TAG Heuer Carrera Watches

About TAG Heuer Carrera Watches

In 1963 the Carrera was born. The name was inspired by the famous Carrera Panamericana, a border to border race on the open roads in Mexico. The original Carrera featured a simple, straightforward design. The popularity of the Carrera quickly inspired the brand to begin designing additional variations with new features.

For over a decade, the Carrera was no longer in production or part of the brand’s catalog due to Jack Heuer’s retirement. For this reason, early Carrera models are highly sought after in the pre-owned market.

The discontinuation of the Carrera came just before a crucial period of change for the Heuer brand. Shortly after, in 1985, they officially became TAG Heuer after Techniques d’Avant Garde acquired them. In the decade that followed the acquisition, the brand worked to refine and re-establish its identity in a market that placed a lot of value on heritage and tradition. With new leadership and a new name, the company needed to get back to its roots.

In 1996, they decided they wanted to revive the Carrera. However, they felt they couldn’t authentically and successfully reintroduce the iconic model without one key individual: its creator, Jack Heuer. So, TAG Heuer approached him about returning to help bring the model back. He generously obliged, and the Carrera was re-born.

The re-launch marked a whole new era for the Carrera. By the new millennium, it went from being a limited edition novelty to a permanent fixture in the brand’s catalog. TAG Heuer had unleashed the untapped potential of the model. They helped it evolve from a more mainstream chronograph to a model that pushed the limits of high-end watchmaking. For example, one of the most recent iterations is the Carrera Caliber Heuer 02T Tourbillon Nanograph. It features a groundbreaking, patented carbon composite hairspring. When the model debuted in January 2019, it even stole the thunder from the annual SIHH conference.

Since its reintroduction, it’s clear the Carrera collection has expanded exponentially. A number of special iterations include the 40th Anniversary Carrera in 2003, the Grand Carrera in 2007, and the Carrera designed in honor of Jack Heuer’s 80th birthday in 2012. Then, in 2015, TAG Heuer unveiled one of the most significant updates to the Carrera. They debuted the Carrera Connected, the brand’s first smartwatch.