Think luxury watchmakers and there’s a good chance TAG Heuer will feature in your top 10. That’s not a coincidence: they’re one of the world’s most prominent and successful watch brands.
The Swiss company has been making luxurious timepieces since 1860, although it wasn’t until 1985 and a takeover by the TAG Group that TAG Heuer found its current name. For its first 125 years, it was simply known as Heuer.
Founded in St-Imier, Switzerland by Edouard Heuer, Heuer (or technically Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG), TAG Heuer is famous for its chronographs. The watchmaker patented its first chronograph timepiece in 1882, followed by another patent, this time for an “oscillating pinion” in 1887. The first chronograph watch to roll out of Heuer’s factory arrived in 1914 although because it was adapted from a pocket-watch chronograph, the crown was found at 12 o’clock.
Edouard’s son was responsible for developing the first stopwatch accurate to 1/100 of a second, called the Mikrograph. The Autavia name arrived in 1933 as a dashboard timer for automobiles and aviation (AUTomobile and AVIAtion).
Heuer watches found a particular affinity with racing drivers, who valued their stopwatch functions. As a result, Heuer began producing special versions of its timepieces specifically for individual race teams. After a secret collaboration with Breitling and Hamilton in the 1960s to develop automatic chronographs, Heuer released the Autavia, Carrera and Monaco models with automatic chronograph movements.
TAG isn’t just a chronograph brand, though. Not only do they have a long history of making capable dive and dress watches, but they are perhaps most notable today as being one of the first luxury watchmakers to get into the world of smartwatches – releasing their now best-selling Connected back in 2016.
Some of TAG Heuer’s watches have gained legendary status among the watch community so choosing a shortlist of the best has been no easy task. Regardless, we’ve risen to the occasion to bring you the must-own TAG Heuer timepieces.
In this best TAG Heuer watches article…
Carrera Chronograph
Reference Number: CBN2A1A.FC6537
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Price: AU$8,250
The Carrera was introduced in 1964 to commemorate the Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico. At the time, it was the first chronograph designed specifically to measure times in car racing. These days, the Carrera collection is TAG’s most popular and diverse watch family.
This 44mm example is a particular highlight. Its handsome blue dial and ceramic bezel are contrasted by the brown rally-style perforated leather strap, a nice nod to the watch’s motorsports heritage.
Aquaracer Professional 300
Reference Number: WBP208B.BF0631
Case Material: Titanium
Price: AU$6,100
The Aquaracer’s legacy began with the Heuer ref. 844, a dive watch released in 1978 that inarguably set the standard for reliable dive watches and was adopted by professional and recreational divers all over the world. In 2022, the Aquaracer collection is similarly split between more casual watches and tougher dive watches, of which this Aquaracer Professional 300 is certainly the latter.
Crafted from sandblasted grade 2 titanium and boasting 300m of water resistance – as well as an eye-catching sunray green dial and bezel – this is one on-trend dive watch that’s a cut above the competition.
Connected Calibre E4
Reference Number: SBR8010.BT6255
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Price: AU$2,600
TAG Heuer got into the high-end smartwatch game early back in 2016 with their innovative Connected watch: an elegantly-executed design that has quickly become one of the brand’s best-selling products. TAG has actively improved and iterated on the Connected over the years, introducing new in-house apps as well as making it a doddle to customise, from different digital watch faces to a wide range of straps.
The current Calibre E4 family features two different case sizes, a 45mm and a 42mm model, the latter of which we’ve featured here. The 42mm model features a wafer-thin bezel (with the bezel scale hidden underneath the crystal) and a slightly rounder, thinner case – yet boasts all the capability of its bigger siblings.
Autavia Bronze
Reference Number: WBE5191.FC8276
Case Material: Bronze
Price: AU$5,550
The current generation of Autavia watches launched at Baselworld 2019 and was met with a mixed reception among enthusiasts because, for the first time, the Autavia dropped its chronograph sub-dials and was introduced as a three-hand timepiece. However, TAG Heuer was lauded for also announcing the Autavia would become a permanent collection as opposed to a model that was released sporadically over the years.
