TAG Heuer continues its celebration of the 60th anniversary of one of the brand’s most iconic collections with the new Carrera Glassbox, three highly finished models with very vintage features and incredible details.
TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox for the 60th anniversary
After the first model inspired by ref.2447 SN and presented at LVMH Watch Week in January (article here), TAG Heuer debuts Carrera Glassboxes to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this watch. On our YouTube channel we had wondered how the brand could outdo itself to continue the anniversary, and today the answer came.
A 39mm case gets dressed up with a whole host of features beloved by collectors, distinguishing some Carrera watches of the past, from the positioning of the date window to the shape of the crystal. Already the size is a statement of a return to the past and balanced proportions, but it’s not just a fad of the moment – it’s the reality of how perfectly a 39 mm watch fits on the wrist.
Blue dial or reverse panda
Three models are presented for the anniversary, including two “simple” chrono and a Tourbillon Chronograph. We said it years ago, we’ll say it again today: you’ll never find a tourbillon chronograph for that kind of money, but let’s first find out what makes these watches so special.
Il termine “Glassbox” era stato già introdotto recentemente per il 160° del brand, ma la storia si origina con i primi Carrera con vetro in esalite, che aveva questa particolare forma bombata. Oggi viene riproposto lo stesso stile ma con un vetro in zaffiro, al passo con le tecnologie e le necessità di oggi. Ciò che ci ha colpito di più sono gli indici e il rehaut curvi, che accentuano fortemente la tridimensionalità del quadrante.
The most classic model is definitely the one with the blue dial, with its three subdials and date window at 6 o’clock. The Reverse Panda, on the other hand, is inspired by a historical model, Ref.3147 Dato 12, which was the first Carrera in history to have the date box, as well as being one of the few watches to have it at 12 o’clock. It also takes some traits from another reference, the 2447 NS, one of the brand’s rarest and most collectible watches.
Incredible details: domed glass as in vintage models and a hyper-detailed dial. Beauty and sophistication must also be functional. Glass made in this way provides an advantage in terms of reading the chronograph measurement from various angles, so it will not be mandatory to look at the watch from the front to unearth the exact positioning of the hand.
The new caliber TH20-00
Inside the new Carrera Glassboxes beats the new caliber TH20-00, an evolution of the faithful Calibre 02, which now has a bidirectional oscillating weight (instead of unidirectional), a power reserve of as much as 80 hours, and special attention to finishing. With this new choice, stronger winding is ensured during use, as the energy supplied to the barrel arrives constantly, depending on the movement of the wrist.
This series of new TH20-00 gauges joins the existing TH30-00 and TH50-00.
Carrera Glassbox Tourbillon
Celebrating the anniversary, TAG Heuer is also offering a never-before-seen Carrera Glassbox Tourbillon Chronograph, with caliber TH20-09. The Tourbillon in general is a complication coveted by all kinds of collectors, historically among the most complicated mechanisms in watchmaking.
The brand this time opted for a self-winding tourbillon chronograph, thus an even more complicated version. The manufacture of the caliber was supervised by Carole Forestier, TAG Heuer’s Director of Movements, together with TAG’s entire team of experts. In contrast to the Glassboxes recounted above, we have a larger 42mm steel case with a satin-blue dial with touches of orange. At 6 o’clock, an aperture shows the Tourbillon movement.
Price and availability
The new TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox watches presented at Watches & Wonders 2023 have a retail price of EUR 6,400, with reference CBS2210.FC6534 for the Reverse Panda and CBS2212.FC6535 for the classic blue. The Carrera Glassbox Tourbillon Chronograph is priced at EUR 23,000.
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