TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph

First unveiled in concept form at BraselWorld 2008, one of the newest members of the TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA collection is the Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph. This timepiece applauds the longstanding collaboration between TAG Heuer and legendary Japanese car designer Ken Okuyama, the driving force behind many outstanding GT cars such as the Ferrari Enzo and Maserati Quattroporte (while at Pininfarina), and more recently, under his own studio.

Although it’s a mouthful, this timepiece is one of the best looking and most advanced to sport the Grand CARRERA name. In fact, this watch is the first mechanical automatic chronograph capable of measuring and displaying 1/10th of a second increments, which comes by way of the central seconds hand. The chronometer movement is COSC-certified at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour.

The mechanics of this watch are top-notch with the Calibre 36 RS movement providing a power reserve while two ‘Black Gold’ Rotating Systems display chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock, chronograph hours at 6 o’clock and seconds at 9 o’clock. Amazingly, there is a rotating scale that allows precision reading at 1/10th of a second via a 10x magnification.

To keep up with current trends, the black titanium carbide-coated case is a little on the large size at 43mm. Sleek chronograph buttons reminiscent of the pedals on GT cars are incorporated into the case. One of coolest and most innovative features of this watch is the titanium carbide-coated rubber bracelet. The TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph retails for about $8,900.00. This is a small price to pay for the last winner of the “GRAND PRIX D’HORLOGERIE DE GENEVE.”

In 2008, Ken Okuyama dropped his own unique creation when he revealed the limited-edition K.O. 7 sports car at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. This exotic features an interior inspired by the TAG Heuer Grand Carrera brand. And, in fact, the Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Concept Chronograph was actually mounted on the dashboard.

Source: Tag Heuer | Ken Okuyama Design