It is, however, pricey.

Key facts and price

TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer
Ref. CR5090.FN6001

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 15.3 mm
Material: Carbon
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02 COSC Flyback
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and flyback chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Textile strap with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: At TAG Heuer boutiques and retailers beginning January 2023.
Price: US$13,850 (19,700 Singapore dollars inclusive of GST)

For more, visit Tagheuer.com.

Having just announced a limited edition with a gold case and semiprecious stone dial, TAG Heuer has debuted another all-gold Carrera, the Carrera Chronograph “JPS”. It features an 18k yellow gold case matched with a black-and-gold dial inspired by the 1158 CHN chronograph of the 1970s, a colour combination better known as the “JPS”.

That’s is short for John Player Special, a cigarette brand that sponsored the Lotus Formula 1 team in the 1970s. Its brand colours were black and gold, which was also the paintwork for the Lotus race cars. That led to the “JPS” label for the Rolex Daytona in the same colours, though the nickname has since been applied to sports chronographs in the same livery.

Initial thoughts

The Carrera “JPS” is essentially the same model that’s usually seen in steel, but now given a luxe makeover with a gold case and “JPS” dial. In typical Carrera style it opts for a two-counter look with a “ghost” seconds at six, resulting in a vintage vibe although the case is a very modern and slightly chunky 42 mm in diameter.

But the new Carrera really is all about the dial, which is no doubt meant to evoke what is now a million-dollar watch. While the market for vintage Daytonas has plateaued or even declined since its peak four years ago, the Daytona “JPS” has continued to sell for large sums, with a handful crossing the million-dollar mark over the past year. Besides the rarity of the model, the value also reflects the intrinsic appeal of the black-and-gold livery, which is both striking and easy to appreciate.

The Heuer 1158 CHN

The new Carrera attempts to capture the same look in a straightforward manner and mostly succeeds. It reproduces the high-contrast palette and also gets the details right, like the black date disc. That said, I would have hoped for a gilded outer seconds track like the namesake Daytona.

At US$21,500, the Carrera “JPS” is priced competitively for a solid-gold chronograph with an in-house movement. It is not a limited edition, so it should be easily available, though I foresee it being made in limited numbers since its price point is far above the average for TAG Heuer.

Formula 1 colours

The Carrera “JPS” has a black dial with a radially-brushed, metallic finish, along with two recessed registers in yellow gold gilt. The hands, applied hour markers, and even the frame for the date window are similarly gold plated.

Measuring 42 mm in diameter, the case is 3N gold, a richly-yellow alloy that’s been brushed on the sides and polished on top. It contains the Calibre Heuer 02, an in-house movement with an 80-hour power reserve. The rotor has been coated black and features gold-filled engraving to match the dial.

Key Facts and Price

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “JPS”
Ref. CBN2044.FC8313

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: 18k yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Black alligator with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: Starting November 2022 at TAG Heuer retailers and boutiques
Price: US$21,500

For more, visit Tagheuer.com.

Singapore watch retailer Cortina continues with its roll-out of special watches to mark its golden jubilee. Following limited editions from Blancpain, Patek Philippe, and H. Moser & Cie. comes the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Cortina Watch. While it might sound like yet another vintage-inspired chronograph, the latest Carrera is unlike anything TAG Heuer has done before.

Instead of the usual steel, the case is 18k yellow gold, while the dial is made of maw sit sit, a little-known green gemstone found only in the northern parts of Myanmar. And the hour markers and hands are of course 18k yellow gold to match.

Initial thoughts

The base-model Carrera powered by the in-house Heuer 02 calibre is an appealing watch to begin with, especially in steel where it’s an affordable proposition with a historical design. But it is primarily a practical, everyday watch, which is arguably what it should be given its history as a motorsports chronograph. The Cortina edition, however, is the opposite. It is pricey, very much so in fact, but it is special.

Green is the fashionable colour in watchmaking now, so you might be forgiven for feeling weary when faced with yet another dial in the colour. But green dials certainly capture the zeitgeist of today, and perhaps personify the “hype” watch culture exemplified by the famous olive-dial sports watch. The new Carrera, in contrast, runs counter to that. It is definitely green, but the natural stone dial means it is a intrinsically valuable shade of green with a tangible quality.

