TAG Heuer and the stylish minds at fragment design have developed what seems to be a lasting and productive relationship, this week delivering yet another take on the classic Carrera chronograph. Like the previous iterations we’ve seen, this one is, well, pretty cool. Fragment design, from the mind of Japanese designer extraordinaire, Hiroshi Fujiwara, uses a stark monochromatic aesthetic that is rendered to great effect with this Carrera. While it might not be full on minimalistic, this is a sparse approach to the formula, and there’s plenty of beauty to be found in the small details.
This all starts with a good base, which helps quite a bit. This is built within the 39mm glassbox steel Carrera frame, and the sloping bezel feature has been utilized to brilliant effect here. It’s similar in nature to the Carrera 02 by fragment we saw back in 2018, and sticks close to the fragment DNA, as you might expect. The black on black dial is surrounded by a white internal bezel structure that provides the depth that we know and love in this reference.
That bezel is the only place you’ll find numerals on the dial (outside of the date window, at least), as the full black on black center portion of the dial is indexed without labels, creating something of a conceptual vibe to the design. It’s sterile, and instrumental in nature, broken down to its constituent parts. The date aperture is placed at the very top of the dial (I wish more brands would use the 12 o’clock date placement), The first and the 11th of the month is replaced with the lighting bold fragment logo.
Stepping back, the design has a calming effect where we would usually expect an array of information being thrown at us. It’s a welcome departure from the usual approach to chronographs and timers, and it feels uniquely on point with fragment’s modus operandi as a result. Unlike the Carrera 02, this one is sadly not fitted to a leather bund style strap, but to a 7-link steel bracelet that TAG Heuer calls their ‘beads of rice’ style, though the sharp angles and edges say otherwise.
As usual with this collection, TAG Heuer is using their own caliber TH20-00 automatic chronograph movement that allows for a total thickness of just under 14mm. There is an exhibition caseback here, and the center is adorned with the fragment logo. TAG Heuer is planning 500 individually numbered pieces for production with pricing set at $9,050. TAG Heuer
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