A Chronograph For All Occasions

TAG Heuer’s latest Carrera timepiece takes off with a strong start, sporting some welcome updates and contemporary leanings

I RECALL MY INITIATION to chronographs with a great deal of fondness... and a tinge of embarrassment. After being introduced to a chronograph timepiece (the model and make of which escapes me now), I blurted, “So it’s a stopwatch within a watch?” What can I say except pardon my naïveté.

The status quo has shifted since that moment of mortification. I’ve schooled myself a little more now, and watchmaking technology has continued to advance ‒ even with regard to the ingenuity of the self-winding chronograph. Which is why I felt great excitement when I unboxed TAG Heuer’s new 2020 Carrera Chronograph 42mm for this review.

Heritage Reinvigorated

TAG Heuer’s involvement with chronographs is well-documented, and the Carrera’s significance is undoubtedly of great historical importance. Jack Heuer’s mission to deliver a racing chronograph that espoused legibility and reliability came to fruition in 1963 with the debut of the

Carrera 2447. Compared to the Autavia, the Carrera carried a more refined aesthetic ‒ a gentleman driver’s watch, if you will.

The Carrera has since seen several reiterations, the most recent of which ‒ the 2020 Carrera Chronograph 42mm ‒ takes a more compact form, yet sacrifices none of its design hallmarks. The new 42-millimetre case size is perhaps the most noticeable change. Along with a lug-to-lug measurement of 48.2 millimetres, the watch features dimensions that are extremely accommodating, especially for sleekwristed guys such as myself. TAG Heuer has also reduced the case’s thickness to 14.4 millimetres ‒ its proportions are not better.

The new design doesn’t just look lighter; it wears lighter too. The thickness of the H-links on the bracelet has shrunken by 20 per cent (now 28.8 millimetres). Aside from the reduction in overall weight, the slimmer links now have a softer feel to them. The H-links carry a brushed finish while the enjoining links are polished, creating a striking appearance, emphasising a “dressy” sports watch aesthetic that defines the classic Carrera.

Classicism Meets Modernity

On the dial, the 2020 Carrera Chronograph 42mm features several changes that many vintage Carrera fans will approve, the most obvious being the location of the subdials. The latest Carrera utilises the more familiar and vintage-accurate “3-6-9” subdial layout, comprising 30-minute, hour and running seconds totalisers. Personally, this arrangement feels more intuitive and balanced. The sub-dials also feature subtle snailing for added dimension.

The TAG Heuer shield and Carrera signature (now located at 12 o’clock) have also undergone a small makeover. The former is a polished applique while the latter features a slightly thicker typeset. While vintage enthusiasts may rail against the inclusion of a date window (at six o’clock), I find its presence contributes to a better topdown balance, given the visual prominence of the new logo and signature design.

This particular example came with a blue sunray dial that is rather gorgeous to behold. The depth of colour is impressive; shades of navy, ultraviolet and lapis present themselves at various angles. The finish of the dial is more matte, which mutes the sunray effect by just a few hairs and confers a soft lustre.

A closer look at the dial reveals that even though TAG Heuer has decided to take inspiration from its archival designs for its latest release, there is no doubt that the 2020 Carrera Chronograph 42mm is a very modern timepiece. The hour indices, handset and logo applique are diamond-polished to a high shine, and the recessed sub-dials at three and nine o’clock feature subtle snailing that adds texture and dimension. The running seconds register sits at the six o’clock position instead of the 2447’s nine o’clock, which facilitates a more intuitive read-out. At the bottom of the dial, the printed “Heuer 02” and “80 Hours” text reminds the wearer just how far TAG Heuer has come since the original brainchild of

Edouard Heuer merged with Techniques d’Avant Garde in 1985.

The Heuer 02 In Action

Operating the Calibre Heuer 02 is a consummate experience, in that it handles exactly like how a column wheel and vertical clutch-based mechanism should. Actuation of the pump-style pushers are crisp, and there’s no discernible “jump” with the chronograph seconds hand upon activation. While smooth in operation, depressing the pushers themselves require a conscious application of force ‒ no doubt to prevent accidental starts/stops.

Observing the chronograph in action is satisfying in itself (I confess to occasionally engaging the function just for this purpose). As the top of each minute approaches, a sense of anticipation emerges. At the 58-second mark, the minute-recording wheel starts turning. Two seconds later, the wheel snaps forward by one tooth position ‒ its precision assured by the minute-recording jumper that prevents the wheel from exceeding its mark. It’s all quite dramatic: the gradual build-up of tension, followed by a climatic release before starting all over again in perpetuum.

After having the 2020 Carerra Chronograph 42mm on the wrist for the better part of the week, it strikes me just how effortless the entire experience was. The 80-hour power reserve meant I could leave it unworn over the weekend and still have a fair amount of juice left come Monday. Its size was conservative enough that I could pair it with a dress shirt, yet there was just enough presence on the dial for it to catch its fair share of glances without sticking out like a sore thumb.

The 2020 Carrera Chronograph 42mm delivers exceedingly well on its antecedent’s promises of legibility and reliability, arriving in an elegant form that dresses both up and down with inimitable ease. While it may not be the sort of timepiece that compels you to study and understand its inner workings, it’s the kind of watch that makes wearing it an absolute pleasure. AM