George Ciz, CMO of TAG Heuer at the launch of the Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition in Seoul recently. Photo: Tag Heuer
Tag Heuer and Porsche, who entered a global partnership in 2021, celebrated the launch of their very first collaborative smartwatch, the Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition in Seoul recently.
The timepiece born from the collaboration between the Swiss luxury watchmaker and the German car manufacturer is the ultimate expression of excellence in technology, connectivity and design.
The latest Tag Heuer is probably it’s smartest connected watch, with a fresh black and blue aesthetic inspired by the all-electric Porsche Taycan, along with bespoke connectivity features developed exclusively for owners of Porsche cars.
This will enable owners to enhance their driving experience, in addition to having access to the wide range of sport and wellness apps already offered in Tag Heuer’s proprietary digital ecosystem.
The launch also coincided with Seoul’s very first and thrilling two-race weekend of Formula E, the electric single-seater world championship of which Tag Heuer is a founding partner.
To mark the occasion, Tag Heuer took over the SJ Kunsthalle in trendy and exclusive Chengdamdong – where Tag Heuer’s Cheongdam boutique is located – inviting the brands’ closest friends, partners, media and personalities to discover the new watch and experience the power of what is possible when two of the world’s biggest brands come together as one.
South Korean actor and Tag Heuer ambassador Wi Ha Jun was present for the memorable event. He is one of South Korea’s most popular actors and models, rising to international fame in 2021 for his inspiring role in the K-drama series Squid Game. He was joined by K-pop artist Zico as well as Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team drivers Andre Lotterer and Pascal Wehrlein.
South Korean actor and Tag Heuer ambassador Wi Ha Jun was present at the launch event in Seoul.One of the evening’s highlights was the reveal of the Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’s new special livery for the weekend, decking out the 99X Electric in the unmistakable colours of the new Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition, frozen blue and black, and echoing the bold timepiece’s new “Circuit” watch face.
With this stand-out new look, the all-electric racecar took to the night-lit streets of Seoul to showcase its understated power in a short film screened for the guests on the evening.
The crowd of watch and automotive enthusiasts were also able to discover the new Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition up close in an immersive display space designed with mesmerising glow-in-the-dark features.
George Ciz, CMO of Tag Heuer said “We are delighted to be in Seoul with our close partner Porsche to celebrate the launch of the first and much-anticipated Tag Heuer Connected Porsche Edition. And what better moment than Seoul’s first E-Prix weekend, to see our shared values and ambitions around technology, design, performance, precision and connectivity come to life, on and off the track, in such an exciting way.”
He said this was a very interesting and authentic partnership, likening it to a man and woman who had been together for 30 years and never got married and decided to get married.
“That’s how I see our relationship. We have so much that we have in common. Both companies founded by families. Both have a huge focus on innovation and performance. Both have a huge love for motorsports and we both have Carrera as one of our flagship models,” he said, adding that the iconic watch was named after the Carrera Panamericana, one of the most dangerous car races in Mexico.
“In 2015 Tag was one of the first to go into the world of connected watches and Porsche was one of the first luxury car brands that decided to enter into electrification with the Taycon.
“We are both visionaries and innovators. And when you put all these things together you realise that these two brands really fit together,” he said.
He said that many luxury brands had the same challenge. “Our customers are getting older, and we want to engage the young customers.”
Likening it to a strategic partnership and not a collaboration, Ciz said the two brands already had four collections together and would be introducing some new limited editions in the near future.
Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea, added “Porsche and Tag Heuer bring together what our customers love the most about us: authentic heritage, thrilling sports events, unique life experiences and the fulfilment of dreams. The strong friendship of Porsche and Tag Heuer is rooted in a long tradition and I am more than happy that we are continuously innovating our strategic collaboration.”
He said the two brands would keep pushing the limits of creativity, connectivity and design, creating bold, disruptive and cutting-edge products that deliver an outstanding experience and set a new standard of excellence for the future.
