Editor’s note: Like you, we are also excited for the new releases from various brands in 2022. Before we get to go hands-on with those, here’s our short preview and the Gut Reaction Review (Grr…) of the new TAG Heuer Carrera Year of the Tiger. For our standard detailed hands-on reviews, please head to our dedicated reviews section here.
Grr… Gut Reaction
Almost a year ago the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph made landfall, ushering in a new era of partnership between the two brands. With 44mm diameter, an in-house movement (Calibre Heuer 02), an impressive 80-hour power-reserve, and excellent dial readability, it followed suit in the successful footsteps of collabs such as Breitling and Bentley, Zenith and Land Rover, TAG and Aston Martin, Hublot and Ferrari, to name a few.
Then in October 2021, TAG Heuer revisited its iconic Carrera collection, launching the new generation of TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands. This collection features both date and day-date models, with the latter starting from 4’250 AUD.
Now, another TAG Heuer Carrera is announced that should not only enthral the brand’s existing fans but also win new converts.
But this ain’t just some smart marketing by the brand; they back it up with a stellar limited-edition timepiece that will see you ‘roaring’ into 2022.
The two-tone version which forms the basis for the new TAG Heuer Carrera Year of the Tiger Limited Edition retails for 4’500 AUD. With a premium of just 900 AUD, the new TAG Heuer Carrera has a lot to offer.
(P)Review of the new TAG Heuer Carrera
The new TAG Heuer Carrera LE of 300-pieces most strikingly features an Year of the Tiger themed dial with a blue dial with showy tiger stripes and a matching blue flange.
The darker blue base acts as the perfect backdrop for the horizontally brushed metal coated with blue PVD treatment stripes characteristic of a tiger’s fur.
On this beautiful dial the 18K 5N rose gold plated hands, indexes, and frame of the day-date window ensure perfect legibility and that added feeling of luxe. Complementing the gold tones is also the 18K 5N solid rose gold crown at 3’o clock.
Given the theme seems to be a blue tiger, I also appreciate that the exhibition case-back featuring an emblematic blue and black tiger decal.
The rather different execution of the dial is encased inside a finely brushed and polished 41mm x 12.37mm steel case with an odd lug interhorn spacing of 20.5mm and an impressive for a daily-wearable dress watch 100m of water-resistance.
Inside this case of the ref. WBN2050.FC6506 ticks the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 movement which essentially is based on the Sellita 200-1 or the ETA 2824-2. We reckon its TAG’s version of the SW220-1 (26 jewels) or ETA 2836-2 (25-jewels).
This 26mm diameter movement comprises 25 to 26 rubies depending on the execution, beats at the frequency of 4Hz, provides a 38-hour power reserve, and features rapid date correction.
Given the genesis of this movement and TAG Heuer’s own horological prowess, rest assured, the Calibre 5 is designed to be a workhorse movement and run to satisfaction.
This TAG Heuer Carrera comes on a blue calfskin strap with double gold stitching complementing the dial and inside an exclusive packaging that includes a blue lacquered box featuring the same blue tiger-stripe design and a complimentary TAG Heuer travel pouch.
That’s All Folks!
The best thing about this TAG Heuer Year of the Tiger Limited Edition is that it pays respect to the start of the New Year in the Chinese culture and looks good while doing it.
Jack Heuer many moons ago had created the Carrera watch in 1963 in tribute to the well-known Carrera Panamericana car races. A spirit of daredevilry accompanied these races. The new TAG Heuer Carrera Year of the Tiger personifies that with a beautiful dial that makes several references to the fur coat of the tiger.
With due respect to Survivor’s Rocky theme, the new TAG Heuer Carrera allows its wearers to rise up, (be) back on the street (after Covid-19 lockdowns), doing their time, taking their chances, going the distance, and finding themselves back on their feet, just a watch collector and his will to survive…
It’s the fur of the tiger (on the dial), it’s the thrill of the fight (with other competing brands), and rising up to the challenge of any rival is the new TAG Heuer Carrera Year of the Tiger Limited Edition.
To find out more about the new Carrera and their other watches, please head to their website here. All images unless stated otherwise are courtesy ©TAG Heuer/ © TAG Heuer Brand of LVMH Swiss Manufactures SA – 2021
