TAG Heuer’s Long Awaited Formula 1 Update is Here

Was there ever any doubt that this was where this year was headed? Ever since it was announced that LVMH, and specifically TAG Heuer, would be taking over Formula 1 timekeeping responsibilities from Rolex as part of a broader 10-year partnership between the two, it was clear that 2025 would (for TAG Heuer) be all about racing. We just didn’t know what that would look like, at least when it came to the watches. Now we do, and surprise, surprise, TAG Heuer is kicking it off with a brand new generation of (what else?) The Formula 1 Chronograph.

Motorsport and TAG Heuer have long been linked (something Zach recently explored), and one obvious example of this is the Formula 1. TAG Heuer launched the first generation of the Formula 1 way back in the ‘80s, and the simple, colorful, quartz watch helped to clearly establish a new sensibility for the brand. Since then, the Formula 1 has evolved, eschewing the almost toy-like quality of the earliest releases to bear the name and moving upmarket while still acting as the clear entry point into the brand’s chronograph offering — a quartz Formula 1 can still be had for under $2000, an almost shocking price tag in the context of the modern market. These new Formula 1s are a decided step up from those watches but still come in under the price of the latest generation of Carrera chronographs.

The watches themselves are bold and clearly represent a step into a new generation of design language for the Formula 1 — a refreshing change after a relatively static decade for the lineup. The new Formula 1 comes in a titanium case measuring 44mm across, with a lug-to-lug of 47.3mm and a case thickness of 14.1mm. They’re powered by TAG’s Caliber 16 movement, a rebadged Sellita SW500. I’m not sure these will be a watch for the shy, but if you like the look of them, the compact lug-to-lug and asymmetrical design mean the watch will likely wear pretty well, though I haven’t yet had the opportunity to see these in person to confirm that. 

The new Formula 1 is available in either a natural, sandblasted titanium finish or with a black DLC coating over the grade 2 titanium case, and all the watches in the new lineup come on a fitted pin-buckle rubber strap and feature a black aluminum tachymeter bezel (which amusingly replaces the word ‘tachymeter’ with ‘Speed’). The natural titanium case is available with red accents or as part of a special Red Bull edition of the watch (more on that in a minute), while the blacked-out version is available at launch in a handful of more vibrant options in addition to red.

What might hold slightly more general appeal is the sponsor’s latest collaboration with Oracle Red Bull Racing. The special edition of the Formula 1 swaps the aluminum bezel of the standard model with a forged carbon execution and adds an almost sketch-like checkerboard pattern to the dial. Other Red Bull Racing–inspired details include an exclusive caseback engraving and the team’s colors implemented throughout the watch.

The new Formula 1 will, without question, not be for everyone. But with the 2025 F1 Season looming (pre-season testing kicks off in Bahrain next month, before the first race a few weeks later in Australia), the new Formula 1 watch is sure to be a fixture, both in and out of the paddock.

Prices for the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph start at 4’600 CHF for the base titanium model, 4’800 CHF with the DLC finish, and max out at 5’300 CHF for the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Oracle Red Bull Racing, with models becoming available between now and June 2025.TAG Heuer

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A native New Englander now based in Philadelphia, Griffin has been a passionate watch enthusiast since the age of 13, when he was given a 1947 Hamilton Norman as a birthday gift by his godfather. Well over a decade later, Griffin continues to marvel and obsess about all things watches, while also cultivating lifelong love affairs with music, film, photography, cooking, and making.
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