What’s old is new again, as they say. Based on the Heuer 3147N watch that debuted in 1963, the new vintage chronograph reissue collaboration from TAG Heuer and watch enthusiast website Hodinkee — formally called the TAG Heuer Carrera “Dato” Limited Edition for Hodinkee — has an unexpected look: its lone subdial at 3 o’clock gives it a quirky, asymmetrical aesthetic. But in the 1960s, it was unusual for a different reason: not many chronographs of the time offered a date display. Heuer even charmingly advertised it as “a wristwatch, a stopwatch, and a calendar, too.”
[Editor’s Note: Heuer devotees may recall the “Skipperera” of 1968, an ultra-rare Heuer Skipper housed in a Carrera case. Heuer and Hodinkee reissued a slightly upgraded version of the watch in 2017, which featured a date at 3 o’clock in an homage to the 3147.]
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Underpinned by the elegant base design of the Heuer Carrera, this combination of interesting features, history, and quirky looks makes for a cult-worthy vintage-inspired watch and compelling reissue. A faithful rendering of the original design features the expected modern updates, such as sapphire crystal, a case size of 39mm (compared to the original’s 35mm) and the brand’s modern, in-house Heuer 02 automatic movement, which is visible through the case back (unlike on the original) and features a rotor marking the brand’s 160th birthday.
HODINKEEWhile the original chronograph counted up to an odd 45 minutes, the modern movement is constrained to just 30 minutes. Only 250 examples of the Carrera Dato 45 reissue will be produced, half of which will be available at the Hodinkee Shop and the other half through TAG Heuer boutiques. Each has a price of $7,250, and is available now.