TAG HEUER

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TAG Heuer, the leader in prestigious sports watches and chronographs since 1860, is one of the largest and fastest growing luxury Swiss watch brands. The Swiss watchmaking legend draws upon its active engagement in the world of sports to create the most accurate measuring instruments and sports watches in the world. TAG Heuer is the first watchmaker ever to master luxurious chronographs with an unsurpassed precision of 1/10th, 1/100th and 1/1,000th of a second.

From the Olympic Games in the 1920s to its role as official timekeeper to within 1/10,000th of a second for the legendary Indy 500, TAG Heuer, in a constant quest for innovation, excellence, performance and prestige, continues to aim ever higher, as reflected by its partnership with its partnership with some of the prestigious Formula 1 teams and their drivers.

TAG Heuer is a privileged member of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), the most exclusive club in the Swiss watchmaking industry.

History of TAG Heuer Watch brand

In 1860, at the age of 20, Edouard Heuer founded a watchmaking workshop in Saint-Imier, in the remote Jura Mountains of Switzerland. It was the start of TAG Heuer’s extraordinary story, which transformed the company originally named Heuer, after its founder, over 125 years into the company we know today.

At this period in time, all watches were wound with a key. In 1869, two years after he moved his workshop to Bienne, Edouard Heuer changed the course of watchmaking history forever with his first patented invention: a keyless, crown-operated winding system.

A huge success at the 1873 Universal Exhibition in Vienna, this new generation of timepieces soon became the most coveted in the world. When powerful American watch manufacturers moved aggressively into the European market, Edouard Heuer responded by pushing through innovations in every area of design, engineering, and manufacturing, thus helping to make Switzerland the world leader in the watchmaking industry.

As sporting competitions rapidly expanded—on water, grass, cinder running tracks, and roads—measuring time accurately became increasingly important. Edouard Heuer acted upon this and, in 1882, he became one of the first to produce pocket chronographs in large quantities. In 1887, he patented one of the most important innovations in watchmaking: the famous Oscillating Pinion still used to this day by leading manufacturers in the production of mechanical chronographs.

The revolutionary device has allowed the chronograph to function very neatly by replacing the two large wheels of the anterior movements. With this breakthrough invention, TAG Heuer became the reference standard in chronographs and timing instruments for high-level sports. In 1889, at the Universal Exhibition in Paris, the company was awarded a silver medal for its pocket chronograph collection. When Edouard Heuer died in 1892, his creative vision and passion for innovation had laid the foundation for a watchmaking dynasty.

After Edouard Heuer’s death, the company ownership passed to his two sons, Jules-Edouard and Charles-Auguste Heuer. Their daring and intuition brought TAG Heuer to the forefront of high-quality sports timing and chronographs. The two brothers were convinced that the company’s future would unfold outside Switzerland. They forged strong ties with local importers in other countries, such as Henry Freund in the United States.

By this time, they had also seen an opportunity in sports, where there was an even greater demand for precision in timekeeping. The Time of Trip, patented in 1911, was the first 12-hour dashboard chronograph for cars and aircraft. It indicated the time and the duration of the journey. This innovation was a great success with aviation clubs. In 1919, the Zeppelin R34, with a Time of Trip on board, made the first flight over the North Atlantic. In 1929, Hugo Eckener equipped his Graf Zeppelin with this instrument before completing the first round-the-world trip in an airship.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the timekeeping world was confronted with the challenge of increasing precision. Consequently, Charles-Auguste set a goal for his employees: “Make a stopwatch capable of a timekeeping precision five to ten times greater than anything that exists today.”

Thus, in 1916, the Mikrograph and Microsplit, and Semikrograph and Semicrosplit, were born. These were the world’s first mechanical stopwatches that were accurate to 1/100th of a second and 1/50th of a second, respectively. At that time, other timing instruments could only measure to the nearest 1/5th of a second. This new development revolutionized science, industry, and watchmaking, and made TAG Heuer the natural choice as an official supplier of chronographs for the Olympic Games in Antwerp (1920), Paris (1924), and Amsterdam (1928).

Thousands of Mikrographs were produced over the next six decades, until their discontinuation in 1969, thus providing TAG Heuer with a unique expertise in manufacturing movements that beat at 360,000 times an hour. The first alpine slalom and downhill ski races were timed by TAG Heuer, starting in 1928. Then, in the 1930s, the company proved itself, serving as the timekeeper of the speed-skiing race in St. Moritz and the Bobsleigh World Championship in Caux.

