INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition
Ricardo SimeAsk any Formula 1 fan who Ayrton Senna was, and the range of emotions they’ll express may leave you perplexed. In the first few seconds, the joy in their eyes may reflect what it felt like to watch one of the most aggressive and talented drivers the sport has ever seen. Eventually, that joy is replaced by sadness and thoughts of what could have been. Yet even as the name puts fans through an emotional rollercoaster, most will agree that Senna is one of the best Formula 1 drivers of all time. This is why TAG Heuer continues to honour him and why today we have a new watch bearing his name: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition.
The watch is a quartz chronograph, adorned with a bold black and yellow colourway. The black starts with a DLC steel sand-blasted case that is 43mm wide and has a thickness of 12.5mm. Lug-to-lug here is 49mm, which when coupled with a wide 22mm lug width creates a compact looking chronograph on the wrist. (Black watches, especially with large bezels, notoriously look smaller on the wrist than their lighter coloured counterparts.) And finally, the 3 o’clock crown is screw down, aiding the watch in achieving 200 metres of water resistance. Just remember not to engage the pushers if you happen to take the Formula 1 Senna Special Edition out for a swim.
Moving in from the case, we are met with the classic TAG Heuer Fomula 1 bezel featuring “Senna” written out from 12 to 1 o’clock. It can also be found at 6 o’clock, where it dominates the 1/10 second subdial. Above that you’ll find a 30-minute chronograph counter at 9 o’clock and a running seconds counter at 3 o’clock. All three, as well as the date at four, are cut out of a brushed, sunburst pattern dial. As for lume, that can be found on all the indexes, as well as the hour and minute hands.
Located within the watch and behind an engraved caseback, you’ll likely find the Ronda Calibre 5040.D. TAG Heuer tends to be hush hush about what’s inside its quartz chronographs, however the 5040.D fits the bill here. The dial layout and functions are a tell-tale sign. As such, the movement has 13 jewels and is rated for a battery life of 54 months.
As we move away from the case, we’re met with one of the best odes to Senna on the watch. In his early years as an ambassador for TAG Heuer, Senna wore a TAG Heuer S/el, a predecessor to the Link. That watch is known for its iconic S bracelet, which Senna had a role in designing. For the 22mm, yellow accented, leather strap the watch comes on, the brand embossed the S/el bracelet design onto the leather near the case. This transitions to normal leather near the DLC deployant clasp.
Overall, the Formula 1 Senna Special Edition is another example from the brand that solidifies its roots with the sport. In the early 90s, a who’s who of Formula 1 drivers were TAG Heuer ambassadors, which continues till this day. Though Senna isn’t here with us to see how far the brand has come, they have never forgotten what he meant to them. That’s why when I look at this watch, all I see is an endearing tribute to one of the greats.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition Price and Availability:
The watch, reference CAZ101AJ.FC6487, is currently available for purchase. The price will be $2300 USD.