To celebrate fifty years of the Carrera collection, TAG Heuer recently launched its new range of watches at the prestigious Baselworld fair. TAG Heuer classes the Carrera collection as the contemporary sports watch inspired by motor racing, echoing the precision and style of the gentlemen racers of the 1960s. The Carrera takes its name from the Carrera Panamericana road race of Mexico, a fearsome border-to-border race through the heart of the country; TAG Heuer Carrera has become synonymous with speed and courage.
TAG Heuer itself, however, goes back far beyond the Carrera alone. Tracing its roots back to 1860, TAG Heuer was founded in Switzerland by Edouard Heuer as Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG. (Heuer Watchmaking Inc.). The company initially patented the Time of Trip, an early twentieth-century iteration of the modern day automobile clock, which also included a secondary pair of hands that timed the length of the journey. Three years later, in 1914, Heuer released its first wristwatch, and the dynasty began to take shape.
John Glenn wearing the Heuer Stopwatch, Reference 2915A, 1962.
Heuer developed steadily up to the Second World War, and then experience a wartime boom owing to the installation of chronographs in much of the German Luftwaffe. This growth allowed Heuer to develop a line of true luxury watches, offered in stainless steel and 14, 18 and 22 carat gold cases. The post-war years saw Heuer capitalise on this success by entering into partnership with American fashion retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, and then in 1962 being bestowed the distinguished honour of becoming the first Swiss watchmaker in space, as worn by astronaut John Glenn.
A year later, the Carrera was born. The Carrera was then relaunched with many of other Heuer watches in 1969, as Heuer became the first watchmaker, in partnership with Breitling, to create the world’s first automatic chronographs. Heuer then cemented its place in Hollywood history in the 1971 movie Le Mans, with Steve McQueen wearing a blue Heuer Monaco.
In 1985, Heuer was acquired by Techniques Avant Garde (TAG) and became TAG Heuer as we understand the company today. TAG Heuer then sold a majority stake to LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton (more commonly known as LVMH) in 1999, and continues to operate as part of LVMH in 2013.
Over their 153 year history, TAG Heuer watches have become a by-product for luxury and sophistication. The TAG Heuer Brand continues to thrive today, with the most recent iterations of the Carrera brand being released at this year’s Baselworld fair, including the stunning TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 36 Flyback.
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