While we’re suckers for a good Gulf blue and orange silhouette, it’s been slapped on so many products by now that a fresh one barely registers. TAG Heuer alone has run the livery across roughly ten watches over the years, so every new Gulf collab really comes down to one question. Did it really earn the colors, or does it feel like a rental for the current season?
This new Formula 1 makes a decent case for the former, mostly because TAG finally gave the thing a mechanical movement.
The First Gulf F1 With a Pulse
For context, the previous three Formula 1 Gulf editions were all quartz, so this is the very first automatic version of the watch. And it’s exactly the upgrade longtime fans have been asking for (ourselves included).
The engine here is the TAG Heuer Caliber 16, which is really a rebadged Sellita running at 4Hz with 25 jewels and a 42-hour reserve. It’s a solid workhorse, and stays hidden behind a solid caseback engraved with the Gulf logo.
Built Like a Track Part
At 44mm of sandblasted Grade 2 titanium, it’s oversized but also really light, with sharp angular flanks and a forged carbon tachymeter bezel whose marbled texture comes out a little different on every piece.
TAG pushed the racing-instrument theme hard with black DLC pushers, a black DLC crown ringed in orange lacquer, and a slim orange divider tucked between the bezel and case. Water resistance lands at 200 meters.
A Busy Dial That Somehow Works
Then there’s the dial, which is certainly on the busier end. But, it still manages to look cohesive. A black opaline base anchors the twin Gulf stripes running vertically down the right side, and those stripes spill out past the chapter ring onto the minute track for a cool bit of overflow.
A light blue ring frames the faceted applied indices, the three black chrono registers come color-matched with orange and blue hands, and the date window at 3 o’clock cuts straight through the orange stripe. It all rides on a matching sandblasted titanium H-link bracelet that ties the whole package together.
Spec Sheet
Model: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf
Reference: CBZ208B.BF0009
Case Size: 44mm (47.3mm lug-to-lug, 14.1mm thick)
Case Material: Sandblasted Grade 2 titanium
Bezel: Forged carbon tachymeter
Crystal: Flat sapphire with AR coating
Movement: TAG Heuer Caliber 16 (Sellita-based automatic chronograph)
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Frequency: 28,800vph (4Hz)
Water Resistance: 200m
Bracelet: Sandblasted Grade 2 titanium H-link
Limited Edition: Yes, 1,000 pieces
Pricing & Availability
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf goes on sale July 3rd, priced at $6,300 and capped at 1,000 pieces worldwide. Gulf devotees will want to move quickly on this one.
Recap
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf
TAG Heuer finally gives its F1 Gulf collab an automatic movement, wrapping racing’s most famous livery in titanium and forged carbon for just 1,000 lucky buyers.
