TAG Heuer Drops Six New Models for LVMH Watch Week
Adding to their Carrera line, TAG Heuer released three new show-stoppers including a tourbillion and a 36mm diamond dialed beauty.
There is a lot to unpack in the recent releases from TAG Heuer for LVMH Watch Week. TAG released a total of six new models this past week consisting of additions to the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph and Connected Calibre E4, but it was the new Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon and the Carrera Dato Glassbox that have people talking.
However, I must admit the release that had me mesmerized from the jump is the Carrera Date Plasma Diamant D’avant-garde. But before I even get into that beaut let’s take a quick dive into the sea of green that just hit the market from TAG.
The Carrera Chronograph Dato
To start, it’s teal, not green. Now that we got that out of the way, let’s continue.
In the ever-growing world of vintage watches, no company quite hits like vintage Heuer. And nothing makes me happier than seeing them honoring the gems of history. For most collectors when they look at the renewed Dato its dial layout should look immediately familiar as it originated from the 1968 Dato “45 Cyclops.”
When a watch brand is known for a specific model, it poses great opportunities as well as challenges. The company can either choose to evolve the line into something entirely new or continue to make small pivots that leave collectors wanting more. This version seems to toe that line perfectly as it continues the evolution that started with the Carrera 160 Years Limited Editions and continued with the Carrera 60th Anniversary (a personal favorite), last year’s Glassbox, and now the Dato.
Emerging in 1966, the “Glassbox” name has its roots in the model that served as the inspiration for the black-dialed Glassbox in the preceding year, featuring a date aperture positioned at 12 o’clock. (The name comes from the box-domes shape of the acrylic crystals of the past which allowed for great viewing angles and quirky distortions of the underlying dial). The second iteration from 1968 brought forth a distinctive 9 o’clock date window, accompanied by a singular 45-minute chronograph register on the opposing side for a harmonious aesthetic. This should also look strikingly familiar to the black-dialed reissue from Hodinkee a few years ago.
The new Dato dial adopts a gracefully contoured rehaut positioned just beneath the domed sapphire crystal, descending into a centrally circular-grained area. TAG Heuer’s choices closely echo the original design, albeit with modifications to the Dato’s chrono sub-register which was scaled down.
The distinctive ingot-like indices persist, now endowed with added dimensionality through a more pronounced profile and intersecting with the flange. Noteworthy is TAG Heuer’s decision to forgo truncated indices at 3 and 9 o’clock, opting instead for a small lume pip accompanying each, mirroring the approach taken with the original design.
I will say something that stands out is how clean this dial looks compared to many chronographs on the market today. Juxtaposed to the recent Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar, this watch’s dial looks like a barren landscape, but it is a refreshing scene where the color does all the talking that the dial text and numerals can’t.
The movement is essentially a fresh iteration of the TH20-00 initially introduced in the Glassbox. This version represents a refined form of the brand’s Heuer 02 column wheel chronograph, now featuring bi-directional winding and an enhanced 80-hour power reserve. Adhering to TAG Heuer’s recent nomenclature, it follows the decoration guidelines observed in their latest releases. The design maintains a conservative approach, yet presents an overall pleasant aesthetic.
Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon
Introduced alongside the previously mentioned “Dato” model is a Carrera Chronograph in Tourbillon form, featuring a striking teal hue and a dual-register chronograph layout, with Abraham-Louis Breguet’s renowned invention visibly positioned at 6 o’clock.
In contemporary times, the inclusion of a tourbillon serves as a showcase of a watch company’s prowess in movement construction, a demonstration executed with finesse by TAG Heuer in this instance. Accompanied by 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph totalizers and easily observable beneath a gracefully curved “glassbox” sapphire crystal, the featured tourbillon is an integral part of the TAG Heuer Calibre TH20-09 movement, renowned for its bi-directional winding and meticulous finishing.
Both of these new editions offer incredible value for their price tag with the Dato coming in at $6,550 USD and the Tourbillon starting at $24,040, which for a tourbillon is very much in the lower register of their historically astronomical cost.
