SECOND QUARTER ROUND UP: New Pieces (Apr/Jul)

As promised, here is the second 'quarterly' round up. As it's a bit late I've included July releases in it too, well honestly I included everything I knew about and only when I finished I realised that I should have stopped at the end of Jun. Oh well, never mind.... there's certainly a lot more to talk about this time than last time anyway!

I'm undecided at the moment but I may switch to monthly release reports as from August to keep it a little more up to date.

FORMULA 1

Okay, let's begin by looking at the latest Formula 1s, and the first thing you'll probably notice is that all nine of them are limited editions. Which is a bit silly really, but to be honest given the numbers produced of some of these it's probably best to just ignore that because it's probably no different than a lot of standard models (I believe my orange dial F1 was originally supposed to be a limited edition of 4000pcs but when it came out it was just a standard model. I could quite believe there are 4000 of them though).

We've already looked at most of these, but the Gulf and Goodwood chronographs are new and also that bright orange F1 solargraph has literally just come out (actually maybe not even out, it was discovered on the GPGH website, just like the Astronomer last year - still haven't seen one of those in person!). 

As someone who used to own the classic version of that watch I must say it does tweak the old nipples slightly, but I can't help wondering if all those oranges will match (strap, second hand, dial ring and bezel), my gut says they won't and I bet the strap doesn't burn your retinas like the old one did either (but I bet it's a lot nicer on the wrist, these new rubber straps are bloody lush compared to the old ones).

The Gulf Chrono I'm not so sure about, again I haven't seen one in person yet (actually haven't been to a boutique for a while) and it may be better in the flesh. But in pictures it looks a bit messy and it could really have done with some more lume on those hands, it looks like it's really hard to read the time 

The Goodwood chronograph looks nice enough, but it looks a bit underwhelming given the amount of work they put into last year's Carrera, which looked truly unique and unusual. 

WBY111C.BA0042: 38mm Solargraph (1500 piece limited edition)

WBY111B.BA0042: 38mm Solargraph (1000 piece limited edition)

WBY111H.FT8128: 38mm Solargraph (1500 piece limited edition)

CAZ201K.BA0876: 44mm Calibre 16 (Goodwood Limited Edition 500pcs)

CBZ208B.BF0009: 44mm Calibre 16 (Gulf Special Edition 1000pcs)

WBY111G,BA0042: 38mm Solargraph (Indy 500 Limited Edition 1110pcs)

WBY1163.FT8113: 38mm Solargraph (Limited Edition 3000pcs)

WBY1164.FT8114: 38mm Solargraph (Limited Edition 3500pcs)

WBY1165.FT8115: 38mm Solargraph (Limited Edition 2500pcs)

AQUARACER 

Again most of these have been spoken about previously, the only one that hasn't is perhaps the most interesting of the lot. The red dial one you can see in the middle there is the 'Horobox' limited edition and is one of just fifty pieces. I think that is pretty nice, much better than that dreadful red fumé Aquaracer they made previously. But that 'jewel' red wave dial will, I'm sure, be divisive. 

WBP141E.BA0049: 28mm Solargraph, blue dial with diamonds

WBP141G.BA0049: 28mm Solargraph, black dial with diamonds

WBP141H.BA0049: 28mm Solargraph, mother of pearl dial with diamonds

WBP141J.BA0049: 28mm Solargraph, Mother of Pearl dial, diamond bezel/hour markers

WBP1326.BB0004: 34mm Solargraph, Mother of Pearl dial, two tone with diamonds

WBP1422.BB0006: 28mm Solargraph, Mother of Pearl dial, two tone with diamonds

 

WBP231R.BA0618: 36mm Calibre 5, black dial with diamonds, cer bezel, steel case

WBP5119.BA0013: 42mm Calibre TH31-00 COSC (Horobox LE 50pcs)

WBP1190.BZ0003: 40mm Solargraph, black dial, gold indices, titanium case/bracelet

