TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 Full Black Matt Ceramic

The story of ceramic in watchmaking is a relatively new one but not so freshly baked that it draws special interest or requires specific explanations, for the most part. Now that the material has been mainstreamed, so to speak, the challenge some brands are addressing is why a watch with ceramic components is extraordinary. It may be hard to believe today but as recently as the 1980s, the use of ceramics in watchmaking was regarded as revolutionary. All a watchmaking firm had to do was create a wristwatch with a ceramic case, and it became a talking piece. Now, in 2017, a watch such as the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 Full Black Matt Ceramic has a tough fight on its hands to stand out, just as its cousins in steel and gold typically face.

The name of the watch should clue you in to what makes this piece special. According to TAG Heuer, this is its first chronograph to be cased up entirely in ceramic, featuring its in-house automatic Calibre Heuer-01 movement. Even the skeletonised dial and the bracelet are in black ceramic, so that certainly adds credibility to the name. As TAG Heuer notes though, steel is certainly present in the construction, mainly to help maintain its 100-metre water resistance rating. The crown, chronograph pusher, screw-down case back and inner box section are all in steel to accommodate the gaskets that allow for enhanced water resistance. External bits such as the crown, push-pieces and case back are coated in black titanium carbide to establish aesthetic harmony between these parts and the black ceramic that forms the rest of the watch.

Only the movement isn’t blackened, as far as it’s properly visible, except the rotor. Given that TAG Heuer went quite the distance to make this watch as black as possible, it’s quite a shame that the movement wasn’t given a similar treatment, but future versions of it may be DLC-treated or something similar. There is no information on this at the moment, but it is likely that the price point — between CHF 5,000 and CHF 7,000 — keeps TAG Heuer from pushing out a darkened version of Calibre Heuer-01 just for this model.

Specifications

Movement Self-winding TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer-01 chronograph

Power Reserve 50-hour

Case 45-millimetre modular black ceramic

Water Resistance Up to 100 metres

Strap Black ceramic or rubber

Price SGD 8,650

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