TAG Heuer gives its Carrera Chronograph a hidden horse-inspired upgrade

Chinese New Year 2026 begins in February, but we’re already seeing tons of new watches inspired by the Year of the Horse. The latest timepiece comes from TAG Heuer, and its new Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse celebrates the Chinese zodiac with a ‘hidden’ upgrade.

Based on its iconic Carrera Chronograph design – see our hands-on with the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph for more details – the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse is much more subtle than some other Chinese New Year-inspired designs. The main changes are the dial colour and its subtle nod to the fire horse which can be seen via the date window at nine o’clock.

Rather than print an elaborate horse on the dial, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse has taken a different approach. In the date window, the number seven is replaced by ‘马’, the Chinese character for horse. The horse is the seventh position of the Chinese zodiac, so when it’s the seventh of every month, you’ll get to see the subtle nod to the 2026 Chinese New Year.

The dial of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse is displayed in red and champagne gold. The red can be seen on the seconds hand, date window and chronograph subdial. The hands and hour markers are made from 18K rose gold to compliment the champagne colour.

Sitting in a 39mm case, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse has another tribute to the fire horse on its sapphire caseback. When you flip the watch over, you can see the TH20-07 calibre movement which is overlapped by a print of a galloping horse. The movement itself gives the watch an 80 hour power reserve.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse is finished with the brand’s iconic seven-row beads-of-rice bracelet. Limited to 250 pieces, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse is available to buy now for £6,850 / $7,850.