The new TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Manchester United Special Edition
The Red Devils disembark in the US with a special edition chrono.
Over the past few years, TAG Heuer has established a series of partnerships in the world of football/soccer: brand ambassadors (Mats Hummels…), championships (Premier League, LFP, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Major League Soccer…) and several clubs, including Manchester United, one of the most popular and successful sports teams in the world. Born 140 years ago, Manchester United has won 66 trophies including no fewer than 20 English league titles! For its third season as the team’s official timekeeper, TAG Heuer is launching two new special editions in the frame of the ‘Red Devils’ United States tour this summer: a Carrera Heuer 01 and a Formula One.
The Carrera Heuer 01 Chronograph we are going hands-on with is an animation of the 43mm version presented at Baselworld 2017 (editor’s note: the Carrera Heuer 01 was introduced in 2015 first with a 45mm case, the 43mm version was introduced in 2016 in a ‘regular’ version, followed in 2017 by skeletonized-dial versions). It is young, aggressive, sporty and with serious horological content, powered by the Heuer 01 column-wheel automatic chronograph. As you would expect for a Manchester United special edition, this new model features the team’s colours with striking red contrasting on anthracite grey.
As with all watches in the Heuer 01 collection, the case is a modular construction. For this special edition, all parts are made of steel: the movement container, the lugs and the tachymeter bezel. The crown is rubberised and the chronograph pushers are highlighted in red (start/stop) and black (reset). The water-resistance is of 100m.
Inside is the calibre Heuer 01, a column-wheel chronograph produced in-house at the Chevenez manufacture. Running at 28,800 vibrations per hour, it has a 50-hour power reserve (40 hours with the chronograph operating). It is visible dial side and at the rear of the watch, although partially hidden by the Manchester United logo transferred on the exhibition caseback. The bridges are decorated with Geneva stripes, the rotor is blackened and the column wheel is highlighted in red.
The chronograph has a 6-9-12 layout with rhodium-plated and snailed chronograph minute and hour counters, respectively at 12 and 6 o’clock, and a silvered small seconds counter with red/white Manchester United logo at 9 o’clock. The date is shown at 3h30. The skeletonised dial is black gold-plated with rhodium-plated luminescent numerals. It is paired with luminescent hands and framed by a 60-second flange, all highlighted in red.
This special edition Carrera is worn on a red perforated rubber strap secured by a safety folding clasp.
A worthy choice if you are a fan of the Red Devils or simply ready for a sporty/technical timekeeper with a bold, distinctive personality. The Carrera Heuer 01 Manchester United retails for CHF 5,500 or EUR 5,200. For more information, please visit www.tagheuer.com.