FEATURE: The Best and Worst TAG Heuers of 2018

Carrera GMT   Max Verstappen F1   Aquaracer Khaki   Carbon Carrera

It's been a busy year in La Chaux de Fonds. Going back through the blog to make this list I am really quite surprised at the quantity of new models that have been launched this year - and I'm sure there must be more that have slipped through the net. There's been some great pieces, some good ones, some not so good and one or two absolute stinkers - one of which really ticked me off! But we'll come to that... (and I definitely won't be pulling any punches).

So, in no particular order (because where's the fun in that), let's start with this rather nice khaki dial Aquaracer quartz.

Aquaracer Quartz 'Khaki Edition'

I tried this on in the Sheffield boutique and I really liked it. I'm not a fan of NATO straps and this one did nothing to change my mind, but the dial looks great and I really like the contrast between the bezel and the case. It was also a great improvement over the previous 'Calibre 5' Khaki Edition, which to my mind was no great shakes and completely failed to live with the 'Camouflage' Calibre 5 Aquaracer that was released at the same time.

Formula 1 Quartz 'Max Verstappen' Special Edition

A more recent release is this Max Verstappen Formula 1, which seems a little confused... the bracelet is smart yet the dial is rather gaudy and that stripe is awful. Admittedly I haven't seen one of these yet and I'm hopeful it might look better in person, but at the moment it's a thumbs down from me.

Lady Link 'Bella Hadid' Limited Edition

The Lady Link Bella Hadid Limited Edition is one that I have seen, as my wife tried it on in the TAG Heuer boutique in Geneva. She absolutely loved it, but baulked at the £4650 price tag - especially considering it's a quartz piece. It is pretty stunning though, with a matt black ceramic case and bracelet which emphasizes the diamond bezel and dial. What differentiates the 'Bella Hadid' from the standard version is the diamond hour markers (instead of gold), which really sets this apart and I think if you're going to go for a ceramic Lady Link then this is absolutely the one to go for.

Formula 1 Calibre 5 'Bucherer' Limited Edition

Luxury watch dealer 'Bucherer' are renowned for their special edition 'blue' watches having released them previously in collaboration with Tudor amongst others. This one is definitely attractive, but there's nothing to really mark it out as anything special, this could easily be a standard Formula 1. It would have been nice to see maybe just a subtle line of text under the TAG Heuer logo pointing out that this was a 'Bucherer' watch, but then it seems when it comes to Bucherer they kind of live by the 'less is more' mantra, so maybe not!

Autavia 'Watches of Switzerland' Limited Edition

Another blue dial, this time adorning one of the many Autavia Limited Editions we've seen this year. I'm not a big fan of the Autavia, and this one definitely isn't persuading me to change my mind. I'm just not sure that the blue dial and the black bezel go together somehow... it looks a bit odd to me. Maybe it would look better on a bracelet?

Carrera Heuer 01 'Aston Martin Racing' Special Edition

This one has taken it's time getting to the High Street, lagging well behind the Formula 1 version which I tried on months ago. While I like the perforated dial, I kind of wish they'd put some colour behind it to make it really stand out. It would have been nice if they'd incorporated the lime/yellow colour from the race team, but they've played it really safe instead by opting for red and black. I'm yet to see this one, and as yet I'm not really sure what I think, and I'm not to sure about the grooved case sides either...

Formula 1 Quartz 'Aston Martin Racing' Special Edition

When I first saw the pictures of this one I figured this one would be one that would end up in my collection, but when I finally did get to see it I was really disappointed. The whole thing is so muted in the flesh, not at all the bold and acidic colour shock I was hoping for, such a shame as I really had high hopes for this one.

Formula 1 Quartz 'Gulf Racing' Special Edition

This is another one that I have had on my wrist, and (like the Aston Martin model above) I was slightly frustrated that the strap was barely long enough for my wrist. I do have a large wrist, but I still usually have to have 1 or 2 links taken out when I buy a watch with a bracelet, so I'm slightly confused as to why the straps are so short. Speaking of the strap, a lot of people really like this weird blue textured band, but I really didn't like it much at all. I also didn't like that the crown and pushers were black, which makes the whole thing look slightly cheap and a little bit tacky.

