FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The 2017 Heuer 'Gulf' Monaco

This, apparently, is the upcoming new Heuer Monaco, due to be officially unveiled by the end of 2017 (and leaked by Govberg Jewellers on their Instagram). At first there was a suggestion on the Calibre 11 forum it might be a fake/photoshop mock up, but it seems that it is real and as expected (and in line with TAG's new policy) this watch will feature the Heuer logo rather than the TAG Heuer logo. TAG wants to differentiate it's 'heritage' pieces from it's modern lines and sees this as an obvious way to do so.

In a recent interview JCB also said he wants the heritage line to consist of 'single' pieces, in other words he wants one Autavia, one Monaco, one Monza... I think this is a fairly misleading suggestion, as I'm sure they won't be able to resist special editions like this Gulf version, It surely can't be long before TAG announces a couple of special edition Autavias, presumably one in white and blue and one in black and orange..

Similarly it wasn't too long ago that TAG released another Monaco (the CAW211B.FC6241 below), hardly the actions of a company trying to reign in their model range.

Quite an attractive Monaco though, it has to be said, and yet another with the crown on the right (as in 'correct') side of the case for the Steve McQueen fans.

But what of this new model? Well the strap looks rather nifty, in blue with contrasting orange stitching, although to these eyes having a blue strap adversely affects the blue on the dial, making it look somewhat insipid and overly pale. Other people have commented that the red second hand and dial details look wrong paired with the classic 70's orange/blue colour scheme, and though I didn't notice it at first I have to say I agree. Red and orange are indeed uncomfortable bedfellows.

Not too sure what's going on with the right hand sub-dial either, I guess it could just be running, though the chronograph appears to be set at 12... slightly odd, but then this isn't an official photo so it could just be one of those things. Having seen the Autavia prototype with the date fitted sideways perhaps we shouldn't analyse pre-release photos too closely.

Still, I'm sure this model will sell well, it seems anything with a Gulf logo on it is automatically collectable, and I imagine this will retain its value better than most Monacos. I recently saw a previous Gulf Monaco which sold at auction for about the price I'd imagine this to be offered for (about £5000) and no doubt it will be limited to a certain number of pieces.

I don't think it's one for me, I'm still very much on the fence when it comes to Monacos, and since my near miss with the Monaco 24 even they have pretty much dropped off my radar. I like the look of them, but I just don't like how they look on the wrist (not so much the Monaco 24, which is bevelled and less obstinately 'square' - though it is very thick). 

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Still no indication of whether the numerals are lumed, unfortunately...

FEATURE: Another Trip to London and the Harrods Watch Room

Last time I went to London the plan to finish at Harrods went out of the window, so this time it was a priority, and well worth the trouble it was too. Truth be told, while there is a counter full of TAG Heuer's, there was nothing you couldn't see anywhere else (and actually a better selection can be found in Watches of Switzerland in Regent Street).

TAG enthusiast or not, this room is pretty incredible and contains several boutiques for brands such as Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Lange and Sohne, Roger Dubuis and Richard Mille. The brands which interested me the most where Richard Mille and Roger Dubuis, the latter had a stunning selection of top end watches on display including several double tourbillon models which were fascinating to see up close.

Also on display was the eye-wateringly expensive (though I don't suppose the double tourbillon models where exactly affordable!) 'Knights of the Round Table II', which is only $268,000.

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Heaven only knows how much the 'Velvet Ribbon Haut Joaillerie' was, studded as it is with 54 carats of diamonds (though I have to say I thought it looked fairly horrific).

Richard Mille had a fair number of amazing pieces on display as well, including this Evil Eye RM26-02 Tourbillon.

However, it must be said, one of the best looking watches seen in London today was a ladies Zenith (of all things). This was downstairs in the Regent Street 'Watches of Switzerland' and truthfully this picture really doesn't do it justice.

This is the Zenith Elite Automatic Moonphase which was about £7,000 if memory serves. Very nice indeed.

