Yesterday, TAG Heuer unveiled a special limited edition collection to continue its partnership with Porsche to mark the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7. To celebrate the occasion, TAG Heuer invited a fleet of Europe’s top RS (short for Rennsport, the German word for racing car) collectors to take their beloved cars to the streets of Paris. These cars set the stage for the big reveal: two models, one in steel and the other in pink gold, directly inspired by the original Carrera RS 2.7.

The common naming convention (Carrera) allows for a creative approach to one of TAG Heuer’s basic collections. The word “Carrera” is engraved on the dial and on the case, but not in the standard printing of the regular collection, but in the recognizable font of the Porsche Carrera.

In the steel watches, the engravings on the sides of the case are filled with blue lacquer, while in the gold watches, they are more understated and unfilled. The colors chosen for both watches come from the two iconic colorways of the RS 2.7 (only 1,500 of the car were produced during its life cycle), blue and red. These colors are displayed on a white painted car with a giant “Carrera” painted on the sides.

When it comes to the steel blue model, the most striking thing (besides the dial) is the white fabric strap with the same Carrera print and the Porsche branding on one of the keepers. This model also comes with a stainless steel bracelet.

For the red dial model, TAG Heuer has opted for rose gold, which brings a warm tone to the overall design, and a red leather strap. Both models are powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic, which has an 80-hour power reserve but are available in limited quantities.

I was in Paris for the launch of this LE pair, so I was able to experience the watches in the right context …… That is, in the presence of the actual cars from which they were inspired. Cruising around the city in a vintage RS 2.7 Carreras is a treat in itself, I won’t lie. This week, I spent time in the passenger seat of several RS 911s (essentially Porsche’s most hardcore performance cars), and I found myself connecting with the owners of these cars because there is a common language of collection and appreciation. Many of these cars are six figures – one very special lightweight racing variant costs over $1 million today (the owner does not intend to sell).

These RS drivers, owners, collectors, or whatever you want to call them, are obsessed with their cars. They don’t cherish them, and they are not investments. They are meant to be driven, and these people do drive them (on a few occasions, I had to make sure my “old school” seat belts were still working properly).

Let’s start discussing the replica tag heuer watches itself purely from a design perspective. Am I interested in the look? Not really, but that’s mostly because it feels a little big. It’s a bit thick, and the overall aesthetic is more playful and automotive-inspired than I like in a watch. A fabric strap with Carrera branding? Not my cup of tea. A red leather strap on a rose gold model? I’m not a fan of red straps. But then I think of those vintage Porsches.

I also thought about the partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche, and how different this release is from the previous watches. Whereas those watches were completely modern, these are an effort to pass on a legacy – but in a unique way. Instead of trying to recreate a classic TAG Heuer chronograph, TAG Heuer has built a modern watch infused only with automotive heritage. It’s like a car watch, or a car watch, or something else.

A limited number of releases like this one are more about what it represents than what it is. I would venture to guess that real gearheads would find this fascinating. I know the RS collectors I’m with really get a kick out of it.
But beyond that, there is a common heritage between TAG Heuer and Porsche, and the Carrera name. In fact, I was struck by the fact that this was the first time that the two things had really crossed over in this co-branded way.

As I learned more about the Porsche Carrera 911 RS 2.7, I could appreciate what I might have thought was kitsch. It’s the 50th anniversary of the first car to bear the Carrera name, celebrated alongside a buy replica watches brand that made the name famous in a horological sense. Limited edition watches are supposed to be different and should be a celebration. Both boxes of this release are ticked.

TAG Heuer and Porsche could have been much more conservative in this regard. Instead, both brands have poured a lot of fun into making the limited edition watches very different from the other chronographs in the collection. When the Swiss watch industry has fun, I’m all for it.