TAG Heuer Carrera 3 Hands series; with date, day of the week and dual time date model

The new series of sporty fashion non-chronographs, but with a typical Carrera appearance.

Like other Heuer/TAG Heuer series, Carrera is named after a prolific racing event or venue. Legendary names such as Monaco, Monza, Silverstone or Formula One. All powerful names are inspired by the world of motorsports. Of course, TAG Heuer Carrera takes its name from Carrera Panamericana, which was a tough border road racing event held in Mexico from 1950 to 1954. TAG Heuer launched the Carrera series in 1963, and now it is marked as “born on the track”, which is in line with the brand’s identity. In 2021, nearly 60 years after the name was first introduced, the series is still alive and the brand launched three new models-Date, Day-Date and Twin-Time Date-to create the 2021 TAG Heuer Carrera 3 Hands Collection.

Carrera’s origin
However, the history of the name “Carrera” used by Heuer predates the launch of the Heuer Carrera series by a full ten years. In 1953, Heuer produced the 404 series of watches, dedicated to Carrera Panamericana. This early chronograph has shown clear signs of the final Carrera series design to be launched in 1963.

It is conceivable that such activities require suitable timing instruments, and Heuer is already a well-known manufacturer of high-quality precision timing instruments such as stopwatches and dashboard timers. Therefore, in the spirit of the Carrera Panamericana and Heuer 404 series, Heuer set out to create a new watch series, which was launched in the early 1960s. The focus is to create a watch that is as clear and easy to read as possible, and merge it with the brand’s racing stopwatch tradition into a wrist-worn chronograph; the TAG Heuer Carrera.

Carrera will mark a change in Heuer’s design, as it pays more attention to legibility and clarity than any other watch series launched by the brand. referee. The 2447 is actually a finely crafted chronograph with the dial and instructions as clear as possible. In the process, TAG Heuer created a fairly elegant and simple series that has been the main content of the brand’s product portfolio ever since. The original design had a silver dial with simple hands, bar-shaped hour markers, a second track on an angled outer flange, and a two- or three-register timing display (depending on the movement), and mounted in a 36 A very slender bezel in the millimeter case, sharp, angular lugs and a simple knurled crown.

Carrera’s return
The faithful reissue of the TAG Heuer Carrera in 1963 was launched in 1996, followed by several traditional-themed watches in 2000, but they were not directly inspired by existing historical references. Despite the more modern design, the original DNA is still there. By 2004, a brand new Carrera watch series was launched to make the watch more sporty. Under the guidance of Jean-Christophe Babin, the new CEO of TAG Heuer after the acquisition of LVMH, its launch is more like an interpretation of the modern Carrera, rather than a real entertainment.

The latest generation of Carrera can basically be divided into two groups. On the one hand, the Carrera Sport Chronograph with an external scale bezel, and on the other hand, the more classic Carrera Chronograph. Two other recent examples of modern changes to the Carrera theme are the TAG Heuer Carrera Green Special Edition and the new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph, which connects the brand with the famous German sports car company. A year ago, TAG Heuer launched the very handsome Carrera 160 year silver limited edition watch to celebrate the company’s 160th anniversary.

Today, TAG Heuer has expanded the series with new models, none of which is equipped with a chronograph movement, taking the Carrera concept into a new direction, at least for this generation. This is indeed the first time I have seen Carrera without iconic features, because the brand already had such a 3 Hands model as early as the 1990s.

The 2021 TAG Heuer Carrera 3 Hands Collection includes a time and date model, aptly named Carrera Date 39mm and Carrera Day-Date 41mm. The third novelty is the Carrera Twin-Time Date 41mm. GMT refers to the Heuer Twin-Time travel watch from the 1950s.

TAG Heuer CARRERA DATE 39MM
TAG Heuer launched three new non-chronograph watches, this Date model is the simplest of the three. The TAG Heuer Carrera Date is medium in size and uses the iconic Carrera style case design.

The 39 mm diameter steel case is housed in a very comfortable size and fits most wrists. The wise choice of TAG Heuer. They could easily adjust this size to more than 40 mm, but decided not to. The angular lugs are still the distinguishing feature of the Carrera series, while the relatively slender bezel opens the dial as much as possible.

Four references are introduced, all with a sun pattern brushed dial and a simple and effective layout. You can choose a blue, black or silver dial, the latter is very close to the spirit of the original Heuer Carrera 2447 SN. All dials are equipped with polished hour markers, a framed date window at 6 o’clock, and clear hands with luminous stripes in the center (only for hours and minutes). The black dial with rhodium-plated or rose gold-plated hands completes the novel quartet. replica watches

All models use AR-coated dome and beveled sapphire crystal glass watch mirror, and screw-in sapphire crystal glass back cover, showing the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 automatic movement. This movement is based on the Sellita SW200, which is a reliable workhorse that can be easily repaired when needed. It runs at a frequency of 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 38 hours. Compared with some of ETA’s newer and comparable movements, this seems a bit low, so we hope that Sellita can increase its competitiveness in the near future and slightly increase its power reserve.