Carrera Heuer 02T Tourbillon 'Ayrton Senna' Special Edition

TAG have really gone to town on the Carrera Tourbillons this year, and I have to say this one is not my favourite. I can't help but think the red Senna 'S' is a little out of place here and cheapens what is in fact a rather expensive timepiece. But then you don't buy a Senna if you want subtlety, do you?

Autavia '1972 Re-Edition' USA only Limited Edition

As I said earlier, I'm really not a fan of the Autavia, but this is definitely one of the better looking ones. I still hate that bezel but the red second hand works wonders for the overall aesthetic, it's a pity it's limited to the United States though...

Carrera Heuer 02 'Carbon Collection' Limited Edition

Definitely one of the very best things TAG have put out this year, the carbon bezel and lugs look great and that blue really works will with the skeleton dial. I'd love one of these but the price is a bit too step for my wallet. 

Carrera Calibre 5 'Bamford & Jonas Wood' Limited Edition

This is absolutely hideous and above all lazy. Clearly Bamford have taken a standard Calibre 5 Carrera and removed all the hour markers, paying no thought to how ridiculous the logo, day and date windows and 'Calibre 5' text look now that they are left crammed into the middle of the dial (with no reason for them to be so). Also the basketball design looks like it was drawn by a monkey with a crayon.

Autavia Heuer 02 'Hodinkee Orange Boy' Limited Edition

Predictable it may have been (very predictable actually), but no less effective for that... Hodinkee's latest super-fast selling special edition TAG looks fantastic as again that splash of colour works wonders with the Autavia's otherwise monochromatic aesthetic. Personally I'm not a fan of either the plain leather straps the Autavias come on or the beads of rice bracelets, so I'd be interested to see one of these retro-fitted with a padded, orange stitched aligator strap.

Aquaracer Quartz 'Nightdiver' WAY108A

This was another one that didn't live up to my expectations. I remember a leaked photo from Bazelworld showing off the lume on this one and getting very excited about it, but when I finally got to try it on I just found it rather underwhelming. I also took against the ceramic bezel as even though I barely had it on for more than a few minutes I was constantly wiping my fingermarks away...

Aquaracer Quartz 'Hendrik Lundqvist' Limited Edition

Definitely a specialised market watch this one, since I have no idea who Hendrik Lundqvist is (I know he plays ice hockey, but that's it). I do like the colour scheme, but the crown logo looks a bit too big really.

Carrera Heuer 02T 'Malaysia/Singapore' Limited Edition

This one really is a limited edition, with just ten pieces available to buy. A really unusual piece this one, with the case decorated with lots of small circles. Not sure how that is achieved, but it's definitely a unique take on the ubiquitous Carrera Heuer 02 Tourbillon...

The 2018 Ladies Formula 1 Collection

I'm afraid I'm not a fan of these new Formula 1 ladies pieces (and more importantly, neither is my wife). I saw a few of these in the Geneva boutique and one or two more more recently and they really come across as rather bland and pebbley. The most interesting thing about them is that the straps are easily switchable with some kind of quick release lever, I hope that makes it's way onto the men's models as well.

Carrera Heuer 02T 'Tete de Vipere' Limited Edition

Again, very limited and very pricey, this is the Heuer 02 tourbillon to go for if you're all about accuracy. It's a lovely looking piece as well, the blue really works, although I can't say I'm totally sold on the 'fan' design around the TAG Heuer shield logo at the 12 position. Still, I'm not in a position to buy one so it's not really something to worry myself over!

Carrera Heuer 01 'Oxford Street' Limited Edition

When I first saw the 'Oxford Street' edition, I was confused as I knew I'd seen that red date wheel before. Which of course I had, on the 'Tokyo' boutique edition released just a few months earlier...

Carrera Heuer 02 'Tokyo Boutique' Limited Edition

Indeed at first glance there's little to separate them (save the city name printed on the glass display back), but in fact there are some material differences in the manufacture, for instance the 'Oxford Street' version is adorned with a ceramic bezel, whereas the 'Tokyo' one is not. As yet I haven't seen either of these (and let's be honest I'm unlikely to see the Tokyo one - unless it winds up at Bicester Village one day!), and I'm undecided about the red date wheel. In one picture it looks rather cool, but in another it looks a bit cheap and nasty (like red plastic), so I think I'm going to have to wait until I've been to London again to make my mind up about this one.