WBP1184.BF0008: 40mm Solargraph, black dial, titanium case, bezel and bracelet

WBP5183.BF0010: 42mm Calibre TH30-00 COSC, Superdiver LE 1500pcs

WBP5182.BF0010: 42mm Calibre TH30-00 COSC, Superdiver LE 1500pcs

WBP1117.BA0047: 40mm Solargraph, blue dial, steel case, bezel and bracelet

WBP1118.BA0047: 40mm Solargraph, green dial, steel case, bezel and bracelet

MONACO 

Perhaps the most controversial release of 2026 is the CDW2181 (such a memorable, snappy part number for an important watch) or the new 'Steve McQueen'. TAG Heuer finally gave the Monaco lover a squarer, more authentically shaped case and an in-house (left hand crown) movement... but then slapped a TAG Heuer logo on it. While I can understand TAG Heuer wanting to kill the Heuer name and just be 'TAG Heuer' they've messed about so much over the years and in eighteen months (when they get another CEO) they'll probably change their mind again, so whatever.

We also saw the clever new 'Evergraph' which replaces half the parts in the movement with a piece of silicon but then costs twice as much, which is 'progress' I guess, and finally we had the Speed 12, which the C.O.C.O. has already scored so I will probably do a stand alone post about that sometime soon.

CDW2150.FC8360: 39mm Calibre TH20-11, black dial, two tone titanium case, leather strap

CDW2181.FC8360: 39mm Calibre TH20-11, blue dial, titanium case, leather strap

CDW2180.FC8360: 39mm, Calibre TH20-11, green dial, titanium case, leather strap

CEW5181.FT8123: 40mm Evergraph, skeleton dial, titanium case, textile strap

CEW5180.FT8122: 40mm Evergraph, skeleton dial, DLC titanium case, textile strap

WDW2180.FT8133: 40mm Speed 12, skeleton/piston dial, titanium case, textile case

CARRERA

A real bunch of weird Carreras here. The Japanese 'Cherry Blossom' watches have already been covered (as has the Miami GP tourbillon, sort of) but the rest are pretty new. Pick of the bunch is probably the limited edition 'Thailand' Dato (which at first glance looks like it's wearing the strap from the Porsche America Tourbillon, but of course it wouldn't fit as the cases are different sizes). That blue dial is really stunning and the yellow and silver highlights on the watch and strap really work.

The 'Sand' limited edition looks a bit dull in this render but photographs suggest it might look rather nice in person, but the Australian tourbillon, I really can't see that looking any better, honestly and the Korean special edition is kinda meh too. Reminds me of endless similar WAS Carreras I used to see clogging up the shelves at Bicester Village back in the day, but if you like Longines then at least TAG Heuer finally has something for you, I guess.

Finally we have the USA 250th Anniversary watches, which are reasonably tasteful all things considered. But I think those stars around the bezel not lining up would bug me, what a shame there aren't sixty states, that would have been so much tidier!

CBS221H.FC8366: 39mm, Calibre TH20-00 (Sand Limited Edition 500pcs)

CBS221K.FC8368: 39mm, Calibre TH20-07 (Thailand Limited Edition 90pcs)

CBS501C.FC6626: 42mm, Calibre TH20-09 COSC (Australian LE 19pcs)

CBU5088.EB0432: 45mm, skeleton dial tourbillon (Miami GP Limited Edition 30pcs)

WBN231H.BA0001: 36mm, Calibre 7 (USA 250th Anniversary Limited Edition 50pcs)

CBN201R.BA0642: 42mm Calibre TH20-00 (USA 250th Anniversary Limited Edition 250pcs)

WBN231F.BA0001: 36mm Calibre 5 (Japanese Limited Edition 150pcs)

WDA2116.BA0043: 41mm Calibre TH31-02 (Japanese Limited Edition 200pcs)

WBN2019.BA0640: 41mm Calibre 5, white dial (Korean Special Edition)

Okay, that's it from me today. Now that it's cooled down a little and I'm actually able to wear a watch again I feel a little more positive about things, so hopefully the blog won't get too stagnant and I'll try to keep the posts coming as often as I can.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Please Read!