Carrera Date Plasma Diamant D’Avant-Garde
And this is where things take a turn and get really fun. Above all, watches should be fun and the Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde just makes me smile. I am not crazy about many gem-set watches, especially when they are on classic watch designs and models. But TAG just crushed this one.
This watch is not just your classic gem-set watch. It is truly avant-garde.
In this iteration, TAG Heuer departs from the approach of embedding diamonds throughout the case of a larger 44mm watch, as seen in last year’s Carrera Plasma Diamond d’Avant Garde. Instead, the focus is on the 36mm, time-only version of the Carrera.
TAG Heuer’s utilization of diamonds in its Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde collection is deliberately innovative. The winding crown affixed to a 36mm white gold case, is crafted from a single 1.3-carat yellow lab-grown diamond. Additionally, the dial, referred to as a poly-crystalline dial by TAG Heuer, is formed by cultivating numerous diamond crystals as a single piece, resulting in a plethora of reflections and light effects. Poly-crystalline diamonds are generally used in diamond-tipped cutting blades, but I prefer this use for them.
Another sizable lab-grown yellow diamond in the shape of TAG’s unmistakable shield logo is positioned beneath the Carrera inscription. And it doesn’t stop there. Twelve baguette-cut lab-grown diamonds function as hour markers, with a pair at 12 o’clock and none at 6, creating space for the date window in that location. To maintain a clear view of the radiant background, the hour and minute hands at the center of the dial are skeletonized, accompanied by a slender seconds hand.
TAG Heuer’s Plasma technology, responsible for all the diamonds on the watch (amounting to a total weight of 4.8 carats), enables the company to lab-grow diamonds as needed and in the desired shapes and sizes. According to the brand, the process begins by placing diamond “seeds” in a vacuum chamber, where plasma, generated from specific gasses, is ignited to foster the growth of crystals. Once the diamonds reach the desired size and shape, they undergo precision cutting by lasers and meticulous polishing. In addition to producing classic white diamonds with flawless and colorless attributes, TAG Heuer can utilize the same process to create uniformly colored diamonds, exemplified by these yellow diamonds. This is achieved by introducing specific trace elements during the growth process to attain desired colors.
The harmonious interplay between the case material, the dazzling dial, and the vibrant pops of yellow is visually striking without crossing into ostentation—a challenging achievement when working with such an abundance of precious stones.
TAG Heuer also updated their Aquaracer Solargraph line with a new 34mm case and five unique dials including mother-of-pearl with a diamond option. It is clear TAG is on a mission to capitalize on their rich history by elevating cornerstone designs for our modern world.
Specs and Info
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Dato: Priced at $6,550 USD, this timepiece boasts a stainless steel case with dimensions of 39mm x 13.86mm x 46mm (LTL) and is water-resistant up to 100 meters. The sunburst teal dial is complemented by a black alligator leather bracelet featuring a steel folding clasp. Equipped with the TH20-07 in-house automatic movement, this watch has an 80-hour power reserve and functions include hours, minutes, date, and chronograph. With a sapphire crystal on both the front and back.
Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon: Priced at $24,050 USD, this timepiece boasts a stainless steel case with dimensions of 42mm x 14.33mm x 48.6mm (LTL) and is water-resistant up to 100 meters. The circular teal brushed dial is accompanied by applied indices and a black alligator strap with a steel folding clasp. Equipped with an in-house TH20-09 movement this watch has a 65-hour power reserve and functions include horse, minutes, chronographs: ¼ second, 30 minutes counter, 12 hours counter, and 1 minute tourbillon.
Carrera Date Plasma Diamant D’Avant-Garde: No price is currently available for this model. It boasts an 18ct white gold case with dimensions of 36mm x 10mm x 41.6mm (LTL), and water resistance up to 50 meters. The dial is a polycrystalline diamond composition, adorned with baguette-cut diamond indices, and a yellow lab-grown TAG Heuer shield logo-shaped diamond at 12 o’clock. Secured by a white alligator strap with a white gold pin buckle, the watch is powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre 7, ETA 2892 base, automatic movement, offering a 56-hour power reserve. Its versatile functionality includes hours, minutes, seconds, and a date display, making it a captivating blend of sophistication and performance.
For more information please visit tagheuer.com