First Look: 2013 Carrera Jack Heuer 1887

Posted by: David Chalmers and Mark Moss | 21 January 2013 | 11 Comments

TAG Heuer has kicked off its 2013 launches with this watch- the Jack Heuer Calibre 1887 Chronograph (Ref. CAR2C11). The watch combines the bullhead Chronograph layout of the sensational 2012 Mikrogirder and several key design elements of the 80th Birthday Jack Heuer Carrera.

At the heart of the new Carrera is a rotated Calibre 1887 movement that allows the watch to sport the classic 3-6-9 dial layout, unlike the standard Calibre 1887 which has a 12-6-9 architecture.

TAG Heuer CARRERA CALIBRE 1887_JACK HEUER EDITION_45MM_CAR2C11.FC6327

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The new model is just the start of TAG Heuer’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Carrera and is the first of several new 2013 Carreras to use the in-house Calibre 1887 movement.

Design

The 2013 Jack Heuer 1887 has a large 45mm case (2mm smaller than the Mikrogirder) that is made from a combination of steel and titanium. The black fixed bezel is steel coated with titanium carbide.

The idea behind the design of the watch is that it combines the look of a stopwatch and the look of a traditional wristwatch. The illustration below shows how the two parts fit together, with the bottom part of the circular case fitting flush with the base, while the top protrudes at an angle- literally, a merger of the two styles.

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The dial is also made of two elements: An inner silver dial and an outer anthracite dial- both featuring a sunburst finish. The two-element design is similar to the one TAG Heuer introduced on the Mikrograph and gives the Jack Heuer 1887 a distinctive look.

In addition to using a Mikrogider- style case, the new watch also borrows the look of the 80th Birthday Jack Heuer Carrera- as you’ll see below.

Comparison with Mikrogirder

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The design link between the two watches above is immediately obvious, and while the Mikrogirder is 2mm larger, the 2013 Carrera is no shrinking violet, weighing in at 45mm- the largest production TAG Heuer.

The most obvious difference- putting aside the movement- is the dial, with the Carrera 1887 being more legible given its traditional layout. Of course, there is no need for a window to see the vibrating mini-girders, as there are none to be seen.