TAG Heuer and Porsche Team Up for a Historic Collab

When it comes to motorsports, it doesn’t get much bigger Porsche. And when it comes to motorsports timing, it doesn’t get much more prestigious than TAG Heuer. Both brands come with more than a century’s worth of heritage in their respective fields, and both have been key players in high-level motorsports for decades. This month, however, marks the first time in history that the two brands have officially collaborated. For fans of racing chronographs and rear-engined German sports cars alike, the announcement of this historic partnership, and the reveal of a new co-branded TAG Heuer Carrera, will be worth the wait.

Revealed at a virtual ceremony today, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration between La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland and Stuttgart, Germany. Based on TAG Heuer’s Carrera Sport Chronograph design, which was launched last year to mark the watchmaker’s 160th anniversary, it adds features inspired by Porsches sports cars to its modern-classic chronograph design.

The origins of this partnership go back to 1963, when Jack Heuer, a newly minted exec at his family’s watchmaking business, introduced a new kind of sports watch—the Carrera. The watch was named after the notorious Carrera Panamericana road race, which Porsche had won in 1954 and subsequently named their most powerful engine after. Now, more than half a century later, the word “Carrera” remains synonymous with performance engineering both on and off the racetrack.

The new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph pays homage to this history in ways both big and small. A prominent Porsche logo is engraved on the watch’s tachymetre scale bezel at one o’clock, with Porsche’s distinctive font also used for the hour markers, which run from 0-60, reminiscent of a classic Porsche speedometer. The Porsche colours of red, black, and grey are also used to great effect throughout the watch, including on the oscillating weight (visible through the transparent sapphire case back) modelled after a Porsche steering wheel. The dial, meanwhile, is textured for an asphalt effect—a unique feature and a nod to the racetrack’s surface. Even the calf leather strap gets the Porsche treatment, with white contrast stitching like the seats of a Porsche 911.

For the heads of both brands, along with their legions of fans, this announcement was a long time coming. TAG Heuer and Porsche have common history and values, of course, but more importantly, we share an attitude,” said TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault. “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 is available at tagheuer.com. Price: $7,250 (leather strap) or $7,500 (bracelet).