This seven-year bracket can be referred to as the Carrera’s “first age”. In those days, Heuer would buy-in movements (in this case, mostly from Valjoux). Until 1970, all Heuer Carrera chronographs were manually-wound. But it is fair to say that the Heuer Carrera had not one, not two, but three true dawns and three quite distinct identities that, now especially, perform three different functions. Its digestible modern case silhouette is as no-nonsense as the original remit - to create a timepiece that could stand the test of time while tracking it as it elapsed. At its core, the Carrera is a damn solid chronograph. They need to remember what made them relevant in the first place. Things got too fancy, too futuristic, too… fiddly.īrand’s need their anchors. The soul of the collection, however, was, if not lacking, somewhat detached from its origins. Following the sale of the company the Carrera name has never been too far from the lips of TAG Heuer aficionados, nor the brand’s catalog (save a 12-year hiatus). The Carrera was a cornerstone of the Heuer brand and one of former CEO Jack Heuer’s finest achievements.

And while the Carrera pulled it off once (in its early days) attempts to pull the same rabbit out of the hat have stumbled in recent years. Messing with a winning formula rarely results in progress. The latest TAG Heuer Carrera Sport chronographs take a refreshingly restrained approach to a frequently toyed-with classic. If you are still musing over your position on the brand, perhaps the latest collection of Carreras will help.

You may find yourself in either camp, or you may have yet to decide where your loyalties lie. Others just as ardently extol it as the beginning and the end of the conversation when it comes to luxury sports watches (you know who you are). There are some who believe that the brand lost its way after TAG acquired Heuer in 1985. TAG Heuer is one of those brands that splits opinion. And that, as far as I’m concerned, amounts to a low-key triumph for a very divisive mainstream brand. Sensibility might not create headlines but it does underline classics. This rash of TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronographs is exactly what I think the family needed - a return to form. That green dial really means business… And it’s about time.

Tag heuer carrera calibre heuer 01 43mm