The integrated, vertical-clutch chronograph movement with column wheel that was developed in house

The execution combining yellow gold and the green gemstone is spot on, instantly setting it apart from the typical TAG Heuer chronograph and most other sports chronographs in fact. Granted, all that comes at a price of several multiples of the steel version, which will limit its appeal to a tiny number of enthusiasts.

But the cost is arguably justified by the gold case and more importantly, the dial material. The rarity of the material, as well as the watch itself – only 10 will be made – will speak to a niche of TAG Heuer collectors who want something different.

Maw sit sit

The dial is made of maw sit sit, a stone made up of several minerals, including jadeite with high chromium content, which gives it the characteristic dark green colour. And its black veining gives the material a richly textured appearance.

Often confused with jade, maw sit sit is in fact an entirely different species. Though more muted in colour than the greenest of jade, maw sit sit  is actually more rare. It’s a found only in northern Myanmar and gets its name from the village where it was first discovered, Maw Sit Sit near the base of the Himalayas.

While the highlight of the Carrera is the gemstone dial, the rest of the dial is equally fancy. All the hands as well as the hour markers are in 18k yellow gold, while all of the markings on the dial are in gold-powder print. And the two registers for the chronograph are in black, making this a “panda” dial of sorts.

The hour markers have multiple facets, which is especially obvious on the double-baton market at 12 o’clock

Key Facts and Price

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Cortina Watch Limited Edition
Ref. CBN2043.EB0261

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: 18k yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Black alligator with pin buckle, additional strap in brown alligator

Limited edition: 10 pieces
Availability: Only at Cortina Watch
Price: 59,200 Singapore dollars including GST (equivalent to US$41,500)

For more, visit 50thanniversary.cortinawatch.com.

A Briton who has been the Heritage Director at TAG Heuer since March 2021, Nicholas Biebuyck is in charge of the brand’s museum and archives. Like his peers at other brands, Mr Biebuyck’s role goes beyond historical papers and vintage watches. He participates in product development and marketing, while being a brand ambassador, especially in bringing the brand to enthusiasts and collectors.

But Mr Biebuyck also experienced a swathe of the watch industry prior to his role at TAG Heuer. He was previously a watch specialist at Bonhams and then Christie’s before joining Blackbird Watch Manual, a specialist magazine based in Hong Kong. Mr Biebuyck, who now lives in Switzerland with his family, also gained an insight into the art of managing clients with earlier stints as a “Genius” in an Apple Store and then marketing private-jet charters in Africa.

The hand-finished movement in the one-off Monaco Only Watch 2021, a hint of where TAG Heuer might be headed

And so Mr Biebuyck was wearing several hats when he was in Singapore recently during the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, when TAG Heuer staged an exhibition dedicated to its history in motorsports.

We got the opportunity to quiz him on several topics, including where TAG Heuer is headed and how the brand balances its glamorous motorsports history with its avant-garde innovation. And we also gain his thoughts on the vintage Heuer market, especially after the high watermark of the Heuer thematic auction in 2017.

SJX: TAG Heuer’s modern-day identity consists of two distinct, contrasting strands. One is avant-garde and contemporary watches like the V4 and Plasma, and the other is 1960s vintage-inspired like Monaco and Carrera. You could say they have different audience entirely – how do you reconcile this into a unified brand?

Nicholas Biebuyck (NB): I think the key to this particular topic is to look at the brand as it is today under LVMH. Before that, from 1860 to 1982, it was a family-run business. Jack was really the one who moved the business post-1958, particularly post-1962 when he took over a majority stake.

Then 1982, during the Quartz Crisis, we went through these economic challenges. We got acquired by Piaget, which restructured the business and cut it to the bone. And then under Techniques d’Avant Garde [TAG], we were effectively a marketing company that happened to make watches.

But with LVMH and Bernard Arnault, it’s clear that they have great sympathy for brand’s heritage and the stories it can tell. Each successive CEO then laid the foundations we have today.

