Originally launched in 1974, the SILVERSTONE chronograph gets its name from the famous racetrack of the same name. An hour’s drive west of London, between Northampton and Oxford, Silverstone is best known as the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted in 1948.
On May 13th 1950, the opening race of the 1st ever FIA Formula One World Championship started at Silverstone.
Since that, Silverstone racing track received 43 Formula One British Grand Prix starts and became the ‘’home’’ Grand Prix for McLaren with 12 wins in 35 years. The racetrack has a special place in TAG Heuer’s heart because many of its racing ambassadors and F1 team partners scored career-making victories on it.
From Emmanuel de Graffenried, the very first ambassador, in 1949, Juan Manuel Fangio in 1956, Jo Siffert in 1968, Alain Prost in 1985 and 1989, Ayrton Senna in 1988, David Coulthard in 1999 and 2000, Mika Hakkinen in 2001 or Lewis Hamilton with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Benz in 2008, the Silverstone racetrack has pushed the best to achieve their best.
The top drivers of the 1970s admired the SILVERSTONE chronograph for its distinctive name, unique shape and avant-garde look, and the buzz they generated helped make it a style icon of the period. TAG Heuer was Ferrari’s timekeeper throughout that decade, but it was also partnered with McLaren, BRM and Surtees-Ford, and every driver from these teams wore a TAG Heuer watch.
In 1974, the year the SILVERSTONE was launched, Clay Regazzoni and Emerson Fittipaldi became TAG Heuer ambassadors. The two legendary drivers chose the chronograph as personal lucky charms. Fittipaldi won his 2nd F1 World Championship that year, driving for McLaren while Regazzoni won the Silverstone GP in 1979.
The SILVERSTONE’s distinctive and vintage design — a squared case with rounded edges in polished stainless steel — was based on another breakout timepiece of the period, Steve McQueen’s 1969 Monaco.
Softer edged, graced with a colourful dial, totally new shape, and fully loaded with leading-edge chronograph functionality, the SILVERSTONE is one of TAG Heuer’s purest designs and most emblematic creations ever. It became a defining symbol of the 1970s, and a coveted design object ever since.
The SILVERSTONE was initially driven by the proven Chronomatic Calibre 11 automatic movement, developed in cooperation with Dubois Dépraz, Breitling and Hamilton-Büren, and launched in 1969 as the world first automatic chronograph movement with micro-rotor. Typical characteristics of the movement are the date counter at 6 o’clock and the two pushbuttons, placed across from the crown in two indentations.
To keep the counters, pushbuttons and crown configuration of the original, the new SILVERSTONE’s movement is the Calibre 11 with Dubois-Depraz module.
The re-edition is faithful to the original — not just the same bold mix of round and square and the distinctive technical features, but also the same vintage “HEUER” logo and “SILVERSTONE” lettering at 12 o’clock, and a strap in top-grade perforated alligator.
Technical details
Collection: TAG Heuer Silverstone Series
Model: TAG Heuer Silverstone Calibre 11 Chronograph Limited Edition
References
CAM2110.FC6258: Blue dial
CAM2111.FC6259: Brown dial
Movement
TAG Heuer Calibre 11 Automatic chronograph movement
Oscillating weight with Côte de Genève finishing and red vintage HEUER logo
Dial
Original blue or brown dial
Hand applied indexes on flange
White hands
White luminescent markers on hour and minute hands and indexes
2 square-shaped sub-counters indexes and numbers
Running second counter at 3 o’clock
Chronograph minute counter at 9 o’clock
Monochrome vintage “HEUER” logo and “SILVERSTONE” lettering at 12 o’clock
“AUTOMATIC – CHRONOGRAPH ” lettering at 6 o’clock
Date window at 6 o’clock outlined by a white frame
“SWISS MADE” lettering along both sides of the date window
Case
Case diameter: 42 mm
Square-shaped case in polished stainless steel
Polished fine-shaped crown at 9 o’clock with vintage “HEUER” logo on the face and grooves around the side for easy grip
Rounded polished chronograph push-buttons at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock
Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Case back fixed with screws
Fine-brushed stainless steel base with polished edge
Round sapphire crystal in the middle allowing direct view on the movement
“150th ANNIVERSARY 1860-2010 – CALIBRE 11 – SILVERSTONE-LIMITED EDITION – SWISS MADE – N° XXXX-1860” inscription
Water-resistance: 100 meters
Bracelet
Perforated alligator strap (blue for blue dial, brown for brown dial)
Stainless steel folding clasp with vintage “HEUER” logo on the face and safety push buttons
