LVMH Watch Week 2026: TAG Heuer Affirms Its Mastery of the Chronograph

At LVMH Watch Week 2026, TAG Heuer reinforces its position as Master of Chronograph with a powerful new chapter in the Carrera story. From the avant-garde precision of the Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph to the maritime spirit of the Carrera Chronograph Seafarer and the debut of a new Carrera Chronograph, these releases unite heritage, innovation, and performance at the highest level of Swiss watchmaking.

Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph

Further illustrating TAG Heuer’s incredible watchmaking expertise, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph blends the incredible heritage of this iconic collection with avant-garde watchmaking.

The first time the rattrapante complication has been included in the TAG Heuer Carrera, this new addition to the storied collection represents a milestone for TAG Heuer as the brand continues to show how incredible cutting-edge design can be blended with exceptional history.

Elevating an Icon

Now in its 166th year as a watchmaker and having mastered the chronograph complication across three centuries since the company’s founding in 1860, TAG Heuer initially introduced the Carrera during a golden era for watchmaking.

Under the leadership of Jack Heuer, the fourth generation of the family to lead the business, the TAG Heuer Carrera debuted in 1963 as the young Jack reimagined the staid Swiss watchmaking industry in a modern way.

With a name inspired by the legendary Mexican road race, the Carrera Panamericana, Jack had heard the stories of the feats of bravery in the face of danger that the race required from the parents of Mexican racing drivers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez.

With its clean, legible design, innovative tension ring below the crystal that increased water resistance and allowed a scale to be applied to it, and featuring a design that would become signature with its peaked lugs, the first Carrera would lay down design codes that have echoed across decades into the latest timepieces of today.

A Whole New Carrera

Following on from the critically acclaimed redesign of the TAG Heuer Carrera collection in 2023 that would debut a new “glassbox” design that has been offered in 39mm, 42mm and now 41 mm, the sensibilities of these models provided a strong foundation for a new haute horlogerie interpretation.

For the TAG Heuer Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph, a brand new 42 mm grade-5 titanium case has been designed and crafted by our in-house experts. Maintaining the signature peaked lugs and exceptional legibility, the new aesthetics preserves the essence of the TAG Heuer Carrera but elevates it to new heights.

Refined, elongated pushers sit either side of the crown to activate the chronograph and an elegantly integrated pusher at 9 o’clock resides in the case band to activate the split-seconds function. The glassbox has been further finessed, giving the impression of perfect integration into the case and giving the effect of magnifying the dial and rehaut.

Featuring a tachymeter scale, the flange is curved to follow the profile of the crystal, minimising parallax error, and the translucent sapphire glass dial allows for the exceptional finishing of the movement to be clearly visible. Further conveying the key code of transparency in the Avant-Garde Horlogerie timepieces of TAG Heuer, the subsidiary dials are individually constructed from the same material as the main dial, providing the watch with enhanced depth.

The sapphire caseback has been carefully designed to allow for the owner to view the incredible movement from all angles, giving the impression that the Calibre TH81-01 is floating.

Incredible Savoir-Faire

The movement itself is a work of art. Continuing the important collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, this new variation, referenced TH81-01, continues the work that was completed for the TH81-00 that powers the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph.

Beating at 5Hz thus ensuring peak precision and with a 65-hour power reserve allowing for great autonomy, this exceptional movement conforms to the highest quality standards of TAG Heuer.

Crafted in grade-5 titanium and featuring the chronograph complication in its ultimate form, this movement is not just a testament to durability and accuracy, it stands as a totem to the very best of Swiss made watchmaking know-how.

Made up of more than 350 components, the Calibre TH81-01 is entirely finished by hand, using more than 10 different techniques, such as black polish for the screws or hand-beveling for the various bridges. All of these are crowned by TAG Heuer’s signature finishing technique, the checkered flag pattern, which is engraved by hand one square after another and has become the mark of the Maison’s greatest movements.

Last but not least, the oscillating weight further reinforces the movement’s identity through its shape as the TAG Heuer shield. Also finished by hand with fine-brushed surfaces, it features a delicate miniature gradient painting on its periphery, highlighting the incredible savoir-faire put into this exceptional calibre.

Carrera Chronograph Seafarer

TAG Heuer adds to its maritime history with the return of a classic sailing watch.

TAG Heuer marked a triumphant return to the world of sailing in 2023 with the release of a modern interpretation of the celebrated ‘Skipper’ regatta countdown timer of the 1960s, revisiting its maritime heritage and adding a modern twist in a special version of the new TAG Heuer Carrera signature glassbox design.

