TAG Heuer’s Verdant 2024 Lineup
TAG Heuer captures the thrills of high-octane, edge-of-your-seat motorsport.
The post TAG Heuer’s Verdant 2024 Lineup appeared first on Sharp Magazine.
Take a look at the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph. Some of you will simply see a vintage-style sports watch, albeit one with a sleek, teal-green face. But others will be transported — whisked back to the golden age of motorsport, and a time when drivers in exciting, experimental machines regularly risked their lives in pursuit of speed and glory. Neither interpretation is wrong, but this newest TAG Heuer is destined to appeal most to those who yearn for the thrills of high-octane, edge-of-your-seat motorsport.
Earlier this year, during the annual LVMH Watch Week, there were many shades of green to be seen across TAG Heuer’s latest offerings — from the dials and straps of new watches to the shimmering 24-carat gold and platinum-coated lenses of the brand’s new “Avant-Garde” eyewear collection. The stars of the show, however, were the new version of the Carrera Chronograph and a new Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon, as well as a new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 smartwatch, all distinguished by their bold green accents.
Teal-green dials are new for the Carrera in 2024, while the latest Connected receives an upgrade in the form of a forest-green ceramic bezel and collection of green digital watch faces. And, while most prospective buyers will recognize how well the Carrera’s new colour will pop against a navy blazer, or how easily the Connected’s new bezel will complement a tanned wrist on the links, the fact that these watches are statement-making accessories is only half the story.
The Carrera debuted in 1963; a tool watch intended to be worn behind the wheel of a speeding race car. As such, its dial was designed to be as legible as possible, and free from embellishments (such as date windows) that may have distracted drivers. By 1968, however, the Carrera had been adopted by a much wider audience, who demanded additional functions from the watch, and a date was added at nine o’clock. This watch, dubbed the “Dato” by fans, is one of many historically significant pieces in the TAG Heuer archive, and it is today considered to be a milestone in the evolution of Carrera design.
Following a major relaunch to mark the 60th anniversary of the Carrera in 2023, the Dato returns this year with its signature combination of chronograph, vintage-inspired “glassbox” crystal, and — of course — a signature date window. But, while the teal-green dial complements other recent new versions of the Carrera family in blue, silver, and black, it also pays homage to a specific era of motorsport.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon
Between the 1920s and ‘60s, before corporate sponsorship fully took hold of auto racing, the world’s greatest teams competed in Grand Prix events under the banners of their nations, with each country identified by a signature colour. Britain had racing green. Germany had silver. Italy had “Rosso Corsa” red. And these shades still fire the imaginations of motorsports fans and watch collectors alike. So, by daubing the Carrera’s dial in racing colours, TAG Heuer keeps its connection with the motorsport world well and truly alive.
And, while the new Carrera’s roots go back more than half a century, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 is all about fusing modern technology with contemporary style. Launched in 2015, the Connected was the first Swiss luxury smartwatch to hit the market, and it has remained at the leading edge of both style and tech ever since. Subsequent models have introduced a wide range of interchangeable straps, digital dial designs, and a powerful suite of software to support fitness activities ranging from cycling and swimming to guided workouts. In the newest version of the Connected, the deep-green ceramic bezel comes complemented by a matching strap, and a trio of new green digital dials (more than 20 dial designs are now offered, with thousands of customizable combinations).
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
Connected Calibre E4 owners are also now able to choose from digital faces based on the new Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon, Solargraph, and TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches — in a range of colours including teal green, black, and blue. Each of these designs marries the vintage-inspired look of TAG Heuer’s timepieces with the broad functionality of the Connected, and features subtle animations including a spinning tourbillon cage and sweeping second hand.
To any watch designer, colour remains one of the most powerful tools in eliciting emotion — whether they make use of the dynamic contrast of a monochrome dial, or employ a rainbow’s worth of dazzling gemstones to encircle a watch’s bezel. And, from the teal dial of the new Dato Carrera to the deeper shade seen on the ceramic bezel and strap of the newest Connected, TAG Heuer’s latest additions prove that no colour tells a more thrilling tale than green.
The post TAG Heuer’s Verdant 2024 Lineup appeared first on Sharp Magazine.