In 1931, Professor Auguste Piccard, a specialist of cosmic radiation, led the first stratospheric flight. To commemorate the world-record altitude of 15,781 meters in a balloon, the city of Bienne gave Professor Piccard a gold TAG Heuer chronograph. In 1947, TAG Heuer presented him with another chronograph featuring hands with no radium, so it would not interfere with the cosmic-ray measurements.

In 1933, the company launched the Autavia (a combination of “AUTomobile” and “AVIAtion”), the first onboard stopwatch for cars and aircraft. This instrument was often mounted with a Hervue watch on a chrome base and affixed to a dashboard.

TAG Heuer’s cutting-edge chronographs soon appeared on the wrists of famous people around the world, including Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Ford, Prince William of Sweden, and King Bhumibol of Thailand. From the racetrack to the water, TAG Heuer continued to innovate. Since regatta timekeeping on Lake Geneva in the 1920s, sailing has inspired the company to use new materials and create new functions, as in 1950, when TAG Heuer unveiled its patented Mareograph, a unique sailing chronograph derived from the earlier Solunar watch, which let fishermen know when fish were feeding. Called the Seafarer in the United States, the new chronograph was the first with a tide indicator and a five-minute countdown function for sailing competitions.

In 1955, TAG Heuer unveiled the Twin-Time, a GMT model that displayed two time zones simultaneously. In 1958, the company presented its famous onboard timer, the Rally-Master, consisting of a Master-Time (eight-day clock) and a Monte- Carlo (12-hour stopwatch). The following year, Hubert Heuer and his nephew, Jack Heuer (son of Charles-Edouard), set up Heuer Time Corporation, a new American subsidiary based in New York. On February 20, 1962, American astronaut John Glenn wore a TAG Heuer stopwatch when he piloted the Friendship 7 spacecraft on Mercury-Atlas 6, the first manned U.S. orbital mission, making TAG Heuer the first Swiss watchmaker in space.

In 1963, Jack Heuer turned his creative focus to the world of cinema, designing the Film-Master, which measured film sequences in 16 mm and 35 mm. This made the brand a Hollywood and Bollywood favorite, with TAG Heuer timepieces worn in many movies and by today’s stars. The following year, Jack Heuer turned to his overriding passion for motor racing with the inaugural launch of the legendary TAG Heuer Carrera.

A tribute to professional motor racing’s most grueling road race, the legendary Carrera Panamericana Mexico of the 1950s, this stunning piece of unconventional watchmaking technology was worn by numerous racing drivers. It remains one of TAG Heuer’s most popular, timeless, and iconic creations. In 1965, Jack Heuer unveiled a prototype of the Slalom Timer at the Basel Watch Fair. It was the company’s first miniaturized electronic timing instrument accurate to 1/100th of a second. The electronic revolution had begun.

One year later, Jack Heuer stunned the watchmaking world again, this time by introducing the Microtimer, the world’s first miniaturized electronic timing instrument accurate to an extraordinary 1/1,000th of a second. The most famous sports event after the World Cup and the Olympic Games is the America’s Cup. TAG Heuer was the Official Supplier of chronographs to the Intrepid team, which won the America’s Cup in 1967.

In 1969, the Swiss driver Jo Siffert signed on as a TAG Heuer brand ambassador, becoming the first racing driver sponsored by a watch manufacturer. At the beginning of the ’60s, Jack Heuer reached an agreement with two other Swiss watch manufacturers to create the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. They gave their top-secret project the confidential code name “99.”

The new Chronomatic Calibre 11 was launched in 1969. This first chronograph movement with an automatic micro-rotor mechanism powered both the TAG Heuer Carrera and Autavia, and also the legendary Monaco. This original automatic chronograph with a square, water-resistant case achieved a near-mythological status when Steve McQueen wore it in the film Le Mans (1971).

In 1971, Enzo Ferrari asked Clay Regazzoni, Swiss winner of the Italian Grand Prix, to find timing instruments for the 24 Heures du Mans race. TAG Heuer technology was ideally suited to the task, as demonstrated by the Le Mans Centigraph, which was able to measure time to 1/1,000th of a second. As Ferrari’s Official Timekeeper from 1971 to 1979, the brand played a key role in the team’s unprecedented string of world-championship victories, and saw its name linked to Ferrari legends such as Gilles Villeneuve, Niki Lauda, and Jody Scheckter. Meanwhile, in Bienne, TAG Heuer continued to innovate.

