At Geneva Watch Days 2025, TAG Heuer shows exactly where it is headed. With two distinct launches, the brand moves confidently across innovation, design, and performance. From the technical breakthrough of the TH-Carbonspring novelties to the refined complexity of the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, each release marks a clear step forward. Together, they show that TAG Heuer is Designed to Win.
Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer arrives at Geneva Watch Days 2025 with a powerful and diverse showcase that reflects the full depth of its creative and technical ambition.
Across standout releases, the brand explores radically different watchmaking frontiers, united by one shared vision: pushing the limits of what is possible in design, engineering and storytelling. At the heart of this year’s watch fair is the launch of TH-Carbonspring, a major innovation in watchmaking technology. Alongside it, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer reimagines the moonphase complication in a unique and precise interpretation.
This is what TAG Heuer is all about: avant-garde watchmaking in motion – bold, curious and uncompromising.
THINKING WATCH-MAKING IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Introducing the TH-Carbonspring oscillator, a technical breakthrough that will shape the future of mechanical watchmaking, and two world-premiere limited-edition watches that tell the story of TAG Heuer’s winning innovation. TAG Heuer, the luxury Swiss watchmaker that has been a leader in avant-garde precision timekeeping instruments for more than 160 years, is proud to announce a new paradigm in mechanical watchmaking. The TH-Carbonspring is a revolutionary technical innovation that will define the next chapter in watchmaking’s epic five-hundred-year story.
The TH-Carbonspring oscillator significantly improves the environmental resistance and long-term stability of a mechanical watch. It has been conceived, developed and is produced entirely in-house by the TAG Heuer LAB, and is the result of a decade of intensive research and development. For almost 10 years, TAG Heuer’s expert watchmakers, engineers and technicians have devoted themselves to realizing this watchmaking milestone, battling the forces of physics and overcoming numerous challenges to deliver a technical innovation that fast-tracks TAG Heuer into the future. As much as a tale of scientific breakthrough and the brilliance of the team behind it, this is a story of single-mindedness, resilience and overcoming the odds. As per a dynamic new brand campaign introduced at Watches and Wonders Geneva this April, victory belongs to TAG Heuer: “Designed to Win”.
A New Milestone in Watchmaking History
The story of modern mechanical watchmaking began around half a millennium ago. It took a giant leap forward in 1675, when the Dutch polymath Christian Huygens invented the modern oscillator by pairing a balance wheel and a hairspring, a hair-like spiral installed at the heart of a movement’s regulating organ. This tiny spring enabled watchmakers to control the oscillation of a watch movement’s balance wheel, delivering significant improvements not only in timekeeping precision, but also in portability. The hairspring would change the course of horological history and shape the 350 years of watchmaking that followed up until today. It had its flaws, though. Initially made of steel, a ferrous material, it was subject to the effects of shocks, temperature changes and magnetism. Over the past 100 years and as the technological age began, material improvements would see steel replaced by special, more resistant alloys. Then, a quarter of a century ago, the watch industry embraced silicon, harnessing its low-maintenance and high-resistance properties to greatly improve the everyday performance of mechanical watches.
So, what next? The TAG Heuer LAB could have iterated on silicon hairspring technology. But the true avant- garde spirit demands a fresh approach. And so instead, the TAG Heuer LAB chose to break the mold and to push the boundaries of innovation. Today, in the 350th anniversary year of Huygens’ invention and armed with its revolutionary new hairspring technology, TAG Heuer is ready to begin a new chapter in mechanical watchmaking. The age of TH-Carbonspring has begun.
Ten Years of Relentless Effort
The process behind the TH-Carbonspring oscillator began a decade ago and it has taken nine years of dedication and unrelenting self-belief and determination to transform the intellectual concept behind it into a fully functioning reality. Along the way, there have been false dawns and existential setbacks, sobering moments that might have stopped others in their tracks.