This iteration of one of TAG’s most overlooked models is inspired by vintage pilot’s watches and features a bronze case and a chocolate brown smoked dial. It’s a very retro look for TAG’s most retro-looking watch.
Monaco
Reference Number: CBL2111.BA0644
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Price: AU$10,250
First introduced in 1969 in honour of the Monaco Grand Prix, the Monaco was the world’s first square-cased automatic chronograph and was an immediate hit among watch fans. Its popularity only intensified after Steve McQueen wore one in the 1971 film Le Mans.
The modern TAG Heuer Monaco features octagonal chrono pushers; a thick, faceted sapphire crystal and is powered by TAG’s workhorse in-house Heuer 02 movement, which promises an 80h power reserve.
Carrera 3 Hands
Reference Number: WBN2111.BA0639
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Price: AU$4,150
A dresser, non-chronograph take on the Carrera, this Carrera 3 Hands with its silver sunray dial and clean, symmetrical looks is an exceptionally versatile daily wearer that won’t break the bank.
It also happens to be the watch of choice for Ryan Gosling’s Court Gentry (aka Sierra Six aka the eponymous character) in The Gray Man, Netflix’s blockbuster spy thriller. Now you know.
Connected Golf Edition
Reference Number: SBR8A81.EB0251
Case Material: Titanium
Price: AU$3,850
The Connected Calibre E4 is already the ultimate fitness watch but the Golf Edition adds amazing golf features into the mix. For example, it can automatically detect golf swings to allow users to track their performance in the app without having to activate the function by hand, so you don’t have to remember to track your drive, and can track hazards and distances on 40,000 golf courses around the world.
It’s immediately recognisable thanks to its white and green colour scheme as well as its cool dimpled strap, which has an integrated magnetic golf ball marker. Filled with features, it’s the ultimate watch for a golf enthusiast.
Formula 1 Quartz
Reference Number: WAZ101A.FC8305
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Price: AU$2,200
The Formula 1 was the first model to be released following TAG’s acquisition of Heuer in 1986 and became the first quartz-only model the company made. Since then, the company has relaxed its rule and also offers Formula 1 watches with a range of automatic movements. This model’s a quartz one, though.
Featuring a bold orange textured dial and white accents plus a black nylon strap with orange and grey touches, this piece is a fun tribute to the playful TAG Heuer Formula 1 models from the 80s and 90s as well as the flamboyant character of the motorsport that lends it its name. It’s also a highly affordable entry point into the world of TAG.
Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver
Reference Number: WBP5A8A.BF0619
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Price: AU$9,650
To round off our list, we thought we’d share a proper deep-sea watch. Super by name and super by nature, the Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver is easily differentiated from other Aquaracers thanks to its 1,000m water resistance, its clever dynamic crown guard, contrasting chapter ring and its chunkier, arrow-tipped hour hand, just to name a few features.
Despite all this – and its 45mm case size – it’s actually a deceptively wearable watch. Many hardcore dive watches are unwieldy things, but you could actually get away with wearing the Superdiver casually. It also represents exceptional value for a deep-sea diver, coming in at under $10k.
TAG Heuer Watches FAQ
Yes. TAG Heuer is a popular luxury brand known for making quality, high-end watches. Their products are especially well-liked by the younger, hipper crowd. TAG Heuer watches are also more affordably priced than other luxury watch brands like Rolex or Breitling. Your TAG Heuer timepiece should carry a unique serial number that matches the one engraved on the watch's case back. Also look for the embossed holographic seal on its accompanying document to check the authenticity of the certification. To maintain your TAG Heuer’s water resistance, it is recommended that you take it to the service centre every one to two years. A complete service should be carried out every four to six years.Are TAG Heuer watches worth the price?
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