From the motorsport-inspired Carrera to the aquatic-ready Aquaracer, learn about the best TAG Heuer watches on the secondary market.
TAG Heuer is one of the oldest luxury watch markers in the world, having been in business since 1860. The watchmaker’s remarkable legacy includes groundbreaking inventions and innovations like the oscillating pinion and its contribution to the development of the chronograph technology. But the biggest achievement of all has been its remarkable timepieces.
Tag Heuer watches are famous for their sporty elegance, high-level precision, and performance. TAG Heuer’s legacy lives in the finest timepieces that continue to rock the horological world. They include diving watches, durable sports watches built for adventure, and elegant sports watches. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best Tag Heuer watches you should consider buying and their unique attributes.
The Carrera is an iconic sports watch from TAG Heuer inspired by the exciting world of motorsports. The timepiece was released in 1963 and designed by Jack Heuer himself. This sports watch is named after the Carrera Panamericana, one of the most grueling car racing events in the world. The Carrera chronograph paid homage to this event, which had been discontinued at the time of the watch’s release but was revived in 1988.
The collection includes several highly sought-after vintage models, such as the Carrera 30, Carrera 45 Dato, and Carrera Chronomatic. It also includes many modern Carreras and a few re-editions (modern models based on classic Carreras).
The collection is quite varied, with mostly stainless steel versions. However, there are also titanium and ceramic models, as well as a special Carrera Precious category that includes models with a gold casing.
The Carrera collection includes simple date-only models with a unique appearance, chronographs, chronograph sports, and Sailing complications. Tag Heuer also made several Carrera models to celebrate its partnership with German automobile manufacturer Porsche.
The Tag Heuer Monaco is an iconic timepiece launched in 1969. Like many watches from this watchmaker, the Monaco is deeply connected to the Motorsports industry. More specifically, this watch is named after the famous F1 race in Monaco.
When it was released in 1969, the Tag Heuer Monaco stood out for its square-shaped case, which captivated watch enthusiasts and broke away from the traditional convention of round or almost round wristwatches.
Not only was it one of the few square-cased watches ever made, but it was also the first one to be water-resistant. On top of that, this unique timepiece was powered by the iconic Caliber 11 movement, which was the first chronograph movement with a micro-rotor. The Tag Monaco is also one of the earliest self-winding chronographs, as it was released roughly the same time as Zenith’s El Primero.
Today, this timepiece continues to captivate watch aficionados with its unique design, cool 60s aesthetics, and impressive racing heritage. The original Monaco was a steel timepiece. However, the watchmaker has updated the collection over time to include titanium versions while also introducing several dial variations, typically with unique, vivid colors.
The Aquaracer is part of Tag Heuer’s range of water-resistant watches built for outdoor adventures. Although the collection itself was launched in 2004, it is based on a classic from the 1980s, the 2000 series of diving watches.
Tag Heuer started making dive watches in 1978 with the release of the Heuer Ref 844. The watchmaker’s first diving watch to be water-resistant to a depth of 1000 meters was released in 1984. This evolved into the 2000 series, which was subsequently relaunched as the Aquaracer in 2004.
The Tag Heuer Aquaracer is known for its sporty elegance, precision, and impressive water resistance. The collection is divided into two lines. The Aquaracer Outdoor was designed for outdoor adventurers, and the Aquaracer Diving collection was created for professional divers who had greater water resistance.
As an efficient dive watch, virtually all versions of this timepiece feature a unidirectional rotating bezel designed to ensure safe and accurate timing of dives. It is also exceptionally legible underwater and features a screw-down crown and caseback to ensure optimal water resistance. Most Aquaracers come in a stainless steel casing. However, you will also find several titanium and carbon models in the collection.
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 is another timepiece that celebrates the watchmaker’s connection to the world of motorsports. This timepiece is renowned for its sporty and bold design, with various motorsports-inspired features like bold color accents, chronograph subdials, and tachymeter bezels.
The Formula 1 collection is also a Tag Heuer icon, holding a special place in the company’s history as the first model released after Techniques d’Avant Garde's (TAG) acquired Heuer in 1985. A year after this acquisition, the Formula 1 collection was launched based on designs produced by Eddy Burgener. The collection’s name was meant to reference the company’s highly successful partnership with the Marlboro McLaren Formula 1 racing team.
The original Formula 1 capitalized on the popularity of colorful, inexpensive quartz watches back in the 1980s. For this timepiece, the watchmaker followed an innovative case construction technique that covered a stainless steel core with colorful fiberglass for a distinctive appearance. The original Formula 1 collection included various three-hand and chronograph models, all powered by Quartz calibers.
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 collection has evolved significantly over the years, with the colorful fiberglass casing making way for stainless steel and the adoption of automatic mechanical movements instead of quartz. However, the collection still retains some of the features of the original Formula 1 watches, like its distinctive bezel and water resistance.
The Link is Tag Heuer’s line of elegant dress watches with models for men and women. The collection was first launched in 1987 as the TAG Heuer S/el (Sport and Elegance) and was one of Tag Heuer’s most popular models at the time. Then, in 1999, the collection was renamed the Tag Heuer Link based on the unique design of its “S” shaped bracelet links. The links are arranged so that two links form a double S.
The Tag Heuer Link is an elegant luxury watch with a sporty aesthetic. It pairs nicely with an office suit but can also be worn with a polo shirt for a day of golf. The Tag Heuer Link has a streamlined appearance and a sporty chic look achieved by the dramatic shape of its bracelet, and its fine brushed finish with polished shine on the sides. The collection currently includes time and date variants, chronographs, and GMT watches, also known as the Link Caliber 7 Twin-Time.
The Tag Heuer Autavia is a sporty chronograph timepiece designed by Jack Heuer himself in the 1960s. The name of this collection was originally coined in 1933 as a portmanteau of the words Automobile and Aviation. The name was given to a dashboard instrument built for race cars and aircraft.
In 1962, Jack Heuer created a chronograph wristwatch with a sporty aesthetic and assigned the Autavia name to the collection. The timepiece became quite popular in the motorsports world, especially among Formula 1 drivers.
Despite being one of Tag Heuer’s oldest collections, the Autavia has maintained its reputation as one of the most impressive chronograph watches from this watchmaker thanks to its classic design and exceptional performance.
In 2017, Tag Heuer launched a reboot of the classic Autavia with the release of the Autavia 2446 "Jochen Rindt" created originally in 1966. This modern reimagination of the classic timepiece measures between 38 and 42 mm in diameter and is powered by the Caliber 02 ref. CBE2110.
As this list shows, Tag Heuer has several impressive timepieces in its catalog. This includes elegant classics and modern models with refined aesthetics. You can find the Tag Heuer watches on this list and several other impressive collections on Bezel’s online marketplace or Bezel App for iOS devices.
Our marketplace is your one-stop shop for all your pre-owned luxury watch needs. We have a highly-curated selection of luxury watches from Tag Heuer and several other notable manufacturers. Each piece listed on our marketplace has gone through a comprehensive in-house authentication process to ensure they’re authentic and in perfect condition.
We have some of the rarest and hardest-to-find Tag Heuer watches in our collection. But if you can’t find the specific model you’re looking for, you can use our personal concierge service, with our team acting as your personal advisor to help you find the perfect piece for you. Visit our online marketplace or download the Bezel App to get started.
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