SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 'Freemasons' Limited Edition Calibre 5 Carrera

WAR201A.BA0723*

Here's something new and interesting, looking on YouTube this morning I came across a video for this watch which as far as I can tell is a collaboration between AMJ Watches and TAG Heuer. I could be wrong there, but so far I can't find anywhere else selling this watch so I'm going to assume that is correct. You may remember I visited AMJ Watches last month to look at their solid gold 6000 Series, and I have a feeling they were the ones who were selling the Aston Martin Formula 1 on a bracelet not so long ago.

Since AMJ are the only people seemingly selling this watch there is somewhat limited information about it, and the promotional video shows the back of the watch marked with the code WAR201A, which is clearly incorrect as that is the standard watch code. In fact when you visit their website it does point out that WAR201A is the base model the watch is built on. So what are the differences?

Standard WAR201A.BA0723

The most visible one from the outset is the use of the letter 'G' at the 12 position on the dial. According to the 'Masonic Lodge of Education' this is supposed to remind Freemasons that every act is done in the sight of the Great Architect of the Universe (God, basically) and also relates to Geometry. Not too sure about how, but if you fancy reading all about it then here's a link to the page I found: https://www.masonic-lodge-of-education.com/letter-g.html

No doubt you'll also have noticed that the 'Calibre 5 Automatic' text has been removed and replaced with the words 'Faith Hope Charity', and when you flip the watch over you'll find a clear caseback with the Freemasons emblem printed over it. Also, it looks like the watch will be uniquely engraved with your lodge number and the date of it's initiation, which is actually pretty cool I guess.

The base watch itself is a 41mm day/date Carrera with a Calibre 5 automatic movement and a 38 hour power reserve, and somewhat bizarrely there is also a women's version of the watch. I say bizarrely because women aren't actually allowed to join the Freemasons unless they were male when they joined, or in some cases if they are widowed and they take over their husband's business. Clearly AMJ aren't expecting to sell many of the ladies watches, since when you follow the link to the order form they only offer the male version. No price for the ladies model, but the man's Carrera is £2200, which is actually the same price as the standard model.

This has got to be one of the oddest limited editions I've ever come across and I'm sure the Calibre11 forum members will be rolling their eyes at this one (basically anything that isn't related to motor racing or Steve McQueen is deemed frivolous there...), personally I don't really see any harm in it, it just seems a bit of a strange idea. Presumably you can't actually buy this unless you are a Freemason, so does that make it uniquely collectible? I'm not quite sure...

Looking back through AMJ's previous projects I came across another Limited Edition Carrera, this time for people who have served in the UK Police Force. The 'Thin Blue Line' edition features a blue second hand, an applied '999' at the 9 position and some additional text on the dial on what looks like the same basic Calibre 5 Carrera.

https://freemasons.andrewmichaels.co.uk/