Few brands have had an easier time dipping into their back catalogs like TAG Heuer. Experiencing a heyday in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the Swiss watchmaker was hugely popular among the auto racing industry with models such as the Carrera and Monaco, and has since become synonymous with the sport during that era. This year for LVMH Watch Week in Miami, TAG Heuer has revived a unique yet simple piece from 1968 with a touch of modern flair.
Last year, to critical acclaim, the company came out with new glassbox models, featuring a domed sapphire crystal, but placing the tachymeter outer ring underneath the glass, curving it outwards toward the 39mm stainless steel case edge. Now, TAG has used the Glassbox style to host its revival of the 2nd-generation Carrera DATO Chronograph from the late ‘60s, known as the DATO 45.
By 1968, the TAG Heuer’s Carrera had already been a hot item in the racing scene for five years. In ‘63, the brand came out with the DATO 12 variant, adding a date window to the 12 o’clock spot (details from this watch were used as inspiration for the Glassbox Panda release last year). For the follow-up DATO edition, the date window was moved to 9 o’clock, relegating the 45-minute chrono subdial to the opposite side. The simple change gave the watch a special identity and one that would be pointed to as the paragon of date aperture positioning. Aside from the assertive crystal design, the current 39mm Carrera Glassbox comes with a teal green dial redolent of vintage Heuer models, while the totalizer has been changed to a 30-minute dial with an azuré pattern, now powered by the in-house TH20-07 automatic movement.
Added to the permanent collection, meaning it’s not limited in edition size, the Carrera Glassbox Chronograph is available from TAG Heuer’s website for $6,550.
