The formal partnership between the TAG Heuer watch brand and the Porsche sports car manufacturer was a natural choice. Over the years, the two companies have been linked by a deep friendship, which has a common history, story, and especially values. However, this news is shocking. There are enough reasons for watch manufacturers to launch special models and let us test them immediately.
Compared with other current TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 models, the new Porsche Chronograph is impressive because of its closed dial, and the enviable gaze inevitably sticks to the asphalt like hot tires. The seemingly ordinary anthracite dial has no perforations, but it is very special. This special Carrera model (our test watch) is given a unique texture as rough as an asphalt track, symbolizing TAG Heuer's love for motorsport and the new partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche.
For the same reason, the bright black scratch-resistant ceramic bezel with the words "tachymetre" is engraved with the name "Porsche" and red letters in the original font pattern are printed on it. Many details of the stopwatch function are also displayed in red: the tips of all chronograph hands, certain areas within the elapsed minutes and elapsed hour counters, and the 15-second markers on the second scale along the edge of the dial. Just like the red brake calipers on a car, here it symbolizes sportiness and highlights the stopwatch function.
Carrera teamed up TAG Heuer and Porsche to create the iconic color schemes of red, black and gray. The numbers on the dial of the watch also refer to Porsche's design specifications, reminiscent of the dashboard on high-end racing cars. As with other Carrera models, the fact that these decals mark minutes and seconds instead of hours is logical for this special edition that is considered a tribute to motorsports. The numbers glow bright green in the dark, as do other triangular hour markers and bar hands that indicate the main time. However, when the light is off, the number of seconds of continuous operation at 6 o'clock and the elapsed time indicator of the chronograph will not be readable.
Carrera names below 12 o'clock, or more precisely below 60 o'clock, indicate that the 60-second position of the whole minute is relatively inconspicuous. Carrera is the connecting element between these two brands. For decades, the paths of these two brands have crossed again and again in fascinating ways. Carrera means "race" in Spanish, and it is motorsports that brought Porsche and TAG Heuer together. Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche, known as the "Ferry", joined his father's design company at the age of 22 in 1931. In 1948, he launched the 356 No. 1 Roadster sports car, the first car made under the Porsche name and the foundation of the Porsche brand. A car brand named after the family. Porsche quickly gained fame in motorsports, including the 1954 Carrera Panamericana won the category championship. To commemorate its success in this race, Porsche named the most powerful engine in its team "Carrera".
Jack, the great-grandson of Edouard Heuer, also used the Carrera name for the chronograph he developed in 1963, allowing racers to see at a glance in the fierce competition. Jack Heuer also led the development of Heuer Monaco, the first waterproof automatic chronograph with a square case. Its name is to pay tribute to the Mon-aco Grand Prix and the famous Monte Carlo Rally. Porsche's legendary 911 model won the championship for three consecutive years from 1968 to 1970.
A further connection was established between Porsche and TAG Heuer (or TAG Heuer) because the Swiss watchmaker has been widely known since it was sold to the TAG Group in the mid-1980s. The two brands jointly developed and produced the TAG Porsche engine, which has powered the McLaren team for three consecutive Formula One World Championships, driven by Niki Lauda in 1984, and by Alain Prost in 1985 and 1986. Since 1999, the relationship between the two companies has become closer due to cooperation in motorsports such as the Porsche Carrera Cup, Super Cup and Endurance World Championship. TAG Heuer is one of the founders of the Formula E Championship. For this reason, Porsche established its own Formula E team in 2019, with TAG Heuer as the official timing partner of the same name. Two years later, this became an official brand partnership, which seems to have existed for many years. The motto of the joint project plan is "Porsche and TAG Heuer: Two History-One Passion".
The new chronograph is equipped with a black calfskin strap with hand-decorated stitching, which is reminiscent of the interiors of Porsche sports cars and Carrera tracks, or is equipped with a stainless steel bracelet made of H-shaped links to form a watch One-piece connection. The angled housing passes through the fixed connector. Both wristbands are equipped with a strong, high-quality folding clasp.
The fully threaded screw-in case back with a sapphire window seals the bottom surface of the polished stainless steel case and can withstand a pressure of 10 bar. The transparent crystal gives you a glimpse of the young Heuer 02 automatic manufacturing movement. Red, black and gray once again play a role in the color scheme, reminiscent of not only Porsche, but also early TAG Heuer models. The newly designed black winding rotor pays tribute to the Porsche steering wheel. It only winds the mainspring in one direction of rotation; when it turns to the other direction, it makes a quiet idling sound, which some connoisseurs find uncomfortable. But TAG Heuer consciously chose a one-way automatic winding mechanism with a ratchet, because it reduces the total number of parts and, more importantly, reduces the overall height of the movement. The relatively small red column wheel protrudes at the extreme edge and is equipped with the steel (gray) bridge of the movement, wheels, levers and springs. The column wheel and the vertical coupling ensure accurate and reliable measurement of the elapsed interval.
The development of Calibre Heuer 02, a powerful engine for sports watches, began in 2011. It debuted in 2013 under the name Calibre 1969, but was quickly renamed CH-80 because it has a very long 80-hour power reserve, passing only one barrel.
