TAG Heuer's new Carrera for its 60th anniversary has attracted a lot of attention. However, most people might be more drawn to the basic three-hand model. Despite its modest design of a three-hand watch on a bracelet, this model is actually quite good.
Text by Masayuki Hirota (Chronos-Japan)
Article published on June 2023, 4
In fact, the three-hand Carrera is the model to watch!
When you think of TAG Heuer's Carrera, you probably think of a chronograph with an expanded bezel around the dial. However, since its revival in 1996, the Carrera has been dominated by basic three-hand automatic models. The Carrera's design, with its expanded bezel and narrow bezel, was more suited to a business watch than a sports watch.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 7 Date, announced in 2023, is, if we may say so, the perfection of the basic three-hand Carrera. I have been waiting for a model like this, and I suspect many retailers are as well.
This basic Carrera model not only has a reduced diameter of 36mm, but also features a completely new movement. While maintaining its excellent exterior, its practicality has been significantly improved. Automatic winding (Cal. 7/SW300-1 base). 25 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 56 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 36mm, thickness 10mm). Water resistant to 5 bar. Price: 396,000 yen (tax included).
The prototype was the 21st-year "Carrera Calibre 5." This movement was changed to Calibre 7 and housed in a 36mm case to become the "Carrera Calibre 7 Date."
The Carrera Calibre 5 was an attempt to bring the sporty Carrera back to a more dressy look. The slender bezel and hollowed-out lugs remain the same as before. However, the indices were made taller and the corners were made more chamfered, making it easier to read the time and, more importantly, giving it a more luxurious feel.
The date window has also been improved. The previous model also had a separate fixed part, but the 21st Caliber 5 has a more angular chamfered inner frame, making the top of the frame and the dial completely flat. Looking at the processing of this part alone, it is a very well-made formal watch.
The distance between the dial and the hands was also narrowed to the same level as that of a dress watch. Most sports watches have a large clearance between the hands and the dial, because the hands tend to bend when subjected to a strong shock. However, the Carrera's three-hand model, which incorporates a dressy design, is exceptionally narrow.
The thick hands make them less likely to bend. I never thought I'd see a TAG Heuer watch using a technique like Hublot's, where the dial is raised to reduce the clearance.
The bracelet is also well-made. The two-link bracelet, typical of a sports watch, has just the right amount of play on both sides, so it should be comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
Normally, the number of links is increased to adjust the play between the left and right sides, but TAG Heuer has managed to achieve this with fewer links. The balance between the weight of the watch and the bracelet is also excellent, so even if you shake the watch vigorously, it doesn't feel like it's being pulled in one direction.