The Carrera Plasma Tourbillon, a showcase of the possibilities of synthetic diamond

In the first few years Jean-Christophe Babin [today the chief executive of Bulgari] focused on high-end watchmaking. He wanted the brand to be desirable and pushed TAG to its ultimate execution in terms of technology. Admittedly some of the watches were very much concepts, but they did help us from a brand awareness and prestige perspective.

Then we have Jean-Claude Biver, who was very much leaning into the heritage component, moving us to the middle of the pack in price, and really emphasising the storytelling.

Then we have Stephen Bianchi. He’s someone who I greatly admire; he’s the first CEO I’ve met who has great sympathy and passion for the product but also a profound understanding of how to run a business. He really cleaned up the commercial component of the business.

So now we have this great foundation for Frédéric [Arnault] to build on. He is doing a fantastic job of balancing these two factors, because we’ve got to thread the needle. Heritage can be a both huge asset but also a burden, so to find the middle ground is tricky but we’ve done a great job.

It’s easy today for a brand to take a vintage watch, scan it, model it in 3D, and then press a button and out comes the one-to-one remake. It’s not particularly creative and it’s not particularly innovative. It’s far better to take the philosophical ideals of what a product or brand represented originally and then embrace that in a contemporary sense.

Look at Carrera Plasma, it’s a product that uses the bones of the classic Carrera case that goes back 1963 but in aluminium, an unusual material for watchmaking, along with a tourbillon, carbon hairspring, and lab-grown diamonds, particularly the polycrystalline diamond for the dial. It’s a really powerful story that combines technology and heritage.

The synthetic diamond dial of the Carrera Plasma

SJX: You mentioned TAG Heuer’s use of new concepts and technology; obviously [TAG Heuer Movements Director] Carole Forestier and [LVMH Chief Innovation Officer] Edouard Mignon both play a big role here.

Their work at their previous employer was very up avant-garde in terms of materials and technology – some of it was so advanced they didn’t have a chance to be rolled out. Perhaps some of their great ideas will realised at TAG Heuer. How does this really cutting-edge stuff fit into the brand?

NB: I can’t stress it highly enough, but working with Carol Kasapi is one of the greatest joys of being at TAG Heuer. She is a true visionary in watchmaking. I think her legacy is not fully understood right now, because so much of it was achieved behind closed doors.

That’s especially true when you look at the move towards in-house movements in her previous role. It looked so risky in the mid-2000s, especially for mid-priced brands. Everyone thought it was insane to go in-house. Today, one of the strongest attributes of [several brands Carole worked with] is in-house movements. Most people are not aware of how much Carole and Edouard contributed the decision to do that, especially her ability to industrialise movement production.

So for them to be with us is just the most incredible opportunity. I’m proud that I’m able to spend an hour week with Carole discussing watchmaking. We have these reflections every week on long-term product development and also specific projects we are working on.

Obviously I can’t share too much, but you can see some of her work as reimagining what fine watchmaking means for TAG Heuer. This will not some crazy escapement innovation or a chronograph coupling device that is impossible to industrialise. We are thinking about what we stand for as a brand, where we come from, and how to make her ideas into a reliable, tangible product that is widely available.

The Heuer Calibre 02, a workhorse in TAG Heuer’s current stable of in-house movements

SJX: Would it be fair to say that the Monaco Only Watch in 2021 represents where TAG Heuer is going in the future? A blend of old and new and technology and classical watchmaking. It had hand finishing in the movement, a vintage-inspired design with a modern components and materials.

NB: The Monaco Only Watch was very much a baby step in that direction – crawling before we walk, before we can run. It had to be developed in a very short time frame. We had to operate within the current Monaco collection, but we pushed it as far as we possibly could in order to tell a different story. We also wanted maximum transparency about our suppliers who played a part in the construction of the watch, like Andre Martinez who did the hand painting.

Only Watch is an incredible opportunity for us, since we have effectively unlimited creativity with a very respectable budget. Basically, it’s going to CEO saying, ‘We’re thinking of doing this, can we have this money?’ And because it’s for a great cause, Frédéric is extremely supportive.

