TAG Heuer debuts two Formula 1 x Mario Kart Limited Editions that fans will race to shell out for
Zach BlassIn a sceptical marketplace, collaborations and partnerships can sometimes be met with hesitancy. Not every tie-in is created equal. Is it a gimmick? A cash-grab? If the through-line is not there, if it does not feel genuine, then the release is often set to tank. But the proof is ultimately in the pudding. Last year, TAG Heuer collaborated with Nintendo and integrated the beloved video-game character Mario into the soft and hardware of their Connected Watch. The result was a certified winner. During the launch of the Carrera R.S. 2.7 Limited Editions, TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault explained to me in Paris that when the Mario Connected watch was announced, the brand received over 100,000 purchase inquires for the limited-edition run of 2,000 watches. This incredible level of demand, and a quick sell-out of inventory meant that a follow-up was inevitable. But the genesis of the new TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart Limited Editions actually began two and a half years ago.
As a watch brand with so much racing heritage, it is a natural for TAG Heuer to leverage the racing segment of Mario’s gaming universe. To have done so with the Connected product line may have seemed a bit forced – as Arnault pointed out to me: the Connected watch is not particularly tied to motorsports. Their Formula 1 collection, however, was the perfect canvas for such a collaborative design. To ensure as many people could get in on this Mario party, TAG Heuer strategically crafted two different watches at two different price tiers: a Formula 1 Chronograph and, for the first time, a Formula 1 Chronograph Tourbillon.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph) CAZ201E.FC6517
The more accessible track for buyers, both in quantity and price, is the Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph) CAZ201E.FC6517. Water-resistant to 200m, the 44mm stainless-steel case is adorned with mixed finishes and has short lugs that mitigate its presence on the wrist. As a Mario Kart watch, there are of course Mario design cues that, fortunately, TAG has injected tastefully. The knurled crown has the signature red Mario ‘M’ embedded into it and, within the fixed polished black ceramic bezel, the tachymeter scale carries the Mario Kart logo.
Its chequered opaline black dial is where things get even more interesting though. The chequered texture is, of course, a nod to a racing flag. But the eye will immediately be drawn to the running seconds register at 9′ – where Mario, in his racing kart, replaces the numeral 60. The applied Mario figure has rich colour tones that pop, making it appear like the character has raced off the screen of a console onto the watch. My favourite Mario Kart element on the dial is the customised date wheel at 3′, where every fifth day one of six different Mario Kart items (which are used in the game to either slow down other racers or speed up your own character) will replace the numeral.
Inside ticks the automatic TAG Heuer automatic calibre 16, a chronograph calibre based on the Valjoux 7750. Therefore I respect the decision to conceal the 42-hour, power-reserve movement, instead treating owners to a commemorative engraved caseback with the Mario Kart logo and a silhouette of Mario in his kart. Affixed to the watch is a special custom textured black leather strap with red lining that takes inspiration from the koopa shells that are integral items in the game.
The watch is secured to the wrist via a twin-trigger, folding, deployant clasp in steel, engraved with the Mario “M”, that can be adjusted. There are no loopholes. By lifting a clamp within the clasp, you are able to slide it to the desired position. The padding as the strap nears the case may limit how far you can go. But you would have to have an incredibly small wrist for this to pose an issue.
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
| Model | Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph) CAZ201E.FC6517 |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Dial | Black dial, chequered pattern. Elapsed minutes at 12′, running seconds at 9′, elapsed hours at 12′ |
| Strap | Textured black calf skin strap with custom embossed pattern, red lining Fine-brushed steel folding clasp with double safety push-buttons; special engraving |
| Movement | Calibre 16 Automatic (base Valjoux 7750) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Availability | October 2022, Limited Edition of 3,000 pcs. To be sold exclusively in TAG Heuer boutiques and in select markets on their e-commerce platform. |
| Price | $4,300 USD |
TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph Tourbillon) CAZ5080.FC6517
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph Tourbillon) CAZ5080.FC6517 is the ultimate Mario Kart x TAG Heuer collectable, the most rare and most complicated. Like the chronograph model, the chronograph tourbillon carries a larger diameter mitigated by shorter lugs. It also utilises a fixed polished black ceramic tachymeter bezel with Mario Kart branding, and has the Mario “M” red crown. But this mixed finish case is 1mm larger (45mm), 100m water-resistant versus 200m, and is fashioned in grade 5 titanium rather than stainless steel.
As I mentioned earlier, this limited edition marks the first time a TAG Formula 1 watch boasts a tourbillon function – and boy is this the best way for it to debut in the collection. The 60-second tourbillon serves as the running seconds register in style. You will find Mario in his kart being chased by the two of the most powerful items in the game: the bullet and the blue bowser shell. Normally acquired if you are at or near last place, the bullet allows a player to be boosted forward while simultaneously crashing karts they pass. The blue bowser shell seeks out and hits whoever is in first place. It is a tasteful insert into the dial, which, while it clearly utilises red linings in homage of Mario, could easily be construed as a TAG aesthetic. Were the Mario elements removed from the watch, you would not query the presence of its design within the catalogue.
The watch is affixed to a strap identical in design as what is found on the chronograph-only model, distinguished with an engraved case-matching, folding clasp in titanium. Beneath an exhibition caseback you will find the in-house automatic calibre Heuer 02T, a COSC-certified chronograph tourbillon calibre with 65 hours of power reserve. The openworked rotor displays three character silhouettes: Peach, Mario, and Luigi from right to left respectively. Beneath the rotor, the calibre matches the tones of the dial – blackened bridges with a red column wheel that serves as yet another nod to Mario and his signature colour.
This particular edition is obviously more prohibitive in price and quantity than the chronograph-only model. But, at $25,600 USD, and as a special limited edition that ties in a very collectable character, it is competitively priced. You would be hard-pressed to find a quality Swiss-made tourbillon at this price.
Inspecting the limited-edition watches “in the metal”, they really gave me the same happy vibes I had when I first saw the Minions Joker watch from Konstantin Chaykin. Their playful nature belies their serious technical quality. Bulgari/Gerald Genta have had immense success with their Disney watches past and present, and, while holding both of these limited editions, I really felt that TAG Heuer has done a great job of creating a “character watch” with genuine character. No gimmicks, just smiles. Much like the Connected watch that preceded these two, I’d expect a lot of Mario and TAG fans to look to score one (or both) of these highly collectible editions.
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
| Model | Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph Tourbillon) CAZ5080.FC6517 |
| Case Dimensions | 45mm |
| Case Material | Grade 5 titanium |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Dial | Black opaline dial with red lining. Elapsed minutes at 3′, elapsed hours at 9′, 60-second tourbillon at 6′. |
| Strap | Textured black calf skin strap with custom embossed pattern, red lining Fine-brushed titanium grade 5 folding clasp with double safety push-buttons; special engraving |
| Movement | In-house automatic calibre Heuer 02T COSC |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph, tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 65 hours |
| Availability | October 2022, Numbered Limited Edition of 250 pcs. To be sold exclusively in TAG Heuer boutiques and in select markets on their e-commerce platform. |
| Price | $25,600 USD |