That maritime history comes to the fore again this year with the return of another historic sailing model inspired by the famous ‘Seafarer’ tide watch that dates to an original piece launched in 1949.

The first Heuer Seafarer chronograph was presented alongside another watch without chronograph function called the Heuer ‘Solunar’ (derived from a combination of ‘solar’ and ‘lunar’) which was designed to indicate the times of high and low tide at a specific location.

LVMH Watch Week 2026: TAG Heuer Affirms Its Mastery of the Chronograph - Cortina Watch — Credit: TAG Heuer

The tide time indicator at six o’clock was initially conceived by the president of Abercrombie & Fitch, Walter Haynes, who commissioned Heuer to refine his concept and to produce the Heuer Solunar on behalf of America’s premier high-end sporting goods retailer – which subsequently made it available to sailors and ‘outdoorsmen’ through its New York store.

Although the original idea for the tide indicator came from Haynes, a young Jack Heuer, played a part in its development by discussing the proposed watch with his school physics teacher who improved the calculation of the gear ratios to enhance the mechanism’s accuracy.

Now, 77 years after it was first seen on the Heuer Solunar, the tide indicator re-appears on the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer, which combines the platform of the versatile (and much applauded) glassbox design, first seen in 2023 with some of the original codes that made particular versions of the historic models so distinctive.

And at the heart of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer lies the new in-house TH20-04 automatic movement, which has been specifically developed to incorporate the tide indicator function.

The tide indicator is simple to set using the special ‘TIDE’ button located at the nine o’clock position on the case. When pushed, the button causes the tide disc – which is divided into quadrants – to rotate.

After checking the tide times at a given location, the disc moves so that the quadrants marked ‘high’ and ‘low’ correspond with the relevant known times.

The disc will make one complete rotation in 29.53125 days, throughout which it will accurately display when the tide will be at its lowest or highest, providing an invaluable indicator of the optimum times to sail in or out of harbours or along tidal rivers and estuaries.

The specific glassbox design construction with curved dial flange and domed crystal, enabling high legibility, makes the tide time indicator and its corresponding 60 seconds and 30-minute subdials exceptionally clear and easy to read, even when aboard a pitching boat.

This legibility, a key feature of Carrera watches, is further enhanced by the distinctive colours used on the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer’s dial – notably the ‘Intrepid Teal’ that is named after the 1967 America’s Cup-winning yacht ‘Intrepid’ which inspired Jack Heuer to create the original Skipper regatta chronograph the following year.

Intrepid Teal highlights can be seen on the hour and minute hands, the 30-minute chronograph counter and on the all-important tide indicator, where it is paired with a dark yellow based on the original pieces.

The colour complements beautifully the curved, 18k 3N yellow gold-plated indexes and the triangular-shaped marker at 12 o’clock – a feature present on all of today’s Carrera exploration watches.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer’s robust, 42mm case is made from a combination of fine brushed and polished steel that contrasts beautifully with theopalin champagne dial – while turning the watch over reveals a sapphire crystal case back engraved with TAG Heuer’s signature ‘Victory Wreath’.

The crystal allows a clear view of the in-house TH20-04 tide indicator calibre, which features a vertical clutch and column wheel to ensure smooth operation of the chronograph pushers and seamless functionality.

An 80-hour power reserve gives the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer in excess of three days of autonomy when the watch is left unworn, with automatic winding being taken care of by a rotor in the shape of the famous TAG Heuer shield.

In addition to displaying the tide times, the timepiece can, of course, be used as a regular chronograph. To further enhance the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer’s tool-watch capability, it is fitted with TAG Heuer’s seven-row steel bracelet, a sophisticated re-interpretation of a heritage ‘beads of rice’ design that unites comfort and character with an exceptional aesthetic.

Introduced in 2025, this new version of the bracelet that became synonymous with earlier versions of the Carrera combines brushed and polished links and has been specifically developed to enhance the heritage vibe of the glassbox models.

Additionally, each TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer will be supplied with a sports strap in a beige colourway similar to traditional boat rigging. Its lining matches the Intrepid Teal details of the dial and a robust, folding clasp in stainless steel ensures security on both land and sea.

The original Seafarer remained in the Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue until the mid-1970s, during which time it was produced in many variations using multiple different case and dial designs.

Heuer also sold its own version of the watch called the ‘Mareograph’ and made another model called the Solunagraph for another U.S. sporting goods retailer, Orvis.

