As was to be expected, TAG Heuer celebrated this charismatic chronograph with many new introductions throughout the year. Among them the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing in February 2023, the Carrera Skipper in July 2023, and the Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche in September 2023.

Probably the most significant debut took place during Watches and Wonders 2023 in March with the unveiling of the Carrera Chronograph Glassbox. It earns its name from its sapphire crystal, which is shaped like the domed hesalite crystals found on some vintage Heuer Carrera models from the 1970s. Only now it has been redeveloped with modern technologies so that the curve flows seamlessly over the tachymeter scale that runs around the dial edge and into the case. In the same way, the flange and indexes have been curved, too, further contributing to the watch’s seamless aesthetic, coherence, and legibility.

TAG Heuer offers two color options, one with a signature blue dial on a blue calfskin leather strap, and a second with a black-and-silver “reverse panda” dial. On both, the deep azuré subdials are surrounded by high-contrast silver rings, making the totalizers stand out. In addition, the minutes scale running around the outer edge of the dial is highlighted by an orange dot over each hour marker. 

The latest Carrera coup comes in form of a beautiful panda-style chronograph housed in a 18k 3N yellow gold case in the line’s signature 39-mm diameter and furnished with a gold dial. Like every Carrera, it has an interesting story to tell. Back in the 1960’s and 70’s, Jack Heuer would reward some of the great race champions of all times, among them Nikki Lauda and Ronnie Peterson, with gold executions of the Carrera, with their closed case adorned with a personal inscription.

It seems fitting that the last chapter of the anniversary year is concluded by a yellow gold edition, featuring the beloved Glassbox design which encompasses the watch’s overall aesthetics. When viewed in cross-section, the watch’s silhouette is fluid thanks to the seamlessly curved edges of the domes sapphire crystal, yet also angular due to the case’s taut flanks and lugs. The gracefully curved flange not only amplifies visibility but also simplifies the reading of the 60-second / minute scale that encircles the edge of the dial.

Under the hood ticks TAG Heuer’s in-house chronograph movement Heuer 02, listed as TH20-00 and introduced at Watches and Wonders 2023. It features a bi-directional winding system and has an 80-hour power reserve. 

The watch is accompanied by a black perforated calfskin leather strap, secured with a 18K 3N yellow gold pin buckle.

Pricing is marked at $21,500. It will be available from November 2023.

To learn more, visit TAG Heuer, here.

The official partnership between the TAG Heuer watch brand and the Porsche sports car manufacturer was a natural choice. These two companies have been linked by a strong friendship with common history, stories and, above all, values for years. Yet the news came as a shock. Reason enough for the watch manufacturer to launch a special model and for us to test it straight away.

Compared to other current TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 models, the new Porsche Chronograph is impressive thanks to its closed dial, to which the admiring eye inevitably remains glued like a hot tire to asphalt. The seemingly ordinary anthracite-colored dial is not pierced, but nonetheless is very special. Roughened like an asphalt racetrack, this unique texture was given to this special Carrera model, our test watch, to symbolize TAG Heuer’s affinity to motor sports and the new partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche.

For the same reason, the glossy black and scratch-resistant ceramic bezel, which would otherwise bear the word “tachymetre,” is engraved with the name “Porsche” in red letters patterned after the original typeface. Numerous details of the stopwatch function are also in red: the tips of all chronographic hands, certain areas within the elapsed-minutes and elapsed-hours counters, and the 15-second markings of the elapsed-second scale along the edge of the dial. Like red brake calipers on a car, here they symbolize sportiness and highlight the stopwatch function.

Carrera Brought Heuer and Porsche Together
In addition to the characteristic color scheme of red, black and gray, the numbers on the watch’s dial also refer to the Porsche design code and recall the instrument panels on high-end racing cars. The fact that these appliqués mark the minutes and seconds rather than the hours, as they do on other Carrera models, is only logical for this special edition, which is conceived as a tribute to motorsports. The numerals glow bright green in the dark, as do other triangular indexes and the bar-shaped hands that indicate the main time. But when the lights go out, the continually running seconds at 6 and the chronograph’s elapsed-time indicators are unreadable.

