The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 anticipates a Le Mans win
Buffy Acacia- The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 has been released in anticipation of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend.
- The Porsche 963 is a hybrid-powered hypercar which is currently leading the WEC and IMSA SportsCar championships.
- It’s full of Porsche racing design hints, from the forged carbon bezel to the wheel-shaped winding rotor on the Heuer 02 movement.
If you like TAG Heuer, there’s a strong chance you’re also into motorsport. The prestige of racing coupled with high-tech engineering is perfectly aligned with the spirit of Swiss luxury watchmaking, and that has been obvious for well over 70 years. Porsche has run some of the most successful racing teams of all time, especially when it comes to Le Mans. It’s the manufacturer with the most overall wins at 19 (to Audi’s 13 and Ferrari’s 10), placing it substantially ahead of the competition. Well, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 forgoes history to focus on contemporary excellence, just in time for the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend.
The Porsche 963 has been having a fantastic year so far, building on the limited success it had in 2023. So far, it’s won the 2024 Qatar 1812km and the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in the FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as the 24 Hours of Daytona and Motul Course de Monterey in IMSA. In fact, it currently holds 1st, 2nd, and 4th places in the WEC standings, putting it in a fantastic position for the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans. Using it as the design inspiration behind the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph has resulted in something equally exciting, and far more unique than just another colour combination.
The 44mm stainless steel case doesn’t necessarily reflect the 963’s low-drag, high-downforce chassis, however its sharp facets lend an aggressive attitude that matches the racing spirit. Aside from the number 963 etched into the lug beneath 6 o’clock, the motorsport tie-ins extend to its forged carbon bezel. Carbon fibre makes up the entire monocoque of the car for its structural rigidity and lightweight properties, and it’s an unmistakable link to motorsport when used in a watch like this. There’s also the luminous Porsche logo up above 1 o’clock, making the collaboration clear. Looking to the case sides, you’ll find the crown side coated in black DLC, and a high-relief Porsche logo on the opposite side.
The dial isn’t completely skeletonised, but there’s enough openwork to show off sandblasted struts that echo the structure of the 963’s chassis, as well as the date wheel around the dial’s perimeter. Three solid black subdials count hours on the left, minutes on the right, and running seconds at 6 o’clock with a cutout space for the date display. The bright red hands ensure an ease of legibility despite the complexity of the dial, with the main chronograph seconds hand coming to a needle-thin tip for use with the intricate track. A small section of the printed track and the 4 o’clock index have been coloured red, indicating the countdown to the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at 4pm.
Powering the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 is the TH20-00, also known as the latest evolution of the Heuer 02. You can see it through the sapphire display caseback, with great emphasis placed on the red-coated column wheel that provides satisfying actuation of the chronograph pushers. The automatic winding rotor is shaped like a Porsche steering wheel for an added motorsports touch, and you can also find the limited edition number on the caseback. It runs at a smooth beat rate of 4Hz, with a solid 80 hours of power reserve.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 pricing and availability
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 is a limited and numbered edition of 963 pieces, and it’s available now. Price: CHF 9,000 (~US$10,000)
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
| Model | Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 |
| Reference | CBU2010.FT6267 |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel, black DLC on case sides, forged carbon bezel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal front and back |
| Dial | Open |
| Strap | Integrated black rubber, steel pin buckle |
| Movement | Heuer 02 (TH20-00), in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, running seconds, chronograph, date |
| Availability | Limited to 963 pieces |
| Price | CHF 9,000 (~US$10,000) |