Watches of Switzerland celebrates 100 years with exclusive TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon

After a year of celebration and powerful reveals in 2023, Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer continues its tribute to a rich heritage, pushing the boundaries of iconic design for the anniversary of its longstanding partner Watches of Switzerland. The introduction of the Watches of Switzerland X TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Centenary Exclusive blends historical reverence with cutting-edge design, propelling the renowned Carrera collection to new heights in celebration of the retailer’s landmark year.

Introduced in 1963 and inspired by the legendary Carrera Panamericana Road race, Jack Heuer gave the unique and impactful appellation to his racing-ready chronograph watch collection. Today, the TAG Heuer Carrera perfectly encapsulates the Mexican race’s relentless spirit of adventure. Through its precision and ability to consistently push boundaries, the TAG Heuer Carrera has defined the wristwatch chronograph genre for over six decades, becoming a recognised symbol of classical elegant profile, ultra-legible dial, and precision engineering that has made it a must-have accessory for racing enthusiasts and watch aficionados worldwide.

It is this racing heritage that has inspired the design of the new Watches of Switzerland Exclusive, which features a black-and-silver “reverse panda” dial, the nickname given to black watch dials with high-contrast white or silver subdials. The reverse panda dial is a signature of some of the most coveted Heuer Carreras of the 1960s, such as the reference 3147 Dato 12, the first Heuer Carrera with chronograph and calendar functions, and the reference 2447 NS, perhaps the rarest Heuer Carrera of them all, with an extremely limited production run of just a few years. This exclusive centenary timepiece perfectly brings together the reverse panda dial with striking touches of racing-inspired red; the crimson flange and hands contrast with the white chapter ring to frame the silver azure subdials and the open aperture revealing the Tourbillon mechanism.

Celebrating a milestone year requires an exceptional timepiece, and so the Watches of Switzerland X TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Centenary Exclusive builds not only upon the Carrera’s rich heritage, but also the innovation and avant-garde spirit for which TAG Heuer is renowned.

At its heart, the watch features a tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, encased within a glass frame. The dial of the 42mm watch testifies the intricate craftsmanship of TAG Heuer, showcasing a tourbillon. First perfected more than 200 years ago, a tourbillon is a continuously rotating cage that surrounds the escapement and is designed to counteract the influences of gravity on the accuracy of a mechanical movement. Even today, few watchmakers have mastered its complex form. TAG Heuer is among an elite group of manufacturers to have done so.

Powering this exceptional timepiece is the Heuer 02 – TH20-09 - crafted by TAG Heuer Movements Director Carole Forestier-Kasapi and the Swiss watchmaker’s technical teams. This movement ensures bidirectional automatic winding mechanism, a significant efficiency and accuracy, and as well as a recognized level of finishing. The watch comes with a five-year warranty.

Every element of the watch has been refined to reflect the mechanical beauty of the tourbillon. Remaining true to the Carrera’s heritage, the watch retains the iconic Glassbox design that pays homage to similarly domed hesalite crystal designs from the 1970s. The 39mm steel case is topped with a curved sapphire crystal that provides a panoramic view of the tourbillon from various angles, enhancing the overall legibility, keeping with Jack’s original purpose for the watch. The flange and rhodium-plated indexes indexes have also been subtly curved to mirror and complement the ‘glassbox’ crystal’s edge, contributing to a seamless flow over the tachymeter scale and the watch’s cohesive aesthetic.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph comes on high-end black alligator leather strap adding a touch of luxury, with a stainless-steel folding clasp. Additional refinements, like the bidirectional automatic winding mechanism, enrich this remarkable timepiece. Notable characteristics of the movement include a five-year extended warranty, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to durability and reliability. It also contains a distinctive shield-shaped rotor, visible through the open case back, a symbol synonymous with TAG Heuer. Moreover, framing the open case back are engravings of ‘ONE OF 10’ and ‘Watches of Switzerland 1924 – 2024’ celebrating WOS’ historic milestone.

The Watches of Switzerland TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Centenary Exclusive is available exclusively at Watches of Switzerland showrooms and online.