BY JOVAN K
With the release of this new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer, it looks like TAG Heuer finally decided to stop keeping the Seafarer behind the “limited edition” curtain and put it back into the permanent catalog. If you aren’t familiar with the name, this thing is basically a piece of 1950s maritime history that used to be sold at Abercrombie & Fitch back when they were a rugged outdoors shop instead of a mall brand.
The case follows the Carrera Glassbox blueprint at 42mm x 14.4mm, which means you get that domed sapphire crystal sitting flush with angular lugs and clean lines. The defining feature here is the lack of a traditional bezel. Instead, the sapphire crystal domes sit right over the edge, which gives it a distinct retro look while keeping the dial easy to read from weird angles. Water resistant to 100 metres, you also get a dedicated rectangular pusher at 9 o’clock to set the tide disc, which is a nice practical touch over the fiddly little round pushers you might see on older vintage models like the original 2443.
The dial has an ample amount of personality with a champagne opaline finish that looks like a vintage watch that has spent years in the sun. You get hits of what they call Intrepid Teal and yellow in the sub-dials, which is a nod to the old 1960s Seafarer references. Unarguably, there is a lot going on here with the tide indicator at 9 and the 30-minute counter at 3, but the gold-plated hands and markers balance everything out.
The TH20-04 runs the show here. It is an evolution of their standard chronograph movement but modified to track the lunar cycle. Every 29.53 days, that tide disc completes a full rotation. It is an integrated movement with a column wheel, which basically means the pushers feel crisp when you click them. It has an 80-hour power reserve, which is plenty of juice to last through a long weekend if you decide to take it off.
You can pick this up on a steel seven-link bracelet that is a modern take on the classic beads of rice style. It also comes with a beige sports strap if the beach look is more to your liking. It will be available in March at boutiques and retailers for CHF 8,300.
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