With a relationship that stretches back decades, TAG Heuer and Porsche have announced an official partnership, and have marked the occasion with a stunning new timepiece
With a relationship that stretches back decades, TAG Heuer and Porsche have announced an official partnership, and have marked the occasion with a stunning new timepiece
TAG Heuer and Porsche have common history and values, of course, but more importantly, we share an attitude. Like Porsche, we are disruptors at heart, always in pursuit of high performance. With this alliance, TAG Heuer and Porsche finally come together officially after decades of close encounters and will create unmatched experiences and products for customers and fans that are passionate about both our brands and what we stand for.”
Those sentiments, by TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault, were echoed by Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche, on the announcement of an official partnership between Tag Heuer and Porsche.
“The strong friendship of our brand with TAG Heuer exists since decades and I am more than happy that we are now taking the next steps in the frame of a strategic partnership. We bring together what our customers love the most about both of us: authentic heritage, thrilling sports events, unique life experiences and the fulfilment of dreams. We both strive to create some unique, magic moments for our communities. We now look forward to doing it together.”
TAG Heuer and Porsche have long and rich histories in innovation, and their storied pasts have connected and intertwined at various points during the last 50 or so years. In fact, you could argue that the inevitable partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche began with their founders, Edouard Heuer and Ferdinand Porsche, both innovators and self-taught entrepreneurs. The shared history between the two iconic companies began when Edouard Heuer was awarded a medal at the 1889 World’s Fair held in Paris for his invention of the chronograph movement. Eleven years later, again at a World’s Fair in Paris, Ferdinand Porsche was awarded the same medal for innovation when he presented the first Lohner-Porsche Electromobile.
Since then, the TAG Heuer and Porsche stories have intersected at numerous points throughout the history of the brands. When Steve McQueen drove a Porsche 917 in the 1970 film Le Mans, he insisted on wearing a Heuer logo on his racing suit. The enigmatic American actor said at the time, “I drive the same car as Jo Siffert, and I want to wear the same suit as him.” It also didn’t hurt that his wrist was adorned with a Heuer Monaco while he drove the 917.
A more formal link occurred during the mid-1980s. Heuer had been sold to the TAG Group to become TAG Heuer, and the brands joined forces to develop the TAG-Turbo engines that powered McLaren to three consecutive Formula 1 World Titles: with Niki Lauda in 1984, followed by Alain Prost in 1985 and 1986.
The relationship intensified in 1999 with strong tie-ups between the brands thanks to the Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercup racing series. TAG Heuer partnered Porsche through many successful years of the World Endurance Championship, and the Swiss brand was a founding partner of the Formula E championship. When Porsche joined Formula E in 2019, TAG Heuer was there with the German team as title and timing partner.
Now, in 2021, the “beautiful friendship” has become an official brand partnership, celebrated by a special-edition timepiece that proclaims proudly, “It was worth the wait!”.
TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph
Carrera is a name intrinsically linked to both TAG Heuer and Porsche, so it makes perfect sense for the first collaboration between the two iconic brands to come from the Carrera Chronograph line. TAG Heuer says that the Carrera Porsche Chronograph is a tribute to both brands and a first glimpse at what they can achieve together.
The classic TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph design is evident, including the distinctive tachymeter scale engraved on the ceramic black fixed bezel, but this now features Porsche’s engraved inscription in vibrant red. Porsche’s highly recognisable font is also used for the indices. The dial of the new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph features a unique tarmac effect and it sits beneath a domed and bevelled sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment.
Deep within the 44mm polished and fine-brushed stainless steel case beats the brand’s Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic movement with its impressive 80-hour power reserve.
Flip over the timepiece and the transparent crystal caseback reveals the redesigned oscillating mass that pays tribute to a classic Porsche steering wheel the likes of which would have been used by the 911 back in 1964 when the Heuer Carrera was first launched.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph is available with a choice of embossed black calf leather strap with hand stitching or steel folding clasp with double safety push buttons.
As TAG Heuer suggests, this new partnership is officially only just on the starting grid, but the histories of the two brands have been linked for over half a century. As fans of both brands, we cannot wait for what the future holds.
Jesse Taylor