Watches Tag Heuer boss Frederic Arnault wore to Singapore Grand Prix
The young CEO stayed for the race and took the opportunity to debut a pair of timepieces that lit up the night
IT WAS all work for Frederic Arnault when the young chief executive officer of Swiss luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer was in Singapore last year for a quick “market visit”. It was the week of the Formula 1 (F1) race, but he left even before it took off.
This year, Arnault returned on a more relaxed schedule, but it was still not all play. The visit was timed to make the most of the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix to drive sales.
On the eve of the race, the Tag Heuer boss unveiled, in the presence of Oracle Red Bull Racing team members Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, a new “fully luminescent” chronograph at a pop-up store on Orchard Road, which drew more than 180 guests and motor sports fans.
“We are extremely excited to present the global launch of the Tag Heuer Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition, in conjunction with one of the most exciting night races on the F1 calendar,” Arnault announced. He told The Business Times just before the launch that the watch was sold worldwide, but more pieces would be released in Singapore.
The Monaco collection is Tag Heuer’s race icon, a symbol of its deep ties with the racing world and rich legacy. Rolled out in 1969, the chronograph is recognised today by its unique “circle in the square” two-piece dial construction. The watch was made famous by Hollywood actor Steve McQueen, who wore it with a “midnight blue” dial in the movie Le Mans.
“We celebrate (it) every year at the Monaco Grand Prix,” Arnault said. “We celebrate it as well in Singapore. I will be wearing (the Monaco Chronograph Night Driver) to the (race) along with the (new) Plasma.”
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Tag Heuer has a “strong historical relationship” with F1. The brand was its first sponsor and official timekeeper, and it has been supporting F1 race teams for over 50 years. Tag Heuer has been the Oracle Red Bull Racing team’s official partner and timekeeper since 2016.
“Tag Heuer (also) has always been associated with the night,” Arnault added. “There’s a ‘Night Diver’ in the Aquaracer (collection) – the watch that’s on James Bond in one of the Bond movies, with a full luminescent dial. We still have it in the collection, and it’s performing well.”
The Monaco Chronograph Night Driver, created with night driving in mind, is a technical marvel. The SuperLumiNova luminosity is extended across a broader surface than other models on its dial, providing even better and longer (three hours) legibility at night.
Limited to 600 pieces, the chronograph reflects the midnight blue, charcoal grey and matte black of the iconic vintage Monaco, encased in a modern ultra-light but tough material – grade 5 titanium coated in black DLC (diamond-like carbon). The watch is powered by the in-house automatic movement with 80 hours of power reserve.
The new Carrera Plasma Diamant d’ Avant-Garde Chronograph Tourbillon, rolled out in March, is the ultimate expression of Tag Heuer’s drive to combine advanced innovation and bold creativity.
Thanks to its Diamant d’Avant Garde technology, Tag Heuer was able to apply lab-grown diamonds on a chronograph case, crown, dial and indices in 2022. With the new Plasma, the brand is taking the cutting-edge and industry-defining chemical vapour deposition expertise a step further.
“We used the same concept, same idea as previously, but added more diamonds on the watch, including the bezel and bracelet,” Arnault said.
The 44 mm chronograph-tourbillon features 124 custom-made lab-grown diamonds totalling 15.5 carats on the aluminium bezel and bracelet, as well as the case, crown, dial and indices.
At the heart of the new Plasma beats a top-of-the-line movement, the in-house manufactured Calibre Heuer 02 Tourbillon Nanograph. The movement boasts 65 hours of power reserve and is certified for superior performance by COSC, the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.
Price: S$13,600 (Monaco Chronograph Night Driver), S$720,000 (Plasma)
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