In 1973, the Microsplit 820 was unveiled, the first pocket quartz timing instrument precise to 1/100th of a second. In 1975, TAG Heuer launched the Chronosplit, the world’s first quartz wrist chronograph with a double digital display LCD/LED. The LCD on top showed the time of the day and the LED showed the stopped time to a precision of 1/10th of a second. Enzo Ferrari personally ordered 15 of these special Ferrari models. Other famous customers, such as Paul Newman, soon joined the ranks of Chronosplit owners. Just two years later, the company presented the world’s first digital-analog chronograph, the Chronosplit Manhattan GMT, forerunner of the Kirium Formula 1 chronograph.

The launch of the 2000 series in 1982 reinforced the unparalleled sporting spirit of the brand. This contemporary sports watch became an industry benchmark due to its six features: water-resistance up to 200 meters, a unidirectional turning bezel, luminescent hands and markers, a screw-in crown with a double gasket to ensure water resistance, a double-safety clasp, and scratch-resistant, sapphire-crystal glass. In 1984, Mike Birch broke the world record for the greatest distance sailed in 24 hours in his Formule Tag, the first Kevlar®-and-carbon-fiber catamaran.

In 1985, TAG Heuer teamed up with McLaren Mercedes, forming what would become one of the longest-running and most successful partnerships in Formula One history; TAG Heuer was soon linked to some of the team’s most famous drivers, including Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, and Mika Häkkinen. Launched in 1987, the S/el (sport and elegance) watch made its mark in the world of watchmaking, thanks to its signature feature: a double S-shaped bracelet. This famous watch reinforced TAG Heuer’s position as the industry reference for sport, elegance, and prestige. The S/el was the favorite model of the legendary Ayrton Senna, who signed on as a TAG Heuer brand ambassador in 1988.

In 1989, TAG Heuer became the Official Timekeeper for World Cup alpine skiing events in the United States and Canada. In 1991, it also added the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and in 1992, the Formula One World Championship. TAG Heuer used the most advanced technology to achieve a level of reliability comparable to that of atomic clocks. The timing of Formula One races, for example, was controlled by a GPS-satellite detection system, ensuring precision to a millionth of a second. In 1995, TAG Heuer was part of sailor Chris Dickson’s challenge in the Louis Vuitton Cup, which reached the semifinals.

In 1991, TAG Heuer launched the advertising campaign “Don’t Crack under Pressure,” depicting the intense concentration exerted by athletes and emphasizing the mental, rather than physical, side of sport, pushing barriers to reach new heights of performance and greater standards of excellence. The next campaign, “Success. It’s a mind game,” began in 1995, and was not only striking but also entirely original. The advertisements depicted the mental pressure that athletes subject themselves to in order to win.

TAG Heuer relaunched three of its classic series: TAG Heuer Carrera in 1996, Monaco in 1998, and Monza in 2001. In 1999, the company introduced the Link series, a bold reworking of the hugely successful S/el design.

In 1999, LVMH group (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) acquired TAG Heuer.