So yes, Only Watch 2021 was a little nod in that direction, but for 2023 you’re going to see something that really redefines us as a fine-watchmaking brand, which will show you what our future can look like.

Monaco Only Watch 2021

SJX: So now let’s talk about your job of Heritage Director. TAG Heuer is a brand with a lot of history in motorsports and chronographs, and the heritage department has played a key role in getting the word out. What are your plans for the museum and heritage department?

NB: As Heritage Director there’s a few key components to the job. Number one is to secure the historical material, that means around 3,000 watches, around 100,000 paper assets, or another thousand items such as racing suits and helmets. We preserve, audit, inventory, and secure them.

The next step is share all that in a physical sense, that means expanding the museum. We plan to refurbish it next year to get it ready for international exhibitions. We’re looking to create a digital platform to share more of our paper archives, which are now being digitised and analysed for that.

Another component is collectors’ engagement. TAG Heuer is pretty good at engaging collectors, but with other manufacturers really expanding the collector’s engagement, we need to keep pace. Collectors form a small portion of clients, but they’re very vocal and they’re very much tastemakers. We can see how powerful they can be in steering the direction and the perception of the brand, so clearly we have to engage with them more.

Last is helping with authentic storytelling in the creation of products. I don’t really have formal responsibility in that area, that’s really more the work of the product team. But I can help them at the start of the process to develop an idea, send them pictures for inspiration, this kind of thing. And then when it comes to the press release I support with the historical and archival material.

SJX: What about like collector-oriented steps other brands have taken, like archive extracts, certificates? Are these on the cards as well?

NB: When it comes to extracts, the first thing to know is that we are be very open and we can say we simply do not have a paper archive listing all of our watches by case number and who they were sold to. During the 1982 Quartz Crisis, a lot of stuff went into the bin and wasn’t to to be seen again. I dream that one day we find a guy who hid things in his attic, just like our siblings at Zenith did.

But at the same time old records on paper are not always gospel. You’ve seen as well as anyone, such records were written all in cursive. It’s very easy to mistake “6” for a “0” or “7” for a “1”. Or you know something was made as a special configuration for a friend of the brand in the 1950s or 1960s but was not recorded with certainty. If you work off that, then all of a sudden you’ve got a digitised version that isn’t 100% accurate.

One of the best-documented vintage Heuer chronographs, the ref. 1158 CHN in 18k yellow gold

As a result, we approach things differently. With my background [in auction houses], I love doing large-scale data analysis on reference sets of good examples of a particular watch. I’ve done them previously for a variety of watches, such as Paul Newmans, fourth-series 2499s. We can do the same TAG Heuer because we have many examples in the archive, we have many known examples in the collector’s community, and we have the record of watches sold at auction.

In the long term, say in 2024, 2025, I would love to be in a position to offer a certificate of authenticity. It will not say your watch is from this date and sold to this retailer, but we will say with a degree of certainty this is what we know about your watch or reference. For example, this was the case number range, this is roughly when it was born, we know that the movement, case, and dial, if they were originally in this configuration. And we provide some documentary evidence to support that.

SJX: And then there are thematic auctions supported by the brand…

NB: As for thematic auctions, you know they can be pretty tricky. We can look at past brand-led auctions to see that they can have some short-term benefits, but it’s very easy as a brand to be accused of manipulating the marketplace.

I’ve survived long enough in the industry because I have a very clear moral compass. I have no interest in playing games in the market. When I bid on a watch for the museum, I will tell collectors. People knew I was biding on the James Garner Carrera for the museum.

If I see something in fantastic condition, I will support it to what I consider a fair market value, but if it goes beyond that to great home, I’m extremely happy since it’s a win for me in either situation.

The all-black Monaco at Phillips in May was a good example. I feel that a watch like that is worth 70,000-80,000 francs. I have a number of examples, but yes, I would like another one, because the provenance was solid and the condition was great. But it went to 113,000 francs and went to someone who I know will treasure the watch – that’s fantastic result for everyone.

Above: The Heuer Monaco “Dark Lord” that sold at Phillips in 2017 for CHF52,500, while a similar example sold for more than double at Phillips’ May 2022 sale

SJX: So you have worked at auction houses, watch magazines, now you work at a brand. How does that varied career help your role in TAG Heuer?

