The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda leans into its vintage cues
Buffy AcaciaIt wouldn’t be an unfounded opinion to say that vintage reissues have become a bit stale after a decade of non-stop re-releases. Sure, vintage watches are fantastic, and new watches with vintage looks? Debatably even better. So when TAG Heuer released the Carrera Chronograph Glassbox at last year’s Watches and Wonders, it had a raucous reception. It’s heavily inspired by Heuer references from the ‘60s, but still modernised enough to be considered an original design in its own right. Now, for Watches and Wonders 24, the reference 7753 SN has become the muse of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda.
The case
The Heuer reference 7753 SN was first released in 1970, but its DNA is thoroughly rooted in the 1960s. Part-for-part, it shares very little with the new Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda, but the spirit is definitely there under a contemporary guise. Although the stainless steel case has been upsized to 39mm for a compromise between vintage and modern styles, the silhouette is definitely still reminiscent of those 1960s Carreras. Its angular, clipped lugs look fantastic with a high polish on the front surfaces and brushing along the sides, sharpening the edges. The lug-to-lug length is 46mm, which should ensure a comfortable fit on most wrists. The pushers have been made a little bit more sturdy with thick stems and shoulders, and the whole watch is capable of swimming with a water resistance of 100m.
On the wrist, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda perfectly executes that hybrid look of contemporary and vintage flavours. No vintage watch could look so precisely laid-out, and yet it doesn’t look like it was entirely concieved recently either. It looks as though it has existed for decades—already a crowd favourite that will never be out of style.
The dial
It has to be nearly impossible for a company like TAG Heuer, which is renowned for its chronographs, to produce a bad panda dial. The look is just as established at this point as a black-dialled diver, and this Carrera Chronograph Glassbox is a particularly nice example. The tone of the silver is blazing, exploring different shades of grey as the finishing sends light scattered across it. The black sub-dials are decorated with subtle rings, and then fortified by bezels with their printed markings.
The silver sunburst is fine and crisp, with the twin registers offset by bright red hands for legibility. A small seconds hand runs just above 6 o’clock with a printed track so that the two-register look isn’t interrupted by a third sub-dial, and a framed date window has been tucked down there as well. The real key to the Glassbox’s look is what’s going on with the chapter ring. The main minutes track and chronograph markers are printed on a tall, sloping rehaut, which leads up to a domed tachymetre beneath the box-domed sapphire crystal.
The movement
Powering the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda is the Heuer 02 (TH20-00) movement, which has seen quite a lot of use since its introduction in 2016 and spec upgrade in 2023. The in-house calibre is an automatic chronograph, now with bi-directional winding, a 4Hz beat rate, and a whopping 80 hours of power reserve. It’s a column-wheel chronograph, giving the pushers their satisfying click feel, and it’s been given a fresh, industrial-looking finish with Côtes de Genève and a shield-shaped winding rotor. It’s not overly bulky like some modular automatic chronographs either, allowing the watch’s total height to come in at 13.87mm tall.
The bracelet
The bracelet of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda is interesting, and seems to be a hybrid of a few different styles. It’s not so strange as to be distracting at a glance, but there are a few details which help it to stand out from a crowd. It’s almost an H-link pattern, except there is a distinct line between the outer and central sections, which is enough to add bold definition. The other centre links are polished in contrast to the brushed surfaces, heightening the watch’s sense of luxury, but they’re smaller than most centre links in this configuration. That leaves a slight gap between them, which evokes some of the vintage ladder bracelets which showed off a lot more of your wrist underneath. If you’re the type to play around with aftermarket straps, then you’ll be pleased with the 20mm lug width affording you plenty of options.
The verdict
Really, it was just a matter of time for the panda colour scheme to make it to the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox. There are plenty of options to choose from if you’re in the market for a mid-range luxury chronograph, and TAG Heuer occupy a huge chunk of that space. The Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda will surely attract a lot of attention, especially from those who prefer just that little bit more vintage charm.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda pricing and availability
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda is now available from TAG Heuer retailers. Price: CHF 6,500
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
| Model | Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda |
| Reference Number | CBS2216.BA0041 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 13.87mm (T) x 46mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Silver sunburst with two black subdials |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Steel bracelet |
| Movement | Heuer 02 (TH20-00) |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | CHF 6,500 |