The Carrera name is relatively inconspicuous below the 12, or rather below the 60, which indicates the 60-second position at the full minute. Carrera is the connective element between these two brands, whose paths have crossed again and again in fascinating ways for decades. Carrera means “race” in Spanish, and it was auto racing that first brought Porsche and Heuer together. Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche, known as “Ferry,” joined his father’s design business in 1931 at the age of 22. In 1948, he launched the 356 No. 1 Roadster sports car, the first vehicle built under the Porsche name and the foundation for the car brand named for the family. Porsche quickly made a name for itself in motorsports, including a class victory in the 1954 Carrera Panamericana. In honor of its successful participation in this race, Porsche gave the name “Carrera” to the most powerful engine in its fleet.

Edouard Heuer’s great-grandson Jack also used the Carrera name for a chronograph that he developed in 1963, which enabled racing drivers to tell the time at a glance in the heat of the action. Jack Heuer also led the development of the Heuer Monaco, the first waterproof automatic chronograph with a square case. Its name paid tribute to the Mon-aco Grand Prix and the famous Monte Carlo Rally, which Porsche’s legendary 911 model won three years in a row from 1968 to 1970.

Later there were further connections between Porsche and Heuer, or TAG Heuer, as the Swiss watchmaker has been known since it was sold to the TAG Group in the mid-1980s. The two brands collaboratively developed and produced the TAG Porsche engine, which powered the McLaren team to three consecutive Formula 1 world championships, with Niki Lauda behind the wheel in 1984 and with Alain Prost in the driver’s seat in 1985 and 1986. Since 1999, the relationship between the two companies has grown even closer , thanks to their cooperation in motor sports events, such as the Porsche Carrera Cup, the Supercup and the Endurance World Championship. TAG Heuer was one of the founders of the Formula E championship, for which Porsche set up its own Formula E team in 2019, with TAG Heuer as the namesake and official timekeeping partner. Two years later, this became the official brand partnership, which seems as though it has existed for years. Joint projects are planned under the motto, “Porsche and TAG Heuer: Two histories — one passion.”

The new chronograph is worn either with a black calfskin strap with handmade decorative stitching that recalls both the interior of a Porsche sports car and a Carrera racetrack or with a stainless-steel bracelet made of H-shaped links, which forms an integrated connection with the angular case via fixed connectors. Both wristbands are equipped with a robust, high quality, folding clasp.

A fully threaded screw-in caseback with a window of sapphire seals the underside of the polished stainless-steel case, which resists pressure to 10 bar. The transparent crystal offers an unobstructed view of still-young, automatic manufacture Calibre Heuer 02. The colors red, black and gray come into play once again in a color scheme that’s reminiscent not only of Porsche, but also of earlier Heuer models. The newly designed winding rotor in black pays homage to the Porsche steering wheel. It winds the mainspring in only one direction of rotation; when it turns in the other direction, it makes a quiet idling sound that some connoisseurs find unpleasant. But TAG Heuer consciously opted for a unidirectional automatic winding mechanism with a ratchet wheel because it reduces both the total number of components and, more importantly, the overall height of the movement. The comparatively small red column wheel stands out at the very edge, accompanied by the caliber’s steel (gray) bridges, wheels, levers and springs. Together with vertical coupling, the column wheel ensures that elapsing intervals are measured with precision and reliability.

A Powerful Engine for a Sports Watch
The development of Calibre Heuer 02 began in 2011. It debuted under the name Calibre 1969 in 2013, but was soon renamed CH-80, after its remarkably lengthy 80-hour power reserve, which it achieves with only one barrel.