Milestones

  • 1860: Edouard Heuer opens watchmaking shop in Saint-Imier. Marries Suzanna Scherz, daughter of a notary from Aeschi, in the Bernese Alps.
  • 1864: Edouard Heuer moves his business to Brügg and names it Edouard Heuer & Cie.
  • 1867: Edouard Heuer establishes his business in the watchmaking region of Bienne. 1869: Heuer obtains patent for first independent crown-winding mechanism for pocket watches.
  • 1870: Edouard Heuer buys house at 6 rue des Vergers in Bienne.
  • 1876: Edouard Heuer establishes London subsidiary, E.D. Heuer, London.
  • 1878: On September 1, Edouard Heuer establishes partnership with Fritz Lambelet and opens luxury watch and gemstone workshop. Edouard Heuer elected to the Bienne town council. Louise Honorine, Edouard Heuer’s daughter, joins business as office apprentice and soon enters company management.
  • 1882: Edouard Heuer is one of the first watchmakers to mass-produce pocket chronographs.
  • 1883: Company earns silver medal at the Amsterdam World’s Fair for its collection of pocket chronographs.
  • 1885: Heuer, Lambelet & Cie. dissolves. Company resumes using the name Edouard Heuer & Cie.
  • 1887: Heuer obtains French and German patents for famous Oscillating Pinion. Affected by the death of his daughter, Louise-Honorine, Edouard Heuer turns over control to his son Jules-Edouard.
  • 1888: Heuer obtains Swiss and English patents for repeater watch with an automatic striking mechanism.
  • 1889: Heuer receives silver medal for its collection of pocket chronographs at the Paris World’s Fair.
  • 1890: The La Sirène trademark is registered.
  • 1891: After training in business, watchmaking, and gemology at the London firm of Edwin W. Streeter, Edouard Heuer’s third child, Charles-Auguste, becomes a Heuer employee.
  • 1892: Edouard Heuer dies on April 30 at the age of 52.
  • 1893: Charles-Auguste Heuer joins company management.
  • 1895: Heuer obtains patent for one of the first water-resistant cases. Heuer’s catalogue already features pocket watches and brooch watches for women.
  • 1901: La Chimère, Alligator, La Cigale, and Shamrock trademarks are registered.
  • 1902: Jules-Edouard and Charles-Auguste Heuer become exclusive owners of Edouard Heuer & Cie. Watch sales total 152,000 Swiss francs.
  • 1907: Gemstone sales achieve record level of Swiss francs.
  • 1908: Company obtains patent for pulsometer, still used in medicine today.
  • 1910: Henri Freund & Bros. becomes Heuer’s U.S. distributor. Products feature the brand name “The Rose” on dial or ” Rose Watch Co.” on movement.
  • 1911: Heuer introduces the Time of Trip, first airplane and automobile dashboard chronograph. Heuer obtains patent for calendar that charts length of pregnancy and expected delivery date. Jules-Edouard Heuer dies.
  • 1912: Heuer launches production of bracelet wristwatches for women. Company is named Ed. Heuer & Co. Rose Watch Company. Heuer logo first appears on letterhead.
  • 1913: Heuer publishes first newspaper advertisement.
  • 1914: First Heuer bracelet chronographs appear, featuring a Valjoux 15 calibre movement with a crown at 12 o’clock.
  • 1915: Patent for shock-resistant case (26328). Charles-Edouard Heuer, Charles Auguste’s oldest son, joins company after two years of training.
  • 1916: Charles-Auguste Heuer invents first sports stopwatches accurate to 1/100th of a second, the Mikrograph and the Microsplit (with split-seconds), followed by the Semikrograph and the Semicrosplit (with split-seconds), accurate to 1/50th of a second.
  • 1919: The Zeppelin R 34, with a Time of Trip on board, makes the first flight over the North Atlantic.
  • 1920: The British army and postal service purchase 2,200 Heuer Time of Trip clocks. Pocket chronographs, with splitseconds and chronometer certificates produced by Heuer, are chosen as official timekeeping instruments for the Antwerp Olympic Games. The brand, The Rose, is dropped. Paul Vallette models with LeCoultre movement are designed for the U.S. market.
  • 1923: Hubert Heuer, Charles-Auguste’s second son, enters the company as the U.S. sales director. Charles-Auguste Heuer dies. The simple limited partnership Edouard Heuer & Co. is established on September 13, led by Charles-Edouard and Hubert Heuer.
  • 1924: Heuer stops manufacturing pocket watches and focuses on wristwatches. Smith & Sons orders 1,200 Time of Trip clocks for airplanes. Pocket chronographs, with split seconds and chronometer certificates produced by Heuer, are chosen as the official timekeeping instruments of the Paris Olympic Games.
  • 1927: Company’s name changes to Ed. Heuer, manufacturer of Jules Jürgensen watches.
  • 1928: Pocket chronographs with split-seconds and chronometer certificates produced by Heuer are chosen as official timekeeping instruments of the Amsterdam Olympic Games. Heuer watches are put to the test as Official Timekeeper of ski, bobsleigh, and automobile races.
  • 1929: Heuer logo takes final form. Graf Zeppelin carrying Hugo Eckener on a record setting around-the-world trip (20 days, 4 hours) is equipped with a Heuer Time of Trip.
  • 1930: A watertight case for bracelet watches is produced.
  • 1931: The city of Bienne presents Prof. Auguste Piccard with a gold Heuer chronograph with a 17-line movement to commemorate his flight into the stratosphere with Bienne physicist Paul Kipfer.
