The story of the Tag Heuer Watches Brand

For more than 150 years, Tag Heuer has been successful with all the challenges. In questioning ancestral mechanical conventions, the brand has brought the Swiss watchmaking to unprecedented levels of precision and performance.
Tag Heuer defines his own rules, chooses his own road, never stops moving forward, never gives up compromises and never crack under pressure.

The company is founded by Edward Heuer, son of shoemon, in 1860 in Saint-Imier, in the Bernese Jura in Switzerland. At the time, all watches come back with a key. In 1869, two years after transferring its workshop to Biel, Edouard Heuer transforms the course of the history of the watchmaking thanks to its first patented invention: an autonomous crown winder, without key. This new generation of watches meets a huge success at Vienna's World Expo and are close to the most coveted in the world. When powerful American manufacturers are tackled in force at the European market, Edouard Heuer reacts by introducing innovations at all levels of design, technology and manufacturing.

In 1880, Edouard Heuer is the first to manufacture chronographs in series. Very quickly, Heuer is a name in the high-level sports competition and puts the milestones of his philosophy: a technical know-how put at the service of sports performance, with a desire to push again the limits of the measurement of time. With the key, multiple patents and innovations that will date in the history of watchmaking, such as the first waterproof case in 1895.

Edouard Heuer files the first patent for a chronograph mechanism in 1882. In 1887, Heuer invents the oscillating pinion, which is still today, the basis of the majority of the chronographs sold in the world and in the heart of the 1887 caliber, developed And industrialized by TAG Heuer, the integrated column-integrated mechanical chronograph presented and manufactured by the brand in 2010 on the occasion of its 150 years. The house receives a silver medal at the universal exhibition of Paris of 1889 for its collection of pocket chronographs

Charles Auguste Heuer Invents the first precise counters at 1 / 100th of a second, the mikrograph and the microsprit (with catch-up), then the semicrograph and the precise semicrosplit at the 1 / 50th.

The pocket chronographs with caraging manufactured by Heuer are chosen as official timing instruments for the Antwerp Olympics in 1920, from Paris 1924 and Amsterdam in 1928.

Launch of the Autaxa, the first counter for dashboard and plane. It is often coupled with a hervue, an 8-day autonomy watch.

In 1963, Jack Heuer devotes himself to his passion for motor sport and launches Heuer Carrera watch, tribute to the Carrera Panamericana of the 1950s. This watch will be worn by many racing drivers and gives birth to one of the most beautiful Collections of the brand.

Launch of the Caliber 11 Chronomatic, the first automatic chronograph movement with microrotor, and the mythical monaco.

Launch of Microsplit 800, the world's first quartz sports counter in pocket format to provide accuracy at 1 / 10th of a second.

In 1982 was launched the 2000 series. It has six essential characteristics: water resistance (sealing up to 200 meters), unidirectional rotating bezel, index and luminescent needles, screwed crown with double seal to ensure water resistance. , double safety clasp and anti-scratch sapphire glass. These features are part of the brand's DNA and are illustrated in 1991 in the advertising campaign "Do not Crack Under Pressure »

In 1984, Mike Birch, on board his Tag formulaThe first catamaran in Kevlar and carbon fiber, beats the world record of the greatest distance navigated in twenty-four hours.

In 1985, Tag Heuer associates with McLaren forming what will become one of the longest partnerships in the history of Formula 1. Launched in 1987, line S / El (sport and elegance) offers a fit bracelet Double s, called "Link", which has belongs since then to tag Heuer codes. The S / EL is the favorite model of Ayrton Senna, which becomes the ambassador of the brand in 1988.

In 1985, heuer, after being redeemed three years ago by Piaget, joined the TAG group (pre-guard techniques), a company specializing in advanced techniques and owner of the Formula 1 McLaren team. Akram Ojjeh, Saudi businessman (of Syrian origin) and founder of the TAG group, is at the origin of the rebirth of the Helvetic Watchmark Tag Heuer in the 1980s. In 1985, Akram Ojjeh Ridète Heuer. This is how the company is renamed "Tag Heuer" and it becomes a subsidiary of the TAG group. Strong now from a powerful shareholder, and following the arrival of Christian Viros in 1987 at the head of the watchmaking, Tag Heuer will experience from 1988 sustained growth for several years thanks to an offensive trade policy, based. Among others on the establishment of selective distribution, and an important advertising effort.

In 1989, Tag Heuer becomes the official timer of the Alpine Ski World Cup in the United States and Canada. In the 1990s, turnover is multiplied by five at some time.

In 1991, the brand adds the automotive circuit of Indianapolis to its list and, in 1992, the World Championship of Formula 1. The timing of the races of Formula 1 is controlled by a GPS satellite detection system ensuring accuracy to a millionth of a second In 1995, Tag Heuer associates with skipper Chris Dickson to participate in the Louis Vuitton Cup and reach the semifinals.

In 1999, the luxury group LVMH launches a friendly takeover bid for the entire capital of the watch manufacturer, which was acquired September 13, 1999 for $ 739 million. Since then, TAG Heuer, owned 100% of the LVMH group, is no longer publicly traded and has no connection with the TAG Group Akram Ojjeh.

