TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa Watch Review
Since 1963, the Heuer Carrera has wowed horophiles with its handsome looks and notable legibility. The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa, a limited edition of 150 pieces, repeats this winning formula with its glorious two-tone livery.
The Heuer Carrera chronograph – a design classic since 1963
The Carrera was initially released as a chronograph in 1963, while the three-hand references arrived much later in 1978 amidst the quartz crisis. Despite their obvious differences, both expressions of Carrera ownership share the same talent for displaying information in a highly legible form.
With the bar set high, it’s a brave person who seeks to revisit a well-honed design. However, there have been a few courageous souls who have done exactly that. For instance, in 2025, Fragment Design’s Hiroshi Fujiwara masterfully reimagined the TAG Heuer Carrera with spectacular results. Similarly, in 2023, Mai Ikuzawa of the eponymous race team, and the highly accomplished designer, George Bamford of Bamford Watch Department, took the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 42 mm and infused it with a distinctive Japanese flavour. The creative duo tastefully paired red and white hues, a hat tip to Japan’s flag, conceiving a devilishly handsome chronograph.
Now, Ikuzawa and Bamford have joined forces once again, on this occasion revisiting the TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox 39 mm model, first released in 2023. The resultant watch, the aptly named TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa, again incorporates red and white hues but also has some unique characteristics that differentiate it from its forebear of 2023.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa – dial
Inspired by the design of the Heuer Roadmaster stopwatch, Ikuzawa and Bamford have employed bold colours for the chronograph’s dial. On this occasion, they chose to dress the rhodium-plated hour and minute hands in a combination of red lacquer and white Super-LumiNova. The dial’s surface is enriched with Clous de Paris; however, unlike some examples of this traditional motif, the texture is more subtle, proving attractive without impairing readability.
The watch features two registers, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock. The 30-minute counter is presented in signal red and features ’10’, ’20’ and ’30’, each within a white circle, while crisp lines, arranged at 2-minute intervals, are located in between. In stark contrast, the counter at 9 o’clock is white, incorporates a track marked with black strokes and imparts meaning with a red lacquered hand. The central chronograph seconds hand is also presented in red lacquer.
Unlike the ‘regular’ Carrera Glassbox 39 mm model, this limited edition watch eschews the small seconds hand at the base of the dial. However, it still retains the date aperture at 6 o’clock, albeit with a twist. Indeed, on this occasion, the date display unites a white disc with red numerals, consistent with the racing team’s colours.
Rather than use applied batons to denote the hours, Ikuzawa and Bamford have chosen to frame the central dial area with a raised track (adjacent to the Clous de Paris), featuring two-digit Arabic numerals (save for ‘5’), with black strokes positioned in between.
Back in 1963, when Jack Heuer worked on the original Carrera, he sought to create a clutter-free display. At the time, plastic crystals were the norm and were held in position with a tension ring, enhancing water-resistance. Jack had the inspired idea of placing a track on the tension ring, freeing up space on the dial to accommodate other indications. Reminiscent of this approach, a black flange plays host to a white minute track, delivering ease of read-off and allowing other dial indications sufficient room to breathe. The words ‘Carrera’, ‘Team Ikuzawa’ and ‘TAG Heuer’ are executed in red, while the iconic shield is also presented in relief, introducing a delightful depth to the display.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa – case
Heuerphiles will instantly recognise the case. The Swiss marque has carried over most details from the ‘regular’ Carrera Glassbox 39 mm model, including the case middle, lugs, domed sapphire crystal and pushpieces.
In April 2025, two years after the release of the Glassbox 39 mm, TAG Heuer introduced its modern take on the classic ‘beads-of-rice’ steel bracelet. The Swiss avant-garde brand has chosen to fit this 7-row bracelet to the Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa and the result looks sublime. Moreover, the model is also supplied with two additional straps, one in white leather, with contrasting stitching, and the other in textile form featuring red and white stripes.
Ikuzawa and Bamford have also chosen to set aside the ‘regular’ Carrera crown, instead opting for a crown similar in appearance to the item gracing some of the Formula 1 models. In this instance, the crown’s fluted grip is bisected with a circlet of red lacquer, echoing the aka-themed dial accents.
To the rear of the watch, the sapphire crystal is adorned with ‘Team Ikuzawa’ and ‘BAMFORD WATCH DEPT.’ branding.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa – Caliber TH20-10
At the heart of this watch beats the Calibre TH20-10, a movement which has featured in other TAG Heuer models. The creative duo has chosen to leave the standard movement untouched. Personally, I subscribe to this ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!’ philosophy. The fully integrated movement unites a column-wheel and vertical coupling, granting stutter-free actuation of the chronograph and delivering a pushpiece action that is a paragon of smoothness. With a power reserve of 80 hours and some attractive Côtes de Genève gracing the bridges, what’s not to like?
Closing remarks
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa skilfully preserves the beloved Carrera attributes while introducing a sizeable dose of newness that often only comes with a fresh set of eyes. Indeed, the watch incorporates some of the design cues of the Heuer Roadmaster stopwatch as well as the more recent Carrera Glassbox 39 mm model, but it still has its own unique look. Factor in its impressive movement and this Team Ikuzawa is destined for glory.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa
- Reference: CBS221M.EB0435
- Case: fine brushed and polished steel, diameter 39 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, date, chronograph
- Movement: Calibre TH20-10 automatic, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 33 jewels, power reserve 80 hours
- Strap: fine brushed, polished steel double folding clasp with double safety push-buttons. Two additional straps: perforated white leather and white textile strap
- Price: £8,850 (RRP as of 30.7.2026)
- Limited Edition: 150 pieces