Manchester United Special Edition Chronographs Just Unveiled by TAG Heuer

The fact that the LVMH Watch Division, led by J.C. Biver, is quite inclined in sports partnerships is no secret. There are dozens of them. Today, the Group brings back on board one of their long-time partners, Manchester United. Indeed, the Football Club was partnering with sister-brand Hublot in the early 2010s, before moving to another Swiss brand. Well, the team is back in Biver’s portfolio, as a partnership was signed between TAG Heuer and Manchester United in 2016, TAG being official timekeeper. Both partners now just announce the creation of two TAG Heuer Manchester United Special Edition Chronographs, based on the Carrera Heuer-01 and the Formula 1.

Legendary Football Club (yes, because it is a UK-based club, we say Football and not Soccer…) Manchester United, managed by Portuguese Jose Mourinho, already appointed TAG Heuer as official timekeeper back in 2016. This sounded like the reunification between the club and LVMH Watch Division’s CEO, Jean Claude Biver, who, in previous occupations at Hublot, stopped the partnership after the retirement of previous coach, Sir Alex Ferguson. The Football Club was already back in Biver’s Portfolio, now TAG Heuer announces the first product-oriented result of this partnership, with two specially created sporty chronographs, sporting the legendary color of “The Red Devils“.

The first of the two TAG Heuer Manchester United Limited Edition Chronographs is based on the brand’s best seller and most emblematic watch of the current collection, the modern, technical and bold Carrera Heuer-01. The emblematic red of Manchester United is given pride of place: at 9, in the small second sub-dial, the logo of the club is transferred and the luminous paint of the hands and indexes is replaced with this same color. The minute indications on the inner flange as well as the TAG Heuer shield at 12, on the tachymeter bezel, are filled with red too.

All the rest is kept stealth, with the 45mm steel case and the horns coated in black PVD. The black ceramic bezel also sports that same black treatment, just like the strap and the movement. The sapphire case-back, which leaves the view free on the manufacture Heuer-01 movement (in-house automatic chronograph with column-wheel highlights the Manchester United red devil decal logo.

The TAG Heuer Manchester United Carrera Heuer-01 is limited to 1,000 pieces, priced at 5,900 Swiss Francs (available in official stores and retailers in March 2017). www.tagheuer.com.

Alongside this limited and quite high-end version, TAG Heuer and Manchester United also unveiled a second watch, this time non-limited and more friendly priced, based on the quartz chronograph Formula 1. A same concept is applied, with a 43mm black-PVD steel case, a black bezel and a black dial with red accents and the logo of the club transferred in the sub-dial at 6. New on this edition is a bold rubber strap, with a structure that recalls the S-link Senna bracelets, with red accents too.

This watch is a more realistic move from TAG Heuer, which targets less watch-oriented fans with a timepiece that can talk to Manchester United supporters, as priced at 1,550 Swiss Francs and being non-limited (available in official stores and retailers in March 2017, as well as on Manchester United Website). More details at: www.tagheuer.com.