FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Chronotempvs CC' Calibre Heuer 02 Limited Edition

 

CBN201G.FC6520

After a few lacklustre 'First Impressions' posts, it's actually rather nice to be able to bring you something overwhelmingly positive (with one small caveat). This, rather handsome looking Carrera, is a limited edition 42mm chronograph for the Chronotempvs Collector's Club - which is honestly something I know very little about. Their website says that they are '... a private watch collectors / enthusiasts / amateurs club which works hand in hand with some of the most important historic brands and independents that uphold the highest traditional horological values.'

I tried to find out more by clicking on the 'Membership' button, but it basically said 'We are full, go away!' Which is fine, because I doubt they'd have wanted me in their gang anyway... and besides, as Groucho Marx once famously said, 'I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.'

Fortunately you don't have to be a member of the club to buy this stunning piece (which is not always the case; some of their collaborations have been available to the public, but some have been 'members only') which is good news because this is easily one of the best looking Carreras of recent times. The internet (or more precisely Watchonista) informs me that this one is based on a 1974 Heuer Carrera nicknamed the 'Yachting' due to it's orange segmented subdial. It must be said the original 1153 was a very smart looking watch and this is a fairly faithful recreation, albeit with a right hand crown and what is now thought of as a 'traditional' Carrera case.

For me, not being a Heuerista, my first point of reference was the rather more recent 'Heuer SLR 300', an odd, stand alone watch, which was also based off the Carrera but given the SLR name due to a tie in with Mercedes-Benz. This is not to be confused with the subsequent 'SLR' series of watches which look quite different indeed (and far more 'modern' and avant-garde' in their execution). 

In reality it doesn't share too much in common design wise with the CBN201G but it shares a similar vibe somehow. 

Like the Heuer SLR, this one has a distinct elegance about it, it really feels like a 'grown-up' watch you could be proud to wear in any situation, and similarly it manages this feat without feeling weighed down by 'vintage' appeal. Because honestly, I don't personally care about a 1974 Heuer: the fact that this is based on a fifty year old watch doesn't make it 'better' or indeed 'more interesting' for me. Yes they borrowed the aesthetics and it looks great, but it stands on it's own two feet without all that backstory nonsense. 

Honestly if anything that stuff puts me off. If I like it I like it. I don't need to know that Jack Heuer drew the design on a cigarette packet in a cafe in La Ferriere or any of that, all that matters to me is how it looks here and now, and unlike the Carrera Skipper, this one looks fantastic. And is quite possibly my pick for 'Watch of the Year' so far... (given that the green Aquaracer doesn't have a hope in hell). 

How annoying then that I have to come back to the caveat mentioned in the first paragraph of this post. Ah yes, you'd almost forgotten about that hadn't you? So what's the problem Rob? Well, it's 42mm so it's not the size. It's a Heuer 02, so not the latest version of TAG Heuer's in-house movement - but that doesn't really bother me too much. It is however a limited edition... which is super annoying, because that means you have to buy on impulse or risk missing out, or potentially have to pay flipper prices etc. 

But worse still, it's a limited edition of just 74 pieces...

Yes, you read that right. Seventy four pieces. What the hell are they thinking? Even I as a fully paid up member of the yobbo faction of the TAG Heuer fanclub can see that this is a spectacularly tasteful timepiece and really ought to be a standard model, never mind a limited edition. Never mind a 74 piece limited edition. If this was actually available I might just be tempted to crack open my bank vault, but I'd at least want to see it (I'd want to see any watch before I bought it, honestly) and that just ain't gonna happen.

And on that sour note, let's bring in the good people of the Council of Considered Opinion, who I'm sure will agree with me on this occasion (even a stopped clock is right twice a day after all). 

8/10: "I like it at least as much as the French version, so same score. I also like the rally strap and the tachymetre. I don’t like the lazy “One of 74” instead of a properly numbered Limited Edition though."

8.5/10: "My second favourite Carrera Elegant after the WOS panda edition. If it had been a reverse panda, it would've tied with the WOS."

9.5/10: "I like everything about this watch...why only a special edition of 74? This should be the design ethos moving forward for this watch. FOMO is strong with this one. Half a point off for the white date wheel, if it were black this watch is a 10 for me."

8/10: "Now one I like, clean legible looks, classic style and not the dearest."

9/10: "I agree, it's pretty friggin' nice! The white date wheel isn't bothering me. This is just uncomplicated, clear design without any clashing colours or stupid accents. Something that JH would be proud of. It's only getting a 9/10 because of the 42mm size."

9/10: "Very nice and no nonsense design."

9/10: "It’s a shame this is a LE because I’d love to try this, it might be the elegant I’d buy. Loses a point for the running seconds."

8/10: "Nicely done with a retro-flare."

9/10: "Really classy, love the colour combination. Every time I take it off I would stare at the case back."

8/10: "Really like this one, but not quite as cool as the French one."

8/10: "I like it. Nothing like a bit of Orange on Black. Only comment is that TH obviously over ordered on the running seconds hands. Jumping at every chance to use them up it seems. Not too bad in this instance but could do without it."

9/10: "Would have maybe liked a slightly more pronounced separation of dial and subdials, but that’s about it."

6.5: "OK but not amazing."

7/10: "It's a looker. The price was very good for such a nice LE. The chunkiness of the case still bothers me, as do the mushroom pushers. I hope the H02 will soon be introduced in the glassbox case. The tourbillon looked great."

8.5/10: "Feels old school and classic design. I like it."

9/10: "This watch is very nice. If it could remove the running second from this watch, I think I could give full score."

9/10: "I can't fault this, it's stunning. It really reminds me of a more refined Tag McLaren.Just a shame it's so limited."

8/10: "This is the best stainless steel Elegant Carrera ever. Sporty, feels classic but also modern. A perfect blend of old styling with modern Carrera. Hate the cross hair almost not there but still there running seconds. Hate it so much. Good thing they only made 74 of this one, don't want people to be able to buy the products we actually like."