Since its debut in 1963 by Jack Heuer, TAG Heuer’s iconic Carrera Chronograph has seen enduring appeal. Marking its 60th anniversary, TAG Heuer revisited the original curved acrylic crystals from the ’60s and ’70s, redesigning them as domed sapphire crystals. Dubbed the Carrera Glassbox, this smoothly arched sapphire crystal extends over the dial’s edge into the case, offering a vintage flair without the scratching vulnerability of classic hesalite crystals. Today, the Carrera Glassbox sees a fresh take by FRGMT, the design studio helmed by the famous Japanese designer and streetwear pioneer Hiroshi Fujiwara.
The initial collaboration with Fujiwara yielded a sleek, minimalist 39mm vintage-inspired Carrera, followed in 2020 by an Autavia-based Calibre Heuer 02 model rooted in the 1970s design. This third partnership pushes the Carrera Glassbox’s minimalism further while capturing the model’s essence. The 100m water-resistant case features vintage pump pushers, sharp lugs, a 13.9mm thickness, and a blend of brushed and polished finishes. True to other Glassbox versions, the lack of a bezel allows the domed sapphire to curve over the tachymeter flange to the case edge, creating playful distortions that enhance Fujiwara’s refined dial.
A high white flange with ghostly silver numerals crowns the matte black opaline dial. The three sub-dials—running seconds at 6, 30-minute counter at 3, and 12-hour counter at 9—maintain their traditional spots. Yet, Fujiwara’s bold minimalism strips the recessed black sub-dials of numerals, relying solely on baton markers.
The sloping flange’s precise second/minute track remains, but hour indices vanish, replaced by gray Super-LumiNova rectangles highlighted by rhodium-plated hands with white Super-LumiNova inserts. At noon, a framed, beveled date window reveals FRGMT’s lightning bolt logo in white on black, with matching bolts at 1 and 11 o’clock, and “FRAGMENT” inscribed at 6.
The caseback features the designer’s lightning bolt printed in black on the sapphire crystal above the openworked, shield-shaped rotor, accented with black lines. Powered by the TH20-00 calibre, this automatic chronograph with column wheel and vertical clutch beats at 28,800 vph and offers an 80-hour power reserve.
Completing the look, a seven-row beads-of-rice bracelet—reintroduced earlier this year—bears Fujiwara’s signature black PVD-coated central link. Presented in a black box, the Carrera Chronograph x fragment is a limited edition of 500 numbered pieces, priced at CHF 8,150 or around Php. Further details at tagheuer.com.
