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“The Rest of the Story”: TAG Heuer's move to the Calibre Heuer-02
TAG Heuer’s big news leading up to Baselworld was that the Calibre Heuer-02 will now occupy the 43mm Carrera chassis. This move suggests a roadmap that not only hints at the future of the Calibre Heuer-01, it also foreshadows the shelving of some of TAG Heuer’s most revolutionary technologies. These moves come at a pivotal time in the brand’s history, when they’re making tough decisions to retire legacy technologies en lieu of performance and production practicalities required to move the brand forward. These are choices that can be summed up in one word; innovation.
When asked why the brand chose to start fitting the 43mm Carrera with the new movement, TAG Heuer explained, “Because the TAG Heuer Carrera is the best-selling model of TAG Heuer. Plus, we wanted to introduce this new movement as a celebration for the 55th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Carrera in 2018.”
This was certainly presented as big news, but how significant is it? After all, the Heuer-02 - the realization of the fabled Calibre CH-80 - has been nested inside the Autavia re-editions since last year. And let’s not forget the ground-breaking Carrera Heuer 02t Tourbillon, also built on the CH-80 platform.
Perhaps this latest revelation caused such a small stir because the Heuer-02 is a known entity. Still, I saw the announcement as momentous and foretelling of the direction of TAG Heuer with regards to the evolution of their in-house chronograph movements. For me, this revelation raised more questions than it answered with regard to the Calibre Heuer-01 that it replaced in the 43mm Carreras.
So I reached out to TAG Heuer to clarify what the propagation of the Heuer-02 into the Carrera line means across the board for the brand and, of course, for the future of the Calibre Heuer-01. I certainly had my ideas, but I wanted clarification.
The brand was pleasantly transparent in explaining these moves that to me seemed all but inevitable. However, the fact that TAG Heuer now manufactures two in-house, column wheel chronograph movements seems to me…“unusual,” if not simply impractical. The most obvious question is, “why?”
On the surface, there are several advantages to the Calibre Heuer-02. It has an 80 hour power reserve versus 50 hours with the Calibre Heuer-01, a vertical clutch and 3-6-9 registers for a more “classic” dial layout. But again, that’s just on the surface.
In a TAG Heuer Press release, CEO Jean-Claude Biver explains what appears to have foretold the direction of the brand in stating, “When it came to designing the new TAG Heuer Carrera, we were faced with a choice between a vintage inspired piece and a modern reworking. We opted for the latter. At TAG Heuer, all of our energy goes into designing the watches of the future. We innovate by anticipating the desires of tomorrow's consumers.”
I guess “modern reworking” is the operative phrase here. When the Heuer 01 was announced nearly three years ago, its innovation was focused around the modular case design, not really the movement, which, after all, is a Calibre 1887 with a few cosmetic changes. No foul there. The Calibre Heuer-01 has served the brand well in helping propel TAG Heuer into some of the most fiscally successful years in the history of the brand, this, at a time when much of the industry struggled.
True to Mr. Biver’s statement, the proliferation of the Heuer-02 does represent innovation and a huge step forward for the brand. As much as I proselytize the merits of the Carrera Heuer-01, even I have to concede the benefits of the Calibre Heuer-02. And there are many.
According to the brand, “The TAG of TAG Heuer stands for Technique d’Avant-Garde. This is who we are, what we will always be. The Calibre Heuer-02 is a symbol of the accessible luxury so important to TAG Heuer. This movement symbolizes modernity, technology, exemplary quality, performance, manufacture expertise and the perfect mastery of industrial processes and manufacturing cost.”
When asked what the Heuer-02 represents to the evolution of the brand, Mr. Biver said, “With its 3-6-9 layout, it brings the TAG Heuer Carrera closer to its original design by Jack Heuer. It is a way to bring it back to its origins, with a newly designed engine. For TAG Heuer as a brand, it is a new statement in the design, conception and manufacturing of in-house mechanical movements, that again stresses our watchmaking know-how. It is the perfect gift for the 55th anniversary of this model.”
In asking about his favorite aspect of the new calibre, Mr. Biver responded, “Its tri-compax 3-6-9 layout that can be turned very easily in a bi-compax 3-9 layout, that fits the TAG Heuer Carrera so well, as well as the smoothness of the chronograph pushers.”
Another feature of the Calibre Heuer-02 is that it is only 6.9mm thick. This leads to the possibility of thinner cases or additional complications. I asked TAG Heuer if the Calibre Heuer-02 had any scalability advantages over the Heuer-01 and they replied, “Yes, and we have already started to develop additional complications on Heuer-02.” Specifically what complications they’re working on is still a mystery, but it’s great to know that there is real growth potential for the fledgling Heuer-02 platform.
Speaking of growth potential, when I spoke with Mr. Biver last year, he mentioned a production goal for the Heuer-01 of 100,000 units per year. I asked recently how the advent of the Heuer-02 would affect these numbers. He responded, “It will be a combination of both. The figure is as the total production Manufacture movements, regardless versions.”
