New Post: From the Vault: The Unreleased Second-Generation TAG Heuer Grand Carrera

Thanks for the kind words on the article- was fun to write. Reckon I’ve been asking for 3-4 years for permission to post that photo, so just goes to show that persistance sometimes works.

I’ve always felt the only mistake with the Grand Carrera was the name. Call it the TAG Heuer Laguna (or some other race track) and it would have been very different...it was always referenced back to the Carrera, even though the two watches had nothing to do with each other. Even if the first series was not a great sales success, I would have thought that it was at least worth a try at a second series...simply updating the dials would have been cheap- the case could have been left untouched.

I guess its always possible that we’ll see the Grand Carrera come back, but the further than time goes on, the less likely it is.

I agree that the finish of the GC range is excellent...and the RS dials were a good idea. I don’t know whether they’d stand the test of time as a design feature, but they were a cool idea and well thought through

He is pretty full on and a little too fond of his own voice.

Yes, true... but I find him entertaining. Although... if you watch too many interviews he does rather repeat himself. Still, that interview with Ariel Adams was exceptional. If only because you could see Ariel trying not to laugh.

Nice to see some innovation going on behind the curtain. I know TAG gets the cold shoulder in many circles because the standard TAG in most minds is an Elabore grade Sellita SW200-1 powered three hander for $3000. They have developed many interesting and bespoke designs, it's just that you don't ever see them in the Macy's watch department.

Now a 50 Hz oscillator would be something to be reckoned with. I can't imagine they would use something other than a Swiss lever escapement so keeping it oiled would be a challenge. I mentioned thixotropic grease elsewhere on the board and hinted at troubles in current high-beat watches. Moebius 9415 was developed specifically for high-beat designs, but I'm talking four or five Hz. If the design did include a standard escapement, keeping the grease from flying off is probably the reliability issue mentioned.

Moebius has released dayglow pigmented oils for ease of determination (did it get oiled and the right amount) but so far, I've only seen 9010 (balance, escape wheel) available at the suppliers. On the WUS Watchmaking board, someone was asking about 9415 so he could examine whether a 36,000 bph watch was throwing it to any extent. Interesting thought.

he's like a walking mba though, learnt more watching his vids than I have in many other places. Seems to be an excellent business leader never mind the watch angle.

With the ‘demise’ of the Heuer Heritage line maybe we’ll see a GC Heritage line sometime in the 2040s 😎