CEO Frédéric Arnault On TAG Heuer's New Releases & More | Wristchat

Well, hi Austin, thanks for coming to Abu Dhabi. Thank you for the question. Well, this year is the 60th anniversary of the Carrera, and we didn't want to simply do a reissue and only talk about the past. We wanted to show a vision also for the collection and project it into modernity. And now we know there was a lot of love in these original shapes from 1963. It was even smaller, 36 millimeters, the original one with these shaped lugs, this glass box. And we believe there's a lot of potential even today in such a design, but we needed to add to it a real modern touch, of course. Modern techniques, it's a horizontal movement. We have the latest finish we can have on the dial, on the case, and we reinvented the glass box, making it wider, no bezel, with the dial inside that's curved, you know, to see the best way possible the tachymeter. I think that's the main innovation and design that we're bringing there. You can feel where it comes from, but it's not a vintage piece. It's a proper modern piece, and that's why also it has the TAG Heuer logo and not the whole logo that was on the previous 39-millimeter. There were more reissues, yes.

Yeah, we've done over 500 references of the Carrera in the 60 years of history, but we want people to have one reference in mind when I think of Carrera. And our ambition, I believe, is that this should be the one. Yes, the one you're wearing right now. Exactly, adding up the perfect foundations for the next 60 years, right?

Innovation is very important at TAG Heuer overall. You know, TAG is taking that long generation in movements, innovation of course in material. We've done a few hints on the material parts so far. The Plasma, as you mentioned, we launched one piece, but we widened it this year with two more references going with more Plasma, more diamonds on the 44-millimeter case, and adding colors, which is something unique and new with this crown in pink. It's on the 36-millimeter reference. This is a world first in the industry, also in jewelry. Nobody does that. And because for the diamond to be as pure as possible, well, there's not yet the techniques that were available, so we invested with the right partner. It was three years of research and development to manage to get the right colors, and this is just the beginning, as you can imagine. Of course, we have the pink. This is the color that we are the most proud of today. I think it's the best, but we are working on many other colors as well. So Plasma, of course. Titanium is an important material for us. Carbon, as you mentioned on the Monaco, only watch that you will see more of at TAG Heuer. And more generally, you can expect more innovation on the material side going forward.

So that's a very strong positioning that we intend to keep and solidify. I think it's great to be the first watch being offered that one would die for itself, and it can be many different connections. The Formula One, of course, is extremely popular. Now also that Formula One as a sport is coming back strongly, it gives more resonance to our Formula One collection and a very young audience. Also the Aqua Racer, the ultimate tool watch. And a lot of people told me, 'Oh, it was my first watch, my first watch was a TAG Heuer Aqua Racer,' and I think it's great. It can be a Monaco your second watch as well, and this is the icon. So to talk to the Gen Z, of course, this product reliability and that it's messy? I think now more than ever they're looking back to the brand's roots and making sure that they are true to what they've been. The investment part is important too, even for the Gen Z. They look at that, and it's important to show that we care about these aspects of the watch and that we make sure that the value will sustain over time. And of course, all the brand association, the marketing, you know, with the right brand partners, of course in sports, Formula One, Rebel Racing, but also actors such as Jacob Elordi. You know, we have both Ryan Gosling. I think he talks to a wide audience. Of course, he's been an amazing actor for the past 14 years, he has huge hits. We haven't seen him much in the best figures because he took a break, but now he's coming back strongly, and I think he's going to talk also much more to a younger audience because he's going to bring new exciting movies. But we have actors like Jacob Elordi, yes, that talks a lot to a very young audience, and it's been very successful for us.

I think I would go with this one, the one you're wearing, the one you have as well. Yes, the reverse Panda 39-millimeter glass box, reverse Panda, date at 12, and this bracelet that's elegance but racing at the same time. I think it's a perfect combination, and it depicts well what the brand represents today. I also love the 36-millimeter Carreras, especially for me the pastel green dial. I think it's a subtle green that will do very well. Vibrant pink is a trendy color right now. Of course, we released an Aqua Racer pink, it was extremely successful, also worn by men. I would like that. It's not a women's watch, it's a really unisex watch. To talk about him again, now Jacob already was wearing the Aqua Racer pink, and we didn't ask him to do it, he just chose it in that color, and he loved it, and he spontaneously wore it. Love it.

Yeah, it's the first time in the history of the brand that we have an exclusive manufacturer three-hand movement with state-of-the-art characteristics. So 80 hours power reserve, COSC certification, five-year warranty, and it's a real milestone for us. Going forward, it's a great tool watch, it's a great way.

So first about our vision. We introduced lab-grown diamonds last year, and we really have an angle on innovation. It's about bringing new shapes, new textures to the market that would be impossible to do with natural diamonds. So we have a polycrystalline dial that's one block of diamond, we have the crown that's one thing, three carats, just one diamond that's grown, and all diamonds are unique shapes that are encrusted in the case, and now also in the bezel and in the strap. And I think that's really amazing.

This year we bring one new innovation which is the color. So we have a pink crown as you can see, and we have a pink shield.

Of course, of course. Amazing. It's amazing, and as you can imagine, even think but then next it's going to be yellow, then blue, oh green, and then different color, everything colors together.

Thank you, Austin, and see you soon.