1997 Heuer Carrera CS3111 Re-edition 'Full Set’

The Carrera was born in 1964 and evolved to its “final” Heuer days in the mid-80s until its re-birth in 1996 with a few re-editions like the one shown here.

 

The story that I have heard about the Carrera re-edition starts with the planned initial public offering (“IPO“) of TAG Heuer (TH) in the mid-1990s. Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) sold 40% of TH to private equity firm Doughty Hanson in 1995 and along with the management team, the parties were looking to tap into the growing market for luxury brands going public.

 

But there was a problem: apparently some of the advisers to the company became concerned about potential investors marking down the company because of the perception that TH was really just a marketing company- after all, they didn’t make movements- and they didn’t seem to have a real heritage story to help sell the romance of investors buying into a luxury brand.

 

And so to address this it was decided to re-launch the Carrera at Monza in late 1995/early 1996. The company even invited back Jack Heuer to attend the launch of the Carrera, something Jack generously agreed to, despite the hurt of the forced sale of Heuer in 1982 still lingering. The renewed interest in Heuer’s heritage also extended to the book “Mastering Time” which the company commissioned to look back on the history of Heuer and integrate the new TAG Heuer into this story. The book was first published in mid-1996, only a few months after the Carrera re-edition was launched.

 

The Carrera re-edition was launched with three models in the range- the Gold Carrera (CS3140), the black-dial Carrera (CS3111) and the white Carrera (CS3110).

 

The Carrera re-edition was true to the original Heuer Carrera 2447D in almost every aspect from the 36mm stainless steel case, to the pushers and crown and the dial and sub-dial design. The only real difference is that the original had the text “Carrera” on the dial. Ask collectors today which re-edition TAG Heuer they like the most and it’s usually universal that the Carrera re-edition is the best. Why? Because it’s the most true to the original.

This CS3111 presented here is the most appealing of them all, in our honest opinion.

 

Furthermore, it remains in great shape with little signs of wear. The case remains unpolished, the dial is mint, and the Lemania 1873 is running like the first day.

 

Last but not least, it comes in a full kit with outer and inner boxes, guarantee booklet and stamped card, and instructions booklet.