The new TAG Heuer Connected Porsche Edition
LPorsche enthusiasts who are also passionate about watches are spoiled. After two Carrera automatic chronographs dedicated to beautiful German cars launched in 2021 and at the beginning of this year, TAG Heuer today unveils a new piece designed in partnership with the car manufacturer. But this time, traditional mechanical watchmaking gives way to the most advanced technology since it is a connected model. And if the Carrera name directly touched the hearts of 911 owners, it is now the users of the latest generation Porsche, in particular electric or hybrid, that the Swiss house is primarily addressing.
Connections between watch and car
For starters, the design of the new watch features the ice blue color of the Taycan model, Porsche’s electric sedan. And if the new dial is called « Circuit », it is not by chance: it is inspired as much by a printed electrical circuit (obviously in reference to the electric Taycan and the TAG Heuer Connected itself) as motor racing circuits. As a double symbol of technology and speed. But beyond the style, it is the functionality of the timepiece that weaves the strongest link with the creations of Stuttgart. Admittedly, the three counters visible in the heart of the dial can be used to display information from the watch directly on the screen, for example the step counter or the heart rate, but they are also intended to display indications coming directly from the models. Compatible Porsches. These include the Panamera (G2 II from 2022), Panamera (G2), 911 (992), Cayenne (E3 from 2022), Cayenne (E2 II), 718, Macan II/III, Macan and Taycan. Owners of these different cars will thus have the possibility of connecting this TAG Heuer watch to their car to transpose part of the dashboard to the wrist. What indications will be available now? There are four of them, as the designers of the piece explain: “The first complication displays the car’s battery level, both for fully electric models and for plug-in hybrid versions. The second provides information about the car’s range. The third is a shortcut to the Wear OS app My Porsche which allows the user to quickly adjust the heating and air conditioning of the vehicle. The last complication indicates the total mileage of the car. “Small essential detail, to activate these functions, users must have a Porsche ID, a Porsche Connect subscription and the application My Porsche installed on their watch and smartphone.
A history of circuits
As we know, connected watch enthusiasts await with as much greed as impatience the technical improvements made by a new model vis-à-vis previous generations. What about this new TAG Heuer Connected? The screen is announced brighter, better contrast and 30% longer battery life compared to previous parts. “With moderate use, users can now count on a full day of battery life for each full charge,” the brand promises. In addition, data transfer to and from the watch via an iOS or Android app is faster thanks to the Bluetooth 5.0 connection. A notion of speed is present both in the TAG Heuer vocabulary and at Porsche. “This watch evokes the many passions we share: cutting-edge performance, technological innovation and our love for unique and unparalleled products,” comments Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer. A synergy also underlined by Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board of Porsche AG responsible for sales and marketing: “Our brands have been among the pioneers of new technologies. While TAG Heuer pioneered the world of luxury smartwatches, Porsche sports cars like the all-electric Taycan break new ground in their own right. »
A touch of tradition in an avant-garde environment
If this new TAG Heuer Connected appears as a concentrate of technology, it ensures to constitute an attractive watch to the eye. Its 45 mm diameter case is made of black sandblasted titanium combined with a polished ceramic graduated bezel. The aesthetic research is also played out at the level of the interchangeable bracelet designed to evoke the interior of the Porsche. Crafted in leather, it imitates carbon and adds touches of blue through its topstitching. One detail remains to be noted to thrill the faithful of traditional watchmaking: the pushers framing the crown have a mechanical touch to recall classic mechanical chronographs. A skilful way to establish a bridge between History and the avant-garde…