Carrera Heuer 02 'Ginza Boutique' Limited Edition

I do actually quite like this one, if for no other reason than that it really stands out. Sure the colour scheme is super-bold and is not going to be for everyone, but I really appreciate its individuality and boldness. The red highlights stop the watch looking too flat and cold as well, but I'm glad they resisted the temptation to red stitch the strap as that would definitely have been a bit too much.

Carrera Skipper 'Hodinkee' Limited Edition

Heuer fans will tell you this is not a 'Carrera' at all, but since it says Carrera on the dial and it features the typical long Carrera lugs, well... I'm not getting into that! Suffice it to say that Hodinkee sold all 125 of these in a very short space of time, despite a very hefty price tag. Does nothing for me of course, but then I'm not the target market. Like all these super limited editions though, you can't help wonder how many were bought by 'investors' looking to flip the watch for a quick profit?

Carrera Heuer 01 'Las Vegas' Limited Editions

Yet another limited edition Carrera, this time specifically targeted at Las Vegas. I can imagine a lot of people finding these utterly rancid, but I kinda like them (well maybe not the diamond bezel one) and unlike some city-specific limited editions, these watches scream 'Las Vegas', which is kinda the point isn't it?

Monaco Calibre 11 'Bamford Carbon' Limited Edition

Most of the Bamfords I've seen this year have been... erm, well... let's just say I've not been inspired to save for one! This was the pick of the bunch, albeit I've never been convinced by the blue sub-dials. I think if that had been handled in a more subtle fashion (black sub-dials with blue text for example) this could have been even better than it is. Generally speaking though, this one definitely gets a thumbs up from me.

Carrera Heuer 02 GMT 'Batman'

I don't think it's too outrageous to say that this has probably been most people's TAG highlight of the year. Yes you can argue it's jumping on the 'Batman' bandwagon, just as Rolex are jumping off... but who cares - it looks great, at least in the pictures I've seen. I know these are out there now (because Calibre11 alumni 'Hubert' has one), but I'm yet to come across one. Asking in a jewellers has drawn a blank as well, which is frustrating... still I'm sure next time I visit London I'll be able to hunt one down.

Carrera Heuer 01 'Manchester United' Special Edition 

A definite improvement over the first Manchester United Carrera I feel, in part because I really detested the 'Devil' logo on the original version. I really like the 'Drive Timer' version of the Carrera Heuer 01 and one day I hope to pick one up, so seeing the Arabic numerals on here is also a plus point. Not totally sold on the red strap, but this is a Manchester United watch after all so it makes total sense.

Formula 1 Quartz 'Manchester United' Special Edition

When the first Manchester United Formula 1 came out, I was quite impressed. I realise in hindsight that what I really liked about it was the red and black rubber strap (also used on the Formula 1 Senna), but the rest of the design wasn't bad either. This one looks a little more classy perhaps, the black PVD and red was quite stark and uncompromising, so this might be a slightly easier sell to the hordes of United fans around the world.

Autavia Heuer 02 'Harrods' Limited Edition

Yet another Autavia... and this one I really don't get. Harrods teamed up with Tudor to produce a 'Harrods Black Bay' last year and subsequently this year they've released three more watch tie-ins, one with Bvlgari (which was green, but totally the wrong green), one with Roger Dubuis (which had two different tones of green highlights - neither of which was correct) and this Autavia which isn't green at all!

None of these three watches make any sense to me whatsoever, but on the whole I would rather the watch wasn't green at all than being completely the wrong shade. This version utilises the white dial (as used on the Calibre 11 limited edition) which is definitely a good choice, but I really wish they'd used the JH85 bezel. For me though, the Black Bay is still the Harrods watch, and I think the pre-owned market value bears that out.

Carrera Heuer 02 Fragmente 'Hiroshi Fujiwara' Limited Edition

Totally not my style, but I can see why this one caused quite a stir. I've always rather liked the idea of a Bund strap myself and I think this looks great, much better than the NATO I've also seen it presented on. As I say, definitely not aimed at me, but one of the nicest looking 'vintage' Carreras so far.