NB: I think I’ve had a virtually unrepeatable career path at this point. It’s no secret I never graduated from university and I have no academic qualifications, but there are no academic qualifications for this job – it’s just passion. You see my connections to watchmaking with what I’ve done at Blackbird and Christie’s.

But it was actually probably my time at the Genius Bar at Apple or working with VistaJet doing business development in West Africa where I learnt about interacting with the client. It also helps that I have a direct understanding of collectors, being a collector myself and having advised collectors. That gives me a good understanding of what people want to see from a brand.

SJX: Your time at an auction house was also when vintage Heuer reached its zenith in 2017 when you had Heuer Parade and a record price of…

NB: The Autavia 2446 for almost 140,000 francs.

SJX: Most agree that was the peak of the market. Where do you think the market is going? 

NB: I 100% agree that we had a huge spike in values in 2017 in and around the thematic auction. We know that results have trailed off since. But when truly exceptional watches come to market, they still make very comparable prices.

Phillips in December 2021 offered a first-execution Autavia 2446 – exactly the same model that performed so well at Heuer Parade – and it achieved a greater result. I was bidding on the watch and I got absolutely blown out of water. They also had very nice Seafarer that performed spectacularly well, then we had second-execution Autavia in June in New York, both did great. When truly important watches in spectacular condition come along, prices are still fantastic.

The Heuer Autavia ref. 2446M “Big Sub” that sold for CHF137,500 at Heuer Parade in November 2017

SJX: So the market has become more discerning?

NB: We can see that not specifically in the vintage world but across the wider market. You know as well as anyone contemporary watchmaking is so easy to buy and sell. You can see if it’s got box and papers or if it’s unpolished. Even a not-particularly-experienced junior specialist at an auction house can take in a Nautilus 5711 with an estimate of 20,000-30,000 and sell it for 150,000. There’s no expertise required to do that.

All the new money that came in to the market during the recovery from COVID and the rise of the crypto – that has obviously cooled off and had an impact on the contemporary watch market. It’s slowed down and a great test of the market will be the auctions in a few week’s time in Geneva and New York.

I really hope that means we are going gonna lose the “hype” watch buyers. I think those buyers who stick around are different, particularly the younger guys, particularly those from Asia. They have a great understanding of the anthropological aspect of watch collecting – the human component. Who wore these watches? Who made them originally? Who were the leaders in the industry? When you look at those elements of collecting, plus the quest for quality and rarity, vintage Heuer is unbelievably well positioned.

]]> https://watchesbysjx.com/2022/10/tag-heuer-formula-1-mario-kart.html Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:00:13 +0000 https://watchesbysjx.com/?p=143017 With a near-unparalleled history in auto racing, TAG Heuer’s latest is a light-hearted take on its storied past. Inspired by the famous plumber now driving a go-kart, the Formula 1 X Mario Kart pair are both limited-edition chronographs, each opposing ends of the price spectrum. The base model is the Formula 1 X Mario Kart Chronograph […]]]>

With a near-unparalleled history in auto racing, TAG Heuer’s latest is a light-hearted take on its storied past. Inspired by the famous plumber now driving a go-kart, the Formula 1 X Mario Kart pair are both limited-edition chronographs, each opposing ends of the price spectrum.

The base model is the Formula 1 X Mario Kart Chronograph with an “Easter egg” date display, while the top-of-the-line model is a variant of TAG Heuer’s tourbillon-chronograph with the COSC-certified Calibre Heuer 02T movement.

Initial thoughts

Pop culture adds levity to mechanical watchmaking and usually enhances the appeal, which is why the approach is a familiar one. Gerald Genta did it, and more recently RJ-Romain Jerome. TAG Heuer did it for the first time last year with the Connected × Super Mario that sold out swiftly, proving the appeal of the Italian plumber.

But the Connected was a smartwatch, while the pair of new releases are both mechanical, so they have appeal for watch enthusiasts. The Formula 1 Chronograph is basic but affordable, and livened up by subtle-but-clever Mario elements, like a date display with symbols from the game instead of numerals.

