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TAG Heuer’s ground-breaking TH-Carbonspring debuts in two of its most iconic collections. Merging avant-garde design with cutting-edge engineering, these timepieces mark a bold new chapter in the brand’s pursuit of innovation!

During this year’s Geneva Watch Days, TAG Heuer is introducing a world first, a new milestone achievement for the brand’s LAB, where the expert watchmakers, engineers and technicians have developed something truly special. The brand new TH-Carbonspring oscillator is a technical breakthrough that was shape the future of mechanical watchmaking. TAG Heuer is featuring this new technology in two world-premier limited-edition watches that define TAG Heuer’s innovative spirit.

To understand how this new TH-Carbonspring paves the way for the future of watchmaking, we need to first understand the importance of the oscillator. In the early days of mechanical watchmaking, a revolutionary design changed the face of watchmaking forever when Dutch polymath Christian Huygens invented the modern oscillator by pairing a balance wheel and a hairspring. This hairspring is a hair-like spiral that is installed at the heart of the movement’s regulating organ.

The hairspring, even though miniscule in size, formed a vital part of the movement. The hairspring allowed the watchmakers to control the oscillation of the movement’s balance wheel, which allowed for significant improvements to be made not only with the movement’s precision (frequency), but also in portability. The invention of the hairspring effectively changed watchmaking forever.

While the invention of the hairspring proved to be a pivotal point in watchmaking history, it wasn’t a perfected design. When the original hairspring was created, it was made of steel, a ferrous material that was subject to the effects of shocks, temperature changes and magnetism. All three of these effects are daily occurances that a watch is subjected too, especially temperature variances. When the temperature fluctuates, the hairspring can expand or contract slightly (depending on the material) and this can have a major effect on the precision of the watch.

As time passed by, brands started to experiment with different materials, to find the perfect solution to negate these effects on timekeeping precision. A quarter of a century ago, the watch industry embraced silicon, harnessing its low-maintenance and high-resistance properties to greatly improve the everyday performance of mechanical watches. Silicon hairsprings weren’t the only modern advancements in this technology however. In the 21st century we had brand’s like Rolex with their Parachrom Bleu hairspring, Patek Philippe with the Spiromax hairspring, Ulysse Nardin (an early pioneer in silicon technology), Omega with their own version of the Silicon hairspring, Audemars Piguet with silicon technology (in partnership with CSEM) and H. Moser & Cie with their own proprietary Straumann hairsprings.

Now, TAG Heuer is the latest to join this list of innovators, with the avant-garde spirit of the brand demanding a fresh approach to hairspring technology rather than utilising the modern approach of silicon. It has taken the designers, engineers and watchmakers 10 years of research & development to create the TH-Carbonspring oscillator. The first iteration of the TH-Carbonspring came in 2019, unforfunately, however, it fell short of the precision standards set by TAG Heuer. To perfect the system, another six demanding years of development would be needed. Through this period, the company’s engineers identified the additional manufacturing steps that would progress and refine the hairspring’s environmental resistance and long-term stability.

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“We’ve devoted nine years of our lives to opening a new chapter in the wonderful story of precision mechanical watchmaking,” he said. “We are immensely proud of this achievement and the role it will play in the history of this avant-garde, innovation-centric company, and of the everyday performance enhancements it will deliver to TAG Heuer owners.”
Emmanuel Dupas, TAG Heuer Technical Director.

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TAG Heuer’s TH-Carbonspring comes with three performance upgrades compared to the standard hairpspring. The first is that the material is “amagnetic’, which means that it’s greatly resistant to magnetism, an issue that many conventional movements face with daily use that ends up in the long-term effecting the precision. The second is that the TH-Carbonspring is resistant to shocks. Even simple actions such as closing a door or clapping can create shocks that will disrupt the smooth running and accuracy of a mechanical watch. Lastly, this new development is also lightweight. Being made from carbon nanotubes allows the hairspring to be extremely lightweight, which reduces the inertia on the hairspring, ultimately increasing chronometric performance.

The first timepieces to carry this innovative TH-Carbonspring technology are two flagship collections of TAG Heuer. What better way to introduce this new technology than on two of the most iconic collections in watchmaking: the Monaco and Carrera! This iconic duo defines TAG Heuer’s innovative spirit, technical creativity and elite motorsport pedigree, and has been telling TAG Heuer’s avant-garde story for more than half a century!

TAG Heuer Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring

TAG Heuer’s Monaco get’s a look like no other with this release. Marrying the TH-Carbonspring technology is a carbon case and dial that showcases the innovative technology sitting inside. The 50 piece limited-edition Monaco is one of the few watches in watchmaking that brings together a square case design with chronograph functionality. Pairing these distinctive elements with this new innovative technology seems like a no-brainer, with the result being a timepiece that not only pushes the limits of technical watchmaking but also reinforces the Monaco’s legacy as an avant-garde design.

