Believe it or not we're pretty much set for 'First Impressions' posts all the way up to Christmas now. As you can see from the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Gallery we still have a ton of new watches to look at and I keep hearing there's still more to come. Quite why they've decided to release like TWENTY watches in November and December is beyond me! Anyway, we'll do what we can, and if I have to post more frequently to get through them all then that's what I'll do. So long as the Council get their fingers out and send me their scores fast enough of course! 🤣
So one way to get through them is to do two or three at a time, and that's exactly what we're doing today. First we have the primary focus of this post, which is the Monaco that TAG Heuer released to coincide with the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The multicoloured dial was 'inspired' by the neon lights of the gambling capital of the world and I have to say I absolutely love it. In fact I'm going to nail my colours to the mast right now and say that this 600 piece limited edition is my 'Watch of the Year'.
Yep, you heard me right. I really didn't know where my vote was gonna go, maybe the Mexican Carrera, maybe the Gulf Monaco... but both those were like 'well there's nothing else I'm really that excited by' kinda situations, so it's really nice to be able to consciously choose one that I really like and say 'that's it'. I mean aside from the dial and the stitching on the strap there's nothing much new here, but what a dial. It kinda reminds me of the Polychrome Carrera Tourbillon I voted for a few years back, but with a more limited colour palette (and all the better for it).
Well done TAG Heuer, it's been a tough year but you finally got me!
CBU2086.FT6272
Now, you may remember last year TAG Heuer released another Las Vegas watch at the same times as the 'Pink' highlighted Monaco, a carbon bezelled Carrera tourbillon that they did their absolute best to keep as secret as possible (why I do not know). And they seem to have done pretty much the same thing this year, as if it wasn't for someone bringing these to my attention I'm not sure I would have even known they existed.
First I heard about the regular Carrera Sports Extreme model and that was a surprise, but then I was sent a picture of the tourbillon version with the diamond bezel, neither of which feature on any websites as far as I kind find. I mean, okay they're limited to 77 and 7 pieces respectively and they're probably only sold in the boutique in Las Vegas but what's the big secret? Are they ashamed of them or something?
I mean, clearly they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and maybe the best way to buy a watch like this is drunk and high on winning on the superslots... imagine waking up with vomit all down your chest and one of these strapped to your wrist. What a story! 🤣
But even though the C.O.C.O. were lining up to shoot these down (actually just the regular version, as I didn't know about the diamond bezel version until too late) I actually don't hate it because if nothing else it's exactly what you want from a watch meant to represent a Las Vegas Casino (as distinct from a racetrack built in a neon lighted city). It's loud, it's brash, it's red and black and GOLD! It even has a 'roulette' wheel inner bezel... and I'm giving it a 7. Why '7'... well why not? The watches are plastered in lucky 7's, and the tourbillon even has three seven's in it's price tag (£117,770). So shoot me....
CBU5083.EB0395
Not sure what I would have given the diamond bezel version, but the Council and I will have to put our thinking caps on soon. I also can't help thinking that if the Council had been presented with both of these Carreras at once then the standard version would probably have scored slightly higher than it did if only because they would have hated the diamond version even more...
Okay, we know the score for the Las Vegas Carrera is going to be terrible, but I'm fairly confident that the council will like the pinky-blue Monaco (and rightly so), let's hope that translates into WOTY votes at the end of next month.
9/10: "I absolutely love this! Would buy this in a heartbeat if I could afford it right now."
7.5/10: "I love the colourway and the stitching details on the strap, both look amazing against the matt black case."
9/10: "This one is stunning in person."
9/10: "Now we’re talking. This is a very welcome final flourish of 2025. Growing on me a lot tbh and now sits in my top 3."
8/10: "Much prefer this one to the Vegas Carrera. It looks pretty nice, not sure why they didn't lume the running seconds hand though, or at least use a colour where it stands out. The use of coloured lume is quite creative but at the end of the day it is just funky luminova. The crystal and caseback has some sort of coating to give a colour change effect. I like it, I'd wear it but it's a bit less of a wow than I expected. A solid 8/10."
7/10: "This is one the best of the skeleton Monacos. Solid release."
10/10: "Amazing. Loving the disco vibes."
7/10: "Yes, I quite like this one."
8.75/10: "If I were to judge this watch on its renders and photos, my score would be much lower. But I was really surprised by the impact the watch gave me when I saw it live in person. Based on my live impression, it gets an 8.75/10."
7/10: "Interesting watch and colour effects… same score as for the Luminous Turquoise skeleton Monaco."
10/10: "This is an amazing Monaco!"
9/10: "Ok damn this is a hit. 9/10 for me!"
9/10: "I will pick up mine today."
8/10: "The ultimate Vaporwave watch!"
7/10: "Which includes an extra point for actually numbering the LE."
7.5/10: "The more I look at this watch, the more I like it. However, the dial and display back still look like the designers just discovered fun with blacklights. I'm giving it an extra 1/2 point because they gave it an actual number instead of that "one of xxx" cheesiness that other LEs received."
7/10: "I too like that this is numbered. The colour scheme is fitting for Vegas too."
3/10: "Nope."
5/10: "It is what it is and I don't actually mind it. The date could be highlighted better but overall it's a bit of fun and screams Vegas to me."
1/10: "Far too busy and the colours aren't great either. The roulette outline is tacky."
8.5/10: "Rather like this one to be honest. Way better than the recent shower of sh…"
3/10: "It kinda hurts my eyes. Legibility in this photo is poor."
2/10: "That dial looks like the tackiest parts of a low-budget casino."
1/10: "The designer of this should be fired - this watch should have never been made."
4/10: "But why would they make this!!!?!"
0/10: "That would just be left in the hotel room whilst I indulge myself in the casino."
1/10: "Hahaha!"
1/10: "A contender for Worst WOTY. Based on looks alone, this Vegas Carrera Extreme is probably my least favourite release. But the Monaco Air is also a contender for WWOTY, because its 150,000 CHF price makes that watch an even greater disappointment for me."
3/10: "I like the Carrera Extreme design, but not this one. 😱"
2/10: "Seventy seven pieces too many for me! I guess this is somehow linked to the "Lucky 7" casino with all the highlighted 7's on the bezel and caseback. I quite like the roulette wheel outer dial track but that's as far as it goes. I'm not averse to innovation but this is just a tacky mess. Must do better, a generous 2/10."
6/10: "I think it is kinda cool."
0/10: "A tasteless hot mess."
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