The new TAG Heuer Carrera Date 39mm watch is equipped with a polished and brushed stainless steel bracelet, H-shaped link and folding clasp.

Quick Fact: 39 mm diameter – stainless steel case and H-shaped chain bracelet – polished and brushed finish – dome beveled sapphire crystal – knurled pull-out crown – sapphire crystal case back – 100m water resistance – ​​Black , Blue or silver sunray brushed dial – rhodium-plated or gold-plated polished hour markers and hands – framed date window – TAG Heuer Calibre 5, Sellita SW200 base – automatic – 25 jewels – 28,800vph (4Hz) – 38 hours power reserve – Hour, minute, date.

TAG Heuer CARRERA DAY-DATE 41 mm
The second set of watches launched under the Carrera 3 Hands Collection is the TAG Heuer Carrera Day-Date 41mm. In terms of design, compared to the Carrera Date above, there is nothing to add because it follows the same general direction.

The most notable difference between the two new models is the size, the location of the auxiliary indicator and the included day of the week indicator. This TAG Heuer Carrera Day-Date is slightly larger with a diameter of 41 mm. The larger size is mainly to accommodate the date and date double windows on the dial. At 41mm, it is still not an oversized watch, although it may be a bit large for a smaller wrist. The proportions are the same as its smaller brother, and you get the same level of detail; polished and brushed surfaces, narrow-angle bezels, angular lugs, and domed and beveled sapphire crystal glass.

The dial is available in black, radially brushed blue or silver with embossed concentric circles. The date window is moved to the 3 o’clock position and connected to the day of the week. The other details on the dial remain unchanged, so either the rhodium-plated hands and hour markers on one of the three colors, or the rose gold-plated hands and hour markers on a black dial with a slightly different texture.

The same Calibre 5 movement powers the Carrera Day-Date, but with additional gems to integrate the day of the week. The rest of the specifications remain unchanged. Like other models, the Sellita-based movement can be seen through the display back cover.

Four different references were introduced, certainly with a style that suits everyone, but to make things more confusing, the silver dial Carrera Day-Date is presented on the brown alligator leather strap, not on the stainless steel bracelet. TAG Heuer Carrera Day-Date uses a black, blue or silver dial and rhodium-plated hands and hour markers.

Quick Fact: 41 mm diameter-stainless steel case-polished and brushed finish-dome, beveled sapphire crystal crystal-knurled pull-out crown-sapphire crystal case back-100 meters water resistance-​​black with concentric pattern, Blue or silver sunray brushed – rhodium – gold-plated or gold-plated polished hour markers and hands – framed day and date windows – TAG Heuer Calibre 5, Sellita SW200 base – automatic winding – 26 jewels – 28,800vph (4Hz) – 38 hours power reserve-hours, minutes, date, week.

TAG Heuer CARRERA TWIN-TIME DATE 41MM
The third new product launched by TAG Heuer is the Carrera Twin-Time Date 41mm. As mentioned earlier, the Twin-Time name refers to the historical TAG Heuer reference in the 1950s. This name disappeared in the 1960s, when watches with sub-hour hands indicating the second time zone were marked by Heuer as GMT watches.

After the Carrera name resumed normal production in 2000, we will once again be welcomed by Carrera GMT watches and will be renamed Carrera Twin-Time from 2004. This travel watch in the Carrera collection was updated in 2014 and is now updated again.

The new TAG Heuer Carrera Twin-Time uses a 41 mm steel case and adopts the familiar Carrera style. There is only one reference for this new watch, with a sunray brushed blue dial and a blue and silver two-tone 24-hour ring on the inner flange. Of course, there will be more color combinations in the future, because the Carrera Twin-Time was previously equipped with silver, anthracite or black dials. Nevertheless, blue is very suitable for the sports theme of the series.

The second time zone is indicated by a hand mounted in the center, which has a triangular tip with a red outline and Super LumiNova filling. The framed date window has been moved from the 3 o’clock position of the previous Carrera Twin-Time to the 6 o’clock position in the new version. The rhodium-plated hour and minute hands have a Super LumiNova centerline and are paired with a slender, polished central seconds hand. Rhodium-plated and three-dimensional hour markers make the dial more perfect.

The movement inside TAG Heuer Carrera Twin-Time Date is Calibre 7, based on Sellita SW330. Visible under the sapphire caseback, it runs at 28,800vph and provides a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.

Quick Fact: 41 mm diameter – stainless steel case – polished and brushed finish – dome, beveled sapphire crystal – knurled pull-out crown – sapphire crystal case back – 100 meters water resistance – ​​blue sunray brushed Dial – rhodium-plated polished hour markers and hands – framed date window – TAG Heuer Calibre 7, Sellita SW330 base – automatic winding – 25 jewels – 28,800vph (4Hz) – approximately 50 hours of power reserve – hours, minutes, date, The second time zone.