Thursday, 31 December 2020
QUIZ: The TAG Heuer Enthusiast December 2020 Quiz
Back in April 2020 I posted three editions of the T.H.E. 2020 Coronavirus Quiz and since we're all still largely looking for things to occupy our minds, I thought maybe one more quiz would be a nice way to pass the time. I think people found those first three a little bit too hard, so I've eased up on the questions a little bit!
Hope you enjoy it!
Q1. In which year was the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Blog started?
Q2. Which came first, the S/EL or the SLR?
Q3. The 4000 Series came on a range of sharkskin straps in six different colours, name them.
(One point for each correct answer)
Q4. Jacques Villeneuve was at one time a TAG Heuer 'ambassador', true or false?
Q5. Alec Monopoly designed a limited edition Aquaracer using a wallpaper print from which famous American Hotel?
Q6. How many pieces were made of the 2020 Carrera 'Montreal' Limited Edition?
Q7. Which TAG Heuer model range has codes beginning WN?
Q8. What was unusual about the CBL2113 Monaco introduced in 2020?
Q9. What is the name of TAG Heuer's current CEO?
Q10. How many automatic Aquaracer chronographs do TAG Heuer currently offer?
Q11. Which F1 team did TAG Heuer sponsor for many years before switching to Red Bull Racing?
Q12. Is a CAR2A1Z a Carrera Heuer 01 or an Autavia Heuer 02?
Q13. Which TAG Heuer model range is enjoying its 35th Anniversary in 2021?
Q14. Which is the only TAG Heuer model line to feature a bronze case?
Q15. What name is given to the three handed automatic movement found in the Aquaracer, F1 and Carrera lines?
Q16. Which TAG Heuer Monaco model featured both a manual wind automatic and a high spec digital movement?
Q17. Which Heuer / TAG Heuer watch first sported the now familiar 12 sided bezel found on the Aquaracer?
Q18. How many F1 races did TAG Heuer ambassador Max Verstappen win in 2020?
Q19. How many pieces of the 2020 Bamford Aquaracer limited edition were made?
Q20. What is the model number of the blue dial 'Steve McQueen' Monaco found in the TAG Heuer museum?
Q21. Which movement powered the 2015 David Guetta WAZ201A Formula 1?
Q22. Of what material is a TAG Heuer FT8001 strap made?
Q23. What colour are the subdials on a CBK221C Carrera?
Q24. Which of these TAG Heuer models has never been offered with a solid gold case: 4000 Series, 6000 Series, Alter Ego or the 2000 Exclusive?
Q25. TAG Heuer is a member of the LVMH luxury group, which of these companies is not a part of that group: Bulgari, Omega, Hublot or Zenith?
Q26. How many diamonds can be found on this years WBC131F ladies Link?
Q27. What is unusual about a Japanese limited edition CBK2116 Carrera?
Q28. Complete this 1980s TAG Heuer model name ( - I - - N - U - )
Q29. What kind of TAG Heuer watch carries the model number S25.706C?
Q30. True or false, the 2000 Series (which eventually became the Aquaracer) was launched in 1991?
Total points available = 35.
You can find the answers to the quiz by clicking HERE
For more quizzes and puzzles, click HERE
Wednesday, 30 December 2020
Tuesday, 29 December 2020
FEATURE: Another Crazy Year of Watch Buying
After the last two years, where my watch collection jumped from consisting of just six pieces to erm.... twenty eight, I didn't really expect this year to be anything like as 'busy'. And to start with it was deathly quiet, I didn't buy anything in January, February or March and I was beginning to wonder what was wrong with me. Actually, it's not strictly true that I didn't buy anything, I did in fact buy a rubber strap for my Aquagraph which improved its wearability no end... and I bought a TAG Heuer watchwinder in March, but that ended up being my birthday present from my wife, so really she bought that.
And then Covid happened and I had my right tonsil out... life wasn't fun and work went south quickly; this was clearly not the time to be spending my savings. Bicester Village and TAG Heuer closed down too and annoyingly three of my watches were stuck in the service centre for quite a while...
