TAG Heuer’s New Gulf Chronograph Is Not Trying To Be Subtle

Some watches whisper. This one has racing stripes.

TAG Heuer has revealed its new Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf, a limited-edition piece that takes Gulf Oil’s famous blue and orange motorsport livery and runs it straight across the dial.

It is not delicate. It is not shy. It is not one of those watches designed to disappear under a cuff and behave itself at dinner.

This is a 44mm titanium chronograph with a forged carbon tachymeter bezel, orange accents, black DLC details and enough motorsport energy to make the whole thing feel like it should come with pit lane access.

Only 1,000 pieces will be made, with pricing set at $6,300 (~$9,200 AUD) and availability from July 3, 2026.

The Formula 1 line has always been one of TAG Heuer’s more accessible links to racing culture, but this Gulf edition gives it a much stronger visual punch.

Gulf Colours Still Do The Heavy Lifting

The reason this works is obvious the second you see it. Gulf’s blue and orange colourway is one of the great liveries in motor racing. It belongs to Le Mans, Porsche 917s, Steve McQueen and the kind of endurance racing imagery that still makes watch brands and car people weak at the knees.

TAG Heuer could have played it safe and put the colours on another Monaco. Instead, it has dropped them onto the Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph, which makes the whole thing feel more modern and more aggressive.

The Gulf stripes run down the right side of the black opaline dial, cutting through the layout and even brushing into the date window. It gives the watch a sense of movement before the chronograph has even started.

The subdials bring more orange into the mix, the running seconds hand picks up the Gulf blue, and the lacquered chapter ring keeps the whole thing tied together. There is a lot going on, but that is also part of the appeal.

Formula 1 is not exactly known for visual restraint.

Built Like A Modern Racing Watch

The case is made from Grade 2 titanium, which keeps the large 44mm size from feeling too heavy on paper. The forged carbon bezel adds a rougher technical edge, while the black DLC-coated pushers and crown give it a harder, more mechanical look.

It also has proper usable specs. The Calibre 16 automatic movement gives it a 48-hour power reserve, while the case is water-resistant to 200 metres.

The titanium bracelet keeps the lightweight theme going and gives the watch a more serious feel than a rubber strap would have.

This is where TAG Heuer gets the balance right. The Gulf colours bring the nostalgia. The materials keep it from feeling like a retro costume.

It is not trying to recreate the past exactly. It is taking a very famous racing look and dragging it into a more technical Formula 1 shape.

That will not be for everyone. Some collectors will always prefer the cleaner Gulf Monacos, mostly because the McQueen connection is impossible to beat. Others may find this new Formula 1 too busy, too large or too obviously designed to shout from across the room.

Fair enough. But subtlety was never really the point here.

The Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Gulf is for people who want the racing reference to be obvious, the colours to do the talking and the watch to feel more paddock than boardroom.

It is big, bright, limited and very TAG Heuer. Sometimes that is exactly the brief.