After unveiling the TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Dial Limited Edition at the beginning of the year to kick off the luxury watchmaker’s 160th anniversary, the brand is now introducing a second collector’s edition to mark the historic milestone: the TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Montreal Limited Edition. “Montreal” was the name of a collection of luminous Heuer automatic chronographs launched in 1972. Now, the Montreal design makes a striking comeback in the form of an 39 mm TAG Heuer Carrera that is limited to only 1,000 pieces.
“The Heritage Department selected the white Montreal design to mark TAG Heuer’s anniversary year because the piece is pure beauty and the colourful dial is full of joy. We played with the existing design codes and brought them to life in a bold new way, merging them with the Carrera spirit and breaking the rules in true TAG Heuer fashion,” says Catherine Eberle-Devaux, TAG Heuer Heritage Director.
Combining the heritage of two TAG Heuer greats: the Carrera and the Montreal
The creativity behind this limited-edition anniversary timepiece stems from the idea of fusing the designs and DNA of two iconic TAG Heuer watches. The new TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Montreal Limited Edition is directly inspired by the White Heuer Montreal, reference 110503W, which launched in 1972. Today, it is an exceedingly rare collector’s item. For the anniversary model, TAG Heuer borrowed the original, perfectly balanced red, yellow and blue colour palette of the White Heuer Montreal. The bright dial is emblematic of the 1970s, when watch design was transformed by the ability to use coloured luminescent materials; this invention opened-up a fantastic new era of creativity.
Ten years earlier, in 1962, then-CEO Jack Heuer heard the story of the legendary Carrera Panamericana, one of the most treacherous road races in the world. The word carrera, which in Spanish can mean road, race, career or course, caught his attention: he knew immediately that this would be the perfect name for a new timepiece. The first Heuer Carrera chronographs left the factory the following year. As a lover of clean, modern design, Jack Heuer wanted the aesthetics of the Heuer Carrera chronograph to be pure and well-proportioned – features that make the watch perfect for drivers who need to see the time at a glance during adrenaline-pumping races.
These stories and designs all merge on the matte white dial of this special timepiece, which holds three stunning blue “azurage” counters. The chronograph minute counter at 3 o’clock stands out with three curved lines from 1 to 5, 10 to 15, and 20 to 25 that are coloured with yellow Super-LumiNova®. The same yellow Super-LumiNova® is also found on the central minute and hour hands, while the central chronograph seconds hand features a distinctively different bold red lacquer.
The dial is protected by a domed “glassbox” sapphire crystal. The polished stainless-steel timepiece paired with a blue alligator leather strap, reflecting the splash of colour on the dial. The unique limited-edition number of each piece is engraved on the case back, where the innovative Calibre Heuer 02 and its dedicated oscillating mass are visible through the sapphire crystal.
Vintage design with modern technology
Possibly the most significant difference between the Heuer Montreal and the modern limited-edition model is the movement within the timepiece. The tribute model is powered by the brand’s Calibre Heuer 02 manufacture movement. This in-house innovation is entirely Swiss-made in TAG Heuer’s Chevenez manufacture. It comprises 168 components, including a column wheel and a vertical clutch – signatures of improved chronograph timekeeping and high-quality manufacture movements – and boasts an impressive power reserve of 80 hours.
TAG Heuer’s Calibre Heuer 02 manufacture movement offers five key benefits:
A power reserve of 80 hours – an increase of 30 hours compared to the Calibre Heuer 01.
A thinner movement, which allows for a thinner case design and improved comfort for the wearer. The thickness is 6.95 mm, compared to the Heuer 01’s 7.30 mm.
The vertical clutch improves the precision of the start-and-stop functions as well as the running of the chronograph second hand, meaning that there is no loss of time when using the chronograph function.
There is a column wheel, which provides more accurate and precise functionality – made noticeable by the smooth movement when manipulating the pushers.
Precision and greater stability with a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour).
Packaged in a special box that highlights the heritage of this prominent timepiece, the TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Montreal Limited Edition will be available exclusively in TAG Heuer boutiques and online at www.tagheuer.com for select countries in July 2020.