A surprisingly accurate render of myself and Panda by Mr Jim Dollare$

This is just about the only AI you will find on this blog thank you very much!

Hello my faithful fellow TAG Heuer Enthusiasts. As many of you are no doubt aware, I have been writing this blog for almost ten years now and it's been a brilliant experience, from starting out, joining the THF Forum (or Calibre 11 as it was then) to visiting Switzerland and the TAG Heuer manufacture at La Chaux De Fonds, to getting my first million views (not really all that long ago, and now we're at 4.3M! That's crazy.), it's all been rewarding (if a lot harder work than you probably imagine).

But now I find myself at a bit of a crossroads. My enthusiasm for watches in general has started to wane. I still love the watches I own and I will keep nearly all of them, but generally speaking I just can't bring myself to care the way I used to. Partly it's the prices, the prices are just ridiculous and it makes the idea of owning a brand new watch something of a joke. I cannot spend two month's salary on a Solar Aquaracer, I just can't.

And okay, I've never bought many new watches, the vast majority of the watches I have bought have been pre-owned, and I'm sure if I do purchase any more, they will probably also be pre-owned, because I'm not taking a 40-50% loss on a watch, not when the starting price is so ridiculously high.

I'm not singling out TAG Heuer here, I know the entire watch industry is moving 'up market', well that's fine, but it will have to do it without me, because I can't afford it. Even with no mortgage I can't afford it. Or maybe I could, if I wanted it badly enough... and clearly I don't.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer S/EL Chronograph by Birth Year Watches

PRICE LIST: TAG Heuer Price List (June 2026)

Once again it's time for us (or me, specifically) to scour the TAG Heuer website for price changes, new models, etc... So I'm pleased to report that there has been only one price change since January, and that is again for the CBS2215 pink dial Carrera chronograph, which has had another £100 shaved off its retail price (price marked in green).

Other than that we've seen a slew of new models (here marked in blue), including six new Monacos and a bunch of Formula 1's, Aquaracers and Carreras. Needless to say the Link range remains completely static... but then you weren't expecting anything else, were you?

Notable deletions include the original titanium Aquaracer Solargraph (boo!) which has been replaced by that new one with the weird looking bezel. Also gone are two of the Formula 1 chronographs (the nicest two!), the black/blue one and the black/lime one, which here in the UK at least were sold as jewellery store exclusives.

And of course, the most notable deletion of all is the Heuer branded CAW211P (Steve McQueen) Monaco which has been replaced by a new TAG Heuer branded piece. 

We live in strange times... 🤣

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Indy 500' Limited Edition Solargraph

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraphs

As the more observant of you might have noticed when you perused the June 2026 price list I posted a week or so ago, TAG Heuer have deleted from the catalogue a bunch of Aquaracer Solargraphs (most notably the original titanium version, but NOT yet the super cool black DLC / carbon bezel one). But fear not, TAG Heuer isn't giving up on the Aquaracer Solargraph, it's just time for a refresh. And by refresh, I mean lets slap a weird new bezel on it that makes it look like a Breitling... or something.

VIDEO: Every TAG Heuer Monaco in the Current Line-Up by Time & Tide

 

My Top 10 Formula 1s by Matt P

Today we have another TOP 10 Formula 1 selection for you, again from a C.O.C.O. member and THF forum regular. Please welcome to the T.H.E. blog Matt P.

MATT: Hi Rob. Here is my top 10. It was fun to make. I’m happy to be one of those 3.5 million visitors and that I can be part of it. Cheers!

Reissue, modern range or the originals? It has become a nice bunch of those F1 models. All the more fun to get a top 10 out of it!

I myself had a false start with the F1s. I fell, 35 years ago, for a series 3000. This was on the advice of a friend who was also a diver. He owned a 980.113.  My best mate bought an F1. (370.513)  Nice but my 3000 was much tougher! Over the years that followed, I got more sympathy for the F1s. Partly because of the association with Formula 1 that I followed. Oddly enough never bought one. I was faithful to my 3000 I think.

