TAG Heuer Launches New Formula 1 Chronograph Collection (Hands-On Images)

TAG Heuer enjoys a rich history of collaboration with Formula 1 racing, even before the company’s two names came together. Techniques d'Avant Garde, which added its acronym to the name of the Heuer watchmaking firm after acquiring it in 1985, had a  hand in one of the sport's greatest engines, while Heuer (pre-TAG) was the first watch brand to sponsor an F1 team in 1971. This year, TAG Heuer will be returning as the sport’s official timekeeper, a role previously held by Rolex since 2013, and this new collection marks the first of what will likely be many to come to honor that partnership alongside TAG Heuer’s  sponsorship of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. The new collection consists of five automatic chronograph watches sporting bold colors and bolder 44mm titanium cases, ushering in a new era of TAG Heuer F1 watches.

TAG Heuer has been a “performance partner” of the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team since 2016, the very same year a young Max Verstappen was promoted from the Toro Rosso (now called Racing Bulls, or RB) team to the works team, replacing Daniil Kvyat in the process. Verstappen has gone on to win four World Drivers Championships on the way to helping Red Bull win two World Constructor Championships, including one of the most dominant seasons the sport has ever seen in 2023. The relationship has proven to be a remarkably fruitful one, and TAG Heuer hasn’t skipped a beat, releasing eight watches since the beginning of the partnership.

One of those releases, and arguably the most discussed among enthusiasts, was the return of the retro Formula 1 watch as a limited-edition collection done in collaboration with New York-based lifestyle brand Kith. While we await the return of a regular-production collection of this form factor, TAG Heuer is releasing a different kind of Formula 1 collection consisting of five automatic chronograph references, including one created for the Red Bull F1 team. These are decidedly less retro in feel, setting a contemporary tone inspired by the sharp lines and creases seen on an F1 car — though perhaps not the current generation of F1 cars, which feature more organic, smooth lines compared to pre-2022 cars, or even pre-hybrid-era cars, which had much sharper, more angular surfaces.

The new Formula 1 collection boasts 44mm cases with short, hooded lugs that allow for a much more manageable 47.3mm lug-to-lug distance. The case thickness is somewhat concerning at 14.1mm, but the somewhat integrated strap should allow for a very wearable experience on the wrist. This will be complimented by the use of titanium for the case to keep the overall heft in check. That heft (and case thickness), largely comes courtesy of the Caliber 16 at work inside, which has a classic ETA Valjoux 7750 base. This places the registers at the 12, 9, and 6 o’clock positions, with the branding and date at 3 o’clock in an old-school layout.

The case, which is offered in raw titanium as well as black DLC titanium, opens up to reveal one of three bright colors: red, blue, or acid green. The shape itself defies easy categorization, but seems to fall under the cushion-shaped category. A highlight of the collection is a special edition done for the Red Bull Racing team, which features a checkered pattern on the navy blue dial and a forged carbon bezel piece with red accents. 

Prices for this Formula 1 collection start at $4,700 for a base, raw titanium reference with black and red accents. Moving to a black DLC case brings red, blue, and green accents to the equation, and pushes the price to $4,900. Finally, the sandblasted Oracle Red Bull Racing with carbon bezel is priced at $5,450.