So I've had my Microtimer a couple of weeks now and I've worn it a few times. One good thing to mention is that the catch seems to have sorted itself out now. You may remember when I first had it the catch was fine and then when I resized the band to fit me the catch started playing up and I had to press firmly to make sure the catch caught. Well it's settled down now and works absolutely perfectly again, which I'm obviously very pleased about. I guess it was probably what I thought, when you move the clasp the new bit of rubber is slightly thicker until it compresses and so it temporarily impedes the closing action.
The Microtimer fits easily under the cuff of a shirt, and because of it's curved shape seems very organic and comfortable that (for example) I haven't found the Monaco to be. There's no getting away from the fact that this watch is very noticeable on the wrist, the strap is very wide and if you are the kind of person who is self-conscious about wearing a 'flashy' watch then this definitely isn't the one for you. The strap tapers quite abruptly down to a (still fairly substantial) smaller width, mainly to facilitate a smaller clasp I imagine, and it does look quite unusual. I don't know if all the straps are the same (although from what I've seen in pictures they all seem to be) but it does seem to bend in on itself slightly which might be annoying for some people. I think the shape of strap creates the illusion that it's doing it more than it really is though, where the strap tapers it seems to create the illusion that the strap is straight and 'stiff' but in reality it is quite soft and pliable.
Unsurprisingly I haven't really used the functions of the watch much, and I didn't really expect to. That everything works how it's supposed to is enough for me really, and I checked it all when it came back from being polished and everything still works perfectly, even the light.
When the Microtimer arrived I really loved it, then I had a few moments of doubt, but now I'm really glad I bought it because it really is a very unique piece and definitely ticks the 'wild card' box in my collection. In his piece for Calibre 11, David remarked that he had bought and sold this watch a few times, and I can kind of see why that might happen. I think it's a very personal watch, one that you have to make your own mind up about and trust your own opinions. I can well imagine when I wear this out with friends that I will get some remarks that while not negative in a nasty way, they will probably say they prefer my other watches.
Clearly this is not a watch for everyone, and it boggles the mind that TAG Heuer launched a £2000 digital watch this side of the millennium. But part of why it appeals to me is that it is so utterly bonkers and so nothing like anything else I've ever seen. Sure this one's never going to garner lavish praise like the Carrera Heuer 01 from all and sundry, but I really don't care. I think for the money I paid (£680 + £100 polishing) I can't think of a TAG that offers such a unique look and owning experience. At that sort of money we're really only talking fairly run of the mill, good condition Formula One quartz or lower end Aquaracers (albeit I seem to have been quite lucky in securing mine for that price, I grant you).
It will be interesting to see how much wrist time this one can claim once the honeymoon period is over, maybe that's when the doubts will set in. David also mentioned the elephant in the room in his piece as well - scratches. There's no denying this case is a scratch magnet, and that's one thing that I would change about it. If it was in a brushed case it would be so much more practical, but then on the other hand the high polish look gives it a certain quality that would be otherwise missing. It's a tough one this... fortunately I have no intention of wearing this everyday, so I will hopefully keep the scratches to a minimum.
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