Television presenter Richard Hammond spotted wearing a Tag Heuer

Richard Hammond, the broadcaster best known for his two decades on Top Gear and later The Grand Tour, has been spotted wearing a TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS Chronograph. The sighting appears to be from a video or television production, with Hammond mid-conversation and the watch prominently visible on his left wrist — the black dial and distinctive rotary-style subdials catching the light clearly enough to confirm the model.

The Grand Carrera line was reintroduced by TAG Heuer in 2005 as a flagship sports-luxury collection, drawing its name from the legendary Carrera Panamericana road race that inspired Jack Heuer to create the original Carrera in 1963. The Calibre 17 RS variant features a 43mm stainless steel case, a tachymetre bezel in polished steel, and a striking black dial with two white-ringed chronograph registers at nine and three o'clock — designed to evoke the instrument cluster of a racing car. The movement is the ETA Valjoux 7750-based calibre 17, a robust 25-jewel automatic beating at 28,800 vph with approximately 42 hours of power reserve. The RS designation referenced TAG Heuer's Racing Spirit sub-branding of the period.

From a collector's standpoint, the Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS occupies an interesting middle ground. It was never a grail watch in the way the Monaco or Carrera became, yet its motorsport-focused design language and honest Swiss automatic movement give it genuine wearability. The croc-embossed black leather strap seen here keeps the look smart without crossing into full dress-watch territory — practical for a presenter who pivots between track days and studio sets.

Hammond's choice is entirely consistent with his public persona. A man who has crashed at 288 mph in a jet-powered dragster and survived a hydrogen-fuel-car fire is unlikely to reach for a dress watch on a Tuesday. The Grand Carrera speaks directly to his world — motorsport heritage, Swiss precision, and just enough visual theatre to hold its own on camera.

On the secondary market, Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS examples in steel with black dials trade modestly below original retail, typically between $1,800 and $2,500 depending on condition and service history — making this one of the more accessible entry points into a genuine TAG Heuer automatic chronograph with legitimate racing provenance.