  • 1933: The Autavia, the first dashboard instrument for racecars, and Hervue, featuring a movement that does not need to be wound for 8 days, are launched.
  • 1934: Ed. Heuer & Co. participates in the Swiss Watch Fair in Basel for the first time, presenting a wide range of sports stopwatches, chronographs, and dashboard watches.
  • 1935: Heuer develops chronograph for pilots with a turning bezel.
  • 1936: Jules Jürgensen brand is sold. Company returns to former name, Ed. Heuer & Cie.
  • 1939: Heuer chronographs chosen by Committee of the National Exhibition in Zurich. Company introduces water-resistant wrist chronograph.
  • 1942: Heuer includes a warranty with all chronographs sold in Switzerland.
  • 1945: Heuer introduces triple calendar (day, date and month) chronograph. All Heuer products signed on the movement, dial, and case. General Dwight D. Eisenhower purchases a Heuer chronograph with a steel case.
  • 1947: Heuer launches production of automatic wristwatches. Prince Wilhelm of Sweden and Harry S. Truman both wear a gold Heuer chronograph.
  • 1948: Heuer introduces the Auto-Graph, a wrist chronograph watch with a tachymeter scale and a hand that can be preset manually. Receives first Desco orders from Japan.
  • 1949: Launch of the Solunar, the first\ watch equipped with a tide indicator. One thousand pieces are produced. The chronograph Mareograph, featuring a tide level indicator and countdown function, is introduced afterwards and only launched in 1950. This model is called the Seafarer in the U.S.
  • 1955: Obtains a patent for the Twin-Time, a GMT watch that displays the time in two zones simultaneously. Heuer provides 3 stopwatches accurate to within 1/10th second for the third South Georgia Survey.
  • 1957: Heuer launches the Ring–Master stopwatch, a world first that features seven interchangeable rings with scales that can be adapted to time various sports. Prince Bertil of Sweden wears it the following year.
  • 1958: Heuer receives a patent for the Monte-Carlo dashboard stopwatch, with a central 60-minute hand and a 12-hour jumping disc. Together with the 8-day Master-Time dashboard clock, the pair is called the Rally-Master. Heuer redesigns the Auto-Rallye dashboard stopwatch and launches the Super-Autavia dashboard chronograph. Jack Heuer, Charles-Edouard’s son, joins the company.
  • 1959: Heuer launches the Game-Master, a wrist stopwatch for radio, television, and film directors. Heuer Time Corporation is established in the U.S.
  • 1962: Autavia wrist chronograph introduced. Astronaut John Glenn wears a Heuer sport wrist stopwatch as he orbits the Earth three times on board the spaceship Mercury Friendship 7. Heuer is the first Swiss watch in space.
  • 1963: Heuer launches the Film-Master stopwatch, which allows Hollywood directors to measure and track 16- and 35-millimeter film sequences. The Sebring, a dashboard stopwatch with a split-second hand, is introduced.
  • 1964: Heuer launches the Heuer Carrera chronograph. Heuer and Léonidas merge, creating Heuer-Léonidas SA. Sales figures double.
  • 1965: Innovation introduced in the Heuer Carrera model: the world’s first bracelet chronograph with digital date display printed on a rotating disc.
  • 1966: Heuer obtains a patent for the Microtimer, the first miniaturized, electronic sports timer accurate to 1/1,000th of a second.
  • 1967: The Intrepid and its skipper, Emil Mosbacher, win the America’s Cup with Heuer chronographs on board.
  • 1968: Autavia GMT is introduced. The wrist chronograph features a rotating bezel for second time zone. Heuer designs a chronograph for Bundeswehr pilots (the army of the Federal Republic of Germany). Camaro chronograph is launched. Heuer-Léonidas receives a major order for calibre Valjoux 7700 from China and the U.S.
  • 1969: The world’s first automatic chronograph movement with a micro rotor, the Chronomatic Calibre 11, is introduced. The Monaco, the world’s first chronograph with a square, water-resistant case, is introduced. Well-known Swiss race-car driver Jo Siffert wears Heuer chronographs and becomes the company’s first official ambassador.
  • 1970: Steve McQueen wears a Monaco chronograph and racing overalls with the Heuer logo in the film Le Mans, directed by Lee H. Katzin. On April 24, Heuer-Léonidas SA issues 4,000 shares (nominal value of 250 Swiss francs) at a price of 925 Swiss francs. Jack Heuer becomes CEO.
  • 1971: Calculator and Easy-Rider chronographs are introduced. Heuer is the Ferrari racing team’s Official Timekeeper until 1979, and drivers Clay Regazzoni and Jacky Ickx wear the company logo on their overalls. Swiss ski team uses Heuer chronographs.
  • 1972: Heuer creates the Le Mans Centigraph, an electronic chronograph accurate to 1/1,000th of a second, for the Ferrari racing team. Launch of the Montreal and Temporada chronographs and the Microsplit 800 chronographs, the world’s first pocket quartz-timing instrument. Heuer products are exported to 102 countries.
  • 1973: Heuer launches the Microsplit 820, the world’s first pocket quartz timing instrument accurate to 1/100th of a second.
  • 1974: Silverstone chronograph is introduced. Heuer also sponsors the McLaren Formula One team. Record year for Heuer-Léonidas, with sales above 26 million Swiss francs. Charles-Edouard Heuer dies.
  • 1975: Chronosplit LED/LCD, accurate to within 1/10th of a second, is introduced. Monza chronograph is launched.
