TAG Heuer’s latest Formula 1 chronograph arrives with a familiar racing signature, and it’s not subtle about it.
The Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf brings the blue and orange Gulf livery into the brand’s newly sharpened Formula 1 line, pairing a lightweight titanium case with a forged carbon tachymeter bezel and an automatic chronograph movement.
It’s a limited-edition piece with a clear point of view, aimed at collectors who prefer their motorsport watches with real colour, visible attitude and a link to racing culture that goes beyond a logo.
At a glance
- TAG Heuer has introduced the Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf as a 1,000-piece limited edition.
- The watch uses a 44mm grade 2 titanium case, forged carbon tachymeter bezel and Gulf blue-and-orange dial treatment.
- It is priced at CHF 5,950, EUR 6,300, GBP 5,350 or USD 6,300, with availability from 3 July 2026.
A lighter Formula 1 case with sharper racing lines
The modern Formula 1 case has moved away from stainless steel and into grade 2 titanium, a practical decision for a chronograph measuring 44mm across and 14.1mm thick.
The case is fully sandblasted, giving it a technical, low-glare finish that suits the collection’s pit-lane personality.
Black DLC-coated rectangular pushers replace the more conventional round style, while the case shape takes on a more angular profile inspired by the nose of Formula 1 cars.
An orange lacquered crown ring and a slim orange joint below the bezel add small flashes of colour without letting the hardware compete with the dial.
The fixed tachymeter bezel uses a forged carbon insert, with white markings and Gulf branding worked into the scale.
Gulf blue and orange take over the dial
The Gulf connection is one of the most recognisable in motorsport, and TAG Heuer has chosen to make it the visual centre of the watch rather than a discreet accent.
Two broad vertical stripes in light blue and orange run down the right side of the matte black opalin dial, cutting through the display with a deliberately graphic look.
The stripes continue into the outer track, which gives the dial a more dynamic feel than a simple heritage colour treatment.
The chronograph layout is a balanced tricompax arrangement, with a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock, a 12-hour totaliser at 6 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock.
Orange hands on the chronograph counters match the central chronograph seconds hand and the five-minute markers on the flange.
The running seconds hand is finished in blue, tying it to the lacquered chapter ring and the Gulf livery around it.
Eight applied indices sit on that blue ring, while the semi-openworked hour and minute hands carry white Super-LumiNova for night-time legibility.
The date window at 3 o’clock is framed in black and cuts into the orange stripe, a small detail that keeps the dial from feeling too neatly divided.
The Calibre 16 keeps the package familiar
Inside is TAG Heuer’s Calibre 16, an automatic chronograph movement using a Sellita SW500 base.
It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, uses 25 jewels and provides a 42-hour power reserve.
The Calibre 16 is a known quantity in TAG Heuer’s chronograph universe, and here it gives the new Formula 1 a straightforward mechanical backbone rather than turning the watch into a purely aesthetic exercise.
The caseback is screw-down titanium and carries both the TAG Heuer shield and Gulf branding, reinforcing the partnership without exposing the movement.
Water resistance is rated to 200 metres, which gives the watch more practical range than many motorsport chronographs.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
|---|---|
| Model | Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf |
| Reference | CBZ208B.BF0009 |
| Case size | 44mm diameter, 14.1mm thickness, 47.3mm lug-to-lug |
| Case material | Grade 2 titanium with sandblasted finish |
| Bezel | Fixed forged carbon tachymeter bezel with white markings |
| Crystal | Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment |
| Water resistance | 200 metres |
| Dial | Matte black opalin with Gulf blue and orange vertical stripes |
| Movement | TAG Heuer Calibre 16 automatic chronograph, Sellita SW500 base |
| Frequency | 28,800vph, 4 Hz |
| Power reserve | 42 hours |
| Jewels | 25 |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, quick-set date and tachymeter scale |
| Bracelet | Sandblasted titanium three-row bracelet with folding clasp and link adjustment system |
| Production | Limited edition of 1,000 pieces |
| Availability | From 3 July 2026 |
| Price | CHF 5,950, EUR 6,300, GBP 5,350, USD 6,300 |
The Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf is unmistakably a motorsport watch, but its appeal isn’t only nostalgia.
With titanium construction, a carbon bezel, strong water resistance and one of racing’s most enduring colour schemes, it gives TAG Heuer’s refreshed Formula 1 line a vivid mechanical flagship for collectors who like their chronographs loud, useful and closely tied to the track.
