JToddH
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TAG Heuer to Announce first Carrera Heuer 01 LE for Indy 500!
YES! You heard it here (hopefully) first! Soon TAG Heuer will be producing the first Limited Edition piece built upon the new Carrera Heuer 01 chassis; it’s to commemorate the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.
Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, TAG Heuer CEO explained the significance of this partnership,
“It is very important for us to sponsor the Indy 500 as well as the 100th Anniversary, as motor-racing is part of the TAG Heuer history, philosophy and DNA. Furthermore we want to be considered as the watch reference in motor racing and as such it would be unconceivable not to sponsor the Indy 500.”
There’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the Carrera Heuer 01. By all accounts, it’s a wonderful timepiece and for an in-house, column-wheel chronograph … an extraordinary value. But details aside, this watch has re-energized the brand and its audience. It has become one of TAG Heuer’s top sellers.
According to Kilian Muller, President and CEO of TAG Heuer North America,
“The Heuer 01 was introduced by the end of 2015 in the US and Canada and since then the sell out has been surprisingly high for a chronograph trading at this level of price. This is probably because the perceived value is even higher. In addition, it's a very recognizable timepiece, which helps the brand to stand out.”
That the first Limited Edition Heuer 01 is dedicated to this historic race is a distinct honor… and it just makes sense. I certainly don’t need to elaborate on the rich history of TAG Heuer’s involvement in auto racing. With names like Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda, Mario Andretti, Juan Manuel Fangio, etc. the brand is synonymous with Formula 1. And of course, let’s not forget Steve McQueen.
As Françoise Bezzola, TAG Heuer’s Vice President of Marketing pointed out,
“We’ve been a partner with the Indy series since 2004, a tribute to our longstanding heritage in motor racing. We are most active in this partnership around the Indy 500 as it's an iconic race. There are three mythical car races in the world, Le Mans, Monaco F1 and Indy 500. We are proud to have two of them in our portfolio: Indianapolis and Monaco GP.”
So perhaps this new LE should not come as a surprise, but instead a reassurance that with all their latest designs and innovations, TAG Heuer remains committed to its heritage as it propels the brand back to the future.
Do I sound excited? Ummm, yeah…this one is personal. Sure, I’m a race fan and this one scratches the itch less than a month before I head off to witness the centenary running at the Brickyard.
As a watch enthusiast, I’m excited to see the crew at La Chaux de-Fonds creating new Limited Editions that feed a thriving TAG Heuer collector community. This is perhaps the brand’s most significant LE release in recent history and one that continues the partnership with the Indianapolis 500 that began in 2004.
Mechanically identical to the Carrera Heuer, the Indy 500 Heuer 01 closely follows the original 01 design with only a few subtle cosmetic changes. With only 100 examples being produced and just months between the launch of the original Heuer 01 and the Indy 500, prudence no doubt was a guiding factor in its design.
To me, the original design of the Carrera Heuer 01 appears race inspired, so branding it for the Indianapolis 500 would be a cinch.
The subdials are all black now with the running seconds gaining a red hand (only the chronograph hands are red on the original Heuer 01 to draw a distinction between the watch and chronograph functions).
Most notable in the new LE is the addition of the famous Indianapolis Speedway logo at the 9 o’clock and “Indy 500” inscribed in red on the bezel, replacing the previous “Tachymetre.”
Details of the case back and packaging are still a bit sketchy though I understand they are considering a bricklike pattern screened across the back crystal centered with a TAG Heuer logo in red.
For packaging, the brand is pondering a carbon fibre wrapped box decorated with badges that commemorate this historic race.
Some details we’ll just have to wait to see!
Best of all, even though it’s a Limited Edition, the Heuer 01 Indy 500 does not come with a significant premium. In fact, the new watch has an MSRP of $5,700, virtually the same as the base model Carrera Heuer 01. I guess the real premium is simply getting your hands on one of only 100 produced. The moment I heard about this piece, sight unseen and without hesitation, I put my name on the waiting list to hopefully become one of the lucky few to purchase one. Fingers crossed!
For those of you partial to TAG Heuer's classic Formula 1 designs, the good news is that the brand will also be releasing an LE of 1,000 Formula 1 pieces to commemorate this race. Expect an MSRP of around $1,600.
For the tech savvy, we can also expect to see an Indy500 themed Connected Watch, perhaps even several.
Finally, there is one more Indy 500 surprise in store for vintage Heuer aficionados and I’ll give you one hint: 1965!
It looks like May will be an exciting month for gear head fans of TAG Heuer. These pieces will be announced at the Time Crafters Fourth Annual Watch Show at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan May 12-15, 2016.
Information from TAG Heuer details the event:
TAG Heuer will present historical timepieces celebrating 100 years of advancements in watchmaking, displaying the brand’s past together with its future to highlight TAG Heuer’s heritage of innovation. The brand will showcase the 1916 Mikrograph and the 2016 re-edition, the 1963 Carrera and its evolution to the Heuer 01 and Heuer 02, and most strikingly, the first 1916 wristwatch alongside the Connected Watch.
Since 1860, TAG Heuer has excelled as luxury sport brand by perfecting the chronograph movement and crafting watches that guarantee unwavering precision despite extreme conditions. TAG Heuer’s commitment to excellence under pressure finds kinship in auto racing, a sport which requires its champions to maintain speed, accuracy and focus in a fast paced and competitive environment. TAG Heuer has always stood at the forefront of the industry and will commemorate the 100th running of the iconic Indianapolis 500 motor race at TimeCrafters.
The booth will exhibit an Indy 500 showcar and TAG Heuer will unveil the Formula One limited edition (1,000 pieces), the Carrera Heuer 01 limited edition (100 pieces) and two specialized Indy 500 dials for the Connected Watch. TAG Heuer brand ambassador Patrick Dempsey, actor and professional race car driver, will inaugurate the booth on opening night. His presence at the event marks a special occasion, as one year ago he waved the green flag inviting 2015 Indy Car drivers to start their engines for the 99th race.
This message has been edited by JToddH on 2016-04-23 16:10:23
TAG Heuer to Announce first Carrera Heuer 01 LE for Indy 500!
I was waiting for this.
