TAG Heuer Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’ CBK221F.FC6479 - Review And Buying Guide

In its long, illustrious history, TAG Heuer has many legendary names stitching its reputation as a prestigious watchmaker, but one stands out from the rest: Carrera. A name born on the race track in 1963, the Carrera has its roots steeped in TAG Heuer’s legacy of motorsports chronograph.  Clean, focused and superbly designed, it is one of TAG Heuer’s pillar collections.

In 2020, TAG Heuer dropped one of its most appealing watches in modern times – the Carrera 160 Years Silver Edition, combining modern elements and a technical base with a stunning vintage charm. This retro-styled chronograph saw a comeback in 2021 as a new limited edition, but this time with a unique blue-green dial - the TAG Heuer Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’ Ref. CBK221F.FC6479.

The Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’ timepiece is limited to just 500 pieces and pays tribute to the original 1963 Heuer model. Given its fantastic blend of modernity and elegance in a truly incomparable style, this watch deserves a special mention.

Here, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about this limited-edition timepiece. But before we dig into the details, we’d like to address the core model so you can better understand its foundation.

Back to the Origin

Back in 1962, Jack Heuer, founder Edouard Heuer’s great-grandson, came across the famed Carrera Panamericana – one of the world's most notorious and iconic road races. The word ‘Carrera’, meaning road race, career and course, caught his attention, and he knew it was the perfect name for his new timepiece.

The 1960s was a golden period in motorsports, and Jack created a watch dedicated to the sport. In 1963, the first TAG Heuer Carrera chronograph model was born.

The first TAG Heuer Carrera model was the Reference 2447, whose design went on to define the design code of the entire collection, including modern watches, for decades to come.

Jack did not like the unnecessary tracks usually found in chronographs and took this philosophy to design the Carrera’s clean chronograph dial. The Heuer Carrera chronograph featured everything that made it perfect for drivers who needed to see the time at a glance during the adrenaline-thrusting races.

Additionally, the absence of extraneous details made the chronograph highly legible. Its clean, functional design, balanced proportions, distinctive lugs, and dynamic case caught the world's attention.

Key design elements of the Carrera 2447:

• 36mm case with straight case bands
• Clean dial with raised applied batons for the hours & three recessed sub-dials
• Bezel engraved with tachymeter scale
• Faceted lugs and crown and pump pushers executed with the heritage feel
• Hand-wound Valjoux 72 movement
• Plexiglass crystal  
• Steel tension ring positioned on the inside of the crystal marked with crisp strokes spaced at 1/5 of second intervals
• Fitted to a black leather strap

Years later, this renowned monochrome model was a prime choice to pay tribute to the brand’s 160th anniversary.

The 160 Years Silver “Limited Edition” TAG Heuer Carrera

The reason why it is necessary to mention this model is simple – the Carrera 160 Years Silver is the one that inspires the Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’ Ref. CBK221F.FC6479.

The case of this Carrera 160 Years Ref: CBK221B.FC6479 is reasonably sized at 39mm with stainless steel and has a compact design with a desirable vintage flair. The shape is very Carrera, with the case completely polished, iconic faceted lugs and a sharp case band. The watch is worn on a black alligator strap with a steel folding clasp.

The monochromatic dial is another highlight of this TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years. It has no complex display or unnecessary inscriptions—just the essentials. It features a silver hue with a sunray-brushed pattern and is adorned with the vintage Heuer logo. From the sub-dials to the hands, the track, and the indexes, everything draws inspiration from the original Ref. 2447.

The TAG Heuer 160 Years Silver Edition is a very accomplished timepiece.

Modern TAG Heuer Green “Special Edition” CBK221F.FC6479

TAG Heuer reintroduced the retro-shaped Carrera 160 Years Silver Edition chronograph in a new limited edition in 2021, but this time featuring a blue-green dial with intense shimmer. The idea of the 160 Silver Edition was to bring back the original 1960s version with a modern flair, and the modern Green Special Edition timepiece reciprocates the same essence with a more original colour and sleek, minimalist appeal.

