« 20 Years of Watchmaking History Honored with New Models »
Jack W. Heuer is not merely the great-grandson of Edouard Heuer, founder of the Swiss watch manufacture. Over roughly two decades at the helm of the company – and since 2001 as honorary chairman and advisor – he has himself provided decisive momentum. He enriched the TAG Heuer lineup with several models that have long since achieved cult status.
Led by the Founding Family for Four Generations
Founded by Edouard Heuer in 1860 and part of the French luxury goods group Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S. A. (LVMH) since 1999, the watch company remained in family hands for almost nine decades after its founder's death in 1892. All in all, no fewer than four generations of the family led the famous watchmaker, which quickly made a name for itself above all through technical innovations in chronograph manufacturing. Jack W. Heuer, a great-grandson of Edouard Heuer, celebrated his 85th birthday in 2017. During the roughly 20 years in which he ran the company, from 1961 to 1982, he wrote watchmaking history in more ways than one.
Several of this industry legend's hit models have long since become true brand icons and continue to define the face of the brand and its lineup to this day. Under his direction, the three now-legendary chronograph lines Carrera, Monaco, and Formula 1 were launched, among others. In addition, in 1969, shortly after Zenith and Breitling, the company presented the third production-ready self-winding chronograph movement.
A Special Relationship with Motorsport
Models and collections with a particular connection to motorsport were a special focus of Heuer's work. As a recognized chronograph specialist, the company had made a name for itself among race organizers and drivers early on, but under Jack W. Heuer's leadership this relationship was decisively intensified.
In 1971, for example, he persuaded well-known Ferrari driver Gianclaudio Regazzoni, who had won the Italian Grand Prix the year before, to visit the watch company and collaborate on developing a new chronograph for the legendary "24 Hours of Le Mans."
Formula 1 Sponsorship
Under a contract with Heuer's company signed personally by Enzo Ferrari, it was agreed, among other things, that all drivers of the famous "Scuderia Ferrari" would wear the Heuer logo on their racing suits as well as one of Heuer's gold self-winding chronographs on their wrists.
The partnership with the renowned Italian racing car maker, which lasted nine years in total, brought the Swiss watchmaker an enormous boost in prestige and international recognition – as well as numerous company visits by famous racing drivers, including, besides Regazzoni, Mario Andretti, Jacky Ickx, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, and Gilles Villeneuve.
It was undoubtedly a great success, but by no means the first major coup in motorsport.
Carrera Panamericana
As early as the early 1960s, the company had served as official timekeeper at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where the company head met the young driver Pedro Rodriguez. Inspired by Rodriguez's enthusiastic stories about the Carrera Panamericana, Jack Heuer named his new chronograph line, launched in 1963, Carrera. To this day, it remains one of the brand's best-known model lines and is regularly expanded with new versions.
At Baselworld 2017, for instance, a new women's collection was unveiled with the Carrera Lady 2017, whose models, incidentally, differ from earlier versions in their wider, more substantial bezels, more pronounced lugs, and a combined rubber-and-leather strap.
The Autavia: A Racing Driver's Chronograph Becomes a Legend - and Returns as an Anniversary Edition
The story of the TAG Heuer Autavia is also inextricably linked with the history of motorsport. The name of this sporty chronograph, introduced in the late 1960s, alludes to the words automobile and aviation. Famous racing drivers such as Joe Siffert and Jochen Rindt, who died tragically in 1970, wore this model. And a dream likely came true for many watch enthusiasts when this legendary chronograph was reissued in 2017. The new version closely resembles the original in appearance but has been fitted with modern mechanics.
It is powered by Heuer's Calibre 02, an in-house chronograph movement that is also used in the Carrera Automatic Chronograph. Alongside a frequency of 4 Hz and automatic winding, it offers a generous power reserve of up to 80 hours. In addition, the original's stainless steel caseback has been replaced with sapphire crystal, so the impressive mechanics are on full display for interested movement fans. Despite its 233 components in total, the new calibre is just 6.9 millimeters thick.
A Figure of an Entire Industry
Jack W. Heuer, incidentally, remained closely tied to his company well into old age. Although he had been forced to sell the company in 1982 in the wake of the quartz crisis, he was appointed its honorary chairman in 2001. He does not limit himself to ceremonial duties, however, but continues to serve the company as an advisor, accompanying its current projects and new developments to the present day.
Given his great passion for motorsport, it was only natural to honor the birthday of this eminent figure of the Swiss watch industry on November 19, 2017, with a fitting special model. It is an Autavia based on a model that brand fans had previously chosen from 16 different historical Autavia versions in an online vote.
More than 50,000 votes were cast, an impressive testament to the interest of the brand community. In a nod to Heuer's year of birth, the special edition is limited to 1,932 pieces.
Its black bezel and three black subdials create a pleasing contrast with the silver-gray sunburst dial. The honoree himself was personally involved in designing the details of the special edition, and the solid stainless steel caseback bears his signature along with a reference to the occasion.
More New Releases in the Anniversary Year
In addition to this personal tribute to the brand's patriarch, TAG Heuer launched a number of other new releases in his anniversary year. There is likely a suitable model among them for almost every taste, since nearly every type of wristwatch is represented, from the sporty dive watch to chronographs to the elegant dress watch.
These include the skeletonized Calibre 02 Tourbillon as well as the new Connected Modular 45, the new Aquaracer with GMT function, and several new women's and men's versions of the Aquaracer, Link, Monaco, and Formula 1 lines.
