TAG Heuer Heritage Director talks about the two 160th anniversary models / Catherine Eberle-Duvaux

TAG Heuer celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2020 with several new releases of its famous race-inspired Carrera model. These include two limited editions inspired by heritage pieces: one is a revival of the 1964 Carrera with a silver dial, and the other is a redesigned Carrera incorporating features from the vintage Montreal chronograph. We had the opportunity to speak with Catherine Eberle-Duvaux, TAG Heuer's Heritage Director and the mastermind behind these two models, about this year that could be called the Year of the Carrera.

Watch Time (WT):Can you talk about the origins of the name "Montreal," which inspired the TAG Heuer Carrera 160th Anniversary Montreal Limited Edition, and why this model has achieved such cult popularity?

Catherine Eberle-Duveau (hereinafter referred to as CE):It was originally introduced in 1972, during Jack Heuer's involvement, and is generally thought to be named after the Canadian Grand Prix, but this is not the case, considering that the first F1 race in Montreal was not held until 1979.

　The city of Montreal was already world famous thanks to the 67 World's Fair and the Winter Olympic Games. In fact, the Montreal wasn't conceived as a motor racing chronograph, like the Silverstone, Carrera, or Monaco. Instead, it was a chronograph with a tachymeter and pulsometer, making it a highly versatile timepiece and a tool watch for all kinds of people.

　The Montreal dial design has been incorporated into this limited edition Carrera, thanks to its unique color palette. Each color serves a specific purpose: on the original model, blue represents the pulsometer and red represents the tachymeter scale. These are displayed on a white dial with black subdials, giving the watch excellent legibility. And as you can imagine, legibility was Jack Heuer's number one priority.

WT:What was the idea behind combining the Montreal with the Carrera rather than simply reviving it?

CE:I really liked the combination of the Montreal dial color and the Carrera case, with its ergonomically designed lugs and the well-balanced pushers and crown. It's true that combining these two collections was a completely new concept for TAG Heuer. The Montreal case is a bit too large for today's watch, but the combination of the attractive dial color with the Carrera case makes for a very modern watch.

WT:TAG Heuer is revamping the Carrera this year to mark its 160th anniversary. What are the major differences between the models released in recent years and this new collection?

CE:"For the Carrera collection, including the Limited Edition, we sought a modern interpretation of the original model. It is powered by the in-house Heuer 02 movement, which allows for a dial configuration with subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. While each one features different things, this layout captures the spirit of the design."

　Of course, the Heuer 02 is automatic, while the 1963 (first-generation) Carrera movement was hand-wound. The heritage models, which existed before the redesigned core collection, feature sapphire crystal case backs, allowing viewers to see the rotors specially designed for these two timepieces. Both models feature the longer power reserve of the Heuer 02, approximately 80 hours, and a date display, which was not available on the earliest Carreras. I believe that modern chronographs require both higher water resistance and a date display. The new case has a slightly larger diameter of 44mm, along with improved water resistance.

WT:Over the past few years, we've seen Heuer's historic logo featured on timepieces, particularly those with a vintage-inspired look. How is the decision made as to whether to use a modern TAG Heuer logo or a retro-inspired one?

CE:"A commemorative "Tribute" watch had to be truly authentic, and many people felt that putting TAG Heuer's current logo on such an anniversary model would be disrespectful to the spirit of the watch. At the same time, we are TAG Heuer (not Heuer), and we respect the "Technique d'Avant Garde" of modern watches. Both are part of our history and together enrich what we share with the world."

WT:Jack Heuer, who brought the original anniversary model to the world, is now semi-retired and honorary chairman, but did he have any input into the 160th anniversary model released this year?

CE:Jack is still in good health and has been involved in the redesign of this collection from the very early stages, particularly for the limited editions. I recently had the opportunity to speak with him directly to ask whether what we've done is in line with his own guidelines and original vision for the Carrera, and he told me he is very pleased with the results. The Carrera he designed is a pillar and anchor of the brand. These two anniversary models and the new Carrera collection will certainly be part of the company's strategy moving forward.