The Skipper was part of the TAG Heuer from 1968 to 1983: today, exactly 40 years after it went out of production, the La Chaux-de-Fonds-based company is offering an updated version as part of the Carrera collection. TAG Heuer's first Skipper was presented in 1968, to celebrate the 1967 America's Cup victory by the Intrepid, of which TAG Heuer had also been a partner in that victorious edition.
Observing the dial, one immediately notices the sectorial colouring of the 15-unit regatta countdown minute counter at 3 o'clock. In particular, the orange section is used to warn the crew of the minutes remaining before the start, the green section for manoeuvres and the light tea-leaf colouring is a tribute to the colouring of the Intrepid's bridge. The same tea leaf colouring is also found on the 12-unit chrono hour counter, at 9 o'clock, where 'Skipper' is also written at the bottom.
Note, again with reference to the dial, the blue colouring of the back, as well as the distinctive domed flange, which follows the curvature of the strongly curved anti-reflective 'glass box' type sapphire crystal. The small seconds are positioned at 6 o'clock, as is the date display, hands and hour markers are luminescent, and various orange-coloured details complete the design of this particular regatta chronograph.
The movement used is the calibre TH20-06 (33 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour), an evolution of the one used in the Carrera Glassbox (calibre TH20-00) and itself an update of the in-house Heuer calibre 02. It is an integrated column-wheel and vertical coupling chronograph movement, mechanical with automatic winding and a power reserve of 80 hours. Visible from the back side, it is equipped with a new skeleton rotor and has bridges decorated with côtes de Genève.
Water-resistant to a pressure of 10 atmospheres (100 metres), TAG Heuer's new Carrera Skipper features a 39 mm diameter by 13.9 mm thick steel case without a bezel. The watch is completed by a blue textile strap, fitted with a personalised steel folding clasp with a double safety button.
Price6,850 euro.
