INTRODUCING: Staying golden with the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

INTRODUCING: Staying golden with the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

Zach Blass

Today, TAG Heuer celebrates the 88th birthday of the legendary former CEO and current Honorary Chairman Jack Heuer by re-issuing Jack’s favourite ever Heuer watch, the gold Heuer Carrera 1158CHN. Jack, the great-grandson of Edouard Heuer, was an innovative leader of the famed manufacturer who worked with his family’s company for almost three decades. Two years after he joined the business, in 1960, Jack became one of the youngest leaders of a watch manufacture, at the age of 28. He devoted himself to many projects throughout the years, but his personal favourite to this day is the creation of the Carrera. And, beginning in the 1970s, Jack began a tradition of presenting an 18k gold Heuer Carrera for good luck to Ferrari Formula 1 drivers – legends such as Ronnie Peterson, Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni – during the partnership between Heuer and Ferrari. Engraved with the driver’s name and blood type on the caseback, these Heuer Carrera 1158CHN models have become highly sought-after collector’s items and symbols of the golden age of racing. In his honour, and in recognition of his favourite watch, TAG Heuer introduces the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition (available for purchase here).

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

The 18k 5N rose gold case has been modernised to a diameter of 42mm. It is composed of contrasting satin and polished finishes that extend to the sharp tapered and bevelled lugs. To further evoke the vintage styles of its direct predecessor, the sapphire crystal is domed and it has received a double coating of anti-reflective treatment to ensure better legibility. The crown at 3, as well as the pump chronograph pushers at the 2 and 4 positions, are highly polished and sealed with gaskets to ensure it is water resistant to 100 metres (as long as the chronograph is not actuated under water).

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

The opaline dial is predominantly silver, with the exception of its stepped black “azurage” elapsed hours and minutes chronograph registers (at 3 and 9 o’clock respectively). Each of the black registers has a sunburst gradient effect that pairs well with the opaline dial, and makes for a quite elegant panda aesthetic. Above the date window at 6, you will find the running seconds hand of the watch between two horizontal black lines that signal 15 and 45 seconds. You’ll also notice a very neat nod to both Jack’s 88th birthday and automotive racing: 88 symbolises the infinity loop, therefore TAG Heuer has rotated the number to create the visual of an infinity loop racing track.

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

The hands, hour markers and applied TAG Heuer logo are rendered in a case-matching rose gold tone – all polished and each very legible against their respective silver or black backdrops. For further visibility in darkness, the hour and minute hands, as well as the hour markers, have been coated with white Super-LumiNova® that blends well with the opaline silver dial in daylight. Bordering the inner dial is a minutes track with printed hash marks to denote the current minutes. Next to the Swiss Made denotation, Heuer 02 80 Hours is proudly printed on the dial, signalling the prized movement beating within.

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition is outfitted with a black alligator leather strap with black lining that includes a case-matching 18k 5N rose gold pin buckle with the TAG Heuer logo.

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

Visible beneath the screw-down exhibition caseback, and its special numbered limited edition engraving, is the Calibre Heuer 02 automatic movement mentioned at the bottom of the dial. It has, you guessed it, an ample 80 hours of power reserve and is industrially embellished nicely with Côtes de Genève. Composed of 168 components and ticking away at 28,800 vph, the Caliber Heuer 02 is a vertical clutch column wheel movement, which means the chronograph will have butter-smooth actuation with no stutter to the central seconds hand when engaged.

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

It is also theoretically capable of being run constantly without major wear and tear to the movement, as vertical clutch architectures require less friction when activated. As a neat gesture, the self-winding rotor has been engraved with Jack Heuer’s motto: “Time never stops, why should we?”

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition pricing and availability:

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Jack Heuer Birthday Gold Limited Edition ref. CBN2041.FC8306 will be available in March 2021, with the ability to pre-order beginning November 19, 2020. It is a limited edition of 188 watches, priced at $26,700 AU. To buy or enquire, visit TAG Heuer right here.