CBE2116.BA0687
TAG Heuer Boutique / Bicester Village, 19th April 2021
I was never really a fan of the original black dial Autavia Heuer 02, it was way too retro for me and I didn't care for the bracelet or the tan coloured strap it came on. I did warm up to the JH85 Autavia with the silver dial and I appreciated the changes they'd made to the bezel text, but it wasn't until the release of the limited edition 'Calibre 11' Autavia that I found an Autavia Heuer 02 I could really get behind. But of course there were only 100 of those and I missed my chance and now they go for two or three times their original value, so, much like the original Alec Monopoly Formula 1 it ain't never going to happen!
Maybe you are in the same boat? Well, if so, there is an alternative in the 150 piece limited edition made for Harrods of London and which can currently be found at the TAG Heuer Outlet at Bicester Village. Granted this one doesn't feature the blue touches or the nicer bezel from the JH85 which made the Calibre 11 model the best Autavia Heuer 02 by a country mile, but it does give you a somewhat similar overall aesthetic without the crippling price tag!
Of course, I've never actually seen a Calibre 11 Autavia (how many of us actually have?) so it was nice to try this on and get a feel for what might have been, and at the same time experience what is actually a very nice watch in its own right. The white dial somehow assuages my anti-retro jitters, and, despite the fact that this one features the original large text bezel, I still really liked it. Even the dreaded 'fauxtina' didn't set my teeth on edge, and that's a first!
The Autavia Heuer 02 is quite a thick watch, but it's not by any means 'unwearable', and even though it is 42mm it doesn't seem unduly large (for reference I was wearing a 39mm 3000 Series when I visited the store). I must admit that in the flesh the bracelet was nicer than I remembered it, but I definitely still preferred the black leather strap - another point of similarity with that glorious Calibre 11 Limited Edition of course.
Bless good old Watchfinder for always providing a 'head-on' shot of almost any watch I care to write about, but really their photograph doesn't do this watch any justice at all, it is so much nicer than it appears at the top of this post. I hope my photographs give you a slightly better impression... but I have to say I don't think they do it much justice either; I did my best but the lights in the boutique are a bit of a nightmare and the main objective is trying to avoid reflections on the crystal.
When I wrote about this previously my take on it was that as a Harrods Limited Edition it paled into insignificance against the green bezel Tudor Black Bay. I still stand by that comment, the Black Bay is the perfect Harrods watch with that precise shade of green wrapped around the dial, but taken on its own merits and without that caveat, this one is definitely a winner in my book - and a nicer watch than the Black Bay to boot!
Not sure exactly how many Bicester have of these available, but given there were only 150 made altogether it's probably going to be no more than a few. If this one sounds like the one for you why not give the store a call on (01869) 249008 to check stock and don't forget you don't have to live nearby since orders can be shipped anywhere within the UK. And if you are a fan of the original black dial version, worry not because they have those too!
CBE2116: Harrods Limited Edition of 150 pieces
On the bracelet: LIST PRICE - £4350 BICESTER PRICE - £3500
On the strap: LIST PRICE - £4250 BICESTER PRICE - £3400
CBE2110: Original Black Dial Edition
On the bracelet: LIST PRICE - £4395 BICESTER PRICE - £3550
On the strap: LIST PRICE - £4295 BICESTER PRICE - £3500
I have one and absolutely love it :)
ReplyDeleteI have one. Love it also
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