The new modern TAG Heuer Green ‘Special Edition’ Ref. CBK221F.FC6479 is a vintage-inspired, limited-edition teal timepiece honouring the brand’s rich chronograph-making heritage. It is 39mm in size with a thin bezel and 100m water resistance. The teal dial with its tri-compax structure feels fresh and lively, and it fits to an alligator strap for maximum wrist comfort.

Similar to the 160 Silver Edition, this watch also pays direct tribute to the vintage Heuer 2447, sharing most of its design elements, including signature lugs, well-proportioned case, and polished push buttons. However, the modern-day chronograph encompasses new details, like the modern Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic movement.

The Green ‘Special Edition’ proves a fascinating composition by ingeniously blending old and new attributes. Released in 2021, it is a limited edition of 500 pieces, available exclusively in TAG Heuer boutiques and the brand’s website.

Initial Review

The TAG Heuer Carrera embraces the ‘Green’ trend with the new Green Special Edition Ref. CBK221F.FC6479. It has a brand new colour—a dark, deep blue-green dial with an intense shimmer. At a glance, the green looks enriching and handsome, making us wonder why TAG Heuer did not use it more often. But since it’s here now, it goes very well with the classic Carrera iteration.

It is a no-date dial, simplified for maximum legibility, with sunken registers featuring a concentric pattern. There’s a very narrow 60-minute chapter ring surrounding the dial perimeter. The markers and hands are sufficiently luminous, except for the tapered chronograph hand. The use of faux patina on the hands and lume plots adds to the vintage appeal. You can see the lume plots precisely applied above each polished hour marker.

Made as a tribute to the original Carrera 2447, the case shape, although improved from 36mm to 39mm, retains the traditional Heuer design with the signature long faceted lugs combined with polished round pushers, a sloped steel bezel and protected by the box-shape sapphire crystal(replacing the previous plexiglass in the historical model). The 39mm case size is really attractive to us, not just because it recalls the Carrera’s past but also because it is quite versatile.

The original Heuer Carrera 2447 had the hand-wound Valjoux calibre 72 movement, but this new model has the Heuer 02 movement. The column wheel is teal-coloured, and there are words printed on the rotor in teal as well.

It is a column wheel vertical clutch manufactured automatic winder with an 80-hour power reserve and 28,800 vibrations per hour. Although machine-finished, it’s a handsome-looking movement you can appreciate through the sapphire case back. It is unidirectional winding, making it all the more efficient than bidirectional. The brand also goes the extra mile to print the name ‘Heuer’ instead of TAG Heuer on the bridge of the movement.

The watch draws on the styling of the past and yet keeps it new, thanks to the dial, which looks very different from its lineage. Lsike many brands, TAG Heuer has also recognised the consumer’s inclination towards green dials; hence, this green-hued chronograph is bang-on!

The black alligator strap features large rectangular scales with a semi-gloss finish. It is secured by a steel Heuer-signed twin trigger deployment clasp that safeguards accidental openings. The strap does not have an actual perforation; you crimp it inside the buckle, and then it slides underneath.

Overall, this watch is true to the proportions and has a vintage look, especially with that bubble-like sapphire glass. It also looks somewhat formal by modern standards. Thanks to the 100 metres of water resistance, this Green Carrera also makes for a swimmable lumed sports watch.

Overall, the Green Carrera Special Edition Ref. CBK221F.FC6479 feels intentional and thoughtful.

Review TAG Heuer Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’ Ref. CBK221F.FC6479

Basics:

• Model: CBK221F.FC6479
• Case Size: 39mm
• Material: Stainless Steel  
• Bezel: Stainless Steel  
• Dial: Teal Green
• Bracelet/Strap: Black Alligator Strap
• Movement: Automatic, Heuer 02 Calibre
• Power Reserve: 80 hours
• Water Resistance: 100 metres
• Retail Price: £5800

Case & Bezel

The new Green Dial Special Edition Carrera has a round vintage 2447 Carrera-inspired 39mm stainless steel case that is 3mm wider than the original model, fulfilling the requirements of modern watch buyers. With its slender bezel and elongated, angled lugs, the watch exudes a refined look. 

Speaking of lugs, we have some handsome, angular, integrated, and polished Carrera-style lugs, which have been featured on every Carrera since 1963 - they are the shapes that define the watch.