In May I bought a couple of TAG Heuer catalogues and some old watch magazines and then come the end of the month I made my first watch purchase, except it wasn't for me. So again, I didn't really buy it at all.
373.508
My wife decided, after three months stuck working from home, that she needed something to cheer herself up. So she found this orange and grey classic F1 on eBay and after a degree of faffing about, I managed to secure it for her at a fairly decent price.
Feeling slightly left out, I too started to peruse eBay with an eye on the classic F1s. After all with prices for most of them below £200 they seemed like a safe way to inject some fun into an otherwise depressing year without feeling guilty about spending too much of my hard earned savings. So in July I too added a classic Formula 1 to my collection.
385.513/081
I'd always like the red/red/black Formula 1s, but those always seemed rather more expensive than the rest and once I'd realised that the only difference between this and that was the red strap (available direct from TAG Heuer for £32, DO NOT pay £70 on eBay people!) I developed a keen interest.
The watch keeps incredible time, in fact as I found out writing another post for the blog, this is one of my most accurate watches - not bad for 30+ years old! It has, unfortunately one small issue though; there are three days when the date wheel doesn't change over. It's annoying, especially as I didn't discover the problem for quite a while, well after I'd left feedback on eBay...
Still, it's not worth repairing unless it needs a service as it will probably cost more than the watch itself. It's not a massive problem anyway, the quick set date still works perfectly, so...
A week later.... ahem, I added another classic F1 to my stable.
380.513
This one came on a black strap (incorrect, but admittedly more practical) which broke a few days after I received it. Not that it really mattered as I fully intended to restore it with a yellow strap anyway. This one did have some marks to the glass, but they aren't noticeable unless you really study it. This one has had a lot of wrist time over the last five months and cost me almost exactly the same amount as the one above (just over £170).
I snagged another catalogue at the start of August and then my wife brought out the big guns. For a long time she had wanted an Omega Constellation, and particularly one she had tried on a couple of years back.
Omega Orbis Constellation
I have to say, I'm not a big fan of Omega, but this watch is absolutely stunning. It appeared on Watchfinder one day and I knew she would regret it if she didn't buy it, so she threw caution to the wind and went for it. I even managed to get her a decent discount.
I made do with another catalogue (a really cool 1988 one at that) and then at the start of September I bought a nice blue leather strap for my Pilot watch. But the next watch was also for my wife, this time for our wedding anniversary.
360.508
And, surprise surprise... it was another classic Formula 1!
A really nice one this, in superb condition as well. Again I picked this up for way under £200 (actually £149), and even though it did come with a dead battery, once I'd fitted a new one it was as good as new.
By the end of September I had caved in to my craving for Kiriums and added a lovely blue dial three hander on a blue leather strap. The strap was well worn and the seller accepted my offer of £375 (it was up for £450).
WL1116.FC6113
I really like this one, even though at 36mm it is a little on the small side. It's probably the closest thing I have to a 'dress' watch I guess. The leather strap gives it a completely different look to the bracelet and I really like it. It's comfortable to wear too, I was worried about the clasp but it's absolutely fine.
At around the same time I also added another classic Formula 1 to my growing collection, this time from Japan. It took two weeks to arrive, but it was well worth the wait.
382.513
I really love this one, the dial is absolutely fantastic, easily the best classic Formula 1 dial for me. Again I picked this up for silly money (£145) although it did cost £24 for shipping.
About a week (!) later... I tried to buy a watch that I used to have previously, but when it arrived I realised that it was somewhat different and not in a good way. The WK1110-1 is quite different to the WK1110-0, for a start it has a shiny dial rather than a cool matt black one, and it has a polished 12 instead of a lumed one.
WK1110-1
Very disappointing. Fortunately the seller accepted returns, which was just as well because I really didn't want it, especially since it wasn't at all like the one I was trying to replace and also the crown had barely a third of a turn of thread left on it!
