I was watching a WatchUWant video the other day and they brought up the subject of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Chronograph, and particularly this bright green boutique only version. No my initial reaction when I first saw this some while ago was - WOW! And it still has a lot of appeal to me, after all I've mentioned before my penchant for bright green...
In the past I was always like, 'Oh so many watches are black and silver, it's so dull'. And then I bought the CAU2012 Formula One Calibre 16 (henceforth referred to as the Orange TAG).
I was after this watch for a long time, and after some initial wobbles I've grown to like it. I can't say 'love it' yet, because I still have some reservations, but mainly I think that is because it's a Formula One rather than a higher end TAG, and even though I got it at a fantastic discount I still can't help thinking of it as a watch that actually cost £2500 (which is too much for a watch with no lume on the dial at all - only the hands. Big thumbs down for that).
Still, I'm past the point I was at a while back where I was seriously thinking of trading it in against something else, most likely the Grand Carrera CAV511A. I still want that watch, and it's still available pre-owned in a local jewellers, and I'm probably going to get that next. But we'll see...
I'm probably going to wait and see what JCB is announcing in the next few months, with this crazy new movement they're talking about. But then if it's going to come in the same 'Heuer 01' style Carrera case I might just pass on that anyway.
Anyway, I'm getting off the point a bit here... colour, this is supposed to be about colour.
One of the things I love about my Aquagraph is the yellow hands, yellow or red highlights on a watch can make a huge difference to the appeal (and the price!), so more colour is better - right? Well, I'm not sure. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think the orange on my TAG looks great, but I have to admit I do think... I don't want to say it makes it look 'cheap', but when you put it against a more conservatively presented watch it does perhaps tilt perception a little.
Which brings me back to the Audemars Piguet, I mean, it's way out of my price range and I'm never likely to own one, but I thought to myself if I did have the money would I buy it? I really don't think I would. As much as I love the colour scheme, I can't help looking at it and thinking, does that watch really look like it costs £20,000 or whatever it is?
No, I think I would probably go for a steel Royal Oak with a black dial instead, but then perhaps if I already had a black dial version and I had unlimited funds I would buy it. I guess what I'm saying is that if I had one high end piece I wouldn't want it to be bright green...
But on the other hand, I don't ten watches that all look the same. I'm at the point now where I have six TAGs and they are all pretty different, and the Grand Carrera will be different too, but after that whatever I buy is probably going to have some similarity to something I've already got (at least if I keep my collection purely TAG Heuer - more on that another time). If I buy an Aquaracer for example, its probably going to bear a passing resemblance to my Aquagraph, unless perhaps it's a noticeably different colour.
Embarrassing as it is, I kinda like this one...
Albeit the strap is a hideous abomination, but that can be easily resolved with the purchase of a rubber band... pity the cyclops isn't as easy to replace! GRRR. (Mind you, I don't think I would buy this new as I can imagine the resale being weak). Mind you I haven't actually seen one, and it could be that when I do I will be like 'Oh, nooooooo!'.
And so this is where the Orange TAG comes into it's own really, even though it's currently not at the top of my pile. Because, it is nice to have something a little different to wear now and again, something that isn't quite so sober and classy as the F1 Kirium, as tooly as the Aquagraph, or as quirky and delicate as the Microtimer. The Orange TAG is a good summer watch, and notwithstanding the crappy buckle on the original strap, is a fun thing to wear out and about with a short sleeve shirt or T-Shirt.
I'm reluctant to say I'd buy another 'colourful' watch, I certainly can't see me picking up the yellow dial Aquaracer Calibre S, even though I do quite like it. I just think it would compete with the orange too much, and I don't think I have enough wrist time to give to both.
So yeah, in conclusion, I think a colourful watch can be a fun thing, but I wouldn't pay too much for it because it will probably never look like it costs what it costs. I think for me, personally, what I've learned from buying the Orange TAG is that I'm not really that into the Formula One range, even a Calibre 16. I think perhaps I would be better sticking with the higher end Aquaracers and Carreras, possibly even an SLR or a (Silver and Black) Monaco 24 in future. Of course there are always exceptions to every rule...
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