  • 1976: The Daytona, the Regatta, the Chronosplit LCD, accurate to within 1/100th of a second, and the Microsplit LCD, a pocket quartz timing instrument accurate to within 1/100th of a second and designed by Richard Sapper, are introduced.
  • 1977: Chronosplit Manhattan GMT, the first quartz bracelet chronograph with both analog and digital displays,m accurate to within 1/100th of a second, is launched. The Kentucky, Jarama, and Cortina chronographs are introduced, and the Split Lap Unit 77 digital chronograph is designed for Ford.
  • 1978: Heuer presents the 1000 series, the first quartz diver watch, water-resistant up to 200 meters. Introduces the Senator and Verona series.
  • 1979: Pasadena series is launched.
  • 1980: As part of the Swiss Timing organization, Heuer is the Official Timekeeper at the winter Olympics in Lake Placid and the summer Olympics in Moscow. During a state visit to Switzerland, Spanish king Juan Carlos congratulates Jack Heuer on the company’s products.
  • 1982: 2000 series is launched. The new Lémania SA acquires all Heuer-Léonidas SA shares, preserving the brand and Heuer-Léonidas jobs.
  • 1983: The Golden Hours series of 18-karat gold prestigious watches and chronographs for collectors is launched.
  • 1984: 1000 M professional diver’s watch, 3000, and Pilot series are launched.
  • 1985: Titanium, Airline, and Executive series, and the 125th-anniversary collection, are introduced. Heuer joins the TAG Group (Techniques d’Avant-Garde) and becomes TAG Heuer. The company sponsors skipper Mike Birch and his catamaran, the Formule TAG, the first Kevlar®- and-carbon-fiber catamaran. TAG Heuer and McLaren Mercedes begin the longest partnership in Formula One history.
  • 1986: TAG Heuer Formula 1 series, combining steel and glass fiber, is launched. TAG Heuer enters the skiing World Cup, sponsoring French and Austrian skiers Marc Girardelli, Helmut Höflehner, and others.
  • 1987: The S/el(sport/elegance) series is introduced. The Six Features advertising campaign is launched.
  • 1988: The Tristar series is launched. McLaren driver Ayrton Senna becomes TAG Heuer’s ambassador. TAG Heuer and Carl Lewis sign a sponsorship contract in September.
  • 1989: The 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph version of the S/el series is launched. TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper for the Alpine Ski World Cup in the U.S. and Canada.
  • 1990: The 1500, 4000, and Super 2000 series are introduced.
  • 1991: The “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” ad campaign, featuring Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, is introduced. TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
  • 1992: The 6000 series is introduced. The FIA, the International Automobile Federation, selects TAG Heuer as the Official Timekeeper for the Formula One World Championship (1992–2003).
  • 1993: TAG Heuer sponsors the renowned French skipper, Titouan Lamazou, in the Jules Verne Trophy regatta. Mika Häkkinen joins McLaren and becomes a TAG Heuer ambassador.
  • 1994: TAG Heuer introduces the 6000 in 18-karat solid gold at its new booth at the World Watch and Jewelry Show in Basel.
  • 1995: The advertising campaign “Success. It’s a Mind Game,” is launched. TAG Heuer participates in the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup with Chris Dickson and the TAG Heuer Challenge.
  • 1996: The famous TAG Heuer Carrera chronograph is reissued. TAG Heuer becomes a public company.
  • 1997: TAG Heuer launches the Kirium series with the support of a remarkable team of athletes, photographed by Herb Ritts.
  • 1998: Monaco series reissued in a limited edition of 5,000. The 2000 Classic, 2000 Exclusive, and 2000 Searacer series are introduced.
  • 1999: The S/el series is renamed Link and its design changes. 2000 Sport series and a new line dedicated exclusively to women, Alter Ego, are launched. The Alter Ego line features prominent spokeswomen, including Monica Seles and Kristin Scott Thomas. TAG Heuer joins the LVMH group (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), the world’s leader in luxury goods. TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper of the World Ski Championship in Vail, Colorado.
  • 2000: The Kirium Ti5, the first watch made of a polished titanium alloy, Ti5, from the McLaren Formula One team, is launched. Jean-Christophe Babin becomes president and CEO of TAG Heuer.
  • 2001: The Kirium Formula 1, a modern analog watch with a digital chronograph accurate to 1/100th of a second, is introduced. The Monza is reissued and the Link Searacer is launched. Jack Heuer becomes honorary president of TAG Heuer. TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper of the World Ski Championships in St. Anton, Austria.
  • 2002: The Micrograph F1, a digital chronograph accurate to 1/100th of a second, wins the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Design Watches category. Targa Florio, Monza Calibre 36 and Link Calibre 36 are launched, all accurate to 1/10th of a second. Sportvision sunglass line introduced. TAG Heuer ambassadors David Coulthard, Zhang Ziyi, Inés Sastre, and Steve McQueen are featured in the brand’s new ad campaign, “What Are You Made Of?”
