Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer and German sportscar manufacturer Porsche have officially sealed their longstanding friendship with the launch of special edition TAG Heuer Porsche Carrera Chronograph.
In 1963 Jack Heuer, the great grandson of the founder, created the first Heuer Carrera chronograph, designed specially for racecar drivers. A few years later Jack Heuer forged an agreement with racing driver Jo Siffert, who put the brand’s logo on his suit and the Porsche he drove, in exchange for which he sold Heuer Monaco watches, named in tribute to the Monaco Grand Prix. Thanks to Steve McQueen, who wore a racing suit bearing the two logos, the two brands came together again in the 1971 movie Le Mans. They continued their close relationship in the 1980s and 90s with the TAG-Turbo engine, as well as competitions including the Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercup. In 2019, when Porsche created its own Formula E team, it naturally partnered with TAG Heuer.
Now a new partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche formally celebrates these years of friendship, says Frédéric Arnault, CEO of the watchmaker: ““TAG Heuer and Porsche have common history and values, of course, but more importantly, we share an attitude. Like Porsche, we are disruptors at heart, always in pursuit of high performance. With this alliance, TAG Heuer and Porsche finally come together officially after decades of close encounters and will create unmatched experiences and products for customers and fans that are passionate about both our brands and what we stand for.”
The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph is well worth the wait. Associated with Porsche’s most powerful engines, the Carrera name was a natural choice for this exceptional timepiece, inspired by the famous Carrera Panamericana race in Mexico.
The design is a perfectly balanced alliance of the essence of each brand’s identity. The Porsche colors of red, black and gray and unmistakable font are joined by Arabic numerals that evoke the numbers on the dashboard of exquisite Porsche sportscars. The asphalt effect of the black dial, embodying a passion for the road, was designed specially for this limited edition watch. For lovers of speed and precision, the timepiece is powered by the in-house Calibre Heuer 02 manufacture movement with a reserve of 80 hours.
In 2021 TAG Heuer and Porsche are teaming up for a series of events, notably the Porsche Carrera Cup and Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup competitions. On the green, TAG Heuer will join Porsche as a partner of the Porsche Golf Cup and the Porsche European Open. And on the court, their shared passion for tennis will bring them together for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, featuring the game’s most talented women.
These collaborations mark the strong bonds between the two brands nourished over decades of friendship, an ideal embodiment of Jack Heuer’s motto: “Time doesn’t stop. Why should we?”