The right side is equipped with pump pushers and an unprotected crown, which lend this Carrera a refined, sporty-chic appearance. The pushers are vintage pump-style, and the crown is Heuer-branded.

It is engraved with ‘SPECIAL EDITION’ on the case back.

Dial

The model is indeed special with a lovely teal sunray-brushed dial. This unique hue makes this new Special Edition model stand out. The green dial gives the watch a fresh, creative flair and certain boldness. 

The dial layout is very symmetrical, with three sub-dial counters—a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, a 60-second counter at 6 o’clock, and a 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock. Minimal texturing highlights the sunray finish on the main dial and the snail pattern on the sub-dials. The absence of a date aperture adds to its evocative execution.

The rhodium-plated baton-style hour and minute hands are faceted and sufficiently coated with Super-LumiNova for optimum readability and emit a green light in dark environments. Lume plots are applied above each of the retro-style hour markers, further enhancing the vintage effect.

The dial also sports the Carrera name in the vintage format above the emblematic Heuer logo at 12 o’clock, resembling the Carrera 2447. A minute track runs along the dial perimeter, and a retro-style ‘glass box’ domed sapphire crystal covers the dial, inspired by the original Carrera. 

Bracelet/Strap

The watch is worn on black alligator leather strap, presenting a luxurious appeal. It is equipped with a steel twin-trigger deployment clasp to prevent accidental openings. The strap has no perforation, and you fold it through the buckle, placing it underneath. It sits comfortably on smaller wrists and is well-balanced. 

Movement

The new Heuer 02 Calibre powering this model is a cutting-edge automatic movement comprising 168 parts. A classic column wheel controls the vertical clutch mechanism within the movement, which runs at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz). The movement will be more precise because of this high frequency.

The Heuer 02 movement has become the flagship movement for Heuer’s more up-scale chronographs, and this position ensures superior finishing and performance.

A small yet significant highlight is that the column wheel here is anodised in the same hue as the dial (teal green). Through the transparent sapphire case back, you can see hints of teal green on the movement’s column wheel and the ‘Calibre Heuer 02’ and ‘Swiss Made’ inscriptions on the blackened oscillating mass. The rotor is blacked out, allowing the teal text to pop out.

The movement boasts a staggering power reserve of 80 hours, attesting that this modern movement is an absolute gem.

Price & Availability

The Green Carrera Special Edition Ref. CBK221F.FC6479 is a limited edition of 500 pieces. Priced at £5800, it is available exclusively in the brand’s boutiques or through its official website.

This watch was first available in 2021. Due to its limited nature and the passage of time, it is likely now out of stock. 

Therefore, given its scarce availability, limited edition status and unique colourway, this model is sure to become a collectable piece in the coming days. Try your luck on the pre-owned market for one of these pieces. 

Why do we love the Heuer Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’?

Green is undoubtedly the colour of the moment in the luxury watch industry. Although many watchmakers have used different shades of green, the majority of these hues have either yellow undertones or a neutral base. Blue-green dials, as used by TAG Heuer, are comparatively rare, making this modern iteration even more unique.

The   Carrera Green ‘Special Edition’ is a stylish and compelling choice for individuals seeking a well-made chronograph. Its unique teal green hue and exceptional take on the iconic vintage Carrera 2447 set it apart, while the reliable Heuer 02 movement ensures high performance. If that wasn’t enough, its limited edition nature makes it an exclusive addition to any discerning collector’s collection. This Green model continues to march well into 2025 and will remain a significant creation even in the years to come.

Even those who weren’t always fans of the Heuer Carrera models will find this an excellent example of a chronological mash up of old and new. Comfortably situated within the sporty elegance category, this stainless steel Green Carrera is by all means a luxurious-looking, stylish timepiece.

Parting Thoughts

The expertly reworked TAG Heuer Carrera Green Special Edition chronograph is a worthy successor to the original 1963 model. After all, it’s hard to beat these vintage-inspired timepieces. And, thanks to its unique combination and colourway, this model has become an instantly recognisable icon.  

Whether you’re a connoisseur or a first-time buyer, this Green Carrera is worth considering, given its perfect balance of new and old, performance and style.