Case Design

The iconic Monaco case design remains intact, this time being injected with carbon fibre, a fitting tribute to the innovative TH-Carbonspring. The 39 x 39mm black forged carbon case provides both functionality and a beautiful aesthetic appearance. Being lightweight makes the case extremely wearable, but what I particularly like about this carbon case design is that both the 2 and 4 o’clock flyback chronograph pushers alongside the crown are down in forged black carbon as well, providing a uniform aesthetic.

Dial Design

TAG Heuer have taken a unique approach to the dial design here, by constructing the inner dial in carbon fibre, with the flanges done in a deep black so as to highlight the inner dial. The 3 and 9 o’clock chronograph counters are done in black opaline, which helps them to stand out nicely against the carbon background, while also making dial readability crisp and clear. The central black carbon dial features a spiral-shaped engraving, which I think is a brilliant touch that is a direct nod to the TH-Carbonspring sitting inside.

Movement

The new engine sitting inside this latest flyback chronograph Monaco is the Calibre TH20-60. The denotation (60) is given to any TAG Heuer movement that features the new TH-Carbonspring, making it easy to distinguish which movements feature this innovative technology. This chronometer-certified automatic flyback chronograph movement operates at a frequency of 4Hz, while giving out a hefty 80 hour power reserve!

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring

Accompanying the Monaco is TAG Heuer’s other iconic design: the Carrera. However, this isn’t any Carrera model. The 50 piece limited-edition Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport takes the introduction of the TH-Carbonspring to another level, showcasing the brand’s boldest combination of technical mastery and avant-garde design. With the tourbillon complication housed inside the stunning carbon case, the watch delivers both a visual aesthetic impact alongside cutting-edge performance. By integrating the TH-Carbonspring into this Carrera, TAG Heuer reinforces the collection’s position as one of the ultimate expressions of modern watchmaking innovation.

Case Design

The case of the Carrera has been given a black forged carbon upgrade just like it’s Monaco counterpart, with the bezel also featuring the black forged carbon material. This model stood out immediately for me, as seeing it in person, the full carbon look presents a stunning visual aesthetic. The 44mm case size may seem large on paper, but even on my slimmer 16inch wrist size it fits well due to the tapered lugs.

Dial Design

The dial follows the same aesthetic design as per the flyback chronograph Monaco, featuring a black carbon dial with spiral-shaped engraving and two chronograph counters executed black opaline finish. Much like how the Monaco’s flanges were done in black, the minute track on this Carrera is done in black to allow hour indices to standout, while also breaking up the carbon finish of the dial from the tachymeter bezel. While there is quite a few highlights on this dial, the standout feature is the flying tourbillon, circulated in a black gold ring that perfectly complements the chronograph counters.

Movement

The movement powering the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring is the Calibre TH20-61. It differs from the Calibre TH20-60 movement as it features the flying tourbillon and slightly reduced power reserve of 65 hours. Like the Monaco’s Calibre TH20-60 movement, the TH20-61 has been finished with a checkered pattern as a reference to the timepiece’s rich racing heritage. Along with the skeletonised winding rotor with TAG Heuer’s logo design in a satin brushed finish, the case back presents a fine aesthetic appearance, even with majority of the movement being covered off.

Initial Thoughts

The creation of the TH-Carbonspring paves a new path in horology, a path of continuous improvement leading to a new generation of high-performing mechanical watches. TAG Heuer firmly puts itself on the map alongside the other Swiss giants in the race for improved precision in timekeeping. Developed entirely in-house by the TAG Heuer LAB (once known as the TAG Heuer Institute), a technical watchmaking department for releasing ground-breaking timepieces, the TH-Carbonspring is another innovation that showcases the brand’s relentless pursuit of pushing boundaries, not just in design, but also in the science of watchmaking.

The two models in which the TH-Carbonspring is featured for the first time are the perfect additions in my opinion. Both the Monaco and Carrera have been showcasing TAG Heuer’s avant-garde spirit for decades, so it only feels natural that they are the ones to feature this breakthrough innovation. While personally I like the Carrera due to it having a more technical design matched with equally impressive full-carbon look, the Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring is equally impressive in how it balances bold aesthetics with TAG Heuer’s relentless push for cutting-edge technology. Together, they mark a defining moment for TAG Heuer, setting a new benchmark for what collectors can expect from the brand in the future!

Specification: TAG Heuer Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring (Ref CBL5190.FT6313)

Australia Recommended Retail Price: AUD $26,400

Availability: Limited to 50 models. Available December 2025 through TAG-Heuer boutiques and retailers or through TAGheuer.com.au

Specification: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport TH-Carbonspring (Ref. CBU5091.FT6305)

Australia Recommended Retail Price: AUD $62,150

Availability: Limited to 50 models. Available Q1 2026 through TAG-Heuer boutiques and retailers or through TAGheuer.com.au