Motorsport is all about timing, and hence, it is closely related to timekeeping. That said, I cannot think of any watchmaker more synonymous with motorsports than TAG Heuer. The watchmaking maison has recently showcased yet another motorsport-inspired timepiece, and this one looks as complex as a Formula 1 racing car’s tech.
In fact, the TAG Heuer Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1, as it is called, is billed as one of the most complex watches TAG Heuer has ever created. And yes, “Air” is not just on smartphones and laptops. It has now arrived at timepieces as well. Although it is not out to compete in the thinnest category, it is Air because it is crazy lightweight. But more on that in a bit, because there’s a need to address what the construction is and what goes inside that makes the weight so significant.
Debuted at Dubai Watch Week 2025, this timepiece is limited to just 30 pieces and exists purely to flex TAG Heuer’s avant-garde tech. The Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1 rides into the scene with a case made from Grade-5 titanium shaped using Selective Laser Melting. This aerospace-grade additive manufacturing lets TAG Heuer hollow out the case into dramatic aerodynamic curves and ridges, giving the impression that someone designed the watch inside an actual wind tunnel. Even with several 2N yellow gold components, the entire watch tips the scales at a featherweight 85 grams.
Inside this futuristic exoskeleton is the Calibre TH81-00, a high-frequency automatic movement developed with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. It beats at 36,000 vph (5 Hz), powers a 65-hour reserve, and drives the deliciously nerdy rattrapante complication. Think of it as timing two F1 cars at once, only instead of a track marshal with a clipboard, it is a micro-machine in a titanium cube doing all the work.
A sapphire dial exposes the honeycomb-motif mesh and gold lattice beneath, framed by black DLC-coated titanium pushers and a gold split-seconds trigger at 9 o’clock. The strap keeps things sporty with black rubber topped with Alcantara inserts. The watch is finished with dual sapphire crystals, golden chronograph hands, and all the “hypercar energy” you can cram into 41 mm.
Limited to 30 pieces. Price on request.
Images: TAG Heuer.
