Following last week’s Geneva Watch Days that saw dozens and dozens of new watches being debuted, the releases are continuing to come thick and fast. Now it’s the turn of the sport-meisters to launch their latest collection. I’m talking about the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport and the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport.
Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport
The Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport collection was first introduced in 2016 as a cutting-edge edition of the Carrera with a bolder aesthetic and closer ties to the world of motorsport. However, just like in motorsport, innovation and upgrades happen all the time and so the 2024 collection reinvents the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport with a new design and improved quality of life.
Starting with the case, it has had its diameter reduced, it’s lug-to-lug shortened and is thinner, measuring 44mm x 15.1mm with a lug-to-lug of 49.7mm. Considering those are the reduced size dimensions, you can only imagine just how extreme the original was. I also think these dimensions don’t truly reflect the watch because its new design has recessed flanks with sandblasted finishing, meaning there’s a lot less material than the size suggests.
At the same time the watch has a new integrated rubber strap, which is designed to look like the air intake of a car. Combined with the hollowed areas, the whole body of the case and strap looks like it might be found in the engine block of a high-performance racer. Enhancing that look further is the skeletonised dial, which has also been redesigned to enhance legibility with thicker, black scales for the chronograph subdials and standard time display.
There are four versions of the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport in the 2024 collection, each with dramatically different appearances. The first two are titanium editions with black ceramic tachymeter bezels and red or blue accents respectively. Third is a stealthy black edition also made from titanium but with a DLC coating. Last up is a more luxurious option with a case made from a combination of titanium, ceramic and rose gold.
Powering all four versions is the TH20-00 automatic movement. It’s a great chronograph movement with an 80-hour power reserve operating at 4 Hz and equipped with hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph seconds, a 12-hour timer, a 30-minute timer and an openworked date function. As for pricing, the red and blue are both £7,150, the black edition is £7,350 and the rose gold is £10,750.
Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport
As the name suggests, the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport builds on the standard chronograph edition with an haute horology twist. Instead of a small seconds subdial with openworked date at 6 o’clock, the watch has a tourbillon. Although the overall design updates are the same as those seen on the standard model. 44mm diameter cases and improved legibility on the skeletonised dials.
However, the materials used are slightly different. The first of the two tourbillon models is made from titanium but rather than the ceramic bezel of the editions we’ve already looked at, it has a forged carbon tachymeter bezel. It features the characteristic layers of carbon in a random, chaotic pattern unique to each watch – one of the signature elements that differentiates forged carbon from carbon fibre.
Second is a rose gold version, similar to its rose gold chronograph counterpart but with an even more luxurious edge thanks to its golden bezel. Elements of the tourbillon are also presented in gold, drawing the eye to its spinning beauty. As the tourbillon rotates at a rate of once per minute, it functions as the watch’s running seconds indicator.
The movement is the TH20-09, a relatively new calibre introduced in 2023. Adding a power intensive tourbillon means the power reserve is reduced to 65-hours compared to the TH20-00, which seems like a reasonable trade for its haute horological leaning. The more complex movement combined with the upgraded materials means the carbon bezel edition is priced at £22,800 and the gold is £28,600.
Price and Specs:
Tag Heuer calibre TH20-09, automatic, 33 jewels (Tourbillon)
More details at Tag Heuer.
