TAG Heuer Carrera 'Tête de Vipère' Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer: Malaysia Price and Review

TAG Heuer’s latest Carrera gets a unique mark of quality.

When we think of chronometer certification, the first and foremost institution that comes to mind is the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres or COSC from Switzerland. However these guys aren’t the only chronometer testers in the world. In fact there’s a multitude of them from England to Germany.

One such institution is the Besançon Observatory in France. It is perhaps the most exclusive and uncommon choice for watchmakers seeking to test their chronos, largely due to the scarcity of watches that have been stamped with the Tête de Vipère or Viper's Head, the observatory’s chronometer certification. Abandoned in the 1970s, then relaunched in 2006, the Viper’s Head stamp has since been awarded to just 500 watches.

For the Carrera’s 55th anniversary, TAG Heuer has launched a tourbillon chronograph chronometer marked by the Viper’s Head. The TAG Heuer Carrera 'Tête de Vipère' Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer exudes aesthetics typical of the brand’s recent shift in design, largely influenced by the company’s CEO Jean-Claude Biver, who took over in 2014 after moving from Hublot.

One such influence is the watch size that stands at a hefty 45mm. Both the case and bezel are made of blue ceramic, a material that offers superior scratch resistance compared to steel but is more brittle and prone to shattering. The skeletonised dial shows off a very geometric and balanced set of bridges, all black PVD-treated to keep the colour scheme in tow.

The exposed tourbillon is found at six o’clock, secured with blue bridges to increase visibility and draw the eye while the rhodium-plated chrono counters are placed at three and nine o’clock. The dial's indexes and hands are likewise rhodium-plated and filled with Super-LumiNova to increase night-time legibility.
Ceramics aside, the caseback, pushers, and crown are all made of stainless steel that has been coated in black PVD. This complements the matte black alligator strap that features a black rubber lining and blue contrast stitching true to TAG Heuer’s sport luxe aesthetics.

Powering the watch is the in-house Heuer-02T Calibre which, to date, is still the most affordable Swiss-made tourbillon chronograph movement on the market. The sapphire crystal caseback affords a good view of this movement, which maintains a modern and industrial design with its black-treated bridges and baseplate, along with a skeletonised blue oscillating weight.

Of course, the most notable feature of the watch boils back to its Tête de Vipère certification (see the engraved stamp above). The process is actually very similar to the COSC version where the watches are tested for 16 days, in five positions at three different temperatures, and must achieve an average daily rate between -4 and +6 seconds to qualify as a chronometer. But what’s different here is that the Besançon Observatory tests the watch fully cased instead of an uncased movement like COSC. Some have noted that this, in fact, provides a more accurate indication of performance when worn.

On the wrist, the TAG Heuer Carrera 'Tête de Vipère' Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer isn't too dissimilar from the brand’s other Heuer-02T Calibre releases with the blue ceramic case and Viper's Head logo on the movement standing as the proper differentiators here. A great amalgamation of affordable luxury and sporty aesthetics, the watch might not appeal to the usual tourbillon fanboys who seek something more regal but rather to those who prefer a sportier vibe.