TAG Heuer looks to the moon with the Carrera Astronomer

Moonphase watches are usually all misty romance, tiny crescent moons peeking through cloudy apertures, star-sprinkled dials, the kind of thing you’d expect Byron to wear if he’d had a Swiss dealer. Pretty? Sure. Practical? Not so much.

Enter TAG Heuer’s new Carrera Astronomer, which has decided the Moon deserves more respect. Instead of a decorative half-circle, you get a rotating disc at 6 o’clock showing seven actual lunar stages across the full 29.5-day cycle.

Two neat little arrows track daily movement, advancing every night at 1am in sync with the real thing above your head. For once, a moonphase that feels more astronomy than astrology.

The Astronomer arrives in a 39mm stainless steel case powered by the freshly minted Calibre 7 movement (50-hour reserve if you forget to wind it). But the watch isn’t just about specs, it’s a story.

Back in 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, with a Heuer stopwatch strapped to his wrist. Yes, the first Swiss watch in space wasn’t an Omega, but a Heuer. The Astronomer riffs on that legacy, swapping racetrack timing for cosmic cycles.

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Three versions are landing. The core steel model brings black-and-silver “tuxedo” contrast and comes on TAG’s retro “beads of rice” bracelet. Then there are two limited editions (500 pieces each): one with glowing turquoise accents on a grey leather strap (the lume even glows in daylight), and a warmer two-tone rose gold version that feels a touch more Apollo-era luxury. Flip them over and you’ll find casebacks engraved with an astronomical observatory and Victory Wreath.

Prices start at £3,900 on leather and climb to £6,200 in two-tone, whilst the mid-tier option will set you back £4,050.

This isn’t just another racing chronograph in a crowded field. The Astronomer is TAG Heuer, admitting that sometimes life isn’t measured in milliseconds but in cycles in the slow, steady rhythm of the Moon. And if you’re tired of watches that only celebrate speed, this one celebrates stillness, precision, and perspective. Which, let’s face it, is pretty refreshing.

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