In the following years, however, TAG Heuer had to optimize the movement. The goal was to create a robust and reliable chronograph caliber that could be manufactured as cost effectively as possible. The caliber’s dimensions of 31 mm in diameter and 6.5 mm in height are identical to those of the El Primero, which is produced by Zenith, one of TAG Heuer’s sister brands in the LVMH Group. However, the slim design of Calibre 1969 resulted in some problems. In addition to the unidirectional self-winding mechanism, it also required a thin chronograph bridge. The winding mechanism was adequately efficient, but the slender bridge couldn’t cope with the force of the chronograph’s switching operations and became deformed. The new and sturdier design adds 0.4 mm to the movement’s height for an overall thickness of 6.9 mm.

In addition to the column wheel, the chronograph bridge is one of the few components that are screwed to the base plate. Other components, such as stamped levers to start, stop, block and zero the chronograph, as well as springs to hold components in place or exert pressure, are either plugged or hooked into place. The elimination of screws shortens the assembly time and reduces the total number of parts to only 233. The gearing in the winding and hand-setting system also called for improvement because clicking noises were caused by gears that did not mesh deeply enough. The semi-jumping date mechanism likewise underwent optimization. The current version is so secure that it cannot be damaged if its user mistakenly tries to manually reset the date while the mechanism is in the midst of its automatic switching process. To protect the mechanism, the system locks, and the date must be manually advanced by turning the crown after having pulled it to its center position. When the watch is running, the rather small date display at the 6 begins to advance about 30 to 40 minutes before midnight.

TAG Heuer cooperates with the specialist Atokalpa for the oscillating and escapement system, which is paced at 4 Hz. The Isograph hairspring, which premiered two years ago, is not yet deployed. TAG Heuer’s CEO Frédéric Arnault explains that the Isograph is still very expensive to manufacture and is therefore currently only used in high-end products. However, the conventional system also achieves good, well-balanced rates in the chronometer range, which is not the only thing our test proved.

Heuer Calibre 02 debuted in 2016 as the chronometer-certified Heuer Calibre 02-T inside the Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 Tourbillon. In 2017, the new manufacture movement without a tourbillon appeared in the retro model Autavia Calibre Heuer 02. In 2018, it was integrated into the Carrera and finally in 2019, into the Monaco. It has established itself as an excellent high-performance engine for timepieces inspired by motor sports.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: TAG Heuer SA, Rue Louis-Joseph Chevrolet 6a, 2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Reference number: CBN2A1F.BA0643
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date display, chronograph (central elapsed-seconds hand, counters for 30 elapsed minutes and 12 elapsed hours), tachymeter scale
Movement: Calibre Heuer 02, automatic, 28,800 vph, 33 jewels, Glucydur balance, Nivarox hairspring, index and eccentric screw fine adjustment, Kif shock absorption, 80-hour power reserve, diameter = 31.0 mm, height = 6.90 mm
Case: Stainless-steel case, curved sapphire crystal, doubly anti-reflective (above dial), sapphire crystal in caseback, water resistant to 100 m
Bracelet and clasp: Stainless-steel bracelet, folding clasp opens on one side only
Rate results (deviations in seconds per 24 hours, fully wound/after 24 hours):
On the wrist +1.5
Dial up +0.3 / +0.1
Dial down +0.9 / +0.8
Crown up −2.7 / −1.7
Crown down +7.5 / +8.2
Crown left +2.1 / +3.4
Greatest deviation 10.2 / 9.9
Average deviation +1.6 / +2.2
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 309° / 292°
Hanging positions 267° / 246°
Dimensions: Diameter = 43.25 mm, lug width = 21 mm integrated, height =
15.25 mm, weight = 192.0 grams
Variations: With calfskin strap (Ref. CBN2A1F.FC6492, $5,850)
Price: $6,050

