The skeletonised TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph gets an Extreme Sport makeover
Borna BošnjakTAG Heuer has been a big part of my watch journey from an early age. My dad wore a quartz Professional for more than 30 years, in all of its two-tone glory, representative of the late 1980s, and I’ll never forget seeing the big advertisements for the skeletonised, Heuer 01-powered Carrera Chronograph. The latest TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport follows in the lineage of the latter, and signifies the brand’s current intention across the Carrera collection. Based on the framework of the recent limited-edition Porsche collaboration, the new Carrera Extreme Sport is the latest variant of the popular skeletonised Carrera Sport, offering lightweight (and precious) materials at an attractive price point.
The dial
Though it’s a new model, the Carrera Extreme Sport definitely goes the route of evolution over revolution. It still uses the tri-register layout backed by a lattice-like openworked structure, though that spider web of bridges is now more pronounced thanks to a different finish. The sub-dials themselves are larger, with the running seconds at 6 cut off to make room for a date window that has been moved from 04:30 – a choice that is sure to please many. For the most part, however, the theme of skeletonisation is achieved with the design of the dial and see-through date wheel that circles its innermost perimeter, rather than overly modifying the TH20-00 calibre beneath.
As we’ve seen in several TAG Heuer Carrera models of late, there’s a hint of asphalt-like texture to the bridges, highlighted by polished silver outlines and azurage finish of the sub-dials. You can go for a relatively monochromatic look, or potentially opt for highlights of red, blue, or gold, the last of which matches the case material. While this style of dial was really popular with many of TAG Heuer’s models in the last 10 years, the introduction of the smaller Glassbox with its vintage cues signalled a departure from this avant-garde look, justifying the new distinct nomenclature for the Carrera Extreme Sport.
The case
As retro designs have started to pick back up in popularity we have seen a marked decline in complex skeltonised dials, and a departure of large case sizes. The new skeletonised Carrera Chronograph is certainly moves against that trend with its 44mm diameter, though this doesn’t mean this new release should only appeal to the better-endowed among us. With a 49.7mm lug-to-lug, it actually sits quite well even on my 17ish-centimetre wrist. If you don’t believe me, the lug-to-lug of a Nomos Club Campus is 49mm, and I don’t see too many people complaining that that’s too large. Granted, a reduced lug-to-lug can only go so far to reduce the actual size of the watch, and this is certainly on the larger size, though I do give TAG Heuer kudos for improving the proportions over the original, which had lugs spanning over 50mm.
The Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport extends the skeletonisation theme to the case profile, where the lugs form a spaceframe-like structure enveloping the midcase. Not only does this tie into the overall design being centred around high-octane sports, but also vastly reduces the visual bulk of the watch, helping the 15.1mm thickness not appear as significant on-wrist. Note that the colour scheme will depend slightly on the case material, though. For the two grade 2 titanium variants, the midcase is black, framed by the muted grey tones of titanium. For the DLC-coated titanium and 18k 5N rose gold models, the midcase will match the colour of the lugs, with the contrast being given by the ceramic bezel and titanium caseback and pushers.
The strap
Though it will undoubtedly go unnoticed by some, one of my favourite elements of redesign on the Carrera Extreme Sport is the integration of the rubber strap. Earlier variants also had integrated leather and rubber straps, though they finished abruptly, with little integration into the actual case. Here, a titanium central link separates the rubber material in between the lugs, giving the appearance of a more organic strap and case combination. Having said that, the middle link remains as black titanium for the rose gold model, which diminishes the effectiveness of this design somewhat.
Apart from this clever integration trick, the rubber strap is a pretty frill-free affair, comfortable on the wrist and doing a good job of balancing the heft of the large watch case. It’s finished in a titanium folding clasp emblazoned with the TAG Heuer shield.
The movement
To go with the new Extreme Sport nomenclature, TAG Heuer is also employing its latest update of the in-house Heuer 02 movement, now dubbed the TH20-00. Thankfully, this wasn’t just a case of changed names, as the movement was upgraded with bi-directional winding, an impressive, 80-hour power reserve, and a five-year warranty which is an oft-overlooked aspect of watch purchasing.
Decoration is minimal, though adapted for this sportier watch by darker coatings on the rotor when compared to the same movement in a Glassbox Skipper, for example. A touch I always liked is that TAG Heuer matches the colour of the column wheel to the highlight colour of the case, which in the Extreme Sport also extends to the rotor engraving.
The verdict
TAG Heuer can hardly put a foot wrong these days, and has in my opinion had one of the strongest periods in recent memory. The Carrera Extreme Sport updates do come with a price hike, though it’s not as significant as I expected, and there’s still bang-for-buck to be had, especially when considering the solid gold variant. While watches like the 1970s-inspired golden Glassbox and Skipper are more up my alley style and size-wise, the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport is a sensible continuation of a popular model line, with all the necessary upgrades to fit it into the brand’s current line-up.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport pricing and availability
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme sport is available now. Price: US$8,200 (titanium), US$8,400 (DLC titanium), US$12,300 (rose gold)
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
| Model | Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport |
| Reference | CBU2081.FT6274 CBU2082.FT6275 CBU2080.FT6272 CBU2050.FT6273 |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) x 15.1mm (T) x 49.7mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Grade 2 titanium and ceramic DLC-coated grade 2 titanium and ceramic 18k 5N rose gold and ceramic |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal front and back |
| Dial | Blue, red, black, black and gold; open |
| Strap and bracelet | Integrated rubber strap, titanium folding clasp |
| Movement | TH20-00, in-house, automatic, column wheel |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph |
| Availability | September 2024 |
| Price | US$8,200 (titanium) US$8,400 (DLC titanium) US$12,300 (rose gold) |