last month, The secret of Tag Heuer’s full revival (now revealed) early glimpses of its iconic 1980s plastic table, “Formula One 1,” appearing in the right environment of the Grand Prix Racetrack.
During the 2025 F1 season, watchmakers appointed the sport’s official timekeeper, and its parent company, the luxury conglomerate LVMH, has signed a huge sponsorship agreement to install a striking bell tower above the repair station. The clock’s submersible dial “Mercedes” hour-handed and marked, bright red bezels are instantly recognised for anyone familiar with the original colored Formula 1 watch, which was launched in 1986 and sold for millions of dollars, or for a limited remake, and last year a collaboration with the US Streetwear Baillake Kith appeared briefly.
Hawkeye’s label heuer super trousers (many of them) will also find some details that hint at something new: bold dial proportions, square numbers on the bezel and modern label heuer logo.
Sure enough, this is a format for the new sight of the old favorite, which was announced today as a complete, entry-level addition to the watch brand’s lineup – though in 38mm, it’s much larger than the original model (the old one was 35mm). Deployed subtle design enhancements to give it a more modern feel: painted with glowing hour markers, crisp hands, a smoother, more angled explanation of the old-case shape, its “hoodie” lug protrusions were originally designed to strengthen the plastic shell surrounding the belt attachment.
The nod to the eco-certificate is in the form of bioplastics (a castor-based polyamide that the brand named Th-Polylight), a popular alternative to Old’s “Arnite” thermoplastics. But, like before, it is molded with a steel inner core, making the watch stronger than the equivalent of most plastic coatings.
There are nine variants: 3 of three stainless steel with green, black or blue polymer borders, and six full-color limited editions are available in the upcoming Grand Prix competition, including yellow/black, red/red/black/black and green/red shells and baffles, all with matching rubber bands.
What the tag observer won’t collect from the pit lane clock, however, is that the updated Formula 1 1 officially titled “Tag Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph”, which is the latest step in Tag Heuer’s plan to improve solar prestige, namely, by making it the backbone of its entry-level products.
Like some models in Tag’s Aquaracer Sports-Watch category, the new work includes the brand’s solar-powered TH-50 sports, using Citizen’s Tech from the Japanese company, which is attached to a movement provided by the latter’s Swiss subsidiary La Joux-Perret. The $1,800 (£1,650) Formula One solar chart is $1,000 cheaper than the basic Aquaracer Solargraph, and is now the most affordable watch in the Tag Heuer lineup. However, in the wider range of solar watches, it brings important quality to Switzerland (for equivalent features, citizens’ own watches are the highest for around $600).
The dial consists of two super-mounted polymer layers that allow light to rays up to the solar cells below it, thereby charging the accumulator storage unit that provides energy to the movement. If left in the dark (for example, in a drawer), the fully charged watch will continue to run for 10 months, with the six months initially claimed (and Citizen’s own Eco Drive model) improving. It can also be retained in energy-saving mode, pulling out the crown to prevent hand movement for up to two and a half years and restarting in just 10 seconds of light exposure.
On the one hand, it is worth noting that Tag Heuer is firmly watching the consumption capacity of millions of Gen-Z consumers who attract Formula One, as a digital-first, the rise of the pop culture phenomenon that is about to see electronic lasting time as a gateway to its luxury watch. Like many brands, it has long used Swiss-made battery power for entry-level watches, but here, the brand is trying to position solar energy as a modern premium format and guarantees its convenience and performance, especially for younger buyers, especially afterwards.