375.513
Yep, you guessed it, another classic Formula 1, this time with a plain steel case and, well, to be honest this one I'm not overly enthused about. I think if the green was a bit brighter I might like it a lot more, but in any case I definitely prefer the coated cases on the old F1s. This one came on a dreadful bracelet that I couldn't wait to get off, it also came incredibly quickly - 48 hours from Japan. Impressive!
https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2020/10/buying-experience-tag-heuer-formula-1.htmlI feel like this one is at the 'bottom' of my collection right now and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I didn't end up putting it up for sale at some point...
Still the madness continued and, searching for a Christmas present for myself, I came across this lovely black and blue Formula 1. This colour combination is one of the more difficult to find it seems, but again Japan came up trumps with this one at £149 (+£21 postage).
381.513/1
I'm not sure yet whether this will prove to be one Formula 1 too many, I hope not, but once I receive this for Christmas (from my wife) I feel it will only ramp up the pressure on the previous watch even more.
Speaking of Christmas presents, this one took some getting, but it was worth it in the end. Originally listed with a ludicrous shipping price of over £100 (from the USA) I eventually managed to get it for a much more reasonable rate. It cost me a pretty penny in import taxes, but when I opened the box it did not disappoint.
365.508
NOS, or at the very least A+ Minty in the original box and complete with a booklet (no card, but stamped inside - I think this is pre-card) it is a classic raspberry ladies Formula 1. My wife hasn't seen it yet but by the time you read this she will have it on her wrist.
That one came late November and I really thought that was it for the year, but I was wrong. I picked up a couple more straps from Bicester Village (black leather for my black S/EL chrono, green sharkskin for my grey dial 4000 Series) and then, just by chance, I happened to come across a watch I've been looking for for years.
CL1113.BA0701
I could not believe it when I found this plum-dial Kirium chronograph in Watchfinder's 'pre-sale' section and I thought they were bound to over price it, but actually it was fairly priced and when it arrived I could not get over the condition. It was like it just came from the factory, and yet the warranty card said 1998. Probably the most gorgeous watch in my collection and one I can't imagine ever selling.
WF1112.BA0511
Admittedly on this stretched out bracelet it's a bit underwhelming, but once I get it on that bright blue sharkskin strap I'm sure it's going to look a million bucks!
Well, it was a very slow start, but things really picked up in the second half of the year didn't they? Honestly though, I think this will probably be the last 'crazy' year for me. I've amassed so many watches now in a relatively short time that I've kinda 'got' most of what I want. There are things, obviously, that I would still like if they come up at reasonable prices; I'd love a 3000 Series chrono or perhaps a Super Professional and if a full size Tristar came available for sensible money I'd be up for that too. Sometimes I even look longingly at Executives, but usually the bracelets are too short and I'm willing to bet spare links for those are like hen's teeth!
Perhaps it's time to slow down and put a bit more thought into what I actually want, I can see that I've bought a couple of things this year that maybe I didn't really 'need' (if that's not too ridiculous a word to use in this context!) and I can see where I might decide to thin out the collection a bit in the not too distant future, because it's definitely getting a little out of hand.
I still don't have a Monaco though, and I wouldn't mind dipping my toe back in to the Grand Carrera if I can find the right one and given that there's a new Aquaracer coming out next year Bicester Village are sure to get an influx of outgoing stock. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what 2021 brings....
Monday, 28 December 2020
Sunday, 27 December 2020
FEATURE: The Council of Considered Opinion Rates the TAG Heuer Watches of 2020
So, as I said on Thursday, the 'Council of Considered Opinion' is made up of 20 members (including myself) and we all voted on the watches released in 2020. The directions I gave stipulated that the watches should be graded from 1 to 5 with 1 being the weakest and 5 being the strongest. Some members gave some watches scores of '0' and in one case '-1', but since the scoring was supposed to be from '1-5' I have rounded all those up to '1's. In all honesty, it doesn't really make much difference as most of the watches affected were way down the order anyway.
The second directive was that each member should pick one watch from the list as their 'Watch of the Year' (WOTY). You might wonder why I did that, since the combined scores would produce a winner in a very fair and equal way. That is true, but at the same time I realised that some people would want to give more than one watch a score of '5', so this was a way to give people a vote 'above' that and one which wouldn't be affected by other people 'scoring down' that watch. Also, as became apparent when the scores started to come back to me, some people scored the watches lower than others. Indeed, one person actually gave their 'WOTY' a '4', so you can see where that could affect the overall score and potentially the overall outcome.
