The connection between is a strong one, bolstered by many collaborative wristwatches like last year’s Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche. Plus there’s the fact that both brands use the name “Carrera” in their products, a happy coincidence created by a joint interest in the Carrera Panamericana motor race. Their latest collaboration is the new Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963.
If you can’t conjure an image of the Porsche 963 to mind alongside the catalogue of 911 references you’ve memorised, that’s probably because it’s their cutting edge hybrid race car. It’s a vehicle designed to compete at Le Mans, another race that has an important place in the heritage of both Porsche and Tag Heuer.
In keeping with the high tech design of the car, the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 leans towards being a hyper modern design rather than something vintage like the Glassbox.
It measures 44mm in diameter and is made from steel with black DLC coated pushers and crown. The tachymeter bezel is made from carbon fibre, a material commonly used in high performance sports cars. The flanks of the case bear the inscription “Porsche” picked out against a black PVD surface. We’ve got all the different surface treatments going on with this watch.
The dial is a skeletonised, tricompax chronograph display with a 12-hour timer, 30-minute timer and small seconds in addition to central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds. The format of the subdials are designed to look like the instruments in a racer and the skeletonisation is evocative of the 963’s roll cage and internal structure. It feels dynamic, modern and sporty.
Glimpsed through the dial and visible though the exhibition caseback is the calibre TH20-00. An automatic column wheel chronograph movement with an 80-hour power reserve, which is enough to see it through the 24-hours of Le Mans almost three and a half times. For the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 special edition it also has a custom red column wheel.
I must say I prefer my Carrera Chronographs on the retro side, but if sporty, modern aesthetics are more your speed, then the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 is ideal. It’s priced at £8,050, which makes sense for the advanced materials and skeletonised design. As well as the fact it’s a limited edition of 963 pieces.
Price and Specs:
More details at Tag Heuer.
