TAG HEUER X PORSCHE : CARRERA Chronosprint

TAG HEUER CARRERA GLASSBOX CHRONOGRAPH 39mm

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I am very proud to share my work with you, after 2 years of development. I entirely designed this watch with the aim of paying homage to the very first Porsche 911.

You know that feeling you get when you step on the accelerator of a sports car and peel out? The power pushes you back in your seat but gets easier to handle as you shift progressively up through the gears until your acceleration slows as you get closer and closer to top speed. Now, take that feeling and put it in a watch. You've got the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche, a collaborative chronograph made with the iconic car company that sports a brand-new movement with an unexpected twist.

It’s a new interpretation of our collaboration with Porsche and TAG HEUER Carrera.

In fact, this design is un-precendented. Let me explain :

First, the time piece includes a new movement that can display the time between the naught to one hundred km per hour mark.

For me this embodies the racing heritage of our collaboration.

It’s a first for a mechanical watch.

We have a new chronometer which displays an accelerated time count during the first ten seconds and then gradually slows down to reach a full 60 seconds with a precision time of a quarter of a second.

Also we of course stay true to the original Carrera DNA and the codes but we are bold in bringing the graphic markers one step further.

For example, we have added a red marker which indicates the 9.1 seconds used at the time to cover the naught to 100 km an hour by the first 911.

We’ve strived to find the right balance between both the historical vintage aesthetic codes and a new modern take on this iconic sportscar. And the new Carrera Chrono Sprint, reflects this !

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Design work : concept design / sketches

Rendering 2D work : Illustrator and Photoshop

Illustrations : Procreate

The watch’s captivating visual references to the Porsche dashboards of the 1970s add a dynamic edge to this speed-driven timepiece. The result is a passionate aesthetic homage to a racing legend.

Sketches / concept design

the oscillating weight is inspired by the current design of the iconic steering wheel of the Porsche 911.

To speed up and reduce time we use gears snail-shaped.

It goes 0-100 km/h in just 9.1 seconds – no wait, that was the original Porsche 911. But to mark that achievement, the first 9.1 seconds on the flange are marked by a red line. Wait a second, though, that doesn't make sense because that line goes up to 20 seconds on the dial. That's because the new TH20-08 movement powers the chronograph hand that accelerates like a car's speedometer.

What does that mean? Well to put it simply, when you start the chronograph, it will run very fast, covering about a third of the dial in 9.1 seconds (roughly 0-20 seconds of a traditional 60-second dial indication). All the while, the chronograph hand is actually slowing down as it circles the dial, getting slower and slower until it reaches the top of the dial and starts again at a fast speed.

To put it more simply, this watch allows you to accurately visualize the time required to cover a 0 to 100 km/h from a standing start (drag race). To do so, the second chrono accelerates then gradually slows down to complete a full lap in 60 seconds. Thus, the first 10 seconds are extended over approximately 130 degrees with a precision of the order of a quarter of a second.

In addition to highlighting the 9.1 sec needed to go from 0 to 100km/h of the very first Porsche 911, we have also added some graphic details to the dial. In the small seconds counter we have a red marking at 50' to mark the speed limit in built-up areas, visible on period counters. In the hour chronograph counter we have a marking signifying the red zone of a rpm count, starting at 6800 rpm and translated here into 6.8 hours.

Crafted in two thrilling steel and gold versions, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche honours 60th anniversaries of two legends: the TAG Heuer Carrera and the Porsche 911. A watchmaking monument..

Thanks to the project development teams and the know-how of the watchmakers for making this idea a reality !

I’d like to highlight some aspects of the glassbox that you can see. First of all, it has a 3D dial and the glassbox has been designed in such a way as to avoid troublesome light reflections.

Also, due to the chronosprint complication, the movement is slightly thicker but we have managed to make the watch look quite refined by adding a glassbox at the bottom.