  • 2003: The 2000 Aquagraph and the Microtimer, a timekeeping instrument for the wrist, accurate to 1/1,000th of a second, are launched. Autavia is reissued. TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper for the World Ski Championships in St. Moritz and sponsors the Oracle BMW Racing team in the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup. No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods becomes a TAG Heuer Ambassador.
  • 2004: The concept watch Monaco V4, with a belt-driven mechanical movement, and the TAG Heuer SLR chronograph for Mercedes-Benz, are introduced. The 2000 series becomes the Aquaracer. Introduced in 2003, the Monaco Sixty Nine, the first reversible chronograph watch with two kinds of movement and accurate to 1/1,000th of a second, wins the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Design Watches category. TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper of the Indy Racing League and the renowned Indianapolis 500.
  • 2005: The Calibre 360 Concept Chronograph, the first mechanical wrist chronograph accurate to 1/100th of a second, is introduced the first Professional Golf Watch, developed in collaboration with Tiger Woods, is launched. The concept watch Diamond Fiction earns the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Ladies Watches category. TAG Heuer taps Uma Thurman, Brad Pitt, Maria Sharapova, Kimi Räikkönen, and Juan Pablo Montoya as new brand ambassadors. TAG Heuer is an official partner of the China Team in the America’s Cup.
  • 2006: The Monaco Calibre 360 LS concept chronograph is introduced. The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 360 Rose Gold Limited Edition, winner of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Sports Watches, is launched. TAG Heuer clocks a 2/10,000thof- a-second gap between the two winners of the Race of Champions Nations’ Cup.
  • 2007: TAG Heuer launches the TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA with Calibre RS, the first mechanical movement engineering with Rotating Systems. Link Calibre S and Aquaracer Calibre S Regatta, chronographs with electro-mechanical movement, are launched. The Aquaracer wins the Popular Science “Best of What’s New” award. Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso join Kimi Räikkönen as TAG Heuer ambassadors.
  • 2008: The TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA Calibre 36 RS Caliper Concept Chronograph, the first automatic chronograph capable of displaying 1/10ths of a second, featuring the Caliper rotating scale, is introduced. Its honors include the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Sports Watches category. TAG Heuer opened its TAG Heuer 360 Museum. TAG Heuer joins the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH). TAG Heuer launched the MERIDIIST luxury mobile phone and accessories. TAG Heuer Avant-Garde Eyewear’s C-Flex concept receives a SILMO Golden Award.
  • 2009: For the Monaco’s 40th anniversary, TAG Heuer reissued the first blue Monaco Calibre 11 in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces, introduces the Monaco Twenty Four Concept Chronograph and launches the Aquaracer 500M Calibre 5. TAG Heuer’s Baselworld booth wins a Silver Award in EXHIBITOR magazine’s 23rd Annual Exhibit Design Awards competition. The famous “What Are You Made Of?” advertising are relaunched. The campaign includes new TAG Heuer brand ambassador Leonardo DiCaprio.
  • 2010: Tennis Glamour Girl Maria Sharapova opens new Tag Heuer Boutique in Melbourne (the largest TAG Heuer boutique in the world. As official partner and official timekeeper, TAG Heuer is providing Audi Sport drivers and management with hi-end chronographs (Carrera Day-Date & Grand Carrera) and sunglasses. TAG Heuer and Tesla Motors launch worldwide partnership. Unveiled TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster, a one-of-a-kind collector’s car. TAG Heuer celebrates 150 years of pioneering innovation with a 60-piece limited edition of its transmission belt-driven Monaco Monaco V4 Next Generation Rose Gold Ruthenium and Ceramic. TAG HEUER CARRERA 1887 CHRONOGRAPH wins the “La Petite Aiguille” Best Watch of the Year Award at the 2010 Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève.
  • 2011: TAG Heuer announces a new partnership with the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM). World Rally star Sébastien Ogier joins elite corps of racing champions on the TAG Heuer “Dream Team” of Brand Ambassadors. Launches TAG Heuer LINK, the first Swiss luxury touch-screen smartphone, operating on Android.
  • 2012: TAG Heuer decides to double its mechanical chronograph movement manufacturing capacity by building a new site in Chevenez (Canton of Jura). The site will produce the in-house Calibre 1887 mechanical chronograph that was launched in 2010, plus a brand new calibre which is being developed internally in order to complete the range of TAG Heuer high-end/high-performances chronographs. Already being official watch and official eyewear of Audi Sport for its Endurance program, TAG Heuer now becomes Official watch partner of Audi Sport in DTM, the German Touring Cars championship. Opens 3 new stores in Switzerland: Lucerne, Zürich and Geneva. Opens their second boutique in Bangalore at the Phoenix Market City Mall, Whitefield Road. TAG Heuer wins the “Aiguille d’Or” award for its Mikrogirder at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix 2012.
  • 2013: TAG Heuer celebrates 50th anniversary of iconic CARRERA, the first sports chronograph designed specifically for professional drivers and sports-car enthusiasts.