At the beginning of the LMVH era, I didn’t look back at the F1s. Of course, occasionally something nice came on the market, but it didn’t appeal to me. In my opinion, they should have put the original F1 in a newer look much earlier.

Now many years later I own two F1s. My 372.513 will always remain. NOS bought a few years ago. The solar WBY1112  is a nod to the 370.513 my friend once had. I think I was a little jealous of his watch at the time..😉

For the younger readers among us, I don’t want to come across as an old TH collector with his nonsense, but my advice, keep an eye on those old ones. Someday you’re going to like them! 

So, TAG Heuer, keep those F1s coming please. On to another 40 years!

FEATURE: The Watch I Will Never Sell (Part 1)

A few weeks ago I saw a post on the 'WatchUWant' forum on this very topic. I didn't actually read the post but it sparked an idea in my head and by the end of the day I had fired off a message to several members of the THF Forum. Here we have the first nine replies to those messages, with more to follow...

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Indy 500 Limited Edition

For a long. long time I've been meaning to write a post about all the 'Indy 500' watches that TAG Heuer have released over the years, but I've still never quite gotten around to it... and here we are again with the latest addition to that particular collection. 

So, the obvious question is where does this one sit in the pantheon of TAG Heuer Indy 500 watches? I'd say it's one of the better ones, but there have been some real mingers over the years so let's not get too excited just yet. The overriding problem any Indy 500 watch has to overcome is the distinctive (but distinctly awkward) shape of the Indy 500 logo itself. Over the years it's been squashed into various subdials with limited success, so it's nice to see it here with plenty of space to breath and printed at a size where it's easy to see the details. 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph by Brent Miller Time

FEATURE: TAG Heuer Carrera Miami Grand Prix 2026 Limited Edition Tourbillon

Trying to find out information about new models, especially limited edition / regionally released models can be a real pain. But now with access to AI it should be a doddle right? Well I couldn't find out much about the limited edition Carrera that was released for the Miami Grand Prix, so I asked Meta AI and it told me it couldn't find any reference to it from official channels. It didn't tell me it didn't exist, it just told me it couldn't find it, which is a fair answer. Google AI on the other hand had a complete meltdown, which was just too good not to share...

TLDR: Google AI tells me the watch doesn't exist, then it does, then it doesn't and it made it up, then tells me my photograph is an AI fake, then backtracks on that. Then it tells me I shouldn't pay to use AI because it's useless and that SpaceX is overvalued (I guess it got that right). Then it backtracks and tells me the IPO hasn't happened yet, and that it's hallucinating it's own hallucinations and finally that yes the Carrera CBU5088 does exist in a limited edition of 30 pieces that was only sold to VIPs in the paddock at the race. F.F.S.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Pastels' Limited Edtiion Solargraphs by Brent Miller Time

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph

In the real world, by which I mean not in the 'luxury' world, if someone came up with a way to revolutionise and simplify a complex, expensive machine one might presume that it would turn out 'cheaper'. Otherwise... what's the point? I mean, yeah, okay you might save a few quid on servicing, but why would I pay more than twice as much in the first place? Well, if that's your thought process then the luxury watch world probably isn't for you...

Don't get me wrong, I've marvelled at the ingenuity of the V4 Monaco of old, with it's tiny rubber belts and linear 'rotor', I can see that it must have taken hours and hours of painstaking work to perfect (well, kinda - I gather it was still not exactly 100% even when they stopped making it) and for something like that I'd probably gladly drop £50k on one (if I had £50k to spend) but for some reason this new Evergraph movement just doesn't give me the same sense of awe and wonder.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Indy 500' Limited Edition Solargraph by Brent Miller Time

 

My Top 10 Formula 1s by Jim Dollare$

We are blessed with an abundance of guests here at the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Blogspot of course, but only one contributor gets his own LABEL! I speak of course about our absolute favourite (some might even say 'special') Swedish person, Mr Jim Dollare$. 