SCORES:
Wristband and clasp (max. 10 points): Handsome wristband, comfortable clasp 9
Case (10): High quality case with facets, two sapphire crystals, threaded caseback, ceramic bezel, matching push-pieces and crown 8
Dial (10): The design features elements from the Porsche racing world, exclusive “asphalt” dial, special appliqués. 9
Design (15): Successful translation of Porsche racing design codes with red, gray and black, special numerals and optional leather strap 13
Legibility (5): The time display dominates, even at night; the chronograph function is not legible in the dark but is easy to read during the day; date display is small and difficult to read. 4
Operation (5): Crown is easy to use, chronograph pushers have firm and secure pressure points, but the steel parts of the bracelet are pinned. 4
Wearing comfort (5): The case is quite tall and the watch is heavy, especially when worn with the stainless-steel bracelet; massive clasp. 4
Movement (20): The optimized manufacture caliber has proven its mettle in everyday use; secure basic construction with reliable switching for the chronograph and the date; long- lasting power reserve; special rotor. 17
Rate results (10): Although this is not a certified chronometer, it keeps time with very good, balanced rate values in the chronometer-worthy range; the amplitudes remain stable, also when the chronograph is running. 9
Overall value (10): The special design celebrates the partner-ship with Porsche, it implements Porsche’s design codes; the price is fair. 8
Total: 85 POINTS

Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional
Tissot’s very large and robust dive watch is water-resistant to 600 meters and impresses with its irregular wave pattern, which resembles the surface of the sea in a strong swell. The hour markers, attached to the edge of the dial, float above it and call to mind surfers or sailboats that barely touch the water as they glide along its surface. The watch is available with a blue, turquoise or anthracite-colored dial. The case is equipped with an automatic helium valve for saturation diving.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 46 mm, ETA C07.111, automatic, $1,025.

Breguet Marine 5517
Like all the watches launched since the collection’s last major refresh in 2017, the Marine 5517 maintains a classic, naval chronometer-inspired design, is distinguished by both luxurious and sporty elements, and hosts signature hallmarks of the collection such as Roman numerals, a 100-meter water resistance, and Breguet-style hands, to name a few.
Rose gold, 40 mm, Caliber 777A, automatic, $28,600.

Baume & Mercier Riviera
The Riviera that Baume & Mercier has now reactivated is inspired by a model from 1973. While it’s not a dive watch, it’s certainly a sporty companion for a vacation. The wave pattern on the dial is particularly architectural, but this in no way detracts from the overall impression made by this lighthearted accessory. The blue version with the matching rubber strap calls to mind the clear waters of the Mediterranean or South Seas. The pressure resistance to 100 meters is sufficient for boat trips, kite surfing and relaxing hours beside the pool.
Stainless steel, 42 mm, Sellita SW200, automatic, $2,500.

Mido Oceanstar 200C
Green has been popular in the watch world for a number of years, but the combination of fir green and maritime-inspired dial engraving looks quite unusual. Mido uses this daring combination in its Oceanstar line of dive watches. The number in the model’s name stands for the water resistance in meters and the “C” refers to the newly introduced ceramic bezel, which teams up with the sapphire crystal to protect the dial against scratches. There are even waves on the stainless-steel back, where they share the limelight with a starfish engraved in relief.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 42.5 mm, ETA C07.621, automatic, $1,150.

Seiko Prospex SRPE07
Joining Seiko’s highly coveted “Save The Ocean” series, the SRPE07 “King Turtle” brought an improved bezel and large cyclops to the collection in 2020. The dial design is themed around Great White Sharks to mark the preservation and understanding of these beautiful creatures (there’s even a shark dorsal fin hidden near the 8 o’clock index).
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 45 mm, 4R36, automatic, $595.

