FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco 50th Anniversary 1999-2009

CAW211Y.FC6469

It seems like forever since the release of the 'concrete' dialed CAW211X (1989-1999) Monaco and that one defied all expectations when we finally got to see close up, real-life photographs of that dial. Somehow I don't think this 1999-2009 model will create the same kind of stir. To me this one looks the most 'retro' of the four that have been released so far, and definitely more so than the upcoming 2009-2019 model (CAW211Z... Google is your friend).

I guess somewhere along the way this slow burn release schedule had to flounder, and I'm afraid this is where they've hit the 'diminishing returns' button for me. For a start I really don't like the way those chronograph subdials intrude onto the minute track, which in itself is a bit weird... I mean, the Monaco is the quintessential square watch, so putting a bold white circle on the dial like that just doesn't really make any sense to me. Monacos are always a delicate balance between square dial and round face, and it's usually carried off well, but here it clashes.... badly. I don't know, maybe someone thought 'It's about the 00s, so maybe we need a big 'O' right there on the dial'... or am I perhaps thinking just a little too literally here?

It's rare that black and red doesn't strike the right chord, but for me there's just too much white on that dial (and even more on the strap) for it to chime with me. It seems a shame that after three strikingly original and downright unusual Monacos in this series, it should go slightly off the rails now with such an uninspiring piece. But then beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I'm told that Oxford Street has pre-allocated all the watches it's due to receive, so maybe it's just me. On the other hand, apparently the Tokyo boutique has found no takers for this one... so maybe not.

I've been consistently told that every one of these new Monacos so far has looked better in person than in photos (and the first three looked great in the photos) so maybe you have to actually see it, but since that's not likely to happen I can only go off of the photos and sadly I have to say I'd take a CAW2114 instead, more on that tomorrow...

EDIT: Looking at this in some of the pictures that are now being released, it doesn't look quite so bad... I think the main problem is it has followed three real big hitters and the comparison has not done it any favours. Maybe if this one had been released first it would have been a different story.

Having said that, close up shots reveal these atrocious red/orange minute markers which have put me right off it again!