Although he may not be Japan’s most successful racing driver on the international stage, few if any drivers represent the Japanese racing spirit more ardently than Tetsu Ikuzawa. Through the late ‘60s and ‘70s, Ikuzawa was one of the first Japanese drivers to compete in European motor racing, rising to prominence in Formula 3, Formula 2, and eventually working as a factory race driver in the Porsche endurance racing program, competing at venues from Le Mans to his home circuit of Suzuka. Nowadays, his eponymous Team Ikuzawa race team is as much a thriving fashion label as it is a serious racing enterprise, thanks in large part to Ikuzawa’s daughter, internationally renowned designer Mai Ikuzawa. For its latest release, TAG Heuer partners with both Team Ikuzawa and renowned watch customizer Bamford Watch Department to capture the clean, graphic, and indelibly Japanese style of Team Ikuzawa in a modern racing chronograph. The new limited edition TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford brings a stark Asian streetwear flair to the Carrera platform, with one of the most focused and pared-back aesthetics in the current TAG Heuer catalog.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford’s 42mm wide stainless steel case is shared with the rest of the modern (non-Glassbox) Carrera Chronograph line, with the usual suite of Carrera visual hallmarks. The familiar mix of a narrow polished bezel, wide piston pushers, and sharply angular, inwardly beveled lugs is fully intact here, rooting the rest of the design strongly within the established Carrera visual canon. TAG Heuer does work to differentiate this model from the standard production Carrera Chronograph with its sapphire display caseback, which features a limited edition serial number, along with logos for both Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Watch Department (unfortunately, the brand was unable to provide images of this caseback prior to press time). Other than this caseback, there’s the usual sharply sporty assortment of brushed and polished planes here, along with a reasonably athletic 100 meters of water resistance.
Naturally, the dial is where the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford adds its own character to the Carrera formula, and the overall look here leans heavily on both Ikuzawa’s current streetwear flair and Bamford’s primacy in matte, minimalist custom dial creations. The overall effect is stark, razor-sharp, and with a Supreme-esque priority towards labels above all other visual detail. Compared to the ornate mix of finishes that makes up most modern Carrera dials, the Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford is focused and austere, with a near fully matte presentation and a simple two-color layout. The main dial surface, along with the outer chapter ring and 3 o’clock chronograph subdial chapter ring, are finished in bright, matte snow white. The pure matte red used on the striped baton handset, dial text, and 9 o’clock chronograph hours subdial offers a classic, sporty contrast, without disrupting the pared-back feel of the design at large. The prime example of this reductive design philosophy in action is at 6 o’clock, where TAG Heuer deletes the Carrera’s usual running seconds hand to leave a clear canvas for an oversized printed Team Ikuzawa logo. Of course, the most striking nod to Team Ikuzawa and its proudly Japanese heritage is the 9 o’clock subdial itself, which forms a cleverly integrated rising sun emblem across much of the dial. However, the only contrasting texture (apart from the polished metal of the hands and applied indices) here is the faint azurage of the subdial surfaces, so the lack of visual complexity compared to the standard Carrera may not suit all tastes.
Although it removes the running seconds display for a cleaner look, the movement inside the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford is otherwise a standard Heuer 02 automatic chronograph. The Heuer 02 is TAG Heuer’s de facto flagship chronograph movement for a reason, however, and alongside a light and snappy vertical clutch and column wheel chronograph actuation system, the movement provides a beefy 80 hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. TAG Heuer pairs the Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford with two included straps. The Carrera line’s standard H-link stainless steel bracelet is the first option here, keeping the sporting feel of the design intact with slim polished center links alongside broader vertically brushed surfaces. For the more unique and interesting strap of the pair, TAG Heuer opts for a tightly woven fabric strap in optic white. This punchy, casual option features a hook-and-loop closure alongside a dial-matching printed Team Ikuzawa logo for greater wrist presence. To further link the watch with Team Ikuzawa’s racing heritage, each example will also include a scale model replica of the Porsche 906 Tetsu Ikuzawa drove to victory at the 1967 Japanese Grand Prix.
Over the years, the Team Ikuzawa nameplate has shifted from regional Japanese racing powerhouse, to international motorsports success, to streetwear fashion fame. The new limited edition TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford captures the vibrant Japanese spirit that unites each iteration of Team Ikuzawa with a fresh, stylish flair. Only 100 examples of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa by Bamford will be made, and the watch is available now exclusively through authorized dealers in Japan and the brand’s e-commerce platform. MSRP for this watch stands at 6,250 CHF as of press time. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