Oris Aquis Pro Date Calibre 400
The subtle wave pattern on the dial is the only bit of playfulness Oris allows in this extremely useful watch for professional divers. All other details are rigorously functional: the bezel’s entire scale glows in the dark, the Rotation Safety System allows the bezel to rotate only after the surrounding safety ring has been pulled up, and the water resistance to a depth of 1,000 meters is well beyond a casual diver’s deepest descent. These features, plus the well-thought-out bracelet with its loss-prevention and quick-extension mechanisms, almost make you glad to discover the nonfunctional pattern on the dial.
DLC-coated titanium, ceramic bezel, 49.5 mm, manufacture Calibre 400, automatic, $4,600.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300
The 43-mm version of the new Aquaracer has straight transverse grooves on its dial, while the 36-mm version shown here is more playful. The wave pattern boasts the softest, most curved shape of all the watches here and makes the dial almost look like a casually thrown piece of fabric. This small version of the Aquaracer is equally convincing in other details with water resistance to 300 meters, intensely radiant luminous material in green and blue, and a secure folding clasp with quick-extension mechanism.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 36 mm, Calibre 5 based on Sellita Caliber SW200, automatic, $2,800.

1. ORIS BIG CROWN PROPILOT DATE ($1,550)

Oris Big Crown ProPilot Date

This pilots’ watch from Oris achieves optimal legibility thanks to its matte dial and impossible-to-overlook hands and numerals, which are coated with plenty of luminous material. The big crown can be operated while wearing gloves. The textile strap is steplessly adjustable thanks to a clamping system; the clasp works like the buckle on a seatbelt aboard an aircraft. With a date display on its dial and a time- tested automatic movement inside its case, this watch offers everything you need. Stainless steel, 41 mm, Sellita SW 220, automatic

2. TUDOR PELAGOS LHD ($4,400)

Tudor Pelagos LHD

The letters “LHD” in the name of this divers’ watch stand for “left-hand drive,” like a car with its steering wheel on the left. For a watch, LHD means that the crown is located opposite its usual position. This is convenient for a southpaw who wears the watch on his right wrist. But this watch can also be worn on the left wrist, thus keeping the crown especially well protected against impacts. Tudor’s own auto- matic movement has earned a chronometer certificate and accordingly runs with great precision. The titanium case is extremely resistant to salt- water and can resist water pressure to a depth of 500 meters. A helium-release valve rounds out the professional equipment. Titanium, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber MT5612, automatic; click here for more details.

3. CERTINA DS ACTION DIVER AUTOMATIC ($895)

Certina DS Action Diver Automatic

The DS Action Diver Automatic upholds the ISO standard for divers’ watches. The stainless-steel case is water resistant to 200 meters and has a rotatable bezel with a diving scale. The dial has luminous indexes, along with plenty of luminous material on the hands to assure that the face is always clearly legible, even underwater and in the dark. The time-tested automatic movement and the robust stainless-steel bracelet equip this timepiece for every mission. The price is appealing, too. Stainless steel, 43.2 mm, ETA 2824, automatic.

4. SEIKO PROSPEX AUTOMATIC DIVER’S ($495)

Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver’s

Nicknamed “Turtle” because of the shape of its case, the Prospex Automatic Diver’s was introduced in the 1970s. With an indestructible urethane wristband, a case that resists water pressure to a depth of 200 meters, and a unidirectional rotatable bezel, this watch is optimally equipped to accompany a diver underwater. And despite its low price, it has a self-winding manufacture movement. Seiko makes the crystal from Hardlex, which isn’t quite as scratch-resistant as sapphire, but nonetheless harder than ordinary mineral crystal. Stainless steel, 44 mm, manufacture Caliber 4R36, automatic.

5. TAG HEUER AQUARACER 300M CALIBRE 5 ($2,800)

TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300M Calibre 5

This classic divers’ watch from TAG Heuer has a trendy military look with a black titanium case, sand-colored textile strap, and sand-colored elements and gray luminous material on the dial. The watch has plenty to offer from a functional standpoint, too: Black titanium-carbide coating resists scratches and the screwed crown contributes toward achieving pressure resistance to a depth of 300 meters. The nonreflective treatment on the sapphire crystal helps assure good legibility. Titanium coated with titanium carbide, 43 mm, ETA 2824 or Sellita SW 200, automatic.

