TAG Heuer is such a household name that it can be easy to forget that TAG stands for Techniques d’Avant Garde, and cutting-edge, technical watchmaking is at the heart of what they do. The brand’s two major debuts at Geneva Watch Days: the TH-Carbonspring oscillator and the Carrera Astronomer, two very different expressions of TAG Heuer’s skill and heritage in precision timekeeping.

The TAG Heuer TH-Carbonspring

The TH-Carbonspring in all its glory

After a decade of research and development by the TAG Heuer LAB, the brand is finally ready to unveil the TH-Carbonspring, a new carbon oscillator that is exclusive to the brand and produced entirely in-house. The hairspring has gone on quite a journey since Huygens invented it in the seventeenth century — improvements in steel alloys all the way up to the invention of the silicon hairspring 25 years ago have incrementally improved on the accuracy, durability and reliability of this most delicate component. TAG Heuer’s TH-Carbonspring is the next step in this journey.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring puts the new technology front and centre

If you’ve been paying attention to watches for a while, you might recall a watch TAG Heuer released in 2019 with ‘Nanograph’ technology. Not much was heard of Nanograph after that initial release, and TAG Heuer explains that the technology failed to live up to their standards for accuracy. Instead of mothballing it, they refined the system for an additional six years, improving the stability of the carbon hairspring to a level that they were satisfied with. Today is that day, TH-Carbonspring is ready for industrialisation, and backed by the brand’s five-year warranty.

The TAG Heuer Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring, a celebration carbon

It was certainly worth the wait, this new spring offers three performance upgrades to traditional oscillators — it is antimagnetic, highly shock-resistant and exceptionally lightweight. All attributes that improve the chronometry of this innovative new product.

To showcase the new technology, TAG Heuer has debuted two new watches, the Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring and the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring. Both watches feature a monochrome, full carbon case and dial, with subtle spiral-shaped engraving on the dial.

Tech Specs: TAG Heuer Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring

Reference: CBL5190.FT6313
Movement: Self-winding COSC-Certified Calibre TH20-60; 80-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds; flyback chronograph
Case: 39mm; black forged carbon; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Black carbon dial with spiral-shaped engraving
Strap: Black rubber strap with textile embossing & black stitching; black titanium folding clasp
Price: CHF 17,000

Tech Specs: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring

Reference: CBU5091.FT6305
Movement: Self-winding COSC-Certified Calibre TH20-61; 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds; chronograph; flying tourbillon
Case: 44mm; black forged carbon; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Black carbon dial with spiral-shaped engraving
Strap: Black rubber strap with black titanium folding clasp
Price: CHF 40,000

The TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer

The trio of new TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer models

If the TH-Carbonspring speaks to the future of TAG Heuer, then the new Carrera Astronomer speaks to the brand’s past. In particular, it shines a light on a little-explored aspect of TAG Heuer’s technical timing — the Moon. The Carrera Astronomer pays tribute to two sides of TAG Heuer’s relationship with lunar timekeeping — the most famous being the fact that on February 20, 1962, Astronaut John Glenn wore a modified Heuer stopwatch on his flight suit as part of the Friendship 7 mission,  effectively becoming the first Swiss-made timekeeper in space. Years before that, in 1949, Heuer had released another interesting moon-themed watch, the Solunar. This watch featured a tide indicator and worked off a theory of Solunar time, which asserts that the Moon’s relationship with Earth has an impact on fishing, hunting and agricultural activities. It was always something of a niche proposition, but the story of the moon is a compelling one, and it’s one that continues with the Astronomer.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer offers a new take on the traditional Moonphase

Offered as a trio of 39mm steel-cased Carreras, the Astronomer melds TAG Heuer’s technical approach with a more poetic expression of the moon. At the heart of this design is an unusual

lunar display. We’re used to seeing moon phase discs, but TAG Heuer has opted for a readout-style display, with seven illustrated lunar phases. This graphic display offers a more precise readout and is supplemented with an age-of-moon indicator, accurately charting the 29.5-day lunar cycle. The watch is powered by the new Calibre 7 automatic. It’s offered in a steel and rose gold version, as well as a deep grey dial with turquoise highlights and a monochrome silver model. All three feature a charming engraved caseback of an astronomic observatory — a nod to the observatory challenges of the last century. All told, the Astronomer is a charming oddity that celebrates TAG Heuer’s exploratory spirit. 

The engraved caseback is a highlight of the model

Tech Specs: TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer

Reference: WBX2112.FC6615
Movement: Self-winding Calibre 7; 50-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; central seconds; moon phases
Case: 39mm; steel; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Silver with rose gold, black or grey and turquoise highlights
Strap: Steel bracelet / steel and rose gold bracelet / grey leather strap
Price: CHF 4,350 (leather),; CHF 4,550 (steel bracelet); CHF 6,900 (steel and rose gold)