The Formula 1 chronograph

The tourbillon, on the other hand, is essentially an amusingly whimsical iteration of TAG Heuer’s standard tourbillon-chronograph, while not costing that much more, making it a more compelling proposition than the somewhat plain regular-production model.

Mario around the track

Inspired by the Nintendo game of the same name, both watches are dressed in high-speed red and black. The tourbillon has a 45 mm titanium case with a black ceramic bezel insert and a partly open-worked dial. But the centrepiece is the flying tourbillon at six o’clock that carries Mario in his kart, Spiny Shell, and Bullet Bill on its carriage, which makes one revolution a minute.

The watch is powered by the Calibre Heuer 02T, an automatic chronograph movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch, and of course a flying tourbillon regulator.

The Calibre Heuer 02T has a Mario-theme rotor unique to this edition

Featuring a similar aesthetic but far more accessible price, the Formula 1 chronograph has a steel case along with a black ceramic bezel inset.

Featuring a chequered pattern resembling the weave of carbon fibre composite, the dial has a small Mario Kart emblem in the seconds register at nine, but more amusing is the date.

Inspired by the “Easter eggs” found in many computer games, the date disc has assorted symbols from the game in lieu of the date numerals that are sprinkled through the 31 day cycle.

Like the standard Formula 1 chronograph, this is powered by the Calibre 16, which is either a Valjoux 7750 or Sellita SW500, both near-identical, no-frills movements.

Key facts and price

Diameter: 44 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: Stainless steel with black ceramic bezel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre 16
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Black calfskin with folding clasp

Limited edition: 3,000 pieces
Availability: From Oct 2022 at TAG Heuer’s online shop, boutiques, and retailers 
Price: US$4,300; or 6,050 Singapore dollars

Diameter: 45 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material:  Titanium with black ceramic bezel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02T COSC
Functions: Hours, minutes, tourbillon, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Black calfskin with folding clasp

Limited edition: 250 pieces
Availability: From Oct 2022 at TAG Heuer’s online shop and boutiques
Price: US$25,600; or 36,100 Singapore dollars

For more, visit tagheuer.com.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7, TAG Heuer unveils the limited-edition Carrera x Porsche 911 RS 2.7, continuing its partnership with the luxury carmaker that started last year. The pair of chronographs take clear inspiration from the iconic sports car and the dangerous rally race that inspired Jack Heuer and Ferry Porsche.

Initial thoughts

The narrow bezel and angular lugs are unmistakably Heuer Carrera, but it’s not a remake. Instead of recreating a vintage model from its archives, Heuer conceptualised a new iteration of the classic for contemporary tastes, while still giving it obvious retro details like the “Carrera” engraving on the case side.

Though the dial has more striking elements than the standard Carrera chronograph, the RS 2.7 feels cleaner and more purposeful. The coloured ring linking the hour markers is a nice touch, as is the countdown scale on the outer seconds scale.

But because it is based on the standard Carrera chronograph, it has the same dimensions, which means it’s a fairly large watch and also thick at almost 14.5 mm high. While not oversized by modern standards, the case lacks the compact feel of the vintage original. Still, with the retro elements and classic design, the new Carrera chronograph feels like a winner.

Since 1972

In his 2013 memoir The Times of My Life, Jack Heuer, great-grandson of Heuer’s founder Edouard, recalled how he was fascinated by Carrera Panamericana, the road rally across Mexico that became notorious for the rugged terrain that led to multiple casualties, including his friends, drivers Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez.

“I loved not only its sexy sound but also its multiple meanings, which include road, race, course, and career. All very much Heuer territory!”, wrote Mr Heuer, “So as soon as I got back to Switzerland, I rushed to register the name under ‘Heuer Carrera’… I decided the next product I would create would be called the ‘Carrera’.”

That same year, 1963, Ferry Porsche designed perhaps the most famous sports car in history: the 911. On October 5, 1972, Porsche unveiled a fully redesigned Carrera known as the RS 2.7 at the Paris Motor Show, one made for performance on both road and track. And exactly 50 years later, TAG Heuer is presenting the new Carrera chronographs in a tribute to the RS 2.7.