6. BREITLING AVENGER BLACKBIRD ($5,105)

Breitling Avenger Blackbird

The militarily inspired Avenger Blackbird has a distinctive 48-mm case made of DLC-coated titanium. The coating helps prevent reflections from light, which could betray its wearer’s location. With a unidirectional rotatable bezel, screwed crown, and water resistance to 300 meters, this timepiece is also suitable for diving. In addition to the case, the dial and textile strap are also black. The luminous material on the hands and indexes is beige in daylight conditions. Breitling’s Caliber 17 is based on an ETA 2824 movement and has earned a chronometer certificate to confirm its accuracy. DLC-coated titanium, 48 mm, ETA 2824, automatic; for more on the Blackbird, click here.)

7. ROLEX EXPLORER II ($8,100)

Rolex Explorer II

This watch, which debuted in 1971, is made for adventurers, researchers and expedition members. Equipped with a second time zone, the continually updated design has become iconic. This model epitomizes a tool watch, although its high price might make its wearer feel annoyed if the case should suffer a scratch or two. The 904L stainless steel that Rolex uses is more resistant to saltwater than ordinary 316L steel. And Rolex’s manufacture caliber is regarded as the sturdiest and lowest-maintenance automatic movement. Rolex’s famous accuracy is assured not only by a chronometer certificate, but also by the brand’s in-house standards, which specify that the watch be so finely adjusted that it neither gains nor loses more than two seconds per day. Stainless steel, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber 3187, automatic.

8. ALPINA ALPINER 4 AUTOMATIC ($1,395)

Alpina Alpiner 4 Automatic

Developed for rugged excursions and mountain climbing, the Alpiner 4 is equipped with a sturdy, 44-mm stainless-steel case and a unidirectional rotatable bezel. A soft-iron inner case protects the automatic movement against magnetic fields. The hands and indexes are coated with white luminous material for good legibility. The screwed crown helps keep the case water resistant to 100 meters. Stainless steel, 44 mm, Sellita SW 200, automatic; more details here.)

This article appears in the July-August 2017 issue of WatchTime Magazine.

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Caliber 5719: Japan’s First Wrist Chronograph

Caliber 5719 (below) powered Japan’s first wristwatch chronograph (above).

When Seiko set out to design Japan’s first wristwatch chronograph, its goal was to produce a watch that was as much status symbol as timing device. Suwa Seikosha, i.e., Seiko’s factory in the city of Suwa, developed the watch, which was launched in time for the 1964 Summer Olympics. It was powered by the 12-ligne, hand-wound Caliber 5719. The salient features of this 6.1-mm-thick movement included a single button to trigger the chronograph’s functions, horizontal coupling, and a column wheel to control the start, stop and return-to-zero functions. The balance was paced at 5.5 hertz, or 39,600 vph. With the chronograph mechanism switched on, the movement would run for 38 hours. The case was made of steel and was 38.2 mm in  diameter and 11.2 mm thick.

The watch had no elapsed-time counter, so Seiko equipped it with a rotating bezel calibrated in 1-minute increments. To measure an interval longer than 1 minute, the user started the chronograph and then rotated the bezel until the tip of the large triangle was directly opposite the tip of the minutes hand. After he stopped the chronograph at the end of the interval, he read the elapsed minutes using the rotating bezel and the elapsed seconds  using the regular dial. The problem with this first chronograph series was that the bezel had a tendency to break. Seiko rectified this by replacing the fragile bezel with a sturdy, steel one.

The Caliber 5718 chronograph had a single subdial for elapsed minutes and running seconds. It also featured a point counter at 12 o’clock.