The Fine Watch Room in Harrods is well worth a visit, but it's fair to say the TAGs and Tudors did rather feel like the poor relations in such ridiculously high end company. Perhaps that's why Breitling was an obvious omission from the room? After all, Breitling have a strong presence in Watches of Switzerland and they also have their own boutique in Bond Street (unfortunately I got to Bond Street too late and all the shops were shut and the watches removed from the windows).

I am starting to feel like maybe a Brietling is in my future, I've no idea which one, but I really do like their rubber straps, and some of the three hand models are reasonably affordable on the second hand market.

VIDEO: An Encounter with Mr Jean Claude Biver

TAG Heuer - The Current Collection

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FEATURE: Browsing my Collection

The other night I felt I needed a TAG hit, since I haven't worn any of my (boxed) watches for a couple of weeks. Of course I wear my WAH1110-0 everyday, but I as I pulled each one out of the cupboard and opened the boxes I got that familiar warm, fuzzy feeling one can only get from looking at expensive(ish) timepieces.

I think the watch that impressed me the most last night was the Aquagraph. I haven't worn it for quite a while now, and I was struck by how handsome it is, and indeed how cool a steel watch can look. It instantly made me pine for the steel Grand Carrera I nearly bought not so long (and still want to buy), but of course my fund is much depleted since the acquisition of the CAU2012 Formula One. Indeed I would be surprised if another TAG is on the horizon this year, after all I have bought two since Christmas (well, I mean... that could definitely change!).

Incidentally, the pre-owned steel Grand Carrera I tried on in the jeweller in Northampton is still in the window (asking price £2700), maybe it will still be there when my fund has grown enough to purchase it? Then again, I know I can get one cheaper from Watchfinder, and they tend to have several examples of that model in stock at a time. Probably what I will do is sit on my cash until Watchfinder have one of their sales, and then pounce like a pouncing thing...

Anyway, where was I? Extolling the virtues of my beautiful Aquagraph I believe... yes, what a watch that is. I may have to wear it tonight when I take my wife out for her birthday meal. And yet...

...I bet I won't, because I am pretty much still besotted with the Microtimer. Oh yes, the honeymoon continues. Even the arrival of the CAU2012 hasn't tempted me away from it yet. It was a gamble buy, as I'd never clapped eyes on one, but I absolutely love it to bits. Sure it's a scratch magnet, which means it's never going to be an everyday wear, but it looks so cool under a shirt cuff, I just can't resist it's charms. It has far exceeded my expectations, it really has. I knew the only way I was going to get to see one was to buy one, but I had this feeling in the back of my head that it might be a short term purchase, back on eBay after a brief fling (especially after David's comments on Calibre 11 about how he'd bought and sold his several times), but that's not going to happen. Such a unique and unusual piece, it sticks out like a sore thumb in the collection and looks truly avant garde on the wrist.

To be honest, the CAU2012 hasn't really found it's place yet. I won't bore you (again) with how utterly appalled I am at the rubbishness of the clasp and it's ability to rip my wrist to shreds within an hour of putting it on. Suffice to say that I am currently employing several pieces of electrical tape on the reverse side to act as a cushion, to effectively lift the two sharp edges away from my wrist. As you can imagine this is neither ideal nor endearing it to me very much.

But I haven't given up hope yet, because this is much the same way I felt when I first bought my WAH1110 and had exactly the same problem and that turned out fine in the end once I'd got a better strap on it (the difference I suppose is the CAU2012 cost over four times as much as the daily wear F1). However, it shouldn't be too much longer until my BT0717 strap arrives now, and hopefully it will fit the CAU2012 and I can start wearing it and enjoying it, rather than wearing it and sneering at it it ruefully because of the terrible, terrible clasp.

I must admit I am also rather disappointed that the only parts of the watch that have lume applied are the hands, I was looking forward to a display of gorgeous orange lume, but no such luck. Nothing on the dial is lumed, not even a marker at the twelve. Very disappointing, and very poor for a watch which costs nearly £2500! But let's not dwell on the negatives, it's a very cool looking watch (in the daylight) and I'm sure once the strap issue is resolved I will start to bond with it.