The Carrera RS 2.7 chronographs veer away from the typical sports watch by adopting a more dynamic palette: navy blue on the steel model and “Guards Red” on the rose gold variant. These colours were selected to best reproduce the colourways of two versions of the Carrera RS 2.7, which was available in vivid 27 colours typical of the 1970s.

The design also integrates the emblematic Porsche Carrera typeface on the dial and engraved, lacquered case flank. Rated to 100 m, the 42 mm case has the classic Carrera silhouette with angular lugs and “pump” pushers.

On the steel model, the engraving on the case side has been filled with a blue lacquer with a glossy finish much like the paintwork of a car. Its more luxurious counterpart in rose gold has a toned-down look with a tone-on-tone engraving.

Both watches are powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic, its proprietary chronograph movement that has a column-wheel, vertical clutch, and an 80-hour power reserve.

Key Facts and Price

TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche 911 RS 2.7
Ref. CBN2016.EB0275 (blue)
Ref. CBN2045.FC8316 (red)

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 14.48 mm
Material: Stainless steel or 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Red alligator with pin buckle for gold version, while steel model includes both steel bracelet and fabric strap

Limited edition: 200 pieces in red gold and 500 pieces in steel
Availability: Now at TAG Heuer boutiques and retailers
Price: US$7,400 for stainless steel, US$ 23,500 for rose gold

For more, visit tagheuer.com.

On the opening day of the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, TAG Heuer takes the covers off the Heuer Monaco Special Edition, which takes its cues from the Monaco ref. 74033N, the all-black model from the 1970s nicknamed the “Dark Lord”. While it might look like a reissue at a glance, the new Monaco ticks all the right boxes in terms of vintage-inspired design without being a remake.

Initial thoughts

While TAG Heuer frequently turned to vintage remakes in recent years, the brand has now pivoted towards contemporary designs and concepts, a move exemplified by the Carbon Monaco and Carrera Plasma. The new Monaco Special Edition continues that – but at an affordable price point.

The original “Dark Lord” is an attractive watch – the all-black look goes well with the square case and 1970s feel – and so the new Monaco is as well. But the new model is appealing because it is not a one-for-one remake, which would have been an easy to pull off but less interesting.

The special edition manages to channel the feel of the vintage original by using rose gold accents on the dial, along with the textured outer section that brings to mind vintage synthetic leather straps.

But it is entirely modern in materials and mechanics. The case is coated titanium, while the movement is the in-house Heuer 02. And this costs only US$300 more than a Monaco powered by an ETA movement, making it an easy choice for anyone who likes the model.

The vintage Monaco “Dark Lord” ref. 74033N

“Dark Lord”

Once the most valuable vintage Heuer chronograph, the Monaco “Dark Lord” serves as inspiration for the new launch, which has a smartly designed dial in colours that evoke the vintage Monaco without being explicitly vintage elements. Most obvious are the rose gold-plated hands and indices that recall the aged tritium on the vintage original.

The dial is made up of two parts: a concentrically-brushed centre along with an unusually textured outer section that’s been stamped to give it a granular surface inspired by tyres and asphalt.

The case is traditional Monaco in both style and dimensions, measuring 39 mm by 39 mm with the angular, flat surfaces that define the model.

Finished with a matte, blasted finish, the case is titanium that’s been coated with diamond-like carbon (DLC), a hard-wearing coating that gives it a muted finish with only the slightest tiny of gloss. Though TAG Heuer has utilised DLC-coated titanium for other models, it’s been applied for the first time to the Monaco.

Unlike the classical Monaco, however, this has the crown at the conventional, three o’clock position as a result of the in-house movement within.

In contrast to the most recent iteration of the Monaco that also had a titanium case, this is equipped with the Calibre Heuer 02, an in-house calibre with an 80 hour power reserve. It’s a solid, industrial chronograph movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch.

The open-worked rotor has been plated in rose gold to match the dial accents

Key facts and price

TAG Heuer Monaco Special Edition 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Ref. CBL2180.FC6497

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: Titanium with DLC coating
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Calibre Heuer 02
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Alligator with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: From May 2022 at TAG Heuer’s online shop and boutiques
Price: US$8,200

For more, visit tagheuer.com.

