TAG Heuer Celebrates the Indy 500 with New Watches

As the Official Timekeeper of the Verizon IndyCar Series and the 103rd Indianapolis 500, TAG Heuer this past Memorial Day weekend celebrated the famed auto race by releasing two new limited edition Indy 500 timepieces – the Carrera Indy 500 Special Edition and the Formula 1 Indy 500 Special Edition. And for the first time, fans can wear either new watch immediately as TAG Heuer has already made both watches available to buyers at authorized retailers and online.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Indy 500 Special Edition is a 41mm steel-cased automatic chronograph (with the Caliber 16 inside) that retains the current Carrera profile, but here clearly linked to the Indy 500. The Indy 500 logo can be seen on the subdial at 6 o’clock and “Indy 500” is engraved in red on the ceramic bezel. The red and black theme continues with red accents on the start/stop pusher, along the edge of the bezel (12 o’clock to 3 o’clock) and on the chronograph seconds hand. The watch’s rich racing pedigree continues to be represented by the choice of strap, here in perforated black calfskin with red stitching and lining.

The Indy 500 quartz option, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Indy 500 Special Edition, is a bit larger at 43mm in diameter with a dial as clearly race-centric as the Carrera. Along the top of the watch’s black aluminum bezel you will find “Indy 500” in red as well as a red TAG Heuer shield. The Indy 500 logo is clearly placed at the bottom of the dial. A red lacquer 60 on the minutes scale stands out against the black dial while the chronograph seconds hand is also red, as are the small sub-dial hands and the numbers on the inner counter.

Both these new watches feature special solid casebacks, where you will find an engraved ode to The Brickyard, the historical nickname of the Indy racetrack, which was once paved with 3.2 million bricks.

TAG Heuer, which has served as the Official Timekeeper of the Indianapolis 500 since 2004, celebrated during the event with ambassador and Indy 500 runner-up (in a very close finish) Alexander Rossi, and also presented this year’s race winner Simon Pagenaud with a Carrera Indy 500 Special Edition.

Prices: $4,750 (Carrera Indy 500 Special Edition) and $1,650 (Formula 1 Indy 500 Special Edition)

Specifications:

CARRERA INDY 500 SPECIAL EDITION

Reference CV201AS.FC6429

MOVEMENT: Automatic Caliber 16, balance oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), 42-hour power reserve

CASE: 41mm polished steel with black ceramic polished tachymeter fixed bezel, sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, water-resistant to 100 meters, steel case back with special “Indy 500” engraving

DIAL: Black opaline dial, white minute and hour counters and second indicator, rhodium plated indexes, hour and minute hands with white SuperLuminova, red lacquered central hand; Date, hours, minutes and seconds, chronograph indicators with small second

STRAP: Perforated black calfskin leather strap with red stitching and lining, stainless steel folding clasp

FORMULA 1 INDY 500 SPECIAL EDITION

Reference CAZ101V.BA0842

MOVEMENT: Swiss quartz

CASE: 43mm brushed steel, black aluminum polished tachymeter fixed bezel, sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 200 meters, steel caseback with special “Indy 500” engraving

DIAL: Black with silver minute and hour counters and second indicator, rhodium plated indexes, hour and minute hands with white SuperLuminova, red lacquered central hand, date, hours, minutes and seconds, chronograph indicators

STRAP: Stainless steel bracelet and folding clasp with driving extension