But TAG Heuer does not quit. Rather than treating them as a dead end, and summoning extraordinary mental strength, the TAG Heuer LAB turned these setbacks into steps forward, leveraging the learnings of each near-thing to inch closer to the ultimate solution. With every experience, TAG Heuer’s engineers were able to tweak and improve the blueprint. A turning point came in 2019, when a solution came to market. It fell short of TAG Heuer’s precision standards, but it also helped pinpoint the changes required. To perfect the system, another six demanding years of development would be needed. Through this period, the company’s engineers identified the additional manufacturing steps that would progress and refine the hairspring’s environmental resistance and long-term stability. After thousands of hours of testing, the TAG Heuer LAB confirmed the technology was ready for industrialization and could be put into production watches with, critically, the company’s assurances of a five-year warranty firmly intact. After almost a decade, TAG Heuer now proudly presents a hairspring that not only realizes the mission’s goals, but that also works reliably and consistently for thousands and thousands of hours, delivering exceptional mechanical timekeeping precision and performance in line with TAG Heuer’s avant-garde, winning spirit.
“Given the scale and complexity of the goal we set ourselves at the TAG Heuer LAB, the innovation process has involved countless steps and at least as many failures as successes,” said Emmanuel Dupas, TAG Heuer technical director. “It starts with intuition, then a hypothesis, then development, and then testing. Each result carries weight. Sometimes a result gives you confidence in your hypothesis. Other times, it goes against it and your hypothesis breaks down. There are no short cuts. Only hard work, backed by a healthy level of scientific doubt and the competences of your team.”
M. Dupas reflected on the achievement: “We’ve devoted nine years of our lives to opening a new chapter in the wonderful story of precision mechanical watchmaking,” he said. “We are immensely proud of this achievement and the role it will play in the history of this avant-garde, innovation-centric company, and of the everyday performance enhancements it will deliver to TAG Heuer owners.”
The Carbon Spiral’s Three Performance Upgrades
The TH-Carbonspring is an exclusive technical development, patented by TAG Heuer, and it delivers three material benefits that will improve a watch’s daily performance. First, is that the hairspring is “amagnetic”, or resistant to magnetism, a significant property in an age when the everyday devices that surround us emit strong magnetic fields. When magnetized, non-static mechanical watch components become compromised and can no longer perform at their peak, with a negative knock-on impact on precision. In extreme cases, magnetized watches will stop working altogether. The second is that the TH-Carbonspring is resistant to shocks. Even simple actions such as closing a door or clapping can create shocks that will disrupt the smooth running and accuracy of a mechanical watch. TAG Heuer’s development counters these effects. And the third is that carbon has lightweight properties that reduce inertia in a hairspring, thereby increasing chronometric performance.
The TAG Heuer LAB’s Finest Hour
As unique as the performance traits is the story of the TH-Carbonspring’s development and production. It was developed entirely in-house by the TAG Heuer LAB, the Swiss watchmaker’s recently renamed innovation center once known as the TAG Heuer Institute, which was previously responsible for a catalogue of ground-breaking material and mechanical innovations. As well as being developed in-house, the TH-Carbonspring is produced entirely in-house, leveraging the company’s multidisciplinary technical expertise and network of vertically integrated, industrialized Swiss manufacturing centers. TAG Heuer has filed four patent applications related to this technology. One of these has already been granted and the other three are pending at the time of publication. After almost a decade in development, it’s clear the TH-Carbonspring is the product of extraordinary mental strength, a seemingly impossible comeback that in the spirit of TAG Heuer is Designed to Win.
Winning Designs for the Carbon Age
For the first watches to carry the new TH-Carbonspring technology, TAG Heuer turned to its two most emblematic designs: the TAG Heuer Monaco and the TAG Heuer Carrera. The iconic duo defines TAG Heuer’s innovative spirit, technical creativity and elite motorsport pedigree, and has been telling TAG Heuer’s avant-garde story for more than half a century. As a result, the very first watches to carry the new TH-Carbonspring oscillator also embody this new chapter in watchmaking history. The TAG Heuer Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring and TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring marry their own unique design codes with the story of TAG Heuer’s ground-breaking new technology. Each has a case forged in carbon fiber, a high-tech material that TAG Heuer has been pioneering in watchmaking for many years, exercising its lightweight, highly resistant properties and motorsport connections to produce watches that combine TAG Heuer’s past and present together in seamless harmony. Both watches also feature bespoke carbon fiber detailing, most notably in their forged carbon dials decorated with a spiral that, like a hairspring, is snail-shaped rather than a perfect circle.
