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Among the many Hodinkee collaborative limited editions released over the years, the TAG Heuer releases have consistently been acclaimed. The “Skipper” Carrera has become something of a legendary watch in the niche world of limited edition collaborations, and the Carrera “Dato” released a few years ago was similarly praised and struck a very different register aesthetically. Hodinkee and TAG clearly have a close relationship, and the latest result of that partnership has just been revealed. Available today, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee limited edition feels like a natural evolution of the of watches that came before it.
The point of reference here is the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer, a watch produced by Heuer for Abercrombie in the days before they became an apparel staple at your local mall, and were known primarily as an enthusiast’s sporting goods retailer. The Seafarer, like the Skipper and Dato, has become an extremely collectible vintage reference for Heuer aficionados. They were produced in relatively small numbers from the 1950s through the early 1970s, and for a long time these watches were a kind of inside-baseball grail for collectors. These days more people are a little more aware of them, and the Seafarer’s aesthetic has directly and indirectly influenced new watches from brands both large and small. This is the first time, however, that TAG has returned to the classic Seafarer with real intention, so it’s a big moment for old-school Heuer fans.
Unsurprisingly, the Hodinkee limited edition seen here takes advantage of the incredibly popular Carrera “Glassbox” platform, here with a 42mm stainless steel case and a dramatic domed sapphire crystal that conjures the feeling of vintage acrylic crystals while maintaining a robust quality that is critical for modern everyday wear. The dial design is an update of a Seafarer first seen in 1968, the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer, Ref. 2446C, with a deep black dial and accents in multiple shades of blue within the subdials at 3:00 and 9:00.
Small details in the design of the watch pay tribute to vintage references while also clearly identifying this edition as a modern TAG Heuer. The date, for example, has been removed for a cleaner dial that will please enthusiasts and collectors, and is more in line with vintage Seafarer designs. The “Seafarer” wordmark is still there, but has been moved to the 6:00 subdial. Most notably, and perhaps most controversially, the watch displays the modern “TAG Heuer” logo as opposed to the vintage “Heuer” wordmark, which the brand has used on occasion with vintage inspired references.
The watch runs on the TAG Heuer TH20-13 in-house caliber, a new movement that is being used for the first time in this watch, and marks the first time TAG Heuer has made a watch with a tide indicator since the aforementioned 1968 Seafarer. The movement shares the architecture of the Heuer 02 chronograph caliber, and features a vertical clutch and column wheel as you’d expect. The tidal indicator at the 9:00 position makes a full rotation every 59 days to accurately track the tides – blue sections indicate high tide, white sections indicate low tide. The button on the 9:00 case flank advances the tide indicator in short increments, and is used to set the complication initially, and then again as needed should the power reserve run out, or the geographic area you’re tracking changes (a user will consult a tide table for a specific location to set the indicator accurately).
Tidal indicators take many forms on modern watches, but a version of this tried and true method has a long Heuer history, dating back to the first Solunar introduced in the late 1940s. This is obviously a highly niche complication, which makes it all the more exciting to see TAG Heuer pursue it in a modern watch. It reminds me, in a way, of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint made in partnership with Porsche that we saw last year, which also featured an unusual and highly customized execution of TAG’s base chronograph caliber.
The retail price of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee limited edition is $7,950. It’s a limited run of 968 pieces, of which 125 will be sold through Hodinkee’s shop. The remainder will be available through TAG Heuer boutiques and authorized retailers. TAG Heuer
