BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
When it comes down to Motorsport inspired watches there are plenty of options to choose from, but not many can match the storied past of TAG Heuer’s offerings. The brand’s latest watch the Formula 1 Caliber 16 Ayrton Senna Special Edition 2019 pays a tribute to the Brazilian F1 legend Ayrton Senna who was the face of TAG Heuer’s first ‘Don’t Crack Under Pressure’ campaign back in 1991.
Presented in an anthracite shade with a sunburst finish, the face of the watch is a nice blend of sporty and elegant aesthetics. It has a tricompax layout with sub-registers at 12,6 and 9 for Chronograph minutes, chronograph hours and running seconds respectively. To provide a balance to this arrangement there is a date window at 3 along with some relevant branding. Surrounding the counters are applied hour markers that have been outlined in red providing a nice splash of color and highlighting the racing inspiration. Interestingly the red touches can also be seen on the chronograph functions which helps segregate them from normal timekeeping. On the outermost periphery is a white chapter ring with a printed minute track and time can be read using the well-proportioned faceted handset.
Crafted from stainless steel the case on this watch measures a large 44mm in diameter. It is flanked by two chronograph pushers and a chunky crown at 3. Once again to echo the sporty vibe of this watch the pusher at 2 and the crown feature red rings. Sitting on top of the case is a fixed bezel with a polished black ceramic insert with a tachymeter scale that has Senna’s name at the 1’O clock position. Protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal whereas the case back has been kept closed and features a nicely engraved picture of Senna wearing a helmet, Senna branding, the text ‘25 Year Tribute ‘Edition’ and some other watch related information. The case is water-resistant to a healthy 200 meters.
Powering this watch is the brand’s caliber 16. This is a self-winding chronograph movement that is based on the workhorse Valjoux 7750. It operates at a frequency of 4Hz and offers a power reserve of around 42 hours.
The Formula 1 Caliber 16 Ayrton Senna Special Edition 2019 would come attached to an S-shaped bracelet that Senna was quite fond of and would retail for USD 3,200.
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