JIM: What up bromigos? What a lovely thing that Rob is acknowledging and celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Formula 1. This is yet another example of why the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Blog is the one and only site where honest opinions and true watch journalism happens. 

As all TAG Heuer fans know, the Formula 1 started out as a tiny, colourful children's watch in a plastic like material making it look like it was sold for $35 at the local petrol station. Luckily it has matured and developed a lot since then and transformed into a proper watch but still super affordable with attractive designs, often becoming the first TAG Heuer for new collectors. 

My first TAG was my Red Bull chrono, a mega sexy watch with excellent design but on a thick, sharp super-cheap bracelet and lousy clasp reminding you that this is a 'cheap' TAG. Anyway, lets get into the ultimate number one most perfect top ten Formula 1 list I have personally ever seen.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre TH20-11 by Casual Dude Reviews

 

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 2000 Series Quartz

You know, I kinda thought my days of buying cheap, quartz powered eBay bargains were over, especially since I'd gone to the trouble of cleansing my collection in order to raise to funds to buy bigger and better things. But, sometimes you just want to buy something new, and after the massive disappointment of the 'grey' dial Link Calibre S I turned to eBay for a quick fix of silver dial perfection.

Y'see, a few weeks back I caught sight of (what I'm 99% sure was) a WK1112 in the window of my local H&T and it looked jolly nice. I don't really remember the finer details, but I think it was one of the later ones with the polished '12' rather than the lumed '12', but mostly I remember the silver dial sparkling in the sunlight. In fact my first port of call was the H&T website, but the watch in question had been sold, and so I turned to eBay.

Now as we all know, Ebay buying is fraught with problems, especially if you want something newer and especially if it costs less than £1500. That price point is the threshold where eBay's authenticity service kicks in. Now whether you trust it or not is another matter, but the fact that it exists at all is enough to deter some fakers and it's funny how many £3000+ watches you can buy on eBay for under £1500.... but I wasn't anticipating spending anything like that and since older fake 2000s are pretty terrible I wasn't too worried.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 Professional by Casual Watch Reviews

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Superdiver

 

Back in 2022 TAG Heuer relaunched their hard-core dive watch in the guise of the 'Superdiver', a 45mm Aquaracer with a grade 5 titanium case, 1000M of water resistance, an integrated helium escape valve and a fancy crown mechanism. On top of all that it came complete with a Kenissi manufactured (sort of) in-house movement (the TH30-00, which is carried over into these models incidentally).

It looked pretty cool, but at 45mm it was absolutely HUGE on the wrist and also very expensive (only those short lived solid gold Aquaracers cost more IIRC) both of which negatively impacted its sales potential. First they tried giving away an orange rubber strap to stimulate interest and then it started falling in price (something practically unheard of in the Swiss watch world), but seemingly to no avail, and after a few short years in the catalogue it was sent to Bicester and deleted from the website.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Link Quartz by Birth Year Watches

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre TH20-11 & Pastel Formula 1 Solargraphs

TAG Heuer Boutique / Leicester, 4th May 2026

It's been a while since I'd visited the Leicester TAG Heuer boutique, and if I remember correctly last time it felt like a bit of a waste of time (compared to Sheffield and Milton Keynes) as it's quite small and generally doesn't seem to get the new watches very quickly. So I was quite surprised to find they had all five of the new limited edition 'pastel' Formula 1 Solargraphs and the new left-hand crown, titanium cased Monacos in stock (two out of three anyway), even if the watches I really wanted to try on (the latest versions of the Super Diver) were nowhere to be seen.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Seafarer Review by Casual Dude Review

FEATURE: My Top Ten Formula 1s by Albert AMG

Today we are joined by another 'Council of Considered Opinion' member, Albert AMG (who is currently on a high as his beloved Mercedes F1 team are crushing the WCC with Kimi Antonelli also leading the driver's championship). Albert is a moderator at the excellent THF Forum, has a splendid assemblage of TAG Heuer watches and is just one tourbillon module away from completing the entire Connected MKII collection! I'm sure he'll get there one day, but in the meantime here's Albert's TOP 10 Formula 1s...

