I’ll go on record and say the TAG Heuer Carrera glassbox is one of the best, if not the best, chronos on the market today. I’m an absolute sucker for the look of the encompassing box crystal and the proportions. I’d go so far to say I don’t understand why the brand even offers a non-glassbox Carrera. Make the transition complete, already! While it may not have completely phased out the lesser Carrera chronographs, this year, for LVMH Watch Week 2025, TAG is adding a bit of brilliance to the model with a ring of diamonds and 11 diamond hour markers, a new model dubbed the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Precious.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Precious maintains the same case as the standard glassbox models, with a 39mm diameter, 13.86mm height, and 46mm lug-to-lug. On the wrist, these wear incredibly well, but I can understand some thinking they are too small, especially given that chronos get the biggest pass for oversized proportions. The signature of the model is the enormous, domed sapphire crystal that lords over the entire dial, eliminating the presence of an exterior bezel. The watches still have 100m water resistance and those great Carrera lugs (even if they are an awkward 20.7mm). Both models are paired with quick-release pearlescent straps, blue alligator for the blue dial and pink calfskin for the pink. (For those who have already skipped ahead and seen the pricing — shame on you — the use of alligator on the blue model’s strap appears to be the reason for the 100 CHF upcharge.)
When the glassbox Carrera was first released, it had its date positioned at 12 o’clock. That thankfully went by the wayside pretty quickly, and we now have a much more traditional layout on almost every Carrera (save for that debut model and the Dato). It’s that classic 3-6-9 with a date at 6 that we get here. The dial is offered in blue or “powdery pink,” both with circular brushing. Of particular note, of course, are the diamonds that now bedazzled the chapter ring.
On the ring’s cupped interior, 11 square diamonds mark off the hours, except for 6 o’clock, to avoid a messy date situation. The ring’s exterior is set with 72 diamonds. It may seem like these diamonds will stand out and be all glitz, but I have a feeling that the look will be far more subdued than the press photos suggest. It’s quite likely that the distortion at the edge of the crystal combined with the abutment of the steel case will diminish the effect of the diamonds (I’d say for the better). The only other distinguishing feature here is the use of contrasting silver subdial flanges, previously only seen on the blue tourbillon model.
As expected, the Precious watches are powered by the same automatic TAG Heuer Calibre TH20-00 that’s used on most Carreras. This in-house vertical clutch, column wheel chronograph has a rotor skeletonized with the TAG shield and offers 80 hours of power at 28,800 vph. No complaints.
Frankly, I think this release makes perfect sense. The proportions and wrist presence of the glassbox Carrera can be enjoyed by anyone, and this creates wider appeal for the collection. The more subdued design choice, as opposed to a rainbow or something truly wild, are sure to make this amongst the more popular bejeweled chronographs. The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Precious in pink (Ref. CBS2215.FC6568) is priced at 8,400 CHF, while the blue model (Ref. CBS2214.FC6567) is priced at 8,500 CHF. For more information, please visit the TAG Heuer website.
