Carrera Timemachine

Based on the Carrera, the new chronograph watch by nendo for TAG Heuer is a design born from a “wrong feature”, reinventing itself to create a new kind of “right answer”.

nendo has collaborated with TAG Heuer (the world-renowned Swiss watch brand known for their high-quality sports watches) to design the new watch Carrera Timemachine. The model is based on the Carrera, which is one of TAG Heuer’s boldest and sportiest models.

nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Hiroshi Iwasaki

The face, case, and armband have been kept completely unchanged, while the clock hands have taken on a more classical shape. It conjures up an image of having gone to a local traditional watchmaker to get a chronograph watch repaired, only to find that the elderly proprietor has put on a pair of clock hands from a vintage watch by mistake; a design born from a single “error” or “wrong feature”, reinventing itself to create a new kind of “right answer”. To accentuate the sense of incongruity and strangeness in this watch, the packaging takes its motif from an old book, revealing when opened a red bookmark and paper knife in the shape of a classical clock hand together with the watch. The watch also comes with a glass clock stand, individually handcrafted from an antique jar.

nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Hiroshi Iwasaki

The shop displays of this watch feature the aforementioned products and packaging, together with a range of tools and trinkets reminiscent of an old watchmaker’s workshop scattered around. Above this layout is a mass of conventional silver clock hands dangling in mid air, with just a single red classical clock hand floating and standing out in their midst.

nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Hiroshi Iwasaki
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Hiroshi Iwasaki
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Hiroshi Iwasaki
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Hiroshi Iwasaki
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida
nendo: Carrera Timemachine. Photo Akihiro Yoshida


Carrera Timemachine
Design: nendo
Client: TAG Heuer
Price: 550,000 JPY (available for purchase in Japan only)
Photos: Hiroshi Iwasaki (watch), Akihiro Yoshida (package and other)