There’s a reason the quintessential livery of Ferrari is red, and it’s not just to contrast the yellow-silhouetted prancing horse on the bonnet. Everyone knows red goes faster, which is exactly what TAG Heuer is invoking with its latest Carrera Red Dial Limited Edition, which takes one of the best cases in the watchmaker’s current line-up and pulls it into the spotlight with a dial you just can’t ignore.
While TAG Heuer has been working hard on updating its core collections, including the contemporary Carrera Chronograph, the Carrera Three Hands and the Aquaracer 200, it continues to launch uniquely interesting limited editions at the same time. Just this year we’ve already seen the release of a trio of exciting Monaco limited editions, including the Monaco Gulf, the Monaco Dark Lord and the Monaco Purple dial, but now it’s the turn of the quintessential 39mm Carrera chronograph.
This is a 39mm stainless steel case (with a thickness of around 14.7mm) that we’ve seen a couple of times before in the last couple of years, specifically in two versions of the Carrera 160 Years limited editions, but we’re over the moon to see it here again. Taking direct inspiration from the golden era of the chronograph, specifically the vintage Heuer reference 2447 from the 1960s, it’s elegantly proportioned with long polished lugs and functional pump pushers.
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However, the dial is obviously the real star of the show with its dark, almost ox blood tone in lower light, while under bright light it hits shades of crimson. Featuring the classic 3, 6, 9, chronograph layout, the subdials are the same colour as the rest of the dial, with only the steel hands and hour markers breaking up the rouge. Another nice dial detail is the slightly aged salmon-coloured Super-LumiNova on the hands and around the minute track.
Beneath the dial is an absolute workhorse chronograph movement in the Caliber Heuer 02 Automatic, which has faithfully served dozens of TAG Heuer watches before this new limited edition. Featuring a column wheel, it ticks away at 28,800vph and offers a very respectable 80 hours of power reserve.
All considered, it’s a great-looking new release from TAG Heuer, which not only continues to celebrate the best of the La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaker’s archives but also adds a new colour to the catalogue. Limited to 600 pieces worldwide, the TAG Heuer Carrera Red Dial Limited Edition is currently available online and in selected boutiques with an RRP of $9,800.
