SIHH 2019: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon Nanograph
After Zenith?s high-tech redux, LVMH stablemate TAG Heuer is now tooling up with proprietary carbon-hairspring technology, beating at the heart of a new Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon
By Alex Doak
Just when you thought pure carbon was restricted to the more structural aspects of watchmaking ? cases, baseplates, bezels, dials etc. ? TAG Heuer is straight off the Geneva 2019 blocks with a tourbillon that potentially proves its mettle for all manner of tricksy mechanical components. In this case, the tricksiest of all: the balance spring. Visible here, in black of course, ticking at the heart of a tourbillon.
And to think you thought silicon was still impressive.
The acid-lime accents and groovy dial texture of the Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon bring to mind TAG?s inaugural adventures with Aston Martin last year, but the openworked hexagon motif is for good reason: it?s the molecular arrangement of pure carbon atoms, in both of the crystalline forms that make up the spring?s composite. Namely, cylindrical ?nanotubes? and their unrolled, sheet-form ?graphene? allotrope. Graphene, you may remember, was 2017?s muse for Richard Mille, given its automotive partnership with McLaren and their own connection to the University of Manchester?s Nobel-Prize-winning carbon boffins. But more interestingly in this case, it?s that year?s other haute-tech headliner, Zenith and its Defy 21 that?s a more salient comparison.
Since LVMH chief Jean-Claude Biver?s recent depart...
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