VIDEO: The 5 watches that defined TAG Heuer’s year
Fergus NashTAG Heuer have enjoyed an eventful year, releasing some gorgeous watches that flex their capabilities beyond their standard lineups while staying true to their inherent DNA. Perhaps the best example of this was their collaboration with Porsche in the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition, embracing the racing ancestry that the Swiss brand carries and bringing that into a modern context. Not only are the Porsche colours of red, black and grey represented, but the dial is made up of a grainy asphalt texture representing a race track, while the Arabic numerals are evocative of a speedometer.
Pushing further into the modern world is the TAG Heuer Connected smartwatch, with 2021 seeing the release of two additions to the range. Firstly, a smile-inducing tie-in with Nintendo for the Super Mario edition, with custom animations for hitting different fitness milestones to help gamify your workouts. Secondly, a super sleek Luxury Edition is available in a DLC-coated titanium case and a one-off black and gold dial option.
Stepping back in time again, and TAG Heuer have paid tribute to their own vintage reference 844, an endearing chunky diver with its signature red 24-hour markers. The modern incarnation uses the 43mm Aquaracer base in Grade 5 titanium, and uses a creamy cappuccino-toned luminous paint as faux-ageing. The dial is a softly grained black, which really lets those crimson 24-hour markings pop and gives the whole watch a wonderfully warm feel.
The green dial craze certainly swept 2021 as hard as the bronze case craze did 2020, but the emerald dial TAG Heuer Carrera with the Heuer 02 movement is definitely one of the most underrated hits. The way the light green’s highlights blend alongside the silvery brushed steel case give the whole watch a refreshing, cooling attitude that works in many sporty and dressy ways. The 80 hours of power reserve provided by the Heuer 02 column-wheel chronograph movement is a welcome addition as well, and the 44mm diameter is managed surprisingly well by the angled lugs.
Bringing yet another vintage attitude into the modern world is the expansive TAG Heuer Three Hands collection, a detail-oriented yet simple watch that doesn’t try to be anything other than sleek and useable. It’s quite telling that Ryan Gosling is the new ambassador for this line, having previously rarely worn anything other than a 34mm vintage Rolex Air-King, showing his appreciation for a solid, uncomplicated and unpretentious watch.