BY JOVAN K
It took TAG Heuer long enough, but they finally did it. After decades of making chronographs for everything from Formula 1 cars to your weekend track day, they have finally put a split-seconds movement into a Carrera. It is a big deal because the Carrera has always been the brand’s backbone, and while they have played with high-end tech in Monaco before, bringing a rattrapante to this specific line to form Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph feels like they are finally taking their heritage seriously.
Modern materials is the name of the game here. They went with a 42mm x 15.17mm case made from Grade 5 titanium, which is a smart move considering how much hardware is packed inside. As for what’s present visibly, you have the standard chronograph buttons in the usual spots, but there is a third pusher integrated at 9 o’clock to handle the split-seconds function. It uses the glassbox crystal design we first saw a few years ago, which flows right into the case, making the whole thing look a bit more seamless.
The dial clearly gravitates towards transparency. A sapphire surface reveals much of what’s going on underneath, while still keeping the layout readable. The glassbox crystal curves down into the rehaut, where the tachymeter and 1/5-second scale follow the same arc. That depth is something TAG Heuer first leaned into with the Carrera Glassbox models in 2023, and it works even better here given how much is happening visually.
The engine here is the TH81-01 calibre. It was built with help from Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, and it runs at a high frequency of 5Hz. Most watches run at 4Hz, but the faster beat here means you get more precision when timing laps. It is a complex piece of engineering with over 350 parts where the finishing is done by hand. The chequered flag pattern on the bridges is a nice nod to the track. You get about 65 hours of reserve when the chronograph is off, closer to 55 when it’s running.
To wrap things up, the watch comes on a black rubber strap with textile embossing and red stitching, secured by a titanium folding clasp with double safety pushers. As for the price, you are looking at CHF 110,000, available through TAG Heuer boutiques. Given the complexity and the price, do not expect to see these sitting in every shop window.
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