TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition

In 1963, two legends in their respective industries made their debuts. That year, Swiss watch manufacturer Heuer released the Carrera chronograph. At the same time, the first 911s from German luxury carmaker Porsche were rolling off the production lines. Fans eventually dubbed the latter the "Carrera" as well. Both the watch and sports car are named after the Carrera Panamericana, which takes place in Mexico and is one of the world's most dangerous car races.

Almost six decades later, the two companies joined forces to create the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition in early 2021. This model is based on the Carrera watch from 2020 but incorporates elements of the modern Porsche 911 Carrera's design. Defining features include a gray dial with an asphalt aesthetic and a black bezel with a red "Porsche" inscription and Arabic numerals modeled after a Porsche rev-counter. Finally, a calfskin strap with unique stitching brings to mind images of the 911's luxurious interior.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche gets its power from the in-house caliber Heuer 02. This movement boasts an impressive 80-hour power reserve, as well as a chronograph function. Its rotor mimics the Porsche's steering wheel. Other special features of the Heuer 02 include a vertical clutch mechanism and a column wheel. Many watch enthusiasts consider the latter a prestigious chronograph component.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition is available on a calfskin strap or stainless steel bracelet. The two versions have list prices of 5,850 and 6,050 USD, respectively. While it's difficult to predict how they will perform financially going forward, TAG Heuer watches generally demand well under their list prices on Chrono24. Since the Carrera Porsche Chronograph isn't a limited edition, its market value could decrease in the coming months. The ref. CBN2A1B.BA0643 from the current Carrera collection followed a similar path. This model also features the caliber Heuer 02 and has a recommended retail price of 5,750 USD on a stainless steel bracelet. In mint condition, this chronograph sells for about 5,100 USD on Chrono24. That's a savings of more than 12%.

You can recognize the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph by its dial with an "asphalt effect," Arabic numerals from 05 to 60, and the black ceramic dial with a red "Porsche" inscription. The bezel also features a tachymeter scale for calculating speed on the racetrack.

Luminous material coats the Arabic numerals, hour hand, and minute hand, thus allowing the wearer to tell the time in the dark. You'll also find a minute counter at 3, a small seconds at 6, and a 12-hour counter at 9 o'clock. There's also a date display within the subdial at 6 o'clock. Below that, there are two inscriptions that read "HEUER 02" and "80 HOURS" in reference to the in-house caliber and its power reserve. The "Carrera" inscription and TAG Heuer logo sit below the "60" at 12 o'clock. Red accents on the chronograph subdials and the tips of the chronograph seconds hand, minute counter hand, and hour counter hand underscore the watch's sporty look. There's also a seconds scale around the edge of the dial that enables you to measure times to within a quarter of a second.

If you flip the watch over, you can see the caliber Heuer 02 through the display case back. The most prominent component is the black skeletonized winding rotor that resembles a Porsche steering wheel. The TAG Heuer and Porsche brand names and "Cal. Heuer 02" are also engraved on the rotor. What's more, the entire movement boasts beautiful finishes, and you can watch as the balance oscillates back and forth.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph has a 44-mm stainless steel case. While its top surface is largely satin-brushed, the sides and back are polished. Two pushers and a crown sit on the right side of the case. Thanks to its fluted texture, the crown is easy to operate.

TAG Heuer offers the Carrera Porsche on either a three-piece link stainless steel bracelet or a calfskin strap with unique gray stitching. The stainless steel bracelet has a brushed finish on the top and bottom and polished sides.