All are now highly sought-after by collectors – but you won’t have to hunt high and low to get hold of a new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer.

Carrera Chronograph

Reimagined in a Fresh Dimension – TAG Heuer Reveals Jack Heuer’s Vision in a New Glassbox Design, Born From Racing Spirit And Elegance.

Swiss Luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer is back at the LVMH Watch Week for the 2026th edition with the debut of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph, a powerful continuation of one of the Maison’s most celebrated icons and a key representation of TAG Heuer’s 2026 theme, Master of Chronograph. This launch extends the celebrated glassbox family with a complementary size designed to captivate the horology enthusiasts while remaining deeply rooted in Jack Heuer’s original vision.

Racing Heritage Forged in Legibility

The TAG Heuer Carrera has long represented precision, clarity, and a spirit of daring design. Born in 1963 by Jack Heuer for motorsport timing, the TAG Heuer Carrera brought the essence of legibility and balance into a wristwatch that could keep pace with the high-speed world of professional racing. Its name, inspired by the legendary Carrera Panamericana Road race, captured both speed and ambition, reflecting the values that continue to define TAG Heuer to this day.

Over decades, the TAG Heuer Carrera evolved into a symbol of performance and style, appearing on the wrists of racing enthusiasts, watch fans, and members of the horology community around the world. In 2023, TAG Heuer revived the TAG Heuer Carrera’s iconic glassbox design for its 60th anniversary, marrying the curved sapphire crystal and flowing flange with refined finishing, advanced movement technology, and a renewed focus on clarity and elegance. These 2023 iterations introduced new expressions of the design, paving the way for today’s complementary TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph in 41mm. It is a contemporary companion to the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 39mm, the heritage-inspired model designed for connoisseurs. This new timepiece brings a fresh presence to the collection, extending the glassbox legacy and opening a new dimension to the TAG Heuer Carrera family.

A Modernized Glassbox Icon

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph captures Jack Heuer’s vision with heightened presence and legibility. Its sculptural sapphire crystal curves seamlessly over the three-dimensional dial-flange, capturing light from every angle, while the clean, date-free dial displays monochromatic counters that create depth and clarity. Every detail is purposeful, drawing the eye to the chronograph functions with intuitive elegance.

Three inaugural references illustrate the breadth and emotion of the new size. The signature blue dial radiates elegance and sophistication as its circular-brushed surface catches light with a subtle shimmer. Azuré tone-on-tone counters and rhodium-plated hands with white Super-LumiNova® and rhodium-plated indexes enhance legibility.

Balancing freshness with timeless sensibility, the teal green edition introduces a rich hue that has become a new signature color for TAG Heuer. Paired with a tone-on-tone counters and rhodium-plated hands, the dial plays with light and shadow, creating a subtle interplay of color that evolves with every movement of the wrist, reinforcing
TAG Heuer’s commitment to legibility and visual harmony.

For a more daring, racing-inspired character, the black dial complements the trio, introducing subtle red accents channelling the energy of the racetrack. Deep black provides a dramatic backdrop for contrasting red chronograph hands and a colored outer ring that enhances the design with a refined touch. Every glance evokes the thrill of speed, the precision of timing, and the emotional intensity of motorsport.

All three references are paired with TAG Heuer’s seven-row steel bracelet, a sophisticated reinterpretation of a heritage beads-of-rice design that unites comfort, character, and remarkable allure.

The Triumph in Motion

Beneath the dial beats the in-house TH20-01, showcasing exceptional watchmaking expertise and delivering an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Featuring a vertical clutch for seamless engagement, a column wheel for precise actuation, and bidirectional automatic winding, it delivers flawless chronograph engagement and precision. Through the transparent sapphire caseback, the movement reveals its intricate geometry, allowing a clear view into the heart of the timepiece.

Each timepiece is engraved with the Victory Wreath, a subtle emblem introduced within the TAG Heuer Carrera collection as a tribute to achievement and perseverance. Discreetly positioned on the right-hand lug, this engraving connects the owner to TAG Heuer’s motorsport legacy and the enduring pursuit of excellence.

With its expanded size, refined architecture, and captivating depth, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph reinforces the glassbox design as a defining pillar of the Maison. It speaks to the generation of enthusiasts who value precision and emotion in equal measure.

This chronograph declares clarity, confidence, and continuity, a testament to six decades of innovation carried forward with elevated expression.

The TAG Heuer Carrera story, first imagined by Jack Heuer, continues with renewed strength and unmistakable vision, proving once again that true icons never stand still.