2023 marks the 60th anniversary of TAG Heuer’s enduring Carrera series, and amid a year of celebrations, the brand has taken the opportunity to dedicate the lion’s share of its Watches and Wonders 2023 novelties to this cornerstone sports watch series. Two of the most vibrant releases to come from this volley of new Carreras slot into the familiar 42mm-wide Carrera Chronograph family, punching up this clean and sophisticated base platform with a rarely-seen gradient of colors. The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph models add a racy new energy to the brand’s most versatile design, with a unique application of accent colors that sets it apart from the rest of the series at a glance.

Specifications:

Brand: TAG Heuer
Model: Carrera Chronograph
Dimensions: 42mm-wide
Water Resistance: 100m
Case Material: Stainless steel
Crystal/Lens: Sapphire
Movement: Manufacture Heuer 02 (automatic chronograph)
Frequency: 28,800 bph
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Price & Availability: $5,550 USD each, available April 2023

The 42mm-wide stainless steel cases of these new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph models are virtually identical to previous Carrera Chronograph releases and provide a familiar canvas for TAG Heuer to build upon. The narrow sloping polished bezel, signature inwardly faceted lugs, and the broad polished case-side chamfers are all Carrera series staples, as are the pump pushers and the sapphire display caseback. There’s little in the way of surprises here for seasoned enthusiasts, but it remains an attractive and sporty platform with a solid 100 meters of water resistance.

TAG Heuer gives these new Carrera Chronograph iterations unique personalities through their dial designs. The base platform for both models is still classic Carrera, with sunburst dial surfaces, faceted applied indices, striped baton hands, raised chronograph subdial chapter rings, and a cleanly minimal running seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The brand gives this more refined side of the Carrera lineup an aggressive edge with generously applied highlights in varying shades of orange. For the central chronograph seconds hand and the two chronograph subdials at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, TAG Heuer opts for a vibrant, heavily saturated reddish orange bordering on vermilion in images, while the outer seconds scale and the 6 o’clock subdial take on lighter, papaya-like accents. Naturally, it’s the design of the hours ring that steals the show, however. It’s rare to see true color gradients in watch design (not counting dégradé dials) outside of truly exotic high-end pieces, but TAG Heuer encircles the applied hour indices in a trio of orange hues ranging from nearly yellow to nearly red, deftly offering the illusion of a continuous color gradient at first glance. Both of the available dial options take these orange accents in different stylistic directions. The black dial model offers a more classic racing-inspired look, but the deep blue dial offers an interesting homage to one of the most interesting models in the Carrera’s long history – the Heuer Carrera 1153N, more commonly known as the “Mick Jagger.”

Inside both of these new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph models beats the familiar in-house Heuer 02 automatic chronograph movement. Although TAG Heuer has introduced an updated “evolved” version of the Heuer 02 platform as part of its Watches and Wonders 2023 novelties, the brand appears to be forging ahead with the first-generation Heuer 02 as well. With that said, the Heuer 02 is still a genuinely class-leading powerplant, with a hefty 80-hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. Aesthetically, these two models present the Heuer 02 in familiar fashion, featuring skeleton bridges topped with Côtes de Genève and an automotive wheel-inspired rotor in gold with further striping. TAG Heuer pairs both new models with clean dial-matching calfskin leather deployant straps.

Although they may not be the most earth-shaking releases of Watches and Wonders 2023, these new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph models are a handsome addition to the broader Carrera family, with enough unique color to stand out in any crowd. Both new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph models will be available through authorized dealers in April 2023. MSRP for both models stands at $5,550 USD as of press time. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.