TAG Heuer Drops World’s Most Affordable Tourbillon Watch

Arguably the best Carrera ever.

TAG Heuer Drops World’s Most Affordable Tourbillon Watch

The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T COSC (ref. CBN2A1F.FC6492).

The TAG Heuer Carrera is one of the most versatile watches to have ever come out of Switzerland.

The classically handsome chronograph, available in a wide variety of form factors, designs and complications, is just at home on your wrist at a cocktail party or big board meeting as it is on the racetrack, the high-octane crucible of which it owes its genesis to. From dressy, colourful numbers to performance-driven tools, the Carrera family is expansive and has a little something for everyone.

But for the most discerning watch fans, there’s one Carrera that sits above the rest: the Carrera Heuer 02T, better known as the Carrera Tourbillon. First introduced in 2016, the addition of a tourbillon complication elevated the famous, long-running Carrera into the world of high watchmaking – swapping the chronograph’s seconds sub-dial for an exposed tourbillon a particularly fitting and clever move.

Previous Carrera Tourbillon models have all featured skeletonised dials – another hallmark of haute horlogerie but one that necessarily sacrifices legibility for visual flair. They’ve also featured predominately darker or golden colour schemes and leather straps… Which makes TAG Heuer’s newest Carrera Tourbillon particularly special, and one that’s sure to excite real watch purists.

A closeup of the Carrera Heuer 02T’s tourbillon. In a tourbillon movement, the escapement and balance wheel are mounted in a rotating cage, in order to negate the effects of gravity and therefore increase accuracy. They’re also mesmerising to look at.

This new Carrera Tourbillon has three key features that set it apart from its forebears. As previously mentioned, this reference has a conventional dial instead of a skeletonised dial. This makes the watch far more legible, assisting in its function as a racing chronograph. It also allows TAG Heuer’s impeccable dial treatment to shine.

Speaking of dial treatment… Another key feature of this reference is that it’s blue. Ask any watch enthusiast worth their salt what their favourite colour for a watch is and they’ll probably say blue. And what a blue – a deep, royal tone that suits the timepiece perfectly.

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Something that’s also a big plus is that it’s entirely made out of titanium. Previous iterations have sported alligator straps sewn on black rubber, or even just soft rubber, whereas this model makes the switch to a titanium bracelet, complementing its titanium case. Metal bracelets and sports watches go together like strawberries and cream: this move truly heightens the appeal of the watch, and reinforces its technical, performance-driven aesthetic.

But that’s not even its biggest party trick. This ‘ultimate Carrera’ retails for 30,400 AUD – making it the most affordable tourbillon on the market. It really is the best of all words.

A limited-edition of only 250 pieces, it’s available now, but we can’t imagine it will stay available for long. Find out more about the new TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon at their online boutique.

Blue highlights like the rubberised crown and coloured rotor are tasteful little touches.

Technical Specifications

  • Ref. CBN2A1F.FC6492
  • 45mm polished / fine-brushed grade 5 titanium case
  • Ceramic blue, polished tachymeter fixed bezel; domed, bevelled sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
  • Blue rubber / titanium crown at 3 o’clock; titanium pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock
  • Water-resistant to 100m
  • Minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock; tourbillon at 6 o’clock; hour chronograph counter at 9 o’clock
  • Rhodium-plated polished applied indexes, hour and minute hands with white Super-LumiNova + rhodium-plated blue central hand
  • Titanium grade 2 H-shape bracelet with titanium grade 2 / steel folding clasp with double safety push-buttons

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