The Indianapolis 500 is the most explosive motor-race in America. The visor of their helmet down, hands holding strongly onto the wheel, drivers warm up their tires, with their car hood ready to go. While there engines may run on fuel, the atmosphere is electrical. Adrenaline and pressure rage before the starter releases the pack in a tremendous blast. These speed demons are as quick as bullets and reach some unbelievable speeds. Every rotation around the ring is a permanent quest for the best time, and each second gained is a victory in itself. This is a race against time, where containing pressure could be vital. The Indy 500 is an unmissable race for all motor sport lovers, each year during the weekend of Memorial Day. The last winner, Alexander Rossi, represents the succession of this competition at age 24.
An automatic special edition chronograph to pay homage to this legendary race, so let’s take a closer look at the TAG Heuer Carrera Indy 500 Special Edition and its nod to racing history.
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Indy 500 Spl Edition
This latest commemorative piece is an aesthetically modified 41mm Carrera Calibre 16 Day-Date automatic chronograph with Indy 500 design cues. The 41mm 316L polished stainless steel case features a black ceramic fixed bezel tachymeter with INDY 500 printed in red at 1 o’clock (replacing a white TACHYMETRE on the standard model). A sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coatings covers the dial and the steel caseback has a custom Indy 500 engraving with brick background, and May 26, 2019 (race date) and 103rd (latest race number) are engraved as well. The crown and pushers are unchanged from the standard model and the watch is water-resistant to 100 meters.
The black opaline dial has white chronograph sub-dials, date and rhodium-plated luminescent indices, contrasting well for superb legibility (especially in direct sunlight during a race). The special edition has the Indianapolis Motor Speedway logo centred in the 6 o’clock sub-dial. The framed date window at 3 o’clock is unchanged with CARRERA printed above and CALIBRE 16 below in white, and TAG Heuer’s logo to the left.
The movement is the Calibre 16 automatic, based on the ETA 7750. It has 25 jewels, beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) with a 42-hour power reserve. TAG Heuer’s custom rotor features Geneva stripes, but the movement is hidden behind the solid steel caseback. Many other Carrera pieces use the Calibre 16 as well.
The strap is unchanged from the standard model, being a race-inspired perforated black calfskin leather with red stitching. It complements the dial well and really completes the racing vibe. The strap features a polished stainless steel folding clasp.
