With this year marking the 60th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Carrera and the Porche 911, the brands have chosen to celebrate by partnering on the limited edition TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche. The brands have united in previously to create limited-edition products in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 R.S. 2.7, but this marks the first time the brands have worked together to commemorate each of their historic contributions.
In 1963, Jack Heuer premiered the Carrera wristwatch Chronograph after he had been inspired by its namesake ‘Carrera Panamericana’, a 2000-mile motorsport race across Mexico. This same year, Porsche unveiled the Porsche 911 at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. Less than ten years later, Porshe would create a variation of the Porsche 911 inspired by the same short-lived Carrera Panamericana to enter into the Sebring race in Florida. With such parallels within their history, the partnership between these esteemed companies was destined to occur.
TAG Heuer has ensured that the legacy of both brands is encapsulated in the design of the Carrera Chronosport x Porsche. The luxury Swiss watchmaker was inspired by the similar development process of premium watches and high-end sportscars from paper designs and rendering before entering the assembly process. Showing that despite the vastly different scales of their products, TAG Heuer and Porsche are fundamently compatible.
To illustrate this, TAG Heuer has produced a device that seamlessly combines elements of the infamous sportscar whilst retaining their own notable design. This is exemplified in their stand-out feature, as the second hand has been configured to mimic the acceleration of the Porsche 911 from 0-100km/h in 9.1 seconds. Heuer wanted to symbolise this notion of speed within the design and so developed the second hand to cover the red portion of the dial in 9.1 seconds. The movement is a reinterpretation of the watchmakers current calliber, where they sought to recreate the exhillaration associated with this speed feature, officially debuting the mechanism at Watches and Wonders in Geneva earlier this year.
Heuer has also displayed the growth of both companies over the last 60 years by merging historical elements with prominent present-day designs. The face of the timepiece is a homage to Porsche dashboards in the 1970s, while the soft calf leather strap and distinct stitching capture the interiors of newer Porsche models. The signature domed sapphire glass-box front used in TAG Heuer watches has been elevated with an accompanying caseback.
The model can be identified by the oscillating weight on the back that replicates the Porshe steering wheel and is inscribed with the Porsche and TAG Heuer logos. For those looking to add this celebration piece to their watch collection there are two colour variations to choose from. A stainless steel version with a black calf leather strap that prices at $13,350, and a rose gold version with a soft brown calf leather strap pricing at $34,100.