Apax TAG Heuer for TAG Heuer

Since its founding in 1860, TAG Heuer has personified avant-garde innovation, precise design, and audacious style, and has crafted a legacy that will endure in the chronicles of the watchmaking industry. The name “TAG Heuer” is an ingenious representation of “Techniques d’Avant Garde,” which are intertwined with founder Edouard Heuer’s surname. Nestled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, TAG Heuer undeniably contributes to Switzerland’s global reputation as the epicenter of watchmaking excellence.

At the turn of the 20th century, innovations in industry, transportation, science, and medicine ushered in new demands for chronometric precision, which was vital for a variety of emerging disciplines, such as sports timing. From state-of-the-art chronometers and stopwatches to sophisticated timepieces mounted in automobiles, aircraft, and boats, during this period, TAG Heuer emerged as a leader in the field by addressing the specific needs of racers, rallyists, and athletes.

TAG Heuer commissioned Optimo to design a custom number set tailored to amplify some design features of our Apax typeface, which was crafted by François Rappo. Characterized by a seamless blending of radical shapes with modernist design and boasting distinctive geometric architecture, Apax’s numbers underwent meticulous adjustments. In order to encapsulate TAG Heuer’s core brand values, the numbers were revised to emphasize speed, sharpness, and precision. The bespoke design works in action and movement to embody the dynamic spirit of TAG Heuer and of Swiss avant-garde. The outcome of these modifications is a set of numbers that not only aligns with TAG Heuer’s timekeeping precision but also resonates with the brand’s ethos of excellence and innovation.