TAG Heuer and Formula 1: an unbreakable bond.
Did you know that TAG Heuer, despite its worldwide fame, is a relatively young brand?
The brand as we know it today was officially born in 1985, when TAG, an acronym for Techniques d’Avant Garde, acquired Heuer, a historic Swiss maison famous for its precision chronographs. From that union was born an icon of sports watchmaking, deeply linked to the world of motorsports.
The connection between Heuer and motor racing, however, has much deeper roots. As early as 1916 , the brand presented the Mikrograph, the first chronograph capable of measuring hundredths of a second accurately. A true revolution for sports timekeeping. In the 1960s Heuer began appearing on Formula 1 suits and cars thanks to drivers such as Jo Siffert, and in 1971 it began a historic official partnership with Scuderia Ferrari. The following year saw the birth of the Le Mans Centigraph, a timing system developed for Ferrari, later adopted by many international teams as a new standard of precision.
From 1992 to 2003 TAG Heuer also held the prestigious role of official timekeeper for Formula 1, before being replaced by Rolex. But the real twist would come 40 years later.
The first TAG Heuer Formula 1: an exquisitely pop watch
In 1986, within a year of the merger, TAG Heuer launched the first Formula 1. A revolutionary watch for the time, it was inspired by the world of racing and designed for a young, dynamic and sporty audience. At a time when Swiss watchmaking was still dealing with the consequences of the quartz crisis, the Formula 1 represented a clean break with classical canons.
It was a colorful, rugged and accessible watch designed to be worn every day without fear. The design harked back to single-seater tachometers, with 28- and 35mm cases made of resin or fiberglass, a rotating plastic bezel, vibrant dials, and an integrated rubber strap. The construction was simple, but effective. And success was immediate: over three million pieces sold in the first few years.
The New TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph
In 2025, TAG Heuer officially returns as Formula 1 timekeeper, taking over from Rolex. To celebrate this historic return, the brand is relaunching one of its most iconic models: the Formula 1, reinterpreted in a modern key. Thus was born the new Formula 1 Solargraph, a watch that echoes the youthful and dynamic spirit of the original, but updated with contemporary technical solutions.
At the heart of the watch is the new TH50-00 Solargraph caliber, a quartz movement powered by sunlight, with a ten-month power reserve and a battery life guaranteed for more than fifteen years. The case, now 38mm, is available in either sandblasted steel or TH-Polylight, an innovative, sustainable material developed in-house, which echoes the plastic aesthetic of the original but with a completely different robustness and quality to the touch. The strap has also been revisited, with technical rubber solutions and quick-release steel bracelets. The aesthetic is cleaner and more modern, but retains the visual energy of the 1980s models, thanks to bold color combinations and clear references to the racing world.
Price and conclusions
The new Formula 1 Solargraph is offered at €1,800, keeping the original philosophy intact: to offer an affordable watch but with an authentic sports soul.
The 2025 model represents the natural evolution of the 1986 model: more sustainable, technological and refined, but still faithful to its racing vocation. Two different watches, two distant eras, but the same mission: to make a piece of Formula 1 history accessible and wearable.
Visit our Youtube channel to experience the best of the world of watchmaking firsthand.
For all real-time updates follow us on Instagram.