Jack William Edouard Heuer, Honorary Chairman of TAG Heuer

Jack William Edouard Heuer was born in 1932 in Bern, Switzerland, as great-grandson of Edouard Heuer, the original founder of TAG Heuer in 1860. He holds an Electrical Engineering degree and a master in production and management from the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich. During his student years he was very active in sports, mainly in skiing, as a member for several years of the Swiss University ski team. His fascination with sports would allow him during his business life to follow in the steps of his father and grandfather who in the very early days of the firm already developed time pieces for sports applications.

Mr. Heuer joined the family firm as a young engineer in 1958. A year later he started the first Heuer sales subsidiary in the United States, the Heuer Time Corporation, which still exists today as LVMH W & J USA. In 1962 he became majority shareholder of Ed. Heuer & Co. SA. Two years later the company acquired its largest competitor, the Leonidas Watch Co., and subsequently the company changed its name to Heuer-Leonidas SA.

As managing director of Heuer-Leonidas he was instrumental in pushing for the development of the world’s first automatic chronograph which was launched on March 3rd, 1969. In that same year Mr. Heuer’s company became one of the first non automotive sponsors of the Formula One racing circuit as the means to promote the Heuer brand on a worldwide basis. In 1971 he started a very close and successful technical co-operation with Ferrari in Formula One, which lasted 9 years and sealed TAG Heuer’s position in the high technology auto-racing field.

Having anticipated that the technological revolution of solid state electronics would totally change the world’s watch industry, he was one of the very early entrants into electronic timekeeping and helped launch several of the world’s first electronic timing instruments, such as:
• The Microtimer (1966), a low-cost portable timing instrument measuring to 1/1000th of a second
• The Microsplit 800 (1972), a handheld quartz stopwatch measuring to 1/100th of a second
• The Chronosplit (1975), first quartz chronograph measuring 1/100th of a second
• The ACIT (1976), an Automatic Car Identification and Timing System which applied the principle of putting a radio emitter on every Formula One car, to allow for precise timing, lap counting and car identification. This System, although in the meantime modified and permanently improved is basically still the one used today in Formula One timekeeping.
• The Chronosplit Manhattan (1977), an electronic wrist chronograph with analog reading of the time of day and digital readout of the stopwatch function.

In 1982 Mr. Heuer left the company as a result of a major restructuring that took place in the Swiss watch industry when Heuer-Leonidas SA was acquired by the Piaget group. Piaget resold the company in 1985 to the TAG Group (Techniques d’Avant-Garde) which renamed it TAG Heuer SA.

Mr. Heuer thereafter joined a Swiss management consulting firm where he became a partner. In addition to his consulting activity in 1983 he started to build a European marketing organisation for a Hong Kong based consumer electronics group called IDT (Integrated Display Technology Ltd). At the time this firm employed only about 200 people. Over the years he opened sales offices for the IDT Group in Germany, Switzerland, London, Paris, Milano and Madrid and was appointed Executive Director for Europe. The IDT Group which employs around 5’000 people is traded today publicly on the Hong Kong exchange.

After retiring as Executive Director for Europe in 2000, Mr. Heuer continued to be active in an advisory role and as a board member of the IDT International Group in Hong Kong until 2005. Over the past years Mr. Heuer stayed in contact with the management team of TAG Heuer and has been instrumental in the preparation of its well known history book “Mastering Time”.

In 1999 the LVMH Group acquired TAG Heuer and subsequently Mr. Heuer was appointed in 2001 Honorary Chairman of TAG Heuer with a special advisory role concerning the history and technological heritage of the company in addition to adding the benefit of his long experience in the watch industry.

Official website: https://www.tagheuer.com/en