Watches and Wonders, Geneva, March 30, 2022: TAG Heuer presents the new Carrera Plasma watch featuring laboratory-grown diamonds. The advent of this watch is a milestone for TAG Heuer and the entire watchmaking industry with a history of more than 160 years. This disruptive technological breakthrough represents an entirely new way of expressing sophisticated design and using materials to capture light and shadow, and the versatility of lab-grown diamonds offers unlimited scope for creative ingenuity.
The entry into the field of laboratory-grown diamonds represents a key step in the development of luxury watchmaking brand TAG Heuer, which strives to create truly unique watches through a focus on cutting-edge aesthetics, versatility and design principles, constantly enriching product lineup of the brand. The launch of the new Carrera Plasma watch is yet another example of TAG Heuer’s avant-garde innovative spirit, which is deeply rooted in the brand’s DNA.
TAG Heuer not only continues to break the boundaries of traditional luxury watchmaking technology, but also redefines the boundaries of technology and creativity, TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault said: “Pioneering innovation and redefining boundaries are part of our brand DNA. We hope With the launch of the new Carrera Plasma watch, we expand the color palette and design options that can be applied to diamond watches and diamonds themselves, master the use of carbon and diamond designs and fascinating light and shadow effects, and create exciting new visions.”
Fusion of historical heritage and innovation
As one of Replica TAG Heuer’s most representative watches, the Carrera series is undoubtedly the best choice for a breakthrough in traditional luxury watchmaking technology, design principles and history.
By introducing the cutting-edge technology of lab-grown diamonds into its products, Replica TAG Heuer takes creative freedom and diamond shaping and the use of different design techniques using lab-grown diamonds to a whole new level. This also provides consumers with a watch that is truly personal, with innovative technology and pioneering applications.
Edouard Mignon, Chief Innovation Officer, Watches and Jewellery, TAG Heuer and LVMH Group, said: “At TAG Heuer, we call chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technology the ‘Diamant d’Avant-Garde’, which has Thanks to the application of this innovative technology, we have been able to explore the versatility of carbon in the form of lab-grown diamonds, giving watches the unique shape and texture of diamonds to create stunning timepieces. Diamond, our innovation and experimentation with this special material, has opened up entirely new imaginations for designers, watchmakers and engineers.”
Replica TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma: a masterpiece of innovative materials and the art of contrast
The TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma watch is equipped with the H02 Nanograph tourbillon movement, the case is set with laboratory-grown diamonds using the pioneering diamond technology, and the hour markers are retouched. The polycrystalline diamond dial is another stunning feature of this new and unique timepiece. The lab-grown diamonds used in the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma are co-manufactured by partners such as Lusix, Capsoul and Diamaze who specialize in the research and development of this disruptive cutting-edge technology.
The 44mm case of the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma is mainly made of sandblasted anodized aluminum, the lightness and color of the material complementing the hardness and purity of diamonds. TAG Heuer’s designers also developed a polished black ceramic bezel that further underlines the timepiece’s exemplary character in terms of elegance and the art of contrast.
To further demonstrate the avant-garde style of the watch, the Swiss luxury watch brand has teamed up with Capsoul, a rising star in the field of diamond design, to design a stunningly ornate crown made entirely of diamonds at 3 o’clock. A button on each side of the crown is finished with a black DLC coating, which gives the watch a refined matte finish that contrasts with the brilliance of the diamonds.
The distinctive polycrystalline diamond dial is a highlight of the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma watch. The diamond effect presented by the special dial is that the crystals are gathering to form a single diamond shape. This morphology represents another type of bulk chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth: when many diamond crystals form a single diamond, they also produce spectacular reflections and multiple visual effects. At 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, the minute and hour counters feature black polycrystalline diamond dials with polished rhodium-plated hands that fully interpret the interplay of light and shadow.
Each of the 11 white gold hour-markers is set with a diamond, with a double hour-marker at 12 o’clock. Polished rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with matt black lacquer and white Super-LumiNova®, with rhodium-plated central hands. The TAG Heuer logo and the embossed black “Carrera” lettering complete the dazzling dial and complement the rhodium-plated bezel.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma has a gorgeous design, and the movement inside it is a masterpiece: this TAG Heuer Nanograph movement features a groundbreaking brand-made carbon-composite hairspring. Developed by the TAG Heuer Institute, this hairspring uses the same chemical vapor deposition process as laboratory-grown diamonds, thus revealing the various forms of carbon in this avant-garde watch. The carbon composite hairspring has excellent anti-magnetic and shock resistance, is extremely stable in the face of temperature fluctuations, and has a delicate geometric shape to achieve extraordinary timing performance. This also fully reflects the brand’s skillful control of carbon materials from the inside to the outside. Through watches and innovative laboratory-grown diamonds, carbon materials have been comprehensively and integratedly used.
This movement is based on the TAG Heuer self-made Heuer 02 automatic chronograph movement, a unique version specially developed for the TAG Heuer Carrera series Plasma watch, produced in Switzerland and has a power reserve of 65 hours. This special edition movement has been extensively hand-finished, and its oscillating weight is presented in the shield shape of the TAG Heuer brand logo.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma comes with an elegant black leather strap with black stitching and an ADLC-coated black grade 2 titanium buckle for an even more striking look.
Frédéric Arnault added: “TAG Heuer has always been driven by innovation. Using lab-grown diamonds in such a pioneering way is what we hope to create in a new, unique and exciting way. This innovation has been in the making. It’s been a long time, but it’s just the prelude to the long story we’re about to create; it’s a momentous moment for us and for the entire Swiss luxury watchmaking industry. We feel that luxury watches are always about exciting and surprising, and keeping up with the times It resonates, and this new watch embodies exactly that.”
This stunning TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma watch was exhibited at the ‘Watches and Wonders’ Haute Horlogerie as an innovation, symbolizing the crystallization of the collective creation of a professional and dedicated team. The TAG Heuer brand DNA pioneered this pioneering diamond plasma technology. The watch will be available worldwide soon, with an international warranty extended to 5 years.
TAG Heuer Carrera series
Plasma Nanograph Tourbillon Watch
XCBN5A90.FC8315
Movement
HEUER02 Nanograph Tourbillon certified by the Official Swiss Observatory
case
Diameter 44mm
Black sandblasted anodised aluminium case set with 48 lab-grown diamonds (4.2 carats total)
Polished/Satin Black Ceramic Fixed Bezel with Tachymeter Scale
Solitary sapphire crystal
Crown made of laboratory-grown diamonds (2.5 carats total weight) at 3 o’clock
Sandblasted black ADLC-coated stainless steel buttons and covers
Black sandblasted anodised aluminium case back with 4 black anodised titanium screws
dial
Rhodium-plated brass base dial with polycrystalline diamond panel (3.9 carats total)
2 circles at 60 sec/min on the outer edge
3 o’clock: minute counter, black polycrystalline diamond panel (0.25 carat total weight) and brass ring with black opal decoration, polished rhodium-plated hands
9 o’clock: hour counter, black polycrystalline diamond panel (0.25 carat total weight) and brass ring with black opal decoration, polished rhodium-plated hands
11 hour-markers in rhodium-plated white gold set with laboratory-grown diamonds (total weight 0.4 carats), double hour markers at 12 o’clock
Polished rhodium-plated hour and minute hands in matt black and white Super-LumiNova®
Rhodium-plated central hand
Polished rhodium-plated inserts and black lacquered case back
Embossed “CARRERA”
bracelet/strap
Black calfskin trim strap with black lining
Black sandblasted ADLC coated grade 2 titanium ardillon clasp
Total diamond weight: 11.7 carats
