After having expanded the line-up of its bestselling, vintage-inspired Carrera “Glassbox”, TAG Heuer now turns to something modern, the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport.

Though it shares the Carrera moniker and TH20 movement, the new Extreme Sport chronograph is nothing like is retro counterpart. Available in titanium or 18k rose gold, the Carrera Extreme Sport is a big, bold chronograph with a skeletonised dial and integrated rubber strap.

And at the top of the new collection is the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport, which is the most modern take on TAG Heuer’s affordable double complication of chronograph plus flying tourbillon.

Initial thoughts

TAG Heuer’s offerings are now mostly either vintage-inspired and hyper-modern. The Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport definitely falls into the latter category. The open-worked dial is surprisingly intricate, with the X-shaped latticework finished with a combination of colour-treated frosted recesses and straight graining.

With a skeletonised dial and chunky case, the Chronograph Extreme Sport feels similar to other watches in this segment, though the case is distinctive as the Carrera design. For anyone who feels TAG Heuer’s vintage-inspired watches are too traditional, this has the same in-house movement but presented in contemporary package.

Like most watches of this style, the Chronograph Extreme Sport has an integrated rubber strap for a seamless clean profile, but never really fits as well as a conventional strap, particularly on smaller wrists. The ergonomics are especially noticeable on the heavier versions in 18k gold.

The orange chronograph is the most striking

The chronograph starts at US$8,200 in titanium, which puts it on even footing with comparable offerings from the likes of Breitling and Bell & Ross.

At US$26,100 in titanium, the Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport costs more than twice as much as the basic chronograph, but still remains amongst the most affordable chronographs-with-tourbillon on the market.

The Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport in 18k rose gold

Carrera of the future

Echoing the hyper modern look of the Monaco Split-Seconds, the Carrera Extreme Sport has a dial open worked to form a large “X”. It reveals the base plate of the movement, along with a skeletonised date wheel that’s coated to match the dial colour, a rare instance where the date becomes an appealing element of the overall design.

Continuing on from the hyper modern dial design, the case of the Extreme Sport has recessed flanks with fluting, while the bezel is in black ceramic to contrast with the case. Though the design is entirely modern, a closer look reveals that the case is actually an evolution of the vintage Carrera case with an inner bevel on the inside of the each lug.

Available in either titanium or 18k rose gold, the case is big at 44 mm wide and just over 15 mm high. It’s not excessively big by the standards of sports chronographs, but the integrated rubber strap makes it feel a little larger than it is.

Identical in size and style is the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport that gains a flying tourbillon on the dial (and loses the date). Powered by the same base movement, the Chronograph Tourbillon sports a carbon composite bezel on its titanium variant, while the all-gold version has a matching gold bezel.

The Chronograph Tourbillon in titanium

Both the chronograph and chronograph-tourbillon are powered by variants of the same TH20 movement, which is derived from the Heuer 02, the brand’s longstanding in-house workhorse. The basics of the TH20 are column wheel and vertical clutch for the chronograph, along with a shield-shaped rotor visible through the display back.

The chronograph is equipped with the TH20-00, the base version of the calibre with a three-register chronograph, date, and a long 80-hour power reserve.

The TH20-00

Its upscale cousin, on the other hand, contains the TH20-09, which has a flying tourbillon on the dial at six o’clock. The specs are nearly identical, except the power reserve is a shorter 65 hours due to the additional energy consumed by the rotating carriage of the tourbillon.

The TH20-09 with its flying tourbillon

Key facts and price

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport
Ref. CBU2080.FT6272 (DLC titanium and black dial)
Ref. CBU2081.FT6274 (Titanium and blue dial)
Ref. CBU2082.FT6275 (Titanium and orange dial)
Ref. CBU2050.FT6273 (18k rose gold)

Diameter: 44 mm
Height: 15.1 mm
Material: Titanium or 18k rose gold, with ceramic bezel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. TH20-00
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Rubber with matching folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at TAG Heuer boutiques and retailers
Price: US$8,200 in titanium; US$8,400 in DLC titanium; and US$12,300 in rose gold (prices excluding taxes)

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport
Ref. CBU5080.FT6272 (DLC titanium)
Ref. CBU5050.FT6273 (18k rose gold)

Diameter: 44 mm
Height: 15.1 mm
Material: Titanium with carbon composite bezel; or 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. TH20-09
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, and flying tourbillon
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Rubber with matching folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at TAG Heuer boutiques and retailers in Europe
Price: US$26,100 in titanium; US$32,800 in rose gold (prices excluding taxes)

For more, visit Tagheuer.com.