TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee Watch Review
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee doffs its hat to the Heuer 2446C Seafarer of 1968 but is resolutely modern courtesy of its sapphire crystal glazing and highly impressive in-house movement. Angus Davies looks at this latest co-created watch, masterminded by the Swiss avant-garde watch brand and specialist online publication.
TAG Heuer watch
If you ask Google, ‘When did the internet start?’, it provides an array of answers. However, irrespective of when the internet was officially born, there is no doubt it has irrevocably changed the way society consumes information. For example, these days breaking news is instantly available on a mobile phone, accessed with just a swipe and a tap.
Today, most horophiles read about the latest novelties and industry news via an array of websites, hosted in all four corners of the world. However, back in 2008 when the World Wide Web was still going through puberty, the watchsphere looked very different. Timepiece obsessives would have to read a broadsheet or procure a specialist printed watch magazine to get their horological thrills.
Hodinkee founded in 2008
In 2008, Ben Clymer, an ambitious watch aficionado and former employee of UBS, chose to embark on a new career and founded Hodinkee, a website dedicated to watches. What distinguished this website as superior to many of its rivals was its high-quality content. The readership of the site grew exponentially and, according to the company, now ‘boasts 1.5 million monthly uniques’.
Hodinkee Shop
Other prominent websites have since emerged, including Fratellowatches, Monochrome and, of course, ESCAPEMENT. However, Hodinkee has always been regarded as one of the industry’s pioneers. In 2012, Clymer opened the Hodinkee Shop, offering various watch-related accessories, straps and insurance.
But perhaps most notable of all, Hodinkee also began working closely with a number of watch brands, creating exclusive limited editions models. Attentive to the thoughts of readers, Hodinkee has distilled the feedback from its community and liaised with an array of watch firms to create distinctive timepieces, often inspired by references of the past.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee
Heuer 2446C Seafarer – inspiration
Hodinkee has just unveiled its latest collaboration with TAG Heuer. This represents the third occasion the US and Swiss marques have worked together. The Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee pays homage to the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer models produced for the sport goods retailer between the 50s and the 70s.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee takes some of its design cues from the 1968 model, the ‘2446C Seafarer’, embracing the same palette of black, blue and silver hues. However, one area where the modern-day watch differs from its antecedent is with the tide level indicator. Positioned at 9 o’clock, it now employs two shades of blue, namely, sky blue and royal blue. This is a slight deviation from the vintage reference, but certainly heightens the overall allure of the composition.
TAG Heuer and Hodinkee have clearly not sought to produce an exact copy of the original model, but rather a neoteric interpretation ideally suited to modern tastes. While the profile of the glassbox sapphire crystal delivers a slightly retro vibe, it is far more robust and practical than the Plexiglass used in yesteryear.
Glassbox sapphire crystal and 42 mm case
At first glance, the case and glazing appear identical to that of the Carrera Chronograph Reference CBS2212.FC6535 launched at Watches & Wonders 2023; however, there are two distinct differences. Firstly, the steel case of the Seafarer x Hodinkee is larger, measuring 42 mm in diameter, 3 mm more than the ‘regular’ Carrera Chronograph. Secondly, the Seafarer x Hodinkee features an additional pusher at 9 o’clock used for setting the adjacent tide level indicator disc.
Three counters and an inner bezel
The dial features three counters; a 30-minute chronograph register (3 o’clock), a small seconds display (6 o’clock) and a tide indicator at 9 o’clock. This latter indication displays the four tides (two high tides and two low tides).
Heuer devotees may notice that the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee eschews the date display found on the regular Carrera Chronograph. The absence of a date indication upholds Seafarer tradition and preserves the clean appearance of the dial. TAG Heuer has employed both retro and modern-day Carrera typography on the dial. The resultant marriage of styles works well with everything appearing harmonious and legible.
Unlike the 2446C Seafarer, this new model lacks a conventional bezel. Instead, the Swiss avant-grade brand has opted for a fixed inner bezel, marked with a count-up scale and positioned on the rehaut. This approach first employed by TAG Heuer on the regular Carrera Chronograph, mitigates clutter, culminating in an ultra-clean display.
TAG Heuer Calibre TH20-13
As you would probably expect from a modern-day Carrera, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee is endowed with one of the firm’s sublime in-house movements. The automatic Calibre TH20-13 is fully integrated and features the highly desirable pairing of a column wheel and vertical coupling. This latter marriage delivers stutter-free actuation of the chronograph and promises smooth operation of the chronograph pushers. In addition, assuming the mainspring is fully tensioned, the movement will run autonomously for 80 hours.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee – closing remarks
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee skilfully navigates a path between respecting heritage and embracing modernity. Its specification is highly impressive and, while I suspect most would-be purchasers will not use the tide level indicator in anger, I expect they will enjoy the resultant appearance of the handsome dial. However, this watch is more than a pretty face. The glassbox sapphire crystal, the case’s beautifully contoured torso and the superb fully integrated movement provide compelling arguments for selection.
Returning to my introduction, it has been interesting to see Hodinkee, Monochrome and Fratellowatches collaborate with the watch industry to conceive limited edition models. With an attentive ear, these websites have operated like focus groups, listening to what horophiles are saying, for example via social media, and then suggesting ideas to partner brands. By engaging with audiences in this way, new and interesting models come to market; a benefit that should resonate with all watch-collecting obsessives.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Seafarer x Hodinkee
- Reference: CBS2014.FT6293
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 42 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph, regatta countdown
- Movement: Calibre TH20-13 In-House Tide Indicator Chronograph, automatic, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 31 jewels, power reserve 80 hours
- Strap: black textured integrated strap with textile pattern.
- Price: $7,950 (RRP as of 12.8.2024)
- Limited Edition: 125 pieces