To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Swiss Heuer 2951A stopwatch, which was fixed by NASA to the wrist of astronaut John Glenn in 1962, TAG Heuer announces the launch of a new limited edition Carrera 1887 series chronograph: the Carrera Calibre 1887 SpaceX. Its design reproduces that of the 1962 chronometer: same triangular hour markers at 12 and 6 o'clock on the dial, identical Arabic numerals, same hand. The homage to the vintage style of the 1960s is completed by a strap in perforated leather with a "used" effect. At the heart of this timepiece is the TAG Heuer Calibre 1887 manufacture movement, designed, developed and assembled entirely in the company's workshops, between its headquarters in La Chaux-de-Fonds and its factory in Cornol, Switzerland. The mechanism is visible through the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal case back. Limited, numbered edition of 2012 pieces, each bearing an engraved serial number (price: from €4,500 for the version with a leather strap to €4,550 for that with a steel bracelet). The SpaceX Carrera 1887 model has recently been tested in space: last May, during its flight to the international space station, the Dragon capsule had this celebratory chronograph on board. Once back on Earth, it underwent a series of tests to verify its resistance to the gravitational forces experienced during the launch, arrival at the space station, re-entry into the atmosphere and landing. The sports stopwatch worn by John Glenn is preserved today in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. A faithful reproduction of the original is on display at the 360 TAG Heuer Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
