Tag Heuer recalibrates the Carrera

[SINGAPORE] For much of its modern history, Tag Heuer’s Carrera has been defined by speed. Born in 1963 out of Jack Heuer’s fascination with motorsport timing, the model became a shorthand for legibility, balance and functional restraint – values shaped as much by the racetrack as by the drawing board.

At LVMH Watch Week 2026, the Carrera’s story and collection have been broadened with three new novelties.

The biggest surprise of the trio is the Carrera Chronograph Seafarer. While sailing has long formed part of Heuer’s historical orbit, it has remained largely peripheral to the Carrera narrative. This watch changes that.

Inspired by the Seafarer and Solunar tide watches developed for Abercrombie & Fitch from the late 1940s, the modern Seafarer revives a mechanical tide indicator, a complication that is both rare and niche in contemporary watchmaking.

Powered by the new in-house TH20-04 movement, developed specifically to accommodate the tide complication, the watch speaks to collectors who value historical continuity. It is also a reminder that Heuer’s past was not exclusively about racing laps, but also about timing tides.

The aesthetic is a masterclass in nautical style, featuring an opaline champagne dial accented by “Intrepid Teal” – a colour inspired by the 1967 America’s Cup winner – and 18-karat yellow gold-plated indices.

The Carrera Glassbox Chronograph also made a comeback at LVMH Watch Week.

First reintroduced in 2023 to mark the Carrera’s 60th anniversary, the Glassbox design has quickly become the collection’s modern anchor. Defined by its domed sapphire crystal and flowing flange, it distils Jack Heuer’s original emphasis on legibility into a contemporary form that feels neither retro nor aggressively modern.

The latest 41 mm iterations – with dials in either black, blue or green – reinforce this balance. Sitting alongside the more heritage-inflected 39 mm models, they offer greater wrist presence with their slightly increased size.

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Powered by the TH20-01 movement with an 80-hour power reserve, the watch also features a subtle victory wreath engraved on the lug, serving as a quiet tribute to Tag Heuer’s pursuit of excellence and its motorsport achievements.

The showstopper at LVMH Watch Week, however, came from the Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph.

With the introduction of a rattrapante complication – a first for the Carrera – the collection is now playing in the horological big boys’ league.

Housed in a 42 mm grade-5 titanium case and driven by the high-frequency TH81-01 movement, developed in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, the watch operates at 5 Hertz and features extensive hand-finishing across more than 350 components.

Sapphire elements throughout the dial and case further emphasise transparency – both literal and metaphorical.

Crucially, despite its technical ambition, the Split-Seconds Carrera does not abandon the collection’s core design codes. The Glassbox construction, peaked lugs and emphasis on legibility remain intact, anchoring the watch firmly within the Carrera lineage.

With its 65-hour power reserve, the Split-Seconds Chronograph is a declaration of confidence, proving that Tag Heuer is not just a master of history, but also a serious contender in the future of technical watchmaking.