CronotempVs & TAG Heuer Collaborate To Celebrate 60 Years of the Carrera With New Carrera CC

The collectors group known as CronotempVs has revealed their latest project, and it’s with none other than TAG Heuer in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the famed Carrera chronograph. The open collaboration done with the collector community uses the modern 42mm Carrera case, and dials in plenty of special details in the process on the dial and the movement. The watch is called the Carrera CC (CronotempVs Collectors), and it takes inspiration from the 1974 Carrera ref. 1153BN, aka the ‘Yachting’ so named for the orange segments within the minute totalizer. 

CronotempVs and TAG Heuer have created a fitting modern tribute to the 1153BN with the Carrera CC, incorporating the same character of the original in the modern Carrera chassis. This is not the 39mm ‘glassbox’ template that we were quite fond of when we saw it in Geneva (and are currently working on our long term review), but it does bring the caliber TH20-00 into the equation via the modern Carrera case we’ve come to know and (maybe) love. This platform  captures a specific fan favorite reference and highlights its versatility, as well as the timelessness of the design language as a whole.

The original 1153BN was presented in a cushion case, with a dark blue dial and orange accents, and these are the starting blocks of the Carrera CC. The contrasting chapter ring and orange accents have been put to use brilliantly here, at once honoring the original while taking it into a new direction altogether. The combination creates an entirely unique experience within the modern Carrera range. 

As we’ve discussed before, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic Carrera chronograph, and TAG Heuer has capitalized on the occasion in pleasantly surprising ways. This collaboration fits into the picture by representing another piece of the extensive heritage of the name, but in a more subtle manner than you might expect. There are plenty of details to discover here, such as the texture of the anthracite gray dial, and the dark blue hue present in the sub dials at 3 and 9 o’clock. 

The most prominent details are found in the orange colored accents on the dial, found in the timing seconds hand, and the segments surrounding the minute totalizer at the 3 o’clock position. This is actually a more toned down take on the 1153BN, which also used orange at the outside of each hour marker as well. The contrasting chapter ring remains untouched, and brings a level of depth to the dial overall. There’s no denying that this is a handsome package overall, and our only complaint comes in light of the new 39mm platform introduced this year, which would provide an even more tempting base to build such a concept on. 

There will be a mere 72 units of the Carrera planned for production, a nod to the 1974 1153BN, meaning this will be a rare bird to catch in the wild. The price is set at 5,250 € though they are likely all spoken for. The real takeaway here may be the fact that you should be paying attention to CronotempVs, as this isn’t their first compelling collab. CronotempVs