TAG Heuer : Football has a new official timekeeper

Carrera – Heuer 01

CASE : modular with 12 elements in ceramic with alternating finishes, antiglare sapphire crystal, sapphire caseback, waterresistant to 100m

DIAMETER : 45mm

MOVEMENT : mechanical self-winding (Calibre Heuer 01), 50h power reserve

FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph DIAL : skeletonized with three counters, satinbrushed and polished hand-applied indexes with luminescent markers,  skeleton brushed black upper movement bridge, polished and sandblasted hours/minutes hands with luminescent markers

STRAP : rubber, folding clasp in black titanium carbide-coated titanium, equipped with safety push-buttons

In August 2015, TAG Heuer announced its partnership with the Bundesliga, thus becoming the first official timekeeper and official watch of the famous German national football championship for a three-year period. The brand from La Chaux-de-Fonds already caused a sensation with this move, since Bundesliga matches are broadcast in 208 countries around world. But TAG Heuer did not stop there and followed up by announcing several other international football partnerships. This year, the Swiss watch brand is the official timekeeper and official watch of Major League Soccer (MLS), the North American championship, as well as of the American Football Association and the MLS’ Professional Referee Association (PRO). In addition, the avant-garde Swiss watchmaker gmt_xxl_ch_2016_ipad-296has also signed agreements with the Chinese Football Association Super League in China and the Australian national team, the Caltex Socceroos, further reinforcing its dominant position in timekeeping for football teams and leagues around the world. Last but not least, TAG Heuer has inked one of the most important partnerships in its history with the Premier League, the top English football division and the world’s most widely watched championship. The 20 teams, the referees and all matches broadcast in 185 countries will be ticking to TAG Heuer time as of next season. On the pitch, the fourth official’s boards will now be shaped like a Carrera watch and will bear the name of the Swiss brand, while referees will be sporting the TAG Heuer Connected smartwatch.

Alongside these partnerships, TAG Heuer’s roster of ambassadors also includes football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, three-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or, Real Madrid winger and captain of the Portuguese team for the UEFA European Football Championship in France. TAG Heuer recently welcomed the manager of Leicester City, the reigning Premier League champion Claudio Ranieri, into this prestigious “ambassadors family circle”.

The perceived value of TAG Heuer watches, starting with chronographs, is three to four times superior to their price.gmt_xxl_ch_2016_ipad-297

The TAG Heuer Chronograph in-house signature Carrera – Heuer 01 was first presented at Baselworld 2015. The cornerstone of a collection destined to grow, this model is innovative on several levels. First of all, its modular 12-part case comes in an infinite variety of materials, colors and finishes. Its supremely clean design of the openworked dial reveals the chronograph controls and the skeletonized date disk, thereby accentuating the modern, high-tech nature of this watch. Visible on the back, the red column wheel, the skeleton chronograph bridge and the black oscillating weight also provide opportunities to admire the mechanism. Finally, the Carrera Heuer – 01 is equipped with the new in-house Calibre Heuer 01 developed on the basis of the 1887 movement.

gmt_xxl_ch_2016_ipad-294This year, several references are enriching this sophisticated contemporary line, thereby satisfying a wide range of tastes. On the first all-black version, the case, bezel, lugs and middle – meaning all the parts exposed to friction – are made of ceramic in order to reduce marks of wear. To guarantee water resistance to 100 meters and enable the seals to fulfil their purpose, all the functional parts of the watch are made of steel. The second model combines pink gold and titanium, for a casual chic look. Finally, a steel version with a blue rubber strap rounds off the range. The distinctive Carrera – Heuer 01 will appeal to devotees of resolutely modern chronographs.

For Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer and President of the LVMH Group Watches Division : “Football is a global sport and speaks to  everybody, including of course our future customers ; although these young people cannot buy our watches now, some of them will be able to buy them tomorrow. It’s always an asset to communicate not only with today’s customers, but also your future customers.” 

 

 See also : TAG Heuer joined the phenomenon Coachella

A member of the permanent editorial team of WorldTempus .com and GMT, she takes a special interest in new models and in brand events

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