However, in the next few years, TAG Heuer had to optimize the movement. Our goal is to create a sturdy and reliable chronograph movement, and to manufacture it as cheaply as possible. The movement has a diameter of 31 mm and a height of 6.5 mm, which is the same size as the El Primero movement produced by Zenith, one of the sister brands of TAG Heuer under the LVMH group. However, the slim design of Calibre 1969 caused some problems. In addition to the one-way automatic winding mechanism, it also requires a slim timing splint. The efficiency of the winding mechanism is high enough, but the slender bridge cannot withstand the force of the chronograph switching operation and deform. The new and more robust design increases the height of the movement by 0.4 mm and the overall thickness is 6.9 mm.
In addition to the column wheel, the timing plywood is one of the few components that are screwed on the bottom plate. Other components, such as the stamped levers used to start, stop, block, and zero the chronograph, and the springs used to hold the components in place or apply pressure, are inserted or hooked into place. The elimination of screws shortened assembly time and reduced the total number of parts to only 233. The gears in the winding and manual setting system also need to be improved, because the rattling noise is caused by the gears not meshing deeply enough. The half-jump date mechanism is also optimized. The current version is very safe, and if the user mistakenly tries to reset the date manually while the mechanism is in the process of automatic switching, it will not be damaged. To protect the mechanism, the system is locked, and the date must be manually advanced by turning the crown after pulling the crown to the center position. When the watch is running, the small date display at 6 o'clock will begin to advance approximately 30 to 40 minutes before midnight.
TAG Heuer cooperated with Atokalpa experts to develop a swing and escapement system with a swing frequency of 4 Hz. The Isograph hairspring, which debuted two years ago, has not yet been deployed. Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer, explained that the manufacturing cost of Isograph is still very expensive, so it is currently only used for high-end products. However, the traditional system also achieves a good and balanced rate within the observatory, which is not the only factor that our tests prove.
Heuer Calibre 02 debuted in 2016 as the Heuer Calibre 02-T certified by the Observatory in the Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 Tourbillon. In 2017, a new self-made movement without a tourbillon appeared in the retro model Autavia Calibre Heuer 02. In 2018, it was integrated into Carrera and finally entered Monaco in 2019. It has become an excellent high-performance engine for timepieces inspired by motorsports.
Specifications: Manufacturer: TAG Heuer SA, Rue Louis-Joseph Chevrolet 6a, 2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Reference No.: CBN2A1F.BA0643 Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, date display, chronograph (central passing seconds , 30-minute and 12-hour counters), tachymeter movement: Calibre Heuer 02, automatic, 28,800 vph, 33 jewels, Glucydur balance, Nivarox hairspring, index and eccentric screw fine adjustment, Kif shock absorption, 80-hour power reserve, diameter = 31.0 mm, height = 6.90 mm Case: stainless steel case, curved sapphire crystal glass, double anti-reflective (above the dial), sapphire crystal back cover, waterproof 100 meters. Bracelet and clasp: stainless steel bracelet, folding clasp only One side opening rate results (every 24 hours deviation, fully wound/after 24 hours): 1.5 on the wrist, dial up 0.3 / 0.1, dial down 0.9 / 0.8, up -2.7 / -1.7, crown down 7.5 / 8.2 Crown left 2.1 / 3.4 Maximum deviation 10.2 / 9.9 Avera ge deviation 1.6 / 2.2 Average amplitude: plane position 309° / 292° suspension position 267° / 246° Dimensions: diameter = 43.25 mm, lug width = 21 mm integration, height = 15.25 mm , Weight = 192.0 grams Variation: with calfskin strap (Ref. CBN2A1F.FC6492, 5,850 US dollars) Price: 6,050 US dollars
Score: Wristband and buckle (maximum 10 points): Beautiful wristband, comfortable buckle 9 Case (10): High-quality case with facets, two sapphire crystals, threaded back cover, ceramic bezel , Matching buttons and crown 8 Dial (10): This design uses elements of the Porsche racing world, a unique "asphalt" dial, and special decals. 9 Design (15): Successful translation of Porsche racing design specifications in red, gray and black, special numbers and optional leather strap 13 Legibility (5): Time display dominates even at night; chronograph function in the dark The medium is not clear, but it is easy to read during the day; the date display is small and difficult to read. 4 Operation (5): The crown is easy to use, the timing button has a firm and reliable pressure point, but the steel parts of the bracelet are fixed. 4 Wearing comfort (5): The case is relatively high and the watch is heavy, especially when it is equipped with a stainless steel bracelet; huge buttons. 4 Movement (20): The optimized manufacturing movement has proven its courage in daily use; safe basic structure, reliable switching of chronograph and date; durable power reserve; special rotor. 17 Rate result (10): Although this is not a certified observatory, it maintains time within the observatory’s worth with a very good and balanced rate value; the amplitude remains stable, as is the case when the chronograph is running. 9 Total score (10): The special design celebrates the partnership with Porsche, which reflects the design specifications of Porsche; the price is fair. 8 Total score: 85 points
Tags: racing watch, chronograph, sports watch, TAG Heuer, TAG Heuer Carrera, watch test
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© 2021 Ebner Publishing International, Inc.
© 2021 Ebner Publishing International, Inc.