One watch which has a very strong bond with me is my beloved Kirium, which still looks as good as new and is utterly timeless. With so many new purchases of late, this one really doesn't get the wrist time it deserves, but I'm sure it will come back into vogue at some point. It will certainly never get sold, my first TAG will always have a special place in the collection and I'm so pleased I never wore it as a daily beater, having seen the state some of them are in these days.

And then of course there's the Carrera Heuer 01 which also hasn't seen much wrist time lately, but still has plenty of wow factor when you open the box.

This is still the number one in my collection and it's hard to know what could take it's crown. As much as I love my other watches, this one is definitely something special.

I definitely need to start wearing these watches more, and not just when I go out. I think a good place to start would probably be to designate some watches as weekend watches and just wear the WAH1110 to work. The only problem with that I guess is that the weekend tends to be the time I spend doing gardening or DIY, and so I tend to take my WAH1110 off anyway!

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Well, as I thought, when it came down to it I plumped for the Microtimer for the wife's birthday meal, and then a family party on Sunday saw the Heuer 01 back on the wrist. I did get the Aquagraph out and even put it on, but then I spent about ten minutes looking at all my watches and eventually decided on the Carrera.

Apologies for my poor photography skills!

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Carrera and Formula One Indy 500 Limited Editions

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Indy 500 Limited Editions are nothing new in the TAG world, with several having been issued over the years. These latest edition look quite attractive, particularly the Carrera. I'm really liking these latest Carreras with the 'minute' markers on the skeletonised dial. I'm still not really convinced by the leather straps though, seems like an awful lot of unnecessary stitching, which makes me wonder how resilient they'll be for everyday use?

CAR2A1D.FT6101

The Carrera looks very sporty, I really love the red ring around the top sub dial and although the bezel does have INDY 500 emblazoned on it in red, because it's where you'd expect to see 'Tachymetre' it doesn't shout as loudly as it could. The Indy logo on the sub-dial is also quite small and blends in nicely with the dial overall. I must admit my reservations about many special editions are usually because of some intrusive logo on the dial, which is why I was so pleased when TAG elected to put the Red Bull logo on the back of the watches and not the front.

Damn those numerals look good, and make the watch look so different from my (original) Heuer 01. Which puts me in a real dilemma. It's hard to justify another Heuer 01, and I certainly wouldn't get rid of mine, but they look so great. I wouldn't buy this particular watch because I have no interest in the Indy 500, but when they start bringing out standard Carreras with the numerals on I'm going to be very torn indeed.

Thankfully, perhaps, the Formula One isn't quite as nice, but still looks better than majority of previous editions to these eyes. Of course, I haven't actually seen one yet, but the colour tones and the red detailing add up to a decent looking quartz piece. I'm sure these will end up in the outlets though, they always seem to, even though they don't make all that many. Might be a bit of a bargain in a year or two.

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ON THE WRIST: Aquaracer Calibre 16 Chronograph

CAY211A.BA0927

Beaverbrooks / Leicester 27th December 2016

I'd pretty much forgotten about trying this one on, it was just after Christmas so the finer details are a little hazy, but still. If I remember correctly I tried three Aquaracers on at the same time, and this was the most expensive. Rightly so of course as I think the other two were quartz movements. This was also the most substantial and according to TAG Heuer's website this has a list price of £2750.

To be honest I didn't remember that it was that much, I thought it was in the low £2000s, and I don't remember it being on sale or anything. Would I spend £2750 on this watch though? I don't know that I would. This is largely because I don't think of the Aquaracer as being a particularly luxurious watch, perhaps because you can get something which looks similar for a lot less with a quartz movement.

Leaving that aside, it's a nice looking watch and sports a ceramic bezel and a 300M water resistance (sure TAG do make some 500M models, but from what I understand hardly anyone goes deeper than 40M so this should be more than adequate for most people's needs and let's be honest, who wears a £3000 watch to dive in?). The movement is the Calibre 16, which is the same movement I have just purchased in my Formula One CAU2012 and one which I find unusually 'mechanical' feeling. Kind of reminds me of winding an old clock, much less refined than either the Heuer 01 or the Calibre 60 (in the Aquagraph), but still presumably a solid and reliable calibre.

