EVENT: 3 reasons to visit the Heuer Globetrotter exhibition, now showing at TAG Heuer Westfield, Sydney
Andrew McUtchen
Australia is a sports-mad country, so it makes sense that the current Heuer Globetrotter exhibition has seen an allocation of sports-related Heuer models take the place of new stock on the floor of the world’s most profitable TAG Heuer boutique per square metre, in Sydney’s CBD. The exhibition is at the TAG Heuer boutique, 188 Pitt Street, Sydney, until September 30.
The concept of Heuer Globetrotter, which has spread 400 of the rarest Heuer watches across 10 cities and 10 boutiques, all open to the public at no charge, is a master stroke from TAG Heuer for several reasons:
- It has brought the whole globe into the action. The TAG Heuer team have taken the concept of a vintage watch roadshow, unbundled and localised it – splitting the 400 watches, all extremely rare and collectible, into themed groups. Each exhibition is presented in a different city by a different Heuer collector. Each city’s theme was chosen by its key collector.
- It involves a key member of our team! It is with not a small dose of pride that we learnt that the local Heuer expert was to be David Chalmers, a co-founder of Time+Tide and raving Heuer fanatic. He launched the exhibition with the statement that it represents the most significant collection of Heuer watches ever assembled in Australia.
- It’s a collector-driven event, which means less marketing, more passion. TAG Heuer has a track record of looking after its vintage collectors and runs regular events, such as the Heuer Collectors Summit. The strong relationship is reflected in the fact that many of the watches exhibited come from private collectors, who have entrusted them to the brand for the duration of the exhibition.
The models on show in Australia are all related to sport, and include vintage stopwatches and watches specialised to sports, such as boxing, automotive-related sports and yachting. The centrepiece of the Sydney exhibition is the Ring Master from 1957, with interchangeable bezel depending on the sport in question, the inspiration for the 2016 Muhammad Ali special edition. In his speech, David kept drawing back to the link between the past and the present, saying that “vintage Heuer models continue to serve as the inspiration for today’s TAG Heuer collection”.
For a full list of the Heuer Globetrotter cities, locations and and centrepiece watches – lucky Paris featured the actual Monaco worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans – see below the images.
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Paris – the classic Heuers
The Carrera, the Autavia and the Monaco are just some of the many Heuer models that have become cult objects in the eyes of watch enthusiasts. The centrepiece of the Paris exhibition is the legendary Heuer Monaco from 1969, the first square water-resistant automatic chronograph watch in the history of Swiss watchmaking, famously worn by Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Le Mans. It has since become an iconic watch in the Heuer collection. TAG Heuer Paris Champs-Elysees, 104 Avenue des Champs Elysées, 75008 Paris, France
Geneva – the major inventions
For more than 150 years, TAG Heuer has been successfully overcoming challenges by re-examining historic mechanical conventions. The centrepiece of the Geneva exhibition is the famous Mikrograph from 1916, the first chronograph accurate to 1/100th of a second. TAG Heuer Geneva, 9 Rue Robert-Céard, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Munich – the military watches
In the mid-1960s, at the request of the West German armed forces, TAG Heuer developed a chronograph to meet the needs of air-force pilots. The watch brand created the now-legendary Bundeswehr, which was named after the German army, and will be on show during the 15-day exhibition in Munich. TAG Heuer Munich Theatinerstrasse, Theatinerstrasse 44, 8033 Munich, Germany
Venice – cars and timekeeping
Motor sports are an integral part of TAG Heuer’s history, with the creation of chronographs that have pushed the boundaries of chronometric accuracy – 1/10th, 1/100th, 1/1,000th and 5/10,000th of a second. The centrepiece of the Venice exhibition is the Autavia, the first dashboard developed for AUTomobile and AVIation. TAG Heuer Venice, San Marco 1298, 30124 Venice, Italy
Dubai – sailing and diving
TAG Heuer has several historic models related to water, sailing and swimming. The brand patented the invention of one of the first water-resistant cases for a pocket watch in 1895, then created the world’s first chronograph with a dial for regattas and a tide-level indicator. The centrepiece of the Dubai exhibition is the Seafarer, or Maréograph, from 1950, the world’s first chronograph with tide indicators. TAG Heuer FR Dubai Mall, Gold Souk Atrium, Level G, 0 Dubai
Singapore – Formula One
In 1971, Heuer was the first watchmaker affiliated to a Formula One grand prix team – Scuderia Ferrari. The partnership ran until 1979. In 1985, TAG Heuer joined forces with McLaren, the team with which it enjoyed the longest partnership in F1 (30 years). Today, TAG Heuer is the timekeeper for the F1 Red Bull Racing team. The centrepiece of the Singapore exhibition is the 18-carat gold Heuer Carrera from 1970, which Jack Heuer presented to each Ferrari driver, with their name engraved on the caseback. TAG Heuer Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Road, #02-34/35 Wisma Atria, 238877 Singapore
Hong Kong – cars and drivers
In 1969, Heuer became the first watch brand to sponsor a professional driver, Jo Siffert. The greatest champions followed suit: Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Alain Prost, Mika Häkkinen, David Coulthard, Kimi Räikkönen, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. All have proudly sported a TAG Heuer during their biggest races, either on their wrist or on the counter. The centrepiece of the Hong Kong exhibition is the Heuer Carrera Indianapolis special edition from 1965. Launched in 1963, the Carrera model quickly became a must-have watch for racing drivers, thanks to its highly legible dial. TAG Heuer Hong Kong Ocean Terminal, Shop OT213, level 2, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, TST, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tokyo – design through history
From the 1930s Monza chronograph, with the timeless design of its cushion-shaped case, to the Kirium F1 with its double time display, performance, ergonomics and comfort have always taken precedence in the design of the watch and its bracelet. The centrepiece of the Tokyo exhibition is the Time of Trip from 1911, one of the rarest pieces in the Heuer collection. TAG Heuer Tokyo Omotesando, 150-0001 | 5-8-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Kanto district 150- 0001, Japan
Miami – design
The Miami exhibition’s centrepiece is the beautiful Camaro from 1970. TAG Heuer Miami District Design, 140 NE 39th Street, suite 109, 33137 Miami, USA
*Please note that the Miami exhibition has been rescheduled to February 2018 because of Hurricane Irma.