TAG Heuer and Hiroshi Fujiwara Join Forces Again for the Carrera Fragment Collection
The minimalist style of the streetwear master.
TAG Heuer has just released its third collaboration with Japanese streetwear designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, founder of the fashion brand Fragment Design (and also a vintage watch collector). This TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x fragment watch is based on TAG Heuer's iconic "Glassbox" chronograph and features the TH20 movement.
While the case and movement remain unchanged, the Fragment version retains Mr. Fujiwara's familiar minimalist aesthetic, with a monochrome dial that removes color and most numerals.
This new version is the best of the three Fragment watches, perfectly blending the Carrera "Glassbox"'s excellent case with Mr. Fujiwara's aesthetic vision. I love the "Glassbox" design (although I wish it were thinner), and I equally appreciate the Fragment style; the combination is simply superb.
I was a loyal fan of the original Carrera Fragment watch, but I wasn't a fan of the second generation—the Autavia—because it was too bulky and the monochromatic color scheme lacked cohesion. Unlike the retro style of the original Carrera, the new Carrera Fragment watch exhibits a distinctly modern feel, making it far superior. I think that retro-style watches, especially Carrera-era chronographs, have become so ubiquitous that this modern style is undoubtedly a highlight.
Monochromatic Minimalism Like previous Fragment watches, the most striking feature of the new Carrera watch is its dial. Hiroshi Fujiwara, adhering to Fragment's consistent minimalist style, has given the dial a simple design. The numerals have been removed, retaining only the hour markers and squares. Admittedly, this reduces the legibility of the chronograph subdials, but the appearance is undeniably excellent.
It's also worth noting that the date display has been redesigned. It features a color scheme matching the dial, with a black dial and silver hour markers, while the "1" and "11" are replaced by Fragment's lightning bolt logo.
The rest of the watch is identical to the standard Carrera "Glass Box" watch. The case design is inspired by Carrera watches from the 1960s, but it features a high-domed sapphire crystal, no bezel, and a matching domed bezel—hence the name "Glass Box."
The dimensions are the same as the standard model, 39 mm wide and slightly less than 14 mm high. The noticeable thickness is perhaps the only design flaw, but this is mainly due to the TH20 movement inside.
The iconic "Glass Box" dial's domed edge hugs the sapphire crystal, becoming a key design element. The tachymeter scale is white, contrasting sharply with the clean black dial. Unlike the dial, the tachymeter scale retains numerals.
Internally, it houses the same TH20 movement as the standard Carrera “Glassbox” model, visible through the sapphire crystal case back adorned with the Fragment logo.
The TH20 is TAG Heuer's latest generation of flagship chronograph movement, possessing most of the functions of a modern movement, including a column wheel and a practical 80-hour power reserve. The movement is slightly thick, which explains the case's height, but this issue will almost certainly be resolved in the next generation movement.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x fragment Limited Edition Ref. CBS221B.BA0045