The New Dato-Inspired TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox Chronograph Green

Jack Heuer’s chronograph designs are revered as iconic and exemplary, laying the foundation for contemporary TAG Heuer collections that adhere to his fundamental principles and approach to watchmaking. As we embark on a new year, TAG Heuer presents a new timepiece inspired by the second-generation Carrera Dato 45 ref. 3147 from 1968, showcasing the successful Carrera Glassbox design and featuring a teal green dial. While undoubtedly influenced by vintage aesthetics, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox Chronograph Green is a distinctly modern timepiece, capturing our admiration. Here are our initial notes.

Introduced in 1963, the Heuer Carrera chronograph marked a new era for Heuer watches. The success of the Carrera gave the brand the freedom to experiment further in design, and three years later, Heuer released the Carrera model (Dato 12) with a date window at 12 o’clock. However, in 1968, the date aperture was relocated to 9 o’clock at the expense of a running seconds sub-dial opposite the 45-minute chronograph counter. This iconic Dato chronograph layout is faithfully retained on the dial of a new Carrera Glassbox model, paying homage to its historical roots. To be noted, the original Dato 12 design inspired last year’s Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda version, and with the introduction of this new green timepiece, TAG Heuer completes a historical journey, offering vintage Carrera date aperture positions in non-limited references.

The circular brushed dial of the Carrera Glassbox Chronograph Green is a mix of vintage cues with modern watchmaking features. The teal green hue, described as a blend of blue and green, recalls the colours of the bygone era when motorsport teams competed in racing cars painted in designated national livery. While TAG Heuer sees it as a reflection of its heritage, we perceive it as a striking hue that can change shades depending on the viewing angle and light. The domed sapphire Glassbox crystal, reminiscent of domed hesalite crystal shapes, heightens this visual experience. The new Glassbox crystal has been designed to flow over the flange and seamlessly blend into the case, offering an undistorted front view of the indications.

In addition to the date at 9 o’clock, the dial features a green azuré 30-minute totalizer at 3 o’clock, clearly marked and with a rhodium-plated polished hand. The rhodium-plated, faceted, and polished applied indices create a familiar aesthetic. Unlike the polished hour and minute hands, these indices do not feature Super-LumiNova. Instead, the tiny dots next to the indices on the outer dial’s periphery, bordering the flange with the 60-second/60-minute track, are luminous. The central chronograph hand aligns with the other elements and is rhodium-plated and polished. The Carrera and TAG Heuer logos are printed below the 12 o’clock double index, and “Swiss” is printed above the single index at 6, like on the original ref. 3147 dial.

The Carrera 39mm case, fashioned from stainless steel, exhibits brushed and polished finishes. With lug-to-lug dimensions of 46mm and a thickness of 13.86mm, the proportions are ideal; the branded crown and chronograph pushers, finely brushed and polished, ensure comfortable wear without causing any wrist discomfort.

The Glassbox design incorporates a double anti-reflective treatment, enhancing the user experience. A sapphire crystal window on the steel screwed caseback is an expected feature; still, it adds an extra layer of modernity. The caseback offers a glimpse of the machine-finished movement’s parts, with côtes de Genève across the mainplate, presenting a monochromatic aesthetic that starkly contrasts the vibrant green dial yet exudes mechanical confidence.

Powering the new TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox Chronograph Green is the calibre TH20-07, an automatic column wheel chronograph movement featuring a bidirectional, ball-bearing, and shield-shaped rotor. Comprising 33 jewels and beating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, this movement provides an impressive 80 hours of power reserve.

With green emerging as one of the standout colours in recent years, this new Carrera Glassbox edition is destined to capture attention and not disappoint its wearer, delivering impeccable technical performance and visual allure. A secure fit on the wrist complements the watch through a black alligator leather strap equipped with a folding clasp and double safety push buttons. The watch joins the permanent collection; the price for the new Dato-inspired TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox Chronograph Green is CHF 6,400. For further details, please visit tagheuer.com.