That the production number of the Heuer-02 now encroaches on estimates for the Heuer-01 brings me back to that nagging question, “What does the Heuer-02 represent to the future of the Calibre Heuer-01 / Calibre 1887?” According to Mr. Biver, “The reason to maintain Heuer-01 is linked to the success of the references with Heuer-01.” The CEO went on to explain, “In the long term, we might use only one Chronograph movement which because of its modernity, quality and look will clearly be the Heuer 02.”
Beyond the performance advantages of the Calibre Heuer-02, there are numerous production advantages as well to the newer Calibre. When asked about these benefits, the brand explained that, “The production team is located in our factory, located in Chevenez in the heart of Swiss Watchmaking, and some key suppliers have been involved at the early stage of the conception of the Heuer-02. This implies many advantages for the production.”
Although the Calibre Heuer-02 is an integrated chronograph movement, it was designed as a series of “sub-modules” that are assembled separately. This process allows the brand to check individual functions before final assembly of the movement. As a result, overall assembly time of the Heuer-02 has been reduced by 15%.
TAG Heuer has also streamlined the number and shapes of small components such as rubies, screws, etc. and optimized machining of the bridges based more closely on the specific capabilities of their machinery. Additionally, most of the internal chronograph springs have been more closely integrated into the design, being built into the parts with which they interact.
In all, the Calibre Heuer-02 is comprised of 168 individual parts versus 320 in the Calibre Heuer-01 or Calibre 1887. With nearly half the components simplicity is a clear indication of the movement’s streamlined design that should increase performance and reliability while reducing production cost.
Another difference between the Calibre Heuer-02 and its predecessor is that it replaces the brand’s patented “Magic Click” winding system with the more robust and industry standard reversing wheels. TAG Heuer’s “Magic Click” is quite similar to IWC’s Pellaton winding system, but from my limited experience assembling the “Magic Click” and similar Pellaton systems, I think this was a good move for the Calibre Heuer-02.
A Pivotal Move for TAG Heuer
Most historically significant with the Calibre Heuer-02 is that TAG Heuer chose to eliminate the iconic oscillating pinion patented by the brand’s founder Eduard Heuer in 1887 and since adopted by countless other brands. It is a significant step for the brand to forego this feature for the performance and production advantages of a vertical clutch, common in the majority of mass-produced chronograph movements today.
I asked TAG Heuer if it were possible to eventually integrate the oscillating pinion into the Calibre Heuer-02. They replied, “No… This would require a thorough change of the architecture of the movement." To me, this signifies the brand’s complete divestiture of its signature technology.
When asked why TAG Heuer chose to eliminate the horizontal clutch which utilizes the oscillating pinion, they explained, “Because the vertical clutch enables a much more precise chronograph. The second hand does not jump forward nor backward when the chronograph is started, which happens sometimes with the oscillating pinion (and is even its “signature.”) Plus the vertical clutch is a more complex part that many of our customers and connoisseurs are looking for.”
Most are familiar with “chevrottement,” the sudden jump of the second hand, in either direction, the moment a chronograph starts. This occurs when the teeth of the oscillating pinion couple with the gears of the chronograph wheel train. In the Calibre Heuer-02, this “shake” is negated by the use of a vertical clutch that relies on a friction coupling, similar to that in an automobile transmission.
Also characteristic of the horizontal clutch is the movement’s loss in amplitude when the chronograph is engaged. While the effect is minimal, it can affect accuracy of the chronograph. Both of these issues have been overcome by other brands, but it’s a significant undertaking with a questionable return on investment. Hublot brilliantly addressed these issues with their Unico movement, but it comes at a cost in terms of engineering, complexity and the bottom line. At TAG Heuer’s price point, such solutions would be impractical and, to be blunt, pointless.
Passing the Torch?
The Calibre Heuer-01 and Calibre 1887 represents a significant chapter in the history of the brand. Though less than a decade old, the Calibre 1887 was critical to the brand at a time when availability of the mainstay Valjoux 7750 was uncertain.
Starting in the late 1970’s, the brand’s flagship automatic chronograph movement was the Calibre 16, based on ETA’s Valjoux 7750 though some received a Sellita SW500 (a Valjoux 7750 clone) starting around 2012. With increasingly limited access to 7750s, TAG Heuer, like many other manufactures were under pressure to start producing their movements in-house.
TAG Heuer’s solution came in the form of the Calibre 1887 that has been in production since 2010. The Calibre 1887 quickly built a reputation as a solid, reliable movement despite those who challenged its provenance. It only took minor, cosmetic modifications to the 1887 to transform it into the Calibre Heuer-01 for the launch the new generation of Carreras.
In the shadows cast by the success of the Heuer-01 however, TAG Heuer quietly continued development of the Calibre CH-80, originally announced in 2014. When the Carrera Heuer-02t Tourbillon was announced at Baselworld in 2015, the promise of a (relatively) affordable tourbillion all but overshadowed the significance that it was built on the CH-80 platform. When the re-issue Autavia was announced, the excitement of a new Autavia again overshadowed the CH-80 nested inside, but relabeled “Calibre Heuer-02.”