Every Detail Matters
As per TAG Heuer’s design mantra, a watch must perform its primary function efficiently. For legibility, the TAG Heuer Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring has black-gold-plated hour and minute hands with white Super-LumiNova®, and high-contrast white lacquered hands. A black-gold small second hand, black forged carbon indexes, crown and chronograph pushers add to the watch’s high- tech stealth look. Finishing the picture are black-gold chapter rings around the two subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock, and a black rubber strap with a fabric-like pattern. The timepiece is powered by TAG Heuer’s in-house TH20- 60 Calibre, a chronometer-certified automatic flyback chronograph with an 80-hour power reserve. As avant-garde is the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring. Its core characteristics mirror those of its TAG Heuer Monaco counterpart, with the addition of a forged carbon bezel with a tachymeter scale, and a switch to a sleek black rubber strap. Inside beats TAG Heuer’s in-house TH20-61 Calibre, an automatic chronometer-certified chronograph tourbillon movement featuring a 65-hour power reserve.
Both new watches will be limited to just 50 numbered pieces and presented in bespoke packaging.
TAG Heuer on Pole
The TH-Carbonspring isn’t the chequered flag: instead, it puts TAG Heuer in pole position as the race begins. This is the first step on a path of continuous improvement, leading to a new generation of high- performing mechanical watches that deliver enhanced, meaningful everyday functionality to owners. This is avant-garde innovation. It has purpose. And the story will go on.
“The TH-Carbonspring is a major watchmaking breakthrough and a milestone in the history of this endlessly innovative 165-year-old company,” said Antoine Pin, TAG Heuer chief executive. “But it’s also a story of towering mental strength and resilience. Imagine spending a decade on realizing a single idea. It’s incredible. An epic, heroic achievement that only a brand Designed to Win could have pulled off. And this is just the beginning. There are many complementary technologies in the pipeline and, in time, these will trickle down through our collections of high-performance, highly precise mechanical watches. This is avant-garde watchmaking for the 21st century. This is TAG Heuer.”
TAG Heuer introduces the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, a new lunar interpretation in modern watchmaking
Born on the racetrack and crafted to conquer every horizon, from racing to sailing, the TAG Heuer Carrera collection has always pushed boundaries. Today, its pioneering spirit propels it further into the world of space and astronomy. With the spirit of conquest that defines the TAG Heuer Carrera, the brand begins its next chapter in astronomical watchmaking, staying true to its heritage while pushing forward a bold and contemporary interpretation with the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer. This timepiece introduces an avant- garde expression of the moonphase complication, crafted with clarity, precision, and a deep respect for cosmic rhythm. As a modern evolution in the collection, the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer signals a distinct expansion into a space once touched by the brand’s pioneering instruments.
THE RHYTHM OF THE COSMOS
A Legacy Marked by Orbit
In 1962, a significant moment in both watchmaking and space history occurred when astronaut John Glenn wore a specifically modified Heuer 2915A stopwatch aboard NASA’s Friendship 7 spacecraft. On February 20 of that year, Glenn relied on this precision instrument as he circled Earth three times, bringing a Swiss timepiece into space for the first time. This achievement affirmed TAG Heuer’s technical ingenuity and its readiness to perform beyond Earth’s limits. The mission became a defining chapter in the brand’s history, linking precision watchmaking to the pursuit of discovery on a global stage. That legacy now leads to the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, a timepiece that trades the adrenaline of race circuits and finish lines for the measured precision of the lunar cycle, following one of the most daring chapters of human explorations. With this launch, TAG Heuer expands its creative and mechanical reach, continuing to design instruments that challenge convention and embrace the unknown.
Lunar Precision
At the core of the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer is the newly released Calibre 7, a mechanical movement with a 50-hour power reserve. This movement powers a moonphase complication that redefines how lunar cycles are read. At 6 o’clock, a rotating disc presents seven illustrated moon stages with crisp accuracy. Flanked by two slender arrows calibrated for daily motion, the display clearly shows the moon’s current phase as well as its position in the 29.5-day cycle. This approach breaks from the abstract displays commonly associated with traditional moonphase watches. TAG Heuer has chosen scientific precision as the design principle. The result is both functional and avant-garde, bringing clarity and fidelity to astronomical reality. Each day at 1:00 AM, the lunar disc advances in perfect rhythm with real-world moon movement. This synchronization elevates accuracy and strengthens the sense of connection between the wearer and the moonphase cycle above. The dial design reflects this philosophy with this avant-garde moonphase display being the focal point. On the reverse, the caseback reveals an astronomical observatory, a tribute to the timepiece’s cosmic inspiration, accompanied by the Victory Wreath, symbolizing triumph and enduring excellence.