I seem to remember the lume on this was pretty good, as most Aquaracers tend to be, and the small amount of yellow text on the dial and seconds hand is a nice accent. I'm not sure if the 'slatted' dial adds a lot here, I think it's more effective on a plain dial three hander, but it's not doing any harm.

Looking at this watch, I can't help but make comparisons with my Aquagraph. Leaving aside the fact that the Aquagraph is a 500M diver, there are distinct similarities in appearance. Both have black chrono dials with yellow accents (albeit the Aquagraph has a steel bezel) and both come on similar steel bracelets. So some might imagine this as a modern alternative, but I can hand on heart say there is no way I would trade my Aquagraph for this.

CN211A.BA0353

Inflation adjusted, this Aquaracer is cheaper, but you can pick up a clean Aquagraph for about £1300 and I think you're getting a more interesting watch. True, it's much more of a tool watch and this Aquaracer is much more capable as an all-rounder and suitable as an 'only' watch, but for me the Aquagraph is just so much cooler. For a start you can use the chronograph underwater, I know I never will, but I could and I think the rubber pushers look great. Also the Aquagraph is smaller in dia, but more chunky and tank-like, it means business and weighs a ton, it's loaded with personality that this new Aquaracer just doesn't possess. 

Still, you could argue of course that were TAG to launch the Aquagraph today, it would probably cost more like £4000, in which case it's probably unfair to make a direct comparison. 

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ON THE WRIST: Formula One Quartz Manchester United Special Edition

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Goldsmiths / Trafford Centre 31st March 2017

Surprisingly perhaps, given the close proximity of the Trafford Centre to 'Old Trafford' itself, Goldsmiths was the only jeweller who had this particular watch in stock. I must admit, when I saw the first pictures of this I thought it looked pretty awful, but in actual fact, it's not too bad at all. The case/bezel is just the right finish, neither shiny nor completely matted, it does tend towards the matte end of things, but stays away from looking like a Footballers Bentley*. 

The logo isn't too bad either, I mean it's a football club logo at the end of the day and there's only so much you can do to make it tasteful, but the colour scheme here makes it look decent and the strap is a unique idea which suggests both the 'Link' bracelet and possibly the Devil's pitchfork (although that may just be me reading to much into it?). I'm not too sure how I feel about the raised central section on the strap, it's a bit odd, but sort of interesting at the same time.

The guy in the shop told me they are selling like hot cakes in Manchester (which you would imagine is true given the location) and really this is the perfect watch to approach this market. 42mm is a good chunky size and at £1300 this represents a cool entry level TAG Heuer. I enquired as to the level of interest in the forthcoming Heuer 01 Man Utd SE, and was told (rather honestly) that there wasn't any as yet. Which to be honest I'm not really all that surprised to hear... expect those to hit the outlet stores sometime in 2019.

Needless to say, TAG have done a nice job with the packaging as well, with the box lid underside sporting a Manchester United logo, in much the same vein as the Premiership Aquaracer box released last year. The back of the watch is also marked with the United logo, and as you would expect this model is water resistant to 200m.

Overall, I have to say I was quite impressed with this really, and I can see this model as a good base for some other black F1 models. The first thing that springs to mind would be a Singapore Grand Prix Limited Edition, just imagine all that red replaced with green, now that I might consider purchasing. It's a tough one, the colour scheme makes it quite different and striking, but I suppose making a non-Man Utd version would detract from the overall appeal. Perhaps when demand tails off they can relaunch with a plain dial and caseback for the non fans?

*Incidentally, I saw the new Tudor Black Bay Dark in the same shop and it's horrible, it looks like they've gone for the 'vinyl silk' black, which is too shiny... or not shiny enough to be actually shiny, if that makes sense... It's a shame because I really liked the sound of it, but the reality is a disaster.