In the hearts of many watch lovers, TAGHeuer is a watchmaking brand full of avant-garde spirit. In particular, the brand's close association with many motorsport sports, the four words TAG Heuer seem to be equated with fast and furious. But this seemingly "young" brand, which has a watchmaking history of more than 160 years, has a very surprising historical "legacy". At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024, we sat down with Nicholas Biebuyck, TAG Heuer Heritage Director, to talk about the relationship between the new and the heritage.
(泰格豪雅传承总监Nicholas Biebuyck)
Home of watches: TAG Heuer has a rich history and watchmaking know-how, how is it reflected in the new arrivals for 2024?
Nicholas Biebuyck: That's a great question. It is important to understand that TAG Heuer is a brand with a 164-year history. Our Carrera collection is 61 years old, and the Monaco collection celebrates its 55th anniversary in 2024. For example, at this year's Geneva Watch Fair, we unveiled the new Monaco split-seconds chronograph, which perfectly reflects the combination of the brand's heritage and contemporary watchmaking techniques. TAG Heuer has an impressive expertise in watchmaking and manufacturing, and we aspire to present it to watch enthusiasts around the world through pieces such as the Monaco split-seconds chronograph.
(TAG Heuer's new Monaco split-seconds chronograph)
Home of Watches: Among the new releases this year, we found that some of the timepieces were modeled after the brand's historic models from the 1960s. What kind of times has this been for brands, and have any important things happened?
Nicholas Biebuyck: Absolutely. The 1960s and 1970s were a golden period for TAG Heuer. In 1963 we launched the Carrera collection, and in 1969 we welcomed the Monaco collection. Also in 1969, we launched the Caliber 11, the brand's first self-winding chronograph movement, and TAG Heuer became the first brand in the world to launch an automatic chronograph. In the 1970s, we developed strong ties with motorsport, for example as a partner of Scuderia Ferrari in the development of electronic timers specifically for track timing. Therefore, it is an important period for the brand to see the evolution of our technology leapfrog into the field of mechanical and electronic timekeeping.
(Autavia 1163 泰腕表表Caliber 11)
(In the 1970s, the brand's electronics division developed the Centigraph electronic timer, which was used in Scuderia Ferrari's timing system)
Home of Watches: As a pioneer who is one of TAG Heuer's most important faces, how do you see the relationship between the need for youth and a long history?
Nicholas Biebuyck: That's also a very good question. In fact, TAG Heuer has a remarkable historical "legacy". But heritage is a double-edged sword, and the good thing is that these stories can inspire us, such as the Monaco collection, and we can draw inspiration from the design and watchmaking skills of this collection of historic models. On the flip side, when a brand has such a rich history, it's vital that you respect it, protect it, and pay homage to it, but at the same time it means that we have to follow some established trajectory. I think this year's launch of the Carrera Glassbox and the Monaco split-seconds chronograph is proof that we've found a way to balance history well. For me, finding a way forward is the most important thing.
(TAG Heuer's new Carrera Glassbox chronograph)
Home of Watches: Replica watches are one of the more popular watch categories at the moment, and we know that TAG Heuer has a lot of wonderful vintage watch pieces, will the brand consider launching more replica watches in the future?
Nicholas Biebuyck: For me, I think it's important to make sure that when launching a new watch, it's really "new". For TAG Heuer, it was easy to take an original model, 3D scan it and then create a new one. But I don't think that solves the needs of consumers. Consumers expect modern technology, and they want rugged, reliable products that meet modern standards. There is no benefit or meaning in copying things from the past. We are more interested in understanding the origins of each iconic watch, extracting their design essence and DNA and presenting them in a more modern way.
(TAG Heuer's new Carrera Skipper Chronograph)
Home of Watches: What type of watch do you like to wear, vintage or more modern?
Nicholas Biebuyck: Frankly, I wear more modern models on a daily basis. Of course, I love vintage watches, they have a lot of historical significance to remember. But when it comes to commuting, I value the accuracy, water resistance, wearing comfort and even ease of service of a modern watch, which has a lot of advantages. I've been wearing the Carrera Glassbox that TAG Heuer released last year (editor's note: 2023). But soon I'll be wearing the new Monaco split-seconds chronograph this year. (laughs)
Bottom line: Nicholas Biebuyck has spent most of his career working with vintage watches. Today, as TAG Heuer's Heritage Director, he is not only responsible for making the brand's rich history known, but more importantly, embodying it in today's creations. In our conversation with him, it is clear that he has objective and profound insights and insights into both "new" and "inherited". For TAG Heuer, in the face of the double-edged sword of historical inheritance, it has obviously found a way to "build on its strengths and avoid its weaknesses" and move forward.