TAG Heuer Carrera x Team Ikuzawa: Racing Spirit in 150 Pieces
Alessandro
TAG Heuer returns to the racetrack with Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Watch Department for a second collaboration that blends Japanese motorsport culture with Swiss chronograph expertise. Limited to just 150 individually numbered pieces, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa gives the iconic Carrera Glassbox a distinctive new personality.
The creative direction comes from Mai Ikuzawa, Team Principal and Creative Director of the racing team founded by her father in 1981. Raised between Tokyo and the world of motorsport, and later educated at Central Saint Martins, she has transformed Team Ikuzawa into a cultural platform where racing meets fashion, art and contemporary design.
For this new watch, Ikuzawa worked closely with George Bamford, known for his bold yet carefully considered reinterpretations of watchmaking icons. Their main source of inspiration was the Heuer Roadmaster stopwatch, a historic timing instrument recognised for its functional graphics, strong contrasts and immediate readability.
These references are translated into the 39 mm steel case of the TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox. Its bezel free construction offers a generous view of the white Clou de Paris dial, framed by a black flange and a precise white minute track. Printed indexes reinforce the stopwatch inspired character, while red lacquered hands and a matching date disc introduce the signature Team Ikuzawa colour.
At six o’clock, the Team Ikuzawa name takes over the space traditionally occupied by the running seconds display. This unusual configuration is made possible by the TH20 10 manufacture chronograph calibre. It also recalls TAG Heuer chronographs from the 1960s and 1970s, when racing teams and sponsors regularly appeared directly on the dial.
The details continue beyond the watch face. A red lacquered ring surrounds the polished steel crown, while the seven row steel bracelet alternates brushed and polished surfaces. Two additional straps are included: perforated white leather with red stitching, inspired by vintage racing gloves, and a red and white textile version referencing Team Ikuzawa’s historic livery.
The caseback carries dedicated Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Watch Department engravings, together with the individual number of each piece. Even the packaging embraces the motorsport theme, taking inspiration from the toolboxes found in racing workshops and pit garages.
Precise without feeling overly technical, this Carrera captures the romantic side of analogue racing. It is a confident meeting of heritage and contemporary design, created for collectors who appreciate both the stopwatch and the story behind it.