Now that the Calibre-02 is commanding the spotlight as it moves into the Carrera chassis, perhaps it’s time to take notice. The entire legend, lore and legacy of TAG Heuer is centered around the development of chronographs. This movement, by all indication, is the future of TAG Heuer chronographs and it appears the brand may be drawing the curtains on the iconic Calibre 1887 and eventually, its progeny, the Calibre Heuer-01.
So will the Calibre Heuer-02 eventually make its way into the 45mm Carrerra? According to Mr. Biver, “It is very likely to happen, though not precisely planned at this moment.”
The CEO also offered some additional thoughts that suggest a clear roadmap for the Calibre Heuer-02. “In the history of any manufacture, we always have changes in favor of new technology and new advantages. In that perspective one could clearly imagine that Heuer 01 might be replaced by Heuer 02. The TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-02 symbolizes the continued investment and creativity of the TAG Heuer brand, which has been, and continues to be, at the forefront the Swiss Avant-Garde since 1860.”
Postscript: Don't Count the Heuer-01 Out!
Despite my enthusiasm for the Heuer-02, the Calibre Heuer-01 is still a formidable movement and here for the forseeable future. As the proud owner of three with plans to purchase more, the Heuer-01 has treated me well. As collector, I appreciate the complexity of a horizontal clutch much in the same way as many appreciate column wheels.
As an enthusiast of the brand, I cannot help but think that as the Calibre Heuer-02 becomes more prominent in the TAG Heuer lineup, models powered by the Heuer-01 will become more sought after in terms of collectibility. As with any other watch, only time will tell!
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“The Rest of the Story”: TAG Heuer's move to the Calibre Heuer-02
TAG Heuer’s big news leading up to Baselworld was that the Calibre Heuer-02 will now occupy the 43mm Carrera chassis. This move suggests a roadmap that not only hints at the future of the Calibre Heuer-01, it also foreshadows the shelving of some of TAG H...
Wonderful post JTodd and most appreciated look at the 02 :) although I love the 01 (in my Grey Phantom) I like where Tag Heuer is going,
they are introducing new things to their repetoire and not sticking to a certain movement. Advancing horology is what watchmaking should be about and they are doing it in wonderful strides. I've been pleasantly surprised and pleased with the 01 and would ...
Very educational read Todd
thanks for the write up. I enjoyed reading it. I believe Tag Heuer is on the right track . Modern reworking and innovation is the way to go . Not lazy remarketing and tributes with no additional features This is definitely a brand to watch for ! Especiall...
Great detailed post!
Definitely the 3-6-9 layout is more relatable with a true Carrera. A good win. I am curious to find out the thickness of these 43mm ones, will it be the same as the Autavia Tribute which is very thick? I think the movement is too small for open caseback a...
Many thanks for this brilliant insight into Heuer future thought. For me, I have one dream watch...A three register Carrera version of this
without date. That would be my Tag Heuer modern dream watch. Msr Biver, please. I know vintage collectors would love this. Best Imran ...
+1 Yessss!
3-6-9. Panda. Solid caseback. Limited dial writing. Heuer-02 calibre. Not too chunky (not 43 x 15.6mm; but 42 x 13.6mm I can live with). Beads of rice bracelet. It would be a successful sell-out.
Maybe Msr Biver could make a Purists community watch for us? [nt]
No message body Credit Heuerworld ...
Boom! That would do it!!!
Seriously, Tell me now so I can put aside the funds or it’ll get used up. It would be an easy sell for me.
Here are possible "Concepts?"
Because I'm not sure about matching up the original thin bezel with the new Carrera case, it may require a thicker bezel: I tried to match all the elements up as close as possible to the current 43mm Carrera case: ...
Great early concepts already! that was quick work! thank you! :D
I have read that Mr. Biver sees little use for exact vintage duplications. I could meet Mr. Biver halfway, (of course I realize I am not a VIP to Tag Heuer). I wouldn't be bothered by a wider bezel. A more modern crystal is fine too. The trickiest part is...
Thanks! And WRT Panda...
Remember they used Panda dials on the Siffert and 85th Jack Heuer Autavia. Perhaps slate sundial would help keep it more unique?
Yes those two recent Tributes are in my mind
I was just thinking if Mr. Biver will tire of making the same panda tributes since Tag Heuer has already done it with the Autavia. I hope not. Definitely the black subdials is most ideal with Carrera heritage. Slate gray, I would need to see in the metal....
So cool! Tag Heuer knows how to play with red accents
look at this 2005 Carrera Ennstal. pic from ...
Unfortunately, that is the 'non-PuristS' edition...
as a true Purist never would accept the misalignment between function and hand colour... (central chrono seconds, 30min and 12 hours counter in red, but right permanent secionds not!) ;-) Magnus
There are no 'Best Movements'
Todd, Thanks for the 'rest of the story' about the Heuer 02 movement. I had no issue with the Heuer 01 and 1887 movements despite some InterWeb chatter about some 3rd party licenced technology. The watch industry is no different from other high technology...
Well said!
People forget that even the Seiko relied on the Heuer Oscillatinig pinion therefore it was merely technology coming full circle! I'm more intrigued that the Heuer 02 has half the components of the 1887/Heuer 01. I'll get to the bottom of this as I dig mor...
