BORN TO RACE The story of the TAG Heuer Carrera is an ongoing odyssey of iconoclastic innovation that began in the early 1960s when a young Jack Heuer, freshly installed as the company’s chief executive, attended the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida, a race timed by Heuer. There he met Grand Prix motor-racer Pedro Rodriguez, whose young sons were already on the path to becoming successful racing drivers.
They told him about a race in their home country of Mexico called the Carrera Panamericana, a furiously fast and extremely dangerous road race that ran on five occasions in the early 1950s before it was cancelled. Intrigued by the speed, emotion, and romance of the race, Jack decided that it would make a good name for one of his new lines of wristwatch chronographs.
“Carrera” was a word with multiple meanings and could be translated as “race,” “career,” or simply “path,” making it the perfect name for a timepiece with a racing spirit aimed at a young, stylish, upwardly mobile generation in tune with the increasingly liberated tastes of the 1960s.
At the same time, Jack was a production engineer with a specialty in electrical engineering, having studied at the prestigious Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. He was culturally curious too, and had developed an interest in the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and the furniture designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and had even saved up to buy an Eames lounge chair for his dorm room. In the work of these two icons, he saw a compelling marriage of modernism, function, beauty, and the ability to create a signature style. All this would be carried over into the watch designs that he oversaw – and into the Heuer Carrera.
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Augustman Malaysia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Augustman Malaysia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
POLITICS IS NOT TEAM SPORTS
Sometimes, the worst thing we can do is to pick a side.
GOT GAME
The manual-winding PR516 chronograph and a collaboration with NBA star Damian Lillard for the PRX show that Tissot is giving high horology a run for its money
Futurist Elegance
With its new BR 03 Cyber in matte black ceramic, Bell & Ross creates another stealth fighter for your wrist.
WHITE IS THE NEW BLACK
Bask in the full glory of the new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, featuring a glossy white dial.
ALL I EVER WANTED, ALL I EVER NEEDED
Hublot pays tribute to Depeche Mode's Memento Mori with a new Spirit of Big Bang
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER WITH BECKHAM AND TUDOR
Tudor welcomes David Beckham to Kuala Lumpur, sharing his \"Born to Dare\" spirit with watch enthusiasts and fans.
PERPETUAL COMMITMENT
Rolex presents the 2023 Laureates of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise
ENDURING LEGACY OF CYCLE & CARRIAGE
A loyal customer's 40-year journey with a brand that has more than 120 years of excellence behind it
FESTIVE FEASTS
Enjoy the remaining days of Ramadan and usher in Hari Raya with these hearty selections
MORE FOR LESS
THE UNSUNG VITAMIN MANY OVERLOOKED