7 Important TAG Heuer Chronographs: 1887–2016

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Monaco. For TAG Heuer, a leader in chronographs, this year marks an important milestone not only to celebrate the brand's iconic models, but also to look back on the history of the chronograph. The first TAG Heuer chronograph model was featured in the brand's catalog in 1882. Since then, technological innovations have continued to evolve, leading to the present day. This time, we will introduce seven important models from the history of TAG Heuer's chronographs.

1. Oscillating Pinion (1887)

　Heuer founder Edouard Heuer's goal was to make the chronograph technically simpler and more affordable without sacrificing accuracy or reliability. In the 19th century, when horizontal clutches were the standard chronograph feature, Heuer sought a simpler way to connect the chronograph to the movement. On May 3, 1887, Heuer patented the "oscillating pinion," also known as the "locking pinion." This was a main shaft with pinions on both ends. One pinion meshed with the seconds wheel, while the other engaged the chronograph gears when the chronograph was running. When the chronograph was disengaged, the pinion disengaged from the chronograph gears. This mechanism performed extremely well and became a watch industry standard, still used today in chronobluff movements such as the ETA 7750.

2. Micrograph (1916)

　In 1914, Charles-Auguste Heuer II embarked on the company's most ambitious project to date. He asked his watchmakers to create a stopwatch ten times more accurate than any other watch available. A few months later, a fully functional prototype was produced. It vibrated at 36,000 vibrations per hour, enabling timekeeping to within one-hundredth of a second. It was housed in a simple pocket watch case with a large crown that also served as a chronograph pusher. The chronograph hand rotated rapidly once every three seconds, and a two-minute counter was located at 12 o'clock. The movement featured an antimagnetic escapement and a Breguet balance spring. Heuer patented the chronograph mechanism on October 2, 1916. The Mikrograph was sold for 100 Swiss francs, and the accompanying brochure proclaimed, "Despite its low price, it is capable of measuring short periods of time with the utmost precision."

3. Carrera (1963)

　The Carrera was the brand's first flagship watch. Jack Heuer, the great-grandson of founder Edouard Heuer and CEO of Heuer, named it after the incredible 2000-mile Carrera Panamericana race, which took place in Mexico from 1950 to 1954 (the race was suspended due to its dangerous nature and resumed in 1988). Its distinctive design is evident in the dial, where the flange is angled 45° upward toward the outer periphery. This increases the dial diameter by 2 mm, improving readability. Heuer also recessed the subdials to add a visual dimension. Heuer also eliminated the telemeter and tachymeter to improve legibility.

4. Monaco (1969)

　In 1969, the first quartz movement was developed and was about to hit the market. However, no one initially worried about the potential threat it would pose to mechanical watches. That was not the case for Jack Heuer, the fourth president of Heuer. At the time, sales of manual-winding chronograph watches were stagnating, so in 1965 Heuer joined forces with Breitling, Hamilton-Büren, and Dubois-Dépraz to develop an automatic chronograph movement. This movement, called the Caliber 11, entered mass production in 1969 (the same year that Zenith and Seiko also released automatic chronograph watches). Heuer spent 500,000 Swiss francs developing the Caliber 11. The movement was housed in a waterproof stainless steel square case. Jack Heuer, a car racing fan, named the watch the Monaco, after the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. With limited advertising budgets, the company sought low-cost ways to promote it. Heuer chose Swiss Formula 1 driver Jo Siffert as the celebrity to help promote the Monaco (Siffert died in a racing accident in 1971). Steve McQueen wore Siffert's original racing suit with the Monaco in the 1971 film Le Mans. Today, the Monaco is a collector's item.

5. Chronosplit Manhattan GMT (1977)

　Digital time displays aren't for everyone, as those with poor eyesight can find small numbers difficult to read. Some find analog displays with hands and indices easier to read. The Chronosplit Manhattan GMT, available in both analog and digital formats, was introduced in 1977. Heuer described this model as "a watch for those seeking more than a typical quartz watch." The case is made of stainless steel, and the half of the hexagonal dial from the center to 6 o'clock uses hands to display the hours, minutes, and seconds, with a date display at 4 o'clock. The analog movement functions separately from the LCD display. Buttons for adjusting various functions are located on the edge of the case at 12 o'clock. Even while the chronograph is running, the user can switch the display to show the current time zone in 24-hour format (hence the GMT model name). The day and date can also be displayed digitally.

6. Mikrotimer Flying 1000 (2011)

　Demonstrating its position as a leader in high-precision mechanical chronographs, TAG Heuer introduced the Mikrotimer Flying 1000 at Baselworld 2011. It achieved a previously unattainable feat in mechanical watches: timekeeping to 1/1000th of a second. Like the Mikrograph's 1/100th of a second, this model features two separate drives, each with its own regulator and escapement. The chronograph beats at an astonishing 360,000 vibrations per hour (500 Hz). Its short, wide, and robust balance spring was developed in collaboration with Atokalpa, part of the Sandoz Family Foundation (which also owns Parmigiani Fleurier). This balance spring is coupled to a specially developed escapement. The balance spring's oscillations are started and stopped by impulses and brakes controlled by a column wheel, acting directly on the balance spring (the watch has no balance wheel). The central chronograph seconds hand completes 10 revolutions around the dial per second. To read the elapsed time to the thousandth of a second, you must add up the hundredths and thousandths of a second, indicated by the long, green central chronograph seconds hand. Tenths of a second are displayed on a subdial (which makes one rotation every five seconds). The chronograph's power reserve is just three and a half minutes. Normal time display is provided by a regulator that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour.

7. TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 Tourbillon Chronograph (2016)

　The movement in this watch is derived from the TAG Heuer in-house chronograph movement, Caliber CH-80, introduced in 2014 (TAG Heuer suspended production of the CH-80 shortly after its release, explaining that it wanted to focus on its first in-house movement, the Caliber 1887). The movement, featuring a flying tourbillon, has a single barrel, is COSC-certified, and offers a power reserve of approximately 65 hours. TAG Heuer manufactures the movement's major components in-house, with assembly carried out in Chevenez (the balance spring is made by Atokalpa). The case has a modular design and is comprised of 12 parts. However, what's particularly noteworthy isn't the movement or the case, but its price. At the time, it was surprisingly affordable for a Swiss-made tourbillon, in the ¥100 million range, demonstrating the company's consistent commitment to offering an affordable price point.