Three Models for one Celestial vision
The TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer is introduced through three distinct models, each shaped by its own visual identity but united by a shared creative direction. Together, they form a trilogy of designs that captures the collection’s lunar inspiration with a rich balance of materiality, color, and form.
The first model, part of the core TAG Heuer Carrera collection, brings clarity and bold contrast through a stainless-steel construction paired with a silver dial. Its black flange and black moonphase disc evoke the stillness of space, while deep grey detailing adds a sense of movement and atmosphere.
The rhodium- plated hands are coated with white Super-LumiNova® for optimum legibility. The bracelet, a modern interpretation of the Maison’s iconic beads of rice design from the 1960s, connects the watch to TAG Heuer’s history of elegance with purpose. Its visual weight and fluidity of form create a confident, grounded silhouette.
The second edition, produced in a limited run of 500 individually numbered pieces, introduces modernity through its crisp visual contrasts and refined details. The silver dial is framed by a dark grey flange, providing an edge that sets the stage for the timepiece’s turquoise accents – all enhanced with Super-LumiNova®. These luminous details, visible on the Arabic numerals, hands, and moonphase display, bring a futuristic tone to the design and introduce a heightened sense of energy. This model is fitted with a grey leather strap that adds a tactile, modern elegance to the overall composition.
The third model brings warmth and refinement to the series. It combines stainless steel with rose gold tones, resulting in a two-tone look. The 18K 5N rose gold plated flange and matching hands – filled with Super-LumiNova® – and Arabic numerals introduce a sense of preciousness. The moonphase display is rendered in a tone-on-tone palette, subtly integrated into the composition. This edition, also limited to 500 individually numbered pieces, is fitted with a steel and 18K 5N rose gold fine-brushed bracelet that echoes the beads-of-rice structure.
While each model tells its own story, the overall aesthetics remains cohesive. The 39-millimeter case size gives the collection a balanced presence on the wrist, precisely proportioned for everyday elegance.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer brings together the artistry of celestial observation and the rigor of high-performance watchmaking. It represents a shift in how time is perceived – less as a constant tick and more as a cycle, a rhythm. With this collection, TAG Heuer reimagines its purpose for today’s world, where technology, design, and meaning must move together. This is not a return to form. It is a forward step into a territory that speaks of vision, curiosity, and alignment with something greater than time alone. The TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer reminds us that even the most familiar complications can become new again when viewed through a wider horizon.
TAG Heuer
www.tagheuer.com | @tagheuer
TAG Heuer, founded in 1860 by Edouard Heuer in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, is a luxury watch brand that is part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (“LVMH”), the world’s leading luxury group. Based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and with four production sites, TAG Heuer has 1,900 employees and is active in 139 countries. TAG Heuer products are available online at www.tagheuer.com for select countries and in 260 boutiques and 2,300 points of sale worldwide. The company is led by Antoine Pin, CEO of TAG Heuer.
For 165 years, TAG Heuer has demonstrated pure avant-garde watchmaking spirit and a commitment to innovation with revolutionary technologies that have included the oscillating pinion for mechanical stopwatches in 1887, the Mikrograph in 1916, the first automatic-winding chronograph movement – Calibre 11 – in 1969, and the first luxury smartwatch in 2015. Today, the brand’s core collection consists of two iconic families designed by Jack Heuer – TAG Heuer Carrera, and Monaco – and is rounded out with the contemporary TAG Heuer Aquaracer, Formula 1, Link, and Connected lines.
Embodying TAG Heuer’s new philosophy, Designed to Win, the brand continues to build on its legacy of bold innovation, resilience, and high performance. Its prominent partnerships and brand ambassadors reflect TAG Heuer’s drive to push boundaries and perform in the moments that matter most.
All images courtesy of TAG Heuer.
Tags: amagnetic, avant-garde, avantgarde, Carrera Chronograph, chronograph, creative, culture, Emmanuel Dupas, fashion and culture, Geneva Watch Days, Geneva Watch Days , luxury brands, luxury watch, luxury watchmaker, mens watches, Monaco Flyback Chronograph, resistant to magnetism, Swiss, TAG Heuer, TAG Heuer Carrera, TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, TAG Heuer LAB, TAG Heuer Monaco, technical, technology, TH-Carbonspring, Timepieces, Top, Tourbillon Extreme Sport, watch, watchmaker, watchmaking
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