Monaco Calibre 11 'Gulf 50th Anniversary First Victory' Limited Edition

Limited to just 50 pieces, this one (predictably enough) sold like hot cakes, but for me the lighter blue stripe - while more authentic - was just a little off-putting. There's something about light blue that doesn't sit well with me when it comes to luxury watches. Yes it's a better contrast with the main dial, but it's just not a colour I can take to. Other than that, this is a very nice looking Monaco, but I'm still slightly unsure about the red and orange colour combination.

Monaco Calibre 11 'Gulf 50th Anniversary' Special Edition

Another watch I have had on my wrist and I think I prefer this to the limited edition overall. Again the red and orange is a slight bum note, but overall the watch looks very nice and as this was the first Monaco I'd tried on for a long time I was surprised how wearable it was. The only thing I really didn't like was the oversized 'Heuer' logo on the clasp, which is admittedly a bit picky on my part.

Carrera Heuer 01 'China Space Exploration' Limited Edition

I would say this is one that I'm never likely to come across, but you'd be amazed at the limited editions that turn up in the TAG outlets in Bicester and Cheshire Oaks. This is a pretty cool looking piece though, so I'd be surprised if they couldn't sell all 100 pieces at retail. I love the red and yellow highlights on the pushers and the back is neatly executed - if impractical for viewing the movement. Probably one of my favourite Carreras to date, along with last years Air-K5 (for Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori).

Aquaracer Calibre 5 'China Space Exploration' Limited Edition

Some complained that a dive watch had no relevance to space exploration... though as the same complaint wasn't leveled at the Carrera I see no reason to pay it any heed. This is a fun piece, and I would be quite happy to wear this on my wrist should one cross my path. The moon looks great on the dial and the red second hand gives the watch a dash of much needed colour. Having a job to find out how many of these were made now... but I'd love to see one in the flesh. 

Aquaracer Calibre 5 'Carbon Collection' Special Edition

I'm afraid I'm about to go on a rant now. When I first saw the pictures of these I thought 'Wow, that looks like my next watch right there...', my only reservation was that carbon watches are uniformly expensive. So I was somewhat pleased when I discovered the list price was £3200 for the blue and yellow versions and £3300 for the rose gold. Expensive for a Calibre 5 Aquaracer granted, but seemingly very reasonable compared to previous carbon pieces.

Then I discovered that the case was actually PVD coated titanium. Well, okay, I can live with that. I can see that it's a good cost compromise. But then I found out that the dial wasn't carbon either, but rather a printed 'carbon effect'... and that was a step too far for me and turned me completely against this watch.

When you buy luxury goods the one thing you don't want is 'faux' anything. It should be written in stone. Can you imagine TAG bringing out a diamond bezel Aquaracer with cubic zircona hour markers? Of course not. So why on earth would they think this is acceptable? I simply don't understand the logic at play here. Someone should have put their foot down and called b/s on this. Better to make it more expensive than to produce such an awful travesty of a watch. For this reason and this reason alone I am calling this now 'the Worst TAG Heuer of 2018' by a country mile. 

And to think, I really wanted one of these as well!

Autavia Heuer 02 'Calibre 11 - Siffert' Limited Edition

Okay, let's finish on a high note... as you know by now I'm not a big fan of the Autavia (or vintage style watches in general) but this is actually rather beautiful. As a very active member of the Calibre 11 Forum I was contacted last year and invited to express an interest in this 'Calibre 11' limited edition. While I really liked the dial design, it was still an Autavia (and priced accordingly) and so I reluctantly declined. I knew it would sell out though, as this is easily the best looking Autavia out there, and sure enough the watch was oversubscribed before it was even released.

David did a spectacular job designing this one and despite a few glitches with the Heuer 02 movement and an error in manufacturing which meant that some watches were sent out with 'TAG Heuer' stamped on the movement instead of just 'Heuer' I'm sure that most of the recipients were more than happy with their purchases. Sadly one of the 100 pieces that was returned to the factory was lost in transit leaving one forum member understandably distraught with little scope for replacement other than paying over the odds on the pre-owned market. Hopefully TAG and the AD involved will do the right thing and ensure the customer is taken care of properly.


So there we have it, my take on the best and worst of 2018, I know it's not completely comprehensive but I think I've covered the majority of what's been released and I'd be interested to hear your views on TAG's output this year in the comments below.