TAG Heuer is injecting advanced materials technology into what was the most affordable tourbillon-chronograph on the market, creating the Carrera Plasma Tourbillon Nanograph.

The new watch makes liberal use of carbon in all its forms, most notably with a carbon-composite hairspring along with a dial and crown made entirely of synthetic diamond, reflecting chief executive Frederic Arnault’s interest in technology and industrial processes. Priced at the equivalent of US$375,000, the Plasma is the first luxury mechanical watch to utilise artificial, or lab-grown, diamonds.

Initial thoughts

TAG Heuer has developed a suite of cutting-edge technology unusual a brands in its price range, though the brand’s most significant innovation, the carbon-composite hairspring, has never really gotten the recognition it deserves. While extremely expensive and slated to be produced in tiny numbers – just a handful a year according to Mr Arnault – the Plasma will certain broadcast TAG Heuer’s accomplishments in innovation, as well as that of its in synthetic diamond suppliers.

While lab-grown diamonds aren’t new, they have never before been used in high-end watch. As befits their unconventional status, the synthetic diamonds have been set in an abstract manner on the case, as opposed to typical gem setting. Combined with the synthetic diamond dial and crown, the result is a watch that is weird yet compelling.

But more important than the decorative use of synthetic diamond is the other form of carbon in the watch. Both the hairspring and tourbillon cage are carbon composite, a material that is highly conducive for good timekeeping. The carbon hairspring is light, strong, and non-magnetic, while the carbon cage is similarly featherweight. Together they enhance the efficiency of the movement by reducing the energy needed to move the tourbillon.

Synthetic diamond

A product that took off in the mid-20th century, synthetic diamonds have long been used for industrial applications like diamond-tipped cutting tools or abrasive agents. And they have also been used in affordable jewellery, but practically never in pricey jewellery or watches.

The world of high-end mechanical watchmaking is no stranger to lab-grown diamonds, though they have only been used for functional components in the past. In 2007 Ulysse Nardin debuted synthetic diamond coating for silicon escapement parts as a method of increasing hardness and wear resistance.

In contrast, the Plasma uses synthetic diamond for purely aesthetic purposes. It shrewdly capitalises on the versatility of synthetic diamond to form the dial as well as the geometric forms necessary for a perfect inlay on the case.

The case is anodised aluminium, while the bezel is black ceramic

In fact, the entire dial is made of diamond, including the chronograph registers. The counters are each made of a single piece of polycrystalline diamond attached to a brass base, the same construction used for the main dial. This represents a new approach to textured, reflective dials, which usually rely on galvanic treatment, PVD, or lacquer.

Also notable is the crown, which is a single, 2.5 carat diamond made by a Capsoul, a start-up specialises in synthetic diamond. The size of the crown, as well as the 48 largish diamonds on the case, perfectly illustrate the advantage of lab-grown diamonds. It would have been impossible to cut natural diamonds into the necessary shape.

Mechanically, the movement is identical to the standard Heuer 02, save for the carbon-composite parts in the tourbillon and the decoration on the movement bridges.

TAG Heuer has used its carbon hairspring sparingly in the past – it hasn’t yet managed to produce the hairspring on a large scale – but the carbon tourbillon cage is a first for the brand (though not for the broader industry).

While less novel than the carbon hairspring, the carbon cage is nevertheless practical. It solves one of the biggest inherent problems of a tourbillon: the large amount of energy expended to rotate the cage, which can take a toll on timekeeping if not accounted for during the movement construction.

The chequerboard decorative on the bridges was inspired by the Carbon Monaco created for Only Watch 2021

Key facts and price

TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma Tourbillon Nanograph
Ref. XCBN5A90.FC8315

Diameter: 44 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: Anodised aluminium and lab-grown diamond
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Heuer 02 Tourbillon Nanograph
Functions: Hours, minute, tourbillon, and chronograph 
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Black calfskin with titanium buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At TAG Heuer boutiques and retailers
Price: CHF350,000

For more, visit Tagheuer.com.