TIME ZONE
BY CAROL BESLER
T he recent craze for vintage watches and re-editions of mid-century designs has intensified in recent years, and along with that, smaller watches have become a trend. In the 1960s and ’70s — which many see as the glory days of watch design — wristwatch cases rarely exceeded 40 mm, and timepiece lovers have acquired a new appreciation for these smaller cases, combined with the vintage aesthetic. TAG Heuer’s glass box Carrera Chronograph is a prime example of what luxury sports watch brands are doing to bring back the spirit of iconic vintage watches.
the TAG HEUER CARRERA GLASS BOX CHRONOGRAPH
REVISITING AN ICON
The glass box was inspired by an original Carrera collection from the ’60s, including models that ranged in size from 36 mm to 40 mm. The new version is 39 mm, smaller than the 42-45 mm sizes that have been produced in the past few years. One of its salient features, as the name suggests, is the sapphire crystal shaped liked the domed hesalite crystals found on Heuer Carrera models from the 1970s. Now, the crystal has been redeveloped so that the curve flows seamlessly over the tachymeter scale that runs around the inner dial, or flange. The scale has been curved too, further contributing to the watch’s legibility and ensuring the tachymeter can be read from a wider range of angles. The Carrera’s signature blue dial makes an appearance on one of the two re-editions, matched by a blue calfskin leather strap. The second has a racier, black-and-silver “reverse-panda” dial, the nickname given to black watch dials with high-contrast white or silver subdials. The reverse-panda model is a coveted feature found on some of the most collected Heuer Carreras of the 1960s. Both new models contain the brand’s next-generation chronograph caliber, the automatic Caliber TH20-00, with an 80-hour power reserve.
50 | HELLER JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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