Seiko brought out another version of the movement, the 6.4-mm-thick Caliber 5718, in a limited-edition steel watch that today is extremely rare and highly coveted by collectors. What looks like a date window at 12 o’clock is actually a golf-stroke or point counter, operated by means of the two buttons on the left side of the case. Another special feature is a subdial at 6 o’clock that doubles as an elapsed-minutes counter and a running-seconds display. There is a tachymeter scale along the dial’s periphery.

Caliber 6139: First Automatic Chronograph On The Market

The Seiko 5 Speed-Timer (above) with Caliber 6139 (below) was the first automatic chronograph to hit the market.

It’s well known that Swiss companies were working feverishly in the 1960s to develop a self-winding chronograph, but no one knows whether their Japanese competitors knew about these efforts. Seiko started working on the self-winding Calibers 6139 and 6138 in 1967, even though by then much of the watch industry was focusing its attention on quartz technology. It took the company just two years to develop Caliber 6139. Remarkably small, it had a diameter of 27.4 mm and a height of 6.5 mm. Its mainspring was a ball-borne, center-mounted rotor, which worked in conjunction with Seiko’s innovative Magic Lever (still in use today), a click-winding system that can use the rotor’s kinetic energy regardless of which way the rotor turns. After being fully wound, the watch would run for 36 hours with the chronograph switched on.

To improve the rate performance, the caliber’s developers gave the balance a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vph), instead of the then-standard 2.5 Hz (18,000 vph). Other technical specifications included a column wheel to control the chronograph’s functions, a counter for 30 elapsed minutes at the “6,” and vertical coupling. This last feature was quite innovative at the time: its debut here significantly predated its premiere in Swiss watches. In addition to a date display, Seiko also equipped this model with a bilingual (Japanese and English) indicator for the day of the week.

Caliber 6138 (above) was used in two self-winding chronographs Seiko launched in 1970 (below), with small seconds and elapsed-hour counters.

The new movement, housed in a watch called the 5 Speed-Timer, appeared in stores in mid-May of 1969. Seiko therefore won the race to bring the first automatic chronograph to market. (Two competitors, Zenith and a consortium of other Swiss companies − Breitling, Heuer, Hamilton-Buren and Dubois Dépraz – brought automatic chronographs to market later in the year.) Caliber 6138, which was 7.9-mm thick, debuted in 1970. It differed from Caliber 6139 because it had a running seconds hand and a counter for 12 elapsed hours. Seiko also incorporated Caliber 6138 into a so-called “bullhead” model, similar to Omega’s manual-wind bullhead, with pushers at the top of the case instead of on the side.

Incidentally, Seiko can also claim the honor of having sent the first self-winding chronograph into outer space. When U.S. astronaut William Reid Pogue flew aboard the Skylab-4 mission in 1973 to 1974, he wore a watch (nowadays nicknamed the “Pogue Seiko”) powered by Caliber 6139.

Caliber 7017: Slim Automatic Chronograph

A chronograph (above) with slim, self-winding Caliber 7017 (below) debuted in 1970.

In 1970, Daini Seikosha, which that year became Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII), introduced the so-called “70s Series” of mechanical chronograph movements. With a thickness of just 5.9 mm, the 27.4-mm-diameter Caliber 7017 set a world record. The Magic Lever winding system, the column wheel and the vertical coupling all  recalled Caliber 6139, but the 7017 was a genuinely new movement with many special features, including a “creeping” hand to tally the elapsed minutes. Decreasing the overall number of components made the movement more compact and its servicing easier. But to achieve the movement’s record-breaking slimness, the designers had to leave out an elapsed-minutes counter. They retained digital displays for the date and day.

The equally slim Caliber 7018 debuted in 1971: it had a counter for 30 elapsed minutes. Caliber 7015 and Seiko’s top-of-the-line Caliber 7016 followed in 1972. The latter had two concentrically rotating hands in a subdial at 6 o’clock: one for the running seconds and the other to tally up to 30 elapsed minutes.