In 1996, the company reintroduced the TAG Heuer Carrera, in 1998, the Monaco and in 2001, Monza. In 1999, she presented her Link series, an evolution of the design S / el¹. In 2003, it was the turn of Autavia - scope in 1960 by the Swiss Formula 1 driver Jo Siffert. Magazines and modernized by adding new features, these watches remain true to the spirit of the original pieces and heritage of the brand.

In 2001, the Formula 1 Kirium is created. This is an analog watch combining digital chronograph functions to a precision of 1 /100^e second. That same year, TAG Heuer is Official Timekeeper of the World Alpine Ski Championships in St. Anton, Austria.

In 2002, the Micrograph F1, descendant of Mikrograph 1916, wins the Design watch the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. The Micrograph F1 is the first chronograph wrist mechanical automatic that measures time to 1 /100^e second. That same year, the company sponsors the BMW Oracle team, with Chris Dickson and Peter Holmberg for the America's Cup. To commemorate this partnership, TAG Heuer offers enthusiasts boat races a limited edition chronograph Link Searacer Oracle worn by team members.

In 2004, the company became the official timekeeper for the Indy Racing League (IRL) and the Indianapolis 500. The same year, TAG Heuer launched the Fair Basel watch a "watch concept": The Monaco V4. Inspired by the inheritance of the mark in racing (its name is derived from the movement four barrels connected by a bridge-shaped V, recalling the cylinders of a race car engine), the Monaco V4 uses a mass linear ball bearings, and its mechanism is driven by belts. She receives a "Red Dot Design Award" in 2005

Barely a year after being unveiled at the Fair watch Basel, another "watch concept"The Monaco Sixty Nine, is produced in turn. First reversible watch with a double movement (On one side, the face of the Monaco with its mechanical movement manual winding, on the other, the digital dial Microtimer, with its movement precise quartz 1/1 000^e of a second), she also won the award of "watch design" Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève At the Basel Watch Fair in 2005, TAG Heuer has a mechanical timepiece, the Caliber 360 Concept Chronograph. This is the first mechanical wrist chronograph to measure and display time to 1 /100^e Second, due to the frequency of its balance oscillating at 360,000 beats per hour, ten times faster than any other chronograph The following year, TAG Heuer receives a "Red Dot Design Award"For this" concept chronograph "whose movement is chronometer-certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). In 2006, TAG Heuer launched the new "Concept Chronograph" Monaco Caliber 360 LS (Linear Second). Launched the same year, the limited edition TAG Heuer Carrera Caliber 360 Rose Gold, another version of the Caliber 360 Concept Chronograph, wins the Grand Prix Sports Watch Geneva Watchmaking.

the March 19, 2015 Tag Heuer announces, on the occasion of Baselworld, have sealed a partnership with Intel and Google to create a luxury watch connected The Tag Heuer Carrera Connected is presented to the public in New York on November 9, 2015 in the presence of Bernard Arnault, the President Intel Brian Kzranichet of Google Vice President David Singleton. It is marketed at the price of 1 400 euros^.

Since 2001Tag Heuer is among the leaders of the prestigious sports watches corresponding to the fourth place on the world market of the LuxEinsi watches that at first for high-end chronographs, the mechanical chronograph being one of the greatest watchmakers. TAG Heuer is present in more than 120 countries and exercises strict control of its international distribution network. The brand controls directly nearly 85% of its global sales.

Manufacturing in Switzerland is mainly carried out with Swiss movements ETA from Swatch Group, others coming from Sellita factories. Since 2010, Tag Heuer produces the 1887 caliber, a movement developed from a Seiko, Swiss made In its factory dedicated to Chevez.

In December 2014, Jean-Claude Biver, moreover, President of the LVMH Group Watches Division, is named CEO of Tag Heuer.

The brand remains closely related to motorsport (partner of Formula 1 McLaren from 1985 to 2015, and to the control of infinitely small times (in 2006, during the Race of champions, Tag Heuer measures the smallest gap in the history of global sport: 2/10 000^e second in semifinals). But his communication universe extends well beyond. Ambassadors and various partnerships in the sport (football with Cristiano Ronaldo, Tennis with Maria Sharapova, the biggest marathons), in electronic music with David Guetta, developing a lifestyle (lifestyle) with Cara Delevingne as muse. Its heritage, its Swiss roots are also a strong element of its communication.

For the Formula 1 2016 season, the Re16 hybrid engine supplied by Renault to the Red Bull stable for its RB12 is badged "Tag Heuer the engine tag Heuer signs its first victory with the Dutch Max Verstappen at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Australian Daniel Ricciardo will also win the Malaysia Grand Prix and sign the first pole motor position Tag Heuer at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Red Bull-Tag Heuer team finished second in the world of manufacturers' championship, behind Mercedes Grand Prix.

It is again a motor badged tag Heuer who team Red Bull Racing in 2017. Ricciardo wins in Azerbaijan, then Verstappen in Malaysia and Mexico. Red bull-tag heuer finishes third in the manufacturer ranking