Welcome to a special, Watches and Wonders edition of Dialed In, Esquire's column bringing you horological happenings and the most essential news from the watch world. As the show itself takes place in Geneva, we'll keep you up to date on the biggest makers' biggest releases of 2024.
Last year was the year of the Carrera. And there was no better time for it—the iconic chronograph was celebrating its 60th birthday, after all. But it seems that TAG Heuer wasn't prepared to call it quits after just a year. Because now that Watches and Wonders is upon us, bringing with it a bevy of major new releases from some of the biggest names in the watch game, we can report that for 2024, TAG Heuer is still paying plenty of attention to its flagship time-teller.
This time around, the lineup is a little bit sporty, a little bit vintage, and a little bit fancy, to boot. The standout of the show is the updated Carrera Chronograph (the lead image of this story). Based on the 7753 SN from the late 1960s, it's a 39mm bi-compax with a panda dial—black sub-dials on silver—that'll scratch the retro itch, even though it's more of a tribute than a nuts-and-bolts reproduction. The glassbox sapphire crystal offers a cleaner look and extra legibility.
There's also a new version of the Carrera Skipper, this time in rose gold instead of stainless steel. There's a subtle feel to it that's undeniably appealing, but it would have been really cool to see what the graphic, colorful, yacht racing-inspired design looks like with all the flash and oomph of a yellow gold case. Maybe we'll catch something like that next year?
Rounding out the Carrera offering for 2024 is a trio of Carrera Date references, which get a bit glitzy with elements like mother of pearl dials and, in one execution, a whopping 76 diamonds. At 36mm, they're right in the sweet spot for the smaller-watch trend that's been permeating the industry, and well positioned as a unisex go-to.
And finally, if you're not feeling the Carrera—or if you got one last year to mark the anniversary—there's a pretty wild take on the Monaco to consider. The Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph comes in either a red or blue motif and is made from a mix of sapphire and grade-5 titanium. The sapphire, employed most strikingly on the bezel and dial, gives the design a sense of openness and transparency. And the titanium, which comprises not just the case but the entire movement brings the weight way down. Dubbed the TH81-00 caliber, it's one of the lightest mechanical chronograph movements TAG Heuer has ever made, and was developed in conjunction with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier.
The price tag might make you sweat—retail is $138,000, with customization bumping it up to $169,000—but that's kind of the point. This isn't for casual fans. It's Haute Horlogerie d'Avant-Garde. The big swing. The pinnacle watchmaking expression of TAG Heuer's watchmaking expertise at the biggest watch show of the year. Luckily, it just so happens to look really damn cool, too.