ALBERT: Hi Rob, thanks for inviting me to take part. It was really difficult to choose just 10 models, others that I also really like didn't make the cut. Since Ayrton Senna is my all-time favourite driver, and the reason my passion for TAG Heuer started (because of his S/el), it's perhaps not surprising that the top 4 on the list are Senna Special Editions!

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph by Random Rob

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 'Pastel' Limited Editions

Some time last year I was talking to a sales rep in the Milton Keynes TAG Heuer boutique and he told me (in that way that you can pretty much tell that what he was saying is 'the official company line') that the brand just make watches in different sizes and anyone can wear them regardless of sex. That's fine, of course. But these new pastel 38mm Formula 1s are quite 'feminine' looking and historically TAG Heuer mostly made their pastel Formula 1s in the 28mm 'ladies' size... so the temptation to brand these new Formula 1s 'ladies' watches is strong.

But with a diameter of 38mm, they are rather large for a lot of ladies and, by the bye, I can't help think that the fact that they've released this collection in these colours now rather puts the kybosh on any hope that maybe TAG Heuer were planning to release a smaller version of the F1 Solargraph any time soon... because if they were, you'd think they would have kept these colourways back for that wouldn't you?

  

So it's quite difficult to look at these objectively, because I'm not sure if they are supposed to appeal to me or if I should look at them as 'ladies' pieces? I mean I've covered plenty of 'ladies' pieces before and my wife has lots of beautiful watches that I can admire while knowing that they wouldn't suit me. 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph by Birth Year Watches

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre TH20-11 Chronographs

And so Watches & Wonders 2026 came around and to literally no one's great surprise it turned out that those Monaco wall clocks that we'd seen in the F1 paddocks were indeed 'leaks in plain sight' just as expected! But how would the Heueristas react to this? A new 'Calibre 11' style (read - left hand crown) movement and reshaped case but now wearing a TAG Heuer badge. 

Sacre bleu indeed! 

Not that it bothered me of course, in fact I'd always preferred the Calibre 12 Monaco because of the TAG Heuer branding and the right hand crown (yes, really), but I always wished it had the horizontal hour markers from the Calibre 11 instead of the weird (radial) batons. So now I've got two out of three, but the crown is still on the wrong side of the case. Hey ho.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 1000 Series Quartz by Birth Year Watches

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Japanese Cherry Blossom' Limited Editions

I've always rather liked black mother of pearl dials, indeed I recall seeing a Calibre 16 Carrera with a black MOP dial at Bicester Village many years ago and being rather taken with it. But it always struck me as a dial for someone with a decent sized watch collection, because I don't think I'd want one if I only had a few watches. But each to their own of course, if you only have one watch and it's got a black MOP dial and you love it then more power to you! I do remember not that long ago a lovely black MOP dial Carrera appearing on the Watchfinder website, I must admit I was rather tempted but at the time I was saving for my Carrera 160 and I think the Carrera was 39mm not 41mm too, so I let it go.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Night Diver' by The 1916 Watch Co Reviews

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre TH20-00 'Harrods' Limited Edition Chronograph

  

TAG Heuer Boutique / Harrods, London 19th March 2026

The TAG Heuer 'boutique' in the Harrods department store is like no other that I've ever been in. In fact it doesn't really feel like you're in a TAG Heuer boutique at all because it lacks most of the usual stylings of other TH boutiques: the Monaco wall clock, the Steve McQueen pictures, the racing helmets and books, etc. Additionally, unlike the flashy AP, Rolex, Vacheron and Hublot boutiques found nearby it shares a small room with other brands such as Zenith, Tudor and (gasp) Bremont! And oddly, even though it was redone recently, it still feels kind of temporary somehow. Which is weird; like a store cupboard that's been turned into additional retail space or something... 

