Blast from the Past: A Vintage Look at the TAG Heuer Kirium Automatic Chronograph

It is still surprising that a once-popular model made by a premium brand and designed by a famous designer is almost forgotten a decade and a half after it was last available, but that was the destiny of the TAG Heuer Kirium. It is an underserved fate, as this often-overlooked model brings more than enough to the table to give its siblings a run for their money. This starts with its history, as the Kirium entered the TAG Heuer catalog in 1997 as the successor to the 4000 series. By then, the brand was still owned by the Techniques d’Avant-Garde business group. They are the ones who put the TAG in front of Heuer when they bought the company in 1985. They enlisted well-known designer Jörg Hysek to create a next-generation sports watch, suitable for the 1990s and capable of taking on the following millennium. The Kirium would go on to do just that, as it wasn’t discontinued until 2008, well into the tenure of LVMH, who bought TAG Heuer in 1999.

When it was launched, the Kirium was instantly apparent as a serious contender in the world of sports watches. No less than 15 different models were available when the collection made its market debut. It was a clever mixture of quartz and mechanical models, all sharing the same case and integrated bracelet but with subtle design differences to show their difference in status. This automatic chronograph was one of the top-tier offerings and cost, at the time, the same as a new Monaco chronograph. This price was most certainly also justified, as the Kirium was, and in some ways still is, a very modern sports watch.

While some models were also available with a rubber strap, Hysek designed the Kirium with an integrated bracelet in mind. This bracelet is very solid, follows the shape of the wrist closely, and wears very comfortably. This is aided by the now relatively modest diameter of just over 39 mm. The dial is kept very clean and legible in a style that is rather characteristic of Hysek’s work. As this is an early model of the Kirium Automatic Chronograph, the word “Automatic” is placed at 12 o’clock above the TAG Heuer shield, which is quite an uncommon position. The subdial at 6 o’clock serves as the hour counter for the chronograph, with the date window integrated into it. Above it, the water-resistance rating of the watch is noted, which is a still impressive 200 meters / 656 feet. While this is nothing to be ashamed of for a serious diving watch, it is all the more remarkable for a sports chronograph. This also explains why the Kirium Chronograph is fitted with a unidirectional diving bezel.

While not afraid of water, the slender and elegant hands prevent it from making a serious career in that field. This might also be the reason that TAG Heuer released the time-only Kirium from the start with two different types of hands. Some had the same as this automatic chronograph, while others featured bolder “Mercedes” hands. This is also quite a coincidence, or not, as TAG Heuer was the sponsor and timekeeper of the McLaren Mercedes F1 team in those days, gracing the wrists of Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard.

The caseback might be the only place this Kirium Automatic Chronograph shows its age, as there is just a stamped TAG Heuer shield. It’s not as elaborate as it would be today, but the primarily smooth caseback has the benefit of wearing very comfortably. Underneath the screw-down caseback ticks Caliber ETA 2894-2. This is a modular chronograph caliber based on the ETA 2892-A2. Thanks to a clever design, you hardly notice that the chronograph pushers are, in fact, placed a little bit higher on the side of the case than the modestly sized crown. This movement is capable of easily meeting the Chronometer standards, and later models of the Kirium Automatic Chronograph have been Chronometer certified.

In the current market, the Kirium collection might be one of the most underrated and undervalued collections by TAG Heuer. While it deserves better, it also offers (beginning) collectors a unique opportunity to get a comfortable, well-made, and not to mention original sports watch around their wrist. There, the watch is bound to continue to impress not only yourself but also others, as the Kirium is a well-thought-through design with plenty of character. In fact, if TAG Heuer CEO Antoine Pin wants another classic to revive, look no further, as the Kirium has aged so gracefully that some might even think it was designed yesterday.

This article is from the November / December 2024 print edition of WatchTime Magazine. To subscribe, click here.