First Look

TAG Heuer add 4 Stunning Watches to their F1 Collection to Celebrate the 2021 Formula 1 Season

By Amanda Evans | 4 minute read

TAG Heuer’s commitment to motorsports and Formula 1 never fails to falter. As F1 season is in full swing, we are delighted to reveal 4 new additions to the TAG Heuer Formula 1 collection. The latest livery incorporates neon bright colours with an asphalt-effect dial that harnesses a fresh urban look likely to appeal to a new generation of motorsports fans, widening the reach as the favourite watch of F1 enthusiasts.

TAG Heuer has long held a place at the heart of motorsports since the first sponsorship agreement was signed by Jack Heuer with Swiss racing driver Jo Siffert back in 1968. The Formula 1 collection was subsequently launched by TAG Heuer in 1986 and has continued to reinvent itself ever since. Taking inspiration from the 1980’s and 90’s, the latest novelties include 3 chronographs and a three-hands model. All incorporate a fresh creativity with their tangerine orange or lime yellow colour palette confirming TAG Heuer’s iconic and unmistakeable role as the most stylish watch on the motorsport’s scene.

The vibrant orange used in the latest livery has been part of TAG Heuer’s heritage for over fifty years. It was during the 1970’s that Jack Heuer introduced an Autavia featuring orange accents on the indexes and central hands. It was a brave choice and the model earned itself the label ‘Orange Boy’ amongst watch enthusiasts. By the time the TAG Heuer Formula 1 was first launched in 1986, orange had well and truly made its mark on the colour palette and was symbolic of energy, action and fun!

A Limited-Edition Orange

It is without surprise, considering the history of orange in TAG Heuer’s DNA, that the orange takes centre stage in the three-hands model which has been limited to 4,000 pieces. The 43mm steel case features a black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel which frames the striking orange textured dial. The dial features black applied indexes with white Super-Luminova©, a black flange and central hand, 3 o’clock angled date and TAG HEUER FORMULA 1 printed at 6 o’clock, opposite the black TAG Heuer logo. Guarded by flat sapphire crystal, a steel screw-down crown and crown protector, and screw-down case back, the timepiece is water resistant to 200m. The words ‘ONE OF 4,000’ are engraved on the case back as a tribute to its limited circulation and a reminder to the owner that they have something particularly special. With its black nylon strap and steel pin buckle, this reinvented Formula 1 TAG Heuer channels a vibrant, urban appeal.

Chronographs with Urban Appeal

The chronographs sport the slightly more understated lime yellow, which is adopted in a more subtle fashion through elegant accents on the hands, indexes and subdials, together with contrasts on the tachymeter-scale bezel. All reflect the gleaming colours which thrive in the Formula 1 paddock, presenting a fearless and sporty look with urban appeal. Models are presented on a nylon strap or brushed steel 3-row bracelet. The nylon strap features accents of the vivid orange or lime yellow colour palette in the stitching and replicates the harness inside an F1 car cockpit. These new models exude modern day Formula 1 whilst embracing the rich heritage of its past.

A Heritage of Watchmaking and Motorsports Excellence

TAG Heuer’s sponsorship deal with Formula 1 back in 1968 led to the brand logo becoming a familiar sight on the circuit with champions sporting the logo on both their cars and racing suits. Subsequently many racing drivers chose to wear a TAG Heuer watch, and the brand became renowned as the indication of watchmaking excellence of the F1 circuits. To pay tribute to this legacy, TAG Heuer designed a collection exclusively dedicated to Formula 1. The collection was a huge success with its disruptive design, vibrant colours and rubber straps that epitomised the racing scene.

To this day, TAG continues to have a firm foothold in the racing scene and continues to support Formula 1 during the 2021 season which made its debut in Bahrain. The brand also continues its sponsorship of the Automobile Club de Monaco whilst being the Official Timekeeper of the Monaco Grand Prix.

We caught up with Elizabeth Millward, Senior Watch Buyer at the Watches of Switzerland Group for TAG Heuer, who told us what she thought of the latest additions to the Formula 1 collection.

TAG Heuer already has an impressive Formula 1 collection. What makes these latest novelties so different?

TAG Heuer created a collection dedicated to Formula 1 in 1986, and it has kept a special place in TAG Heuer’s history since then. For 2021, TAG Heuer has reinvented this range with an asphalt textured dial and disruptive style, using the vivid colours from the original models from the 1980s and 1990s.

The new livery really packs a punch, who do you see the new timepieces appealing to and why?

The bright colours and asphalt-effect dial give these watches a daring and sporty look, appealing to the new generation of both motorsport fans and watch enthusiasts.

What is your favourite design feature on the new timepieces and why?

The collection consists of 3 chronographs and a three-hands model, all of which have a 43mm steel case with a ceramic bezel and an asphalt textured dial. My favourite feature is on the three-hands model, the tangerine orange dominates the dial, whilst the contrasting white emphasises the hands and indices.