TAG HEUER

It was in 1860 that Edouard Heuer founded his watchmaking workshop in St-Imier a village in the Swiss Jura region. It soon became the international reference for prestigious sports watches. The brand is founded on solid historical values with the emphasis on performance, innovation and a passion for sports. Since November 1999, it has been owned by the world's foremost luxury group, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH). TAG Heuer is now ranked fourth in the worldwide luxury watch market and is at the heart of LVMH's Watch and Jewelry division.

The TAG Heuer image has always been closely associated with that of high-level competition. By timing and sponsoring some of the most demanding disciplines - particularly Formula 1 motor-racing, a field where reliability and precision are at a premium - TAG Heuer has always been synonymous with success and excellence.

In 1976, Heuer (forerunner of TAG Heuer), presented its computer-assisted "Automatic Car Identification and Timing System" which met the demands of Formula 1 and Le Mans 24-hour race and the approval of the FIA. It was not until 1992 that the company had the foresight to make Formula 1 racing a strategic priority. Today, Official Timekeeper to the World Ski, FIA Formula 1 World Championships and partner of the "Oracle Team" for the prestigious sailing race the America's Cup in 2003, the brand constantly derives new technologies, expertise and its own highly distinctive spirit from this activity.

However, it was not simply a matter of TAG Heuer giving precise readings for the cars' times, it meant bringing new blood to Formula 1 racing, and TAG Heuer has been associated with many of the great names of the sport: Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jacky Ickx, Michael Schumacher and, of course, perhaps the greatest talent of all: Ayrton Senna. In addition, since 1985, TAG Heuer has been closely involved with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and maintains close ties with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen.