SAVOIR FAIRE TAG Heuer Reaches for the Moon

The Moon has been one of our most important timekeepers since the earliest days of humanity. Thousands of years before the invention of complicated mechanical timekeepers, the moon’s regular and predictable cycle of waxing and waning has served as a way of charting the passage of time — laying the foundations for calendar systems that we still use today. The moon and celestial astronomy also have an important role in the history of timekeeping with observatory trials, where observatories in Geneva, Neuchâtel and elsewhere tested and certified chronometers. Beyond the importance of the Moon to timekeeping and science, it’s a potent symbol, associated around the world with renewal and rebirth.

Given how important the moon is to timekeeping, it’s no surprise that TAG Heuer has a long history of lunar timekeeping. “Valjoux, who made chronograph movements, started producing a movement called the Valjoux 88, which had a chronograph, triple calendar and a moon phase combined. We utilised this movement to produce a number of different references from the late 1940s through to the early 1950s. We often housed this movement in gold, and alongside this, we also offered a three-handed watch with a moonphase, using a base movement with a module on top that provided the moon phase indication. This was also what we used in the Solunar, which we released in 1949. A watch explores the relationship between the moon phase and Solunar theory.”

Solunar theory asserts that the Moon has a powerful influence on nature — and the position of the Moon has long been used by hunters, fishers and farmers as a guide for where and when to hunt, fish and harvest crops. While the 24-hour cycle of solar time guides our days, the slower cycle of lunar time is just as important. In 1949 TAG Heuer’s Solunar combined both, with a dedicated lunar subdial tracking the quarter of the moon, while also offering a tide indicator, making the watch ideal for those living an outdoors life. The Solunar remained part of TAG Heuer’s offering for many years, and in 1975, a second generation of the model was created, with a large case and dual-crown design. This version of the Solunar made use of inner and external bezels to allow the wearer to easily track the tides. It’s another example of TAG Heuer’s expertise and commitment to specialised tool watches.

On February 20 1962, TAG Heuer’s exploration of the moon went further than ever before, with a modified Heuer 2915A stopwatch strapped onto astronaut John Glenn’s spacesuit sleeve as part of the Friendship 7 mission. This stopwatch was capable of providing 12 hours of elapsed time, with accuracy to fifths of a second, and bears the honour of being the first Swiss-made timepiece to orbit Earth. This remarkable achievement is another example of TAG Heuer’s enduring commitment to the avant-garde.

Now TAG Heuer continues its legacy of lunar timekeeping with the TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer, which combines the precision of the modern era with the timeless appeal of the moon, presented in an entirely novel way. The 39mm timepiece is powered by the newly released Calibre 7 automatic. This watch offers a different type of lunar display. Rather than the usual moon phase display, this watch displays seven illustrated lunar phases, from waxing crescent to waning gibbous. This graphic display offers a more precise readout and is supplemented with an age-of-moon indicator, accurately charting the 29.5-day lunar cycle. The symbolic and scientific importance of the moon is encapsulated on the caseback, which is engraved with an image of an astronomical observatory. This serves as a nod to the famous iconic observatory trials, while also strikingly representing the special place the moon holds in our culture.

The TAG Heuer Astronomer is offered in three versions; there is a silver sunray-brushed model with rose gold accents for an elegant presentation, while the model with the deep grey dial and turquoise highlights offers a futuristic tone, and finally, the silver-dialled model on the steel bracelet and black lunar display channels the minimalist charm of the timepiece.

TAG Heuer’s celebration of the moon is as multifaceted as the lunar body itself, a decades-long story of precision and ingenuity, defined by models like the Solunar and a historically significant role in space exploration. The TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer represents the next proud steps in this ongoing journey, one that bridges the precision and poetry of the remarkable lunar body.