News: TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrograph
Back in 1916, TAG Heuer—then, of course, going just by the name Heuer—changed the face of timekeeping by introducing the world’s first mechanical stopwatch to measure to 1/100th of a second. This technical achievement led to the brand being invited to be the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games for 1920, 1924 and 1928. In tribute to this original groundbreaking stopwatch, TAG Heuer released the Mikrograph wristwatch in 2011, with a central 1/100th of a second hand.
For 2016, TAG Heuer has released another piece in this popular line of watches. This latest edition of the Mikrograph wristwatch takes direct inspiration from its 1916 ancestor—which would make sense, as it has been released in recognition of the 100 year anniversary. Numbered to 100 pieces, it takes the form of a gloriously vintage bullhead shape, with the onion crown and pushers sitting at the top of the case. The homage goes even further still—in a neat little touch, the inner case of the watch can be detached from both lugs and strap, and then placed in a table or dashboard mount to be used much like the original stop watch.
The dial is beautifully simple and highly legible, and again inspired by the design of the heritage piece. Elegant, blued hands pick out the functions of the watch, with a minutes subdial sitting at 3 o’clock, and a seconds display at 12. As an added bonus, the watch also boasts a power reserve and a discrete date indicator.
The movement is actually made up of two mechanisms—one for the time, and the other to power the chronograph. The former beats at 28,800vph, with a power reserve of 42 hours, while the latter beats at an incredible 360,000vph. The two mechanisms are entirely independent, each boasting its own barrel, transmission and escapement system—ensuring that the timekeeping remains accurate despite the high-energy demand of the chronograph.