The successors to Caliber 7017: chronographs with Calibers 7015 (above), 7016, and 7018 (both below)

Seiko discontinued production of mechanical chronograph calibers in 1977. In the early 1980s, it stopped making mechanical watches altogether. The machines used for their production were assigned to the scrap heap, but veteran employees refused to follow orders and did not destroy them. Thanks to these employees, the renaissance of mechanical watches – which had begun in Europe several years before – could commence in Japan in the mid-1990s.

Caliber Series 6S: The Chronograph Reborn

After a hiatus of more than two decades, Seiko returned to making mechanical chronographs with hand-wound Caliber 6S74.

In 1998, Seiko began making mechanical chronographs once again, relying on its veteran engineers and watchmakers, some of whom had retired but agreed to return to work on the project. The 28.4-mm- diameter calibers in Series 6S were initially intended only for the domestic market, for which they were encased in Seiko’s prestigious Credor line. The 5.8-mm-thick, hand-wound Caliber 6S74 from 1998 had a balance paced at 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and a 60-hour power reserve. The watch had no date window but it did have a 30-minute counter, 12-hour counter and power-reserve indicator. Like its forebears, Caliber 6S74 had a column wheel. Unlike them, the connection between the gear train and the chronograph was achieved by means of a rocking pinion, not by vertical coupling.

Seiko chronographs with Calibers 6S77 (above) and 6S78 (below)

In ensuing years, Seiko derived a whole series of other chronograph movements from this base caliber. These included the 7.2-mm-thick Caliber 6S77, which debuted in 1999. It was an automatic equipped with the Magic Lever winding system. It had a date display and a 50-hour power reserve.
Another automatic, Caliber 6S78, also debuted in 1999. Caliber 6S99, the skeletonized version of Caliber 6S74, appeared on the market in 2000. It was joined in 2001 by the self-winding Caliber 6S37, which supports both a date indicator and a power-reserve display. Caliber 6S96, which was based on Caliber 6S77, had a 60-hour power reserve but no date window.

Lastly, in 2005, Seiko launched Caliber 6S28, based on the 6S78. With this movement, Seiko made the same change ETA had made with its Caliber 7750, which morphed into Caliber 7753 when its counter for 30 elapsed minutes migrated from the “12” to the “3.” Caliber 6S28 has a date window between the “4” and the “5.”

A Seiko chronograph with skeletonized Caliber 6S99

Seiko sold Caliber 6S78, which Seiko called “TC 78,” to third parties. Its customers included Junghans, which renamed the movement J890. TAG Heuer also purchased the TC 78, subjected it to major alterations, manufactured a large percentage of its components in its own factory, and rechristened it “Caliber 1887.”

Caliber Series 8R: Seiko’s Chronographs Today

The Ananta (above) contains the self-winding Caliber 8R28 (below).

In 2009, 40 years after the premiere of Caliber 6139, people who visited Seiko’s stand at Baselworld saw a brand-new automatic chronograph called Ananta. It contained Caliber 8R28, which went into serial production in 2008. The newcomer combined traditional Seiko chronograph features such as a column wheel, vertical coupling and Magic Lever winding system with recent innovations including a three-pointed hammer that ensures all the chronograph counters return to zero simultaneously. The 8R28 has a power reserve of more than 45 hours. Seiko makes the balance, balance spring and escapement itself. The movement is 28 mm in diameter and 7.2 mm thick. It has a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and contains 292 parts.

Caliber 8R39, launched in 2011, is 7.6 mm thick. It was designed for dive watches. Caliber 8R48, 7.5 mm thick, followed in 2014 and is used in the Brightz, which is sold only in Japan.

As an alternative to ETA’s Caliber 7753, third parties can opt for Seiko’s Caliber NE88A. Based on Caliber 8R39, it debuted in August 2014 and is 7.63 mm thick.

The Ananta Diver (above) contains Caliber 8R39; the Brightz, (below), Caliber 8R48.

This article was originally posted in September 2017.

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