Jack Heuer: “I was excited by the new forms, materials and techniques just then coming into play. At the same time, the Carrera’s iconic design values are firmly rooted in the enduring codes of motor sports, such as the black & white of vintage dashboard counters or the perforated leather gloves favored by Juan Manuel Fangio and his contemporaries. Inspiration came from a range of innovative ideas, including many from early 60s modernism – the geometric purity of Oscar Niemeyer’s new architecture, for example, and the curving, sensual lines of an Eero Saarinen building or chair, and the clean, uncluttered aesthetics of Pop-Art. He knew what the look and feel of the watch should be too. I knew then that my new chronograph was the perfect tribute to this legend.” Just the sound of the name itself – elegant, dynamic, easily pronounced in all languages and charged with emotion. To hear them talk of the Carrera, which our brand’s longtime friend Juan Manuel Fangio had won in 1953, but which had been stopped in the 1955 after a number of fatalities, made my imagination soar. He and his brother Ricardo were two of the fastest, smartest and bravest endurance drivers of all time. Jack Heuer: “I first heard about the Carrera from Pedro Rodriguez at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, where I was the Official Timekeeper. He also had in mind the ideal inspiration: the “ Carrera Panamericana Mexico Road Race”, the world’s most grueling open-road endurance competition. A long-time fan of and participant in the sport, he knew exactly what was needed: a wide-open, easy-to-read dial and a shock-resistant and waterproof case tough enough for even the most intense road wear.

In 1963, Jack Heuer, the man responsible for some of the most groundbreaking advances in sports timekeeping, turned his attention to the specific needs of professional motor-racing drivers. This is the story of the Carrera and these are the 2013 TAG Heuer Carrera watches Jack Heuer is the man behind the today’s iconic watch.

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