Baselworld 2017 Preview: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 43 mm

Two years after TAG Heuer unveiled a skeletonized Carrera Heuer-01 with an in-house chronograph caliber and a nice price (currently $5,300), the Swiss watch company plans to expand the Carrera collection with three slightly smaller versions of that earlier watch, each available on a leather strap or on a steel bracelet. A full black ceramic edition, not yet pictured, will also be added to the collection.

At Baselworld 2017 TAG Heuer will debut the Carrera Heuer-01 43mm, with, as the name suggests, a smaller case diameter of 43mm and in a choice of hues: black, navy blue and cognac brown. These are not the first 43mm Carreras with the Heuer-01 chronograph caliber inside, but they are the first 43mm models with skeletonized cases.

The in-house column-wheel chronograph caliber Heuer-01 is here set into a modular case (also made in-house) that retains the contemporary skeleton design of the larger models but replaces the earlier steel tachymeter bezels with ceramic bezels. The new bezels appear to be just a bit thinner than those on the 45mm model. The new color options, seen primarily on the new bezels, also extend to the small seconds counter, the inner flange, the logo and the date window.

The new polished ceramic bezel nicely contrasts with the satin-finished twelve-part modular case. Indeed, the modular nature of the case, influenced by its LVMH cousins at Hublot, allows TAG Heuer to vary the case’s overall design.

Consider this new model as only the latest example of how TAG Heuer can, and likely will, continue to develop options within this contemporary Carrera collection. TAG Heuer has already indicated that we’ll see a black ceramic-cased version of this 43mm model during Baselworld.

As a skeletonized model, the Carrera Heuer-01 43 mm allows its chronograph operating levers and date disc to be viewed from the dial side. The color red identifies all of the movement’s chronograph functions, including the central seconds, the 30-minute counter, the 12-hour counter and the start/stop pusher. Through the clear sapphire caseback the wearer can eye the red column wheel, the skeleton chronograph bridge and circular black PVD rotor. Prices: Starting at $4,950.

SPECIFICATIONS: TAG Heuer CARRERA Heuer-01 43 mm

Movement
TAG Heuer Calibre HEUER-01, Manufacture movement, automatic chronograph with date, visible skeleton date disc with window at 3:30, red column wheel, new skeleton weight and chronograph bridge, 50-hour power reserve

Case
43mm brushed steel or ceramic for all-black model, matte ceramic fixed bezel in blue, brown or black ceramic with tachymeter scale, steel or matte black ceramic horns, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, crown in rubber and polished steel, or covered in black PVD, steel or black PVD-covered steel chronograph push-buttons at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock, steel or black PVD-covered steel sapphire case-back

Dial
Blue, brown or black skeleton dial 
Blue, brown or black flange with 60-second scale.

3 Counters:
• Chronograph minute counter at 12o’clock with rhodium-plated snailed ring and red lacquered hand
• Chronograph hour counter at 6o’clock with rhodium-plated snailed ring and red lacquered hand 
• Small seconds counter at 9 o’clock with blue, brown or black snailed ring and polished, rhodium-plated hand.
• Rhodium-plated hour and minute hands and indices with white Superluminova, red small seconds hand, polished rhodium-plated “TAG Heuer” logo at 3 o’clock.
• Inscription of “CARRERA HEUER 01 CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC”

Water-resistance: 100 meters

Strap/bracelet
Black rubber and brown or blue alligator, or black rubber, or H-shaped bracelet in steel
Steel or grade 2 titanium folding buckle covered in black PVD with safety push buttons and TAG Heuer logo.

References
CAR201T.BA0766: blue dial and steel bracelet 
CAR201T.FC6404: blue dial and blue leather strap 
CAR201U.BA0766: brown dial and steel bracelet 
CAR201U.FC6405: brown dial and brown leather strap
CAR201V.BA0766: black dial and steel bracelet 
CAR201V.FT6087: black dial and black rubber strap
CAR2090.BH0729: black full ceramic (not pictured)

About TAG Heuer:
For more than 150 years, TAG Heuer has faced down every challenge, and then pushed past it. By defying the time-honored conventions of Swiss watchmaking, it has led it to ever higher levels of precision and performance. 
It makes its own rules, chooses its own path, never quits moving forward, never compromises, never cracks under pressure.