Jack Heuer once said “Time never stops. Why Should we?” This was his belief and it has been the guideline that has shaped Tag Heuer’s success for more than 150 years. No matter the challenges, the brand overpassed them and surprised everyone with innovations that changed the face of the watches industry. Traditional Swiss watchmaking has been revolutionized due to its continuous quality improvements and high levels of precision and performances.
Tag Heuer is a remarkable company that since its debut in 1860 has created its own set of rules, it has never made any compromises, it chose its own path, it didn’t crack under pressure and it never quit moving forward. Its founder was Edouard Heuer who was only 20 years when he started his watchmaking business. Reliable and robust, its watches have brought significant innovations on the market, like the oscillating pinion in 1887, the first stopwatch accurate to 1/100 of a second in 1916, the first Swiss watch in space in 1962 and the Tag Heuer Carrera which was the first chronograph exclusively created for professional drivers in 1963.
The company was first named Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG and it was established in Switerland. To the large audience it was known as Heuer, this was also the name printed on all its product. In 1985, the Tag Group decided to buy the firm’s majority stake thus resulting Tag Heuer. The name Tag Heur is actually a combination between the abbreviation of the name “Techniques d’Avant Garde” and the founder’s surname Heuer. It is a brilliant name that symbolizes modern watch innovations. The most recent change took place in 1999 when French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH bought almost 100% of the Swiss company. Even though, the company has experienced a series of major obstacles somehow it has overcome every single one and continued to enrich its watchmaking legacy.
The brand’s watches are closely connected to car racing which makes them incredibly appealing to automobile enthusiasts, but its popularity expands much further. Their modern and unique style attracts men with a preference for complex Swiss watches, to women who like a masculine style and to water sports enthusiasts who need a professional instrument capable of diving to depths of 500 meters. The company’s identity is based on values as pioneering spirit, boldness, quality, non-conformism and reliability.
Even though Omega is notorious for its space achievements, few people are aware that Tag Heuer was actually the first Swiss watchmaker in space. This achievement was possible in 1962 when John Glenn wore a Heuer stopwatch on his wrist while he was the pilot on the first US spacecraft to orbit the earth. The ship was called Mercury Atlas and the mission was at that time a ground setting one. The stopwatch worn by the astronaut was the back-up instrument on the flight and it was started manually by John Glenn 20 seconds after the start of the mission. This pioneering timepiece can be viewed by the public at the San Diego Air and Space Museum where it is currently exhibited.
Tag Heur’s fame was also built on extensive collaborations with its Hollywood and sports ambassadors meant to preserve its image as a luxury brand with an innovative spirit. Easy recognizable personalities from a diverse range of industries and professions have been promoting the brand’s watches within the last years. Names like Chris Hemsworth, David Guetta , SteveMcqueen, Ayrton Senna, Severine Pont Combe, Martin Garrix, Jessica Korda, Li Yifeng, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cara Delevingne, Jeremy Lin, Nervo, Fangion and Ranbir Kapoor have long been associated with its high quality Swiss watches. Also, Tag Heuer has been the main sponsor for the Formula One World Championships, the Skiing World Championships, three Summer Olympic Games of the 1920s and has created a watch exclusively for the McLaren F1 team.
The brand has produced numerous successful watch models that have marked the horological industry. Its current collections include: Formula One, Carrera, Aquaracer, Link, Monaco, Connect, and Grand Carrera. Every single line is unique and fascinating. It presents innovations and a distinctive design that attracts and intrigue watches fans around the globe.
Tag Heuer is one of the most important and popular luxury watches brands. Its success is based on a strong history of innovations, groundbreaking developments in the field of mechanical chronographs and important connections with sports and automobile racing. Its over 150 years career has turned it into one of the leaders of the sports watches and racing chronographs industry.