Porsche’s groundbreaking 963 race car gets immortalised as a limited edition TAG Heuer wristwatch
Some marriages are just meant to be. Even though TAG Heuer and Porsche didn’t officially get together until 2021, when both companies collaborated on their first jointly monikered timepiece, the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph, the partnership always seemed destined to take off.
Porsche, which won its first-class victory at the Carrera Panamericana race in 1954, famously named one of its most powerful engines the Carrera. Likewise, when Heuer launched its iconic chronograph in 1963, the company also chose to christen it Carrera. Although it took decades before both brands got round to collaborating with each other, the union has proven to be red-hot.
The new Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 is the fourth watch bearing the names of both brands to be released in four years. Clearly, the synergistic spirit is strong, and the latest model is again packed with design nods and technical features that reflect the ethos of TAG Heuer and Porsche.
For those who are unfamiliar, the Porsche 963 marks the carmaker’s latest development in the realm of endurance racing. Inspired by the Porsche 918 Spyder road car and engineered to compete under the new LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) regulations, the 963 is powered by an advanced combustion engine that can run on renewable fuels, and has been tearing up racetracks across the world.
Naturally, the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963, too, has been crafted to emanate similar forward-thinking aesthetics and sense of technical innovation. The watch’s partially open-worked dial offers a glimpse into the automatic Calibre TH20-00 chronograph movement.
Developed in-house by TAG Heuer, the movement features a column wheel mechanism (a standout feature in high-end chronographs), and vertical clutch system that is similar to those found in a car’s powertrain for smooth activation of the chronograph.
On the outside, the watch is all about sleek lines and sexy accents. The 44mm steel case is flanked by the Porsche name in relief on one side, complementing the partially skeletonised dial. Fiery red chronograph hands add a shot of colour, while the black forged carbon tachymeter bezel fuels the watch’s brazen machismo. From the back, one is able to check out the movement, featuring a winding rotor in the shape of a steering wheel, through a clear sapphire crystal case.
“(This watch) is an exceptional horological piece that represents all the values we stand for: design excellence, endurance, and the surpassing of one’s limits,” says Julien Tornare, CEO of TAG Heuer.
Limited to 963 individually numbered pieces, the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 comes in a specially designed presentation box with an additional travel pouch.
