AG Heuer introduces the new TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma, featuring lab-grown diamonds. This marks a major milestone in the over 160-year company history and the watch industry at large. This technical disruption is a new way of mastering design and the play of light with material, and the versatility of lab-grown diamonds provides unbounded creativity.

This defining step for TAG Heuer as a luxury watch manufacturer – entering the sector of lab-grown diamonds – focuses on the avant-garde aesthetics, versatility and design codes that have the power to make a watch truly unique, all while keeping up the offering of TAG Heuer watches. The introduction of the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma is yet another example of the company’s avant-garde innovative spirit that lies so deeply in the brand’s DNA.

TAG Heuer is not only pushing at the edge of traditional luxury watchmaking, but also redefining technological and creative limits: “Innovation and redefining frontiers is in our DNA. With the introduction of the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma, we want to expand the possible palette and designs for diamond watches and diamonds in general, and create a new and breathtaking vision of mastering carbon and diamond design as well as cutting-edge light effects”, said Frédéric Arnault.

And what better model to choose for pushing the boundaries within the traditional luxury watchmaking technology, design codes and history than one of the most iconic of all TAG Heuer watches: the TAG Heuer Carrera.

By adding the cutting-edge aspect of lab-grown diamonds into its product universe, TAG Heuer also adds a whole different level to the creative freedom and possible diamond shapes, as well as implementations of different design techniques using lab-grown diamonds. This also offers consumers something truly individual to them, a product which involves innovative technology and uses it in an avant-garde way.

“Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technology, which we refer to as ‘Diamant d’Avant-Garde’ at TAG Heuer, enables us to explore the versatility of carbon in the form of lab-grown diamonds – to create a stunning timepiece where diamonds are used in very unique shapes and textures. Lab-grown diamonds allow us to innovate and experiment with this exceptional material, and this opens up a new realm of possibilities for designers, watchmakers and engineers”, said Edouard Mignon, Chief Innovation Officer, TAG Heuer & LVMH Watches & Jewelry Division.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma, powered by the H02 Tourbillon Nanograph movement, has Diamant d’Avant-Garde lab-grown diamonds set in the case, and features embellished indexes. A polycrystalline diamond dial is one incredible component of this new and unique watch. The lab-grown diamonds used in the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma are manufactured by a network of partners specialised in this disruptive, cutting-edge technology, such as Lusix, Capsoul and Diamaze.

The 44 mm watchcase of the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma is predominantly made of sandblasted anodized aluminum, which results in a perfect complement to the lightness and color of the material and the strength and purity of the diamond. TAG Heuer’s designers have additionally developed a black ceramic polished bezel bringing even more emphasis to the elegance and contrast patterns of the timepiece.

To push the avant-garde even further, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has joined forces with Capsoul – a start-up pioneering the field of diamond design – to craft a spectacular crown at 3 o’clock, entirely executed in diamond. The two pushers on each side of the crown have been embellished with a black DLC coating, which brings to the watch a refined matt touch, contrasting with the brightness of the diamond.

The special polycrystalline diamond dial is one of the highlights of this new TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma timepiece. This diamond effect on the specially created dial plate is a sum of crystals being grown as one – generating yet another one-diamond morphology. This represents another type of a rich CVD growth, where many diamonds create spectacular reflections and a diverse visual effect while still constituting a single diamond piece. At 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, the minute chronograph counter and the chronograph hours counter feature a black polycrystalline diamond plate and are equipped with a polished rhodium-plated hand to truly support the light interaction.

The 11 indexes in white gold are set with a diamond each and sport a double index at 12 o’clock. The polished, rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with matt black lacquer are topped with white Super-LumiNova^® and showcase a rhodium-plated central hand. The TAG Heuer logo with “Carrera” printed in black rounds up this sparkling dial, which is designed in perfect harmony with the rhodium-plated bezel.

The design of the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma is spectacular, and the movement inside this watch is also a real masterpiece: equipped with the impressive TAG Heuer Nanograph movement, the calibre carries the groundbreaking in-house carbon hairspring, developed by the TAG Heuer Institute and brought to life by the same CVD method as the lab-grown diamonds are – thus showcasing the material in all of its forms within this avant-garde TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma. The carbon hairspring delivers exceptional levels of anti-magnetism, shock resistance, stability across temperature ranges and refined geometry for excellent chronometric performance. This also represents a truly magical way of mastering the carbon material in and outside the timepiece, as well as a full and fusional integration of carbon throughout the watch and with the innovative lab-grown diamonds.

The movement is TAG Heuer’s in-house Heuer 02 automatic chronograph, a Swiss-made movement with a 65-hour power reserve in a unique version especially developed for the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma. This special edition has been extensively hand-finished and features the oscillating weight in the form of the TAG Heuer shield.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma comes with an elegant black leather strap with black stitching and a black titanium grade 2 ADLC-treated clasp for an even bolder look.

Frédéric Arnault added: “At TAG Heuer, we are driven by innovation. By using lab-grown diamonds in such an avant-guard manner; we want to make things in a different, new and exciting way. This is an innovation that has long been planned and introduces just our opening chapter for a long (hi)story to be created. It is also a truly defining moment for us and the Swiss luxury watchmaking sector. We feel that luxury watches should always be exciting and surprising and in tune with the times, and this new watch demonstrates exactly that.”

This breathtaking TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma, presented as an innovation for Watches and Wonders, symbolizes the work of a specialized and committed team to design this Diamant d’Avant-Garde plasma technology in the purest TAG Heuer DNA. It will be soon be presented worldwide and will benefit from an extended international warranty up to five years.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Movement: HEUER02 Tourbillon Nanograph, COSC-certified
• Case: 44 mm diameter, Sandblasted black anodised aluminium case set with 48 lab-grown diamonds (4.2 ct in total)
• Fixed tachymeter bezel in polished/satin black ceramic
• Domed sapphire crystal
• Crown made of lab-grown diamond (2.5 ct in total) at 3 o’clock
• Sandblasted push buttons and push covers in black ADLC-treated steel
• Black sandblasted caseback in anodised aluminium with 4 black anodised titanium screws
• Rhodium-plated brass base dial covered with a polycrystalline diamond plate (3.9 ct)
• Rear flange with 2 counters on the 60 seconds/minute scale:
• 3 o’clock: minute chronograph counter, black polycrystalline diamond plate (0.25 ct) and brass ring with black opaline finish, polished rhodium-plated hand
• 9 o’clock: chronograph hours counter, black polycrystalline diamond plate (0.25 ct) and brass ring with black opaline finish, polished rhodium-plated hand
• 11 rhodium-plated white gold indexes set with lab-grown diamonds (0.4 ct in total) and a double index at 12 o’clock
• Polished rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with matt black lacquer and white Super-LumiNova^®
• Rhodium-plated central hand
• Polished rhodium-plated applique and black lacquer caseback
• “CARRERA” print
• Rolled-up strap in black calfskin with black lining
• Black sandblasted ardillon clasp in titanium grade 2 with ADLC treatment
• Total diamond carat weight: 11.7 ct