Anyway, I hadn't actually planned to go to Harrods today, but I found myself with a couple of hours to kill between appointments and decided to head there as it was near where I had lunch (The Scarsdale Tavern in Edwardes Square, not bad at all and ideally situated if you happen to be visiting the Design Museum). At first I didn't really see anything very interesting, certainly nothing like the array of treats you generally find in the 'flagship' Oxford Street store, but then I caught sight of the new 'beige' Seafarer (not for me, that one) and much more interestingly the Harrods Limited Edition Carrera that I wrote about last year.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox 41mm by Bruce Williams

 

FEATURE: My Top 10 Formula 1s by Mspeedster

Today we have a visual treat in store as we once again invite a guest to share their 'TOP 10' Formula 1s. Mspeedster is a regular over at THF Forums and the fourth person to share their picks so far and we're certainly seeing some variety! Which is great, though it might make it a bit tricky to assemble an ultimate top ten (though it's early days yet, I will worry about that nearer to Christmas). 

Don't forget, if you'd like to see the other posts in this series honouring the 40th anniversary of the Formula 1 you can do so simply by clicking on the banner at the bottom of this page.

Over to you, Mspeedster:

VIDEO: Heuer Monza '40th Anniversary' Chronograph by The 1916 Watch Co Reviews

FIRST QUARTER ROUND UP: New Pieces (Jan/Mar)

 

By this time next week we'll be knee deep in Watches & Wonders and presumably we'll know for sure whether or not those slightly odd looking, left hand crown, TAG Heuer branded Monaco clocks they keep putting up in the Grand Prix paddocks were a massive (hiding in plain sight) leak or just a weird way of advertising a watch that doesn't actually exist. My feeling is (and has been for some time) that it is the former, because why on Earth would you do that otherwise?

Well, soon the truth will be known and doubtless there will be tons of other new models released that need looking at too. But as I have said many times before I simply cannot keep spending all my time looking at new watches and ignoring the rich and varied history of the brand, so I will be very selective about which ones are featured and given C.O.C.O. 'First Impressions' scores... otherwise we'll be reading about nothing else until June!

But obviously I still want to make sure everything is covered, so to combat this overload of 'new release' posts I've decided to do quarterly round ups (rather than just one 'half-year' one) to keep you up to speed. So with that said, let's start by looking at the watches that we haven't previously spoken about...

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 'Mastering Time' Book... Hard Pass by Hobby of Hours

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Wempe' Limited Edition Chronograph

One of the nicer Carreras of recent times has to have been the 'Swiss Alps' tourbillon that came out in a limited run of fifty pieces back in 2024. Despite being hampered by being a 'glassbox' this one fared rather well with the 'Council of Considered Opinion', scoring a creditable 6.5 on release (falling slightly to a 6.3 at the end of the year) and to me it was a no brainer that the blue/silver 'panda' would return at some point... and hopefully without the dirty great hole in the dial needed for the tourbillon. 

And sure enough, here it is (kind of), albeit once again in a limited run of fifty for the German luxury watch retailer 'Wempe'. Which seems a little odd to me, because surely it's easier to sell 50x 39mm chronographs than 50x tourbillons, no?*

*And no, it's not just 50x watches in Germany because I am reliably informed that Wempe operates in the US too.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Skipper' by Random Rob

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Glassbox' Rattrapante Chronograph

I guess this was inevitable wasn't it? Having engineered a new Rattrapante movement for the Monaco a couple of years ago it was an obvious move to slide it into a Carrera case at some point and here it is. Are you excited? Does it make your balls tingle? What if I tell you that it costs in excess of £100,000? No, I don't understand why either... but we'll gloss over that, because what's the point of moaning about it. It wouldn't make any difference if it was half that, I still couldn't afford to buy it and given there's no real reason a split seconds chronograph should cost this kind of money given that you can get them for a fraction of the cost from other manufacturers, we have to kind of treat these watches as TAG Heuer's 'Richard Mille' models. Strategically overpriced to appeal to the kind of people that will only buy a watch if they know other people can't afford them...