I also decided that where a range of watches was picked I would combine any votes within the group for the WOTY. Very specifically this applied to the Dato Carreras, the Elegant Carreras and the Sports Carreras. I wanted people to score them separately because they might for example very much like the green dial Sports Carrera but not the black dial. But as for the WOTY vote, it felt unfair for the choice of dial colour to split the vote. I did not apply this to the Silver 160th and Montreal Carrera though as they are distinctly different watches rather than two identical watches with a different dial colour. In the end though, this only applied to the Elegant Carrera, where two of the four models picked up votes.
So, on Thursday I revealed the top five watches in the popular voting and now, finally I can show you the complete list of all the watches with their combined totals. It was actually a pretty close fight for the top spot and at one point it could have been any one of four watches that won, but in the end the CBK221B eased away from the pack and came out on top with an average score of 4.4 out of 5.
It's actually quite surprising to me that only four watches managed to avoid scoring a low score of '1' from somebody (although we can blame Abrod520 for a lot of that!), and every single watch bar one managed a four or a five, even the (fairly universally derided) ladies Links. It just goes to show how opinions vary, and suggests that the members of the COCO are not all of one mind (which, let's be honest, would be quite dull).
So what do you reckon, did the Silver 160th Anniversary Carrera take both wins or did something else swoop in and take the glory in the vote that really matters? Well, no... to tell you the truth it became pretty clear pretty early on that the Carrera was going to take this decisively. And as you can see in the chart below, it was an absolute rout! I was hoping my personal pick (the Bamford Aquaracer) would put up a good fight, but the votes for the CBK221B just kept on coming... in the end taking 35% of the vote!
(For the record, the anthracite dial Elegant Carrera picked up two WOTY votes and the silver/gold dial version got one.)
Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that despite finishing second overall in the popular vote, the Jack Heuer '88' Carrera didn't garner a single 'WOTY' vote from anyone. I really didn't expect that, especially when you look at some of the watches that did...
--- --- ---
So there we have it, but before you sink back into the sofa and chow down on some more leftover stuffing and sausages.... one of the members of the council actually took it upon themselves to write some notes of their own and I thought you would enjoy reading them as much as I did, so here we go, over to you Abrod520...
AQUARACER
The Aquaracer line-up continues to be a mix of:
-Rolex Submariner style rip-offs (blue/gold two-tone, "Batman" GMT);
-countless, meaningless "limited editions" like the Amami Oshima watch;
-Garbage quartz watches that cost 2-4 times what most microbrands are now offering that are better-finished and mechanical
-and some actual decent ideas here and there.
This year's releases tended a bit more towards the interesting, with the tortoiseshell options finally representing some originality in the core line-up plus some handsome regular variants in the steel bezel/brown dial and green/green models. The Qatar GMT is handsome enough even if that too, has been done elsewhere before. But the real news here is the Bamford of course, which is a really fun, really unique expression with a new case material to boot. I personally have a soft spot for titanium divers and really want one, but the nearly $4000 US they're charging for this is way way too much given the crappy movement.
CARRERA
Ah, the Carrera. TAG's desperate need to make the Carrera all things to all people continues, and so we endure yet another year of this identity crisis. The design philosophy behind the original Carrera that led to its instant success and enduring status as an icon, was that the watch would be sporty yet elegant; elegant yet sporty. It was described as a watch that could be worn while racing, but equally at home in the boardroom. So how do TAG interpret that nowadays? Why, separate it out into two lines of course! A sporty line, and an elegant line. This is such a monumentally stupid idea one is left to wonder what the hell is going on over there.
Individually, then: There are a few interesting models in the MOP and coffee dial versions. TAG has done MOP in the past, but it's always been a stark white; this coloured pearl is much more original and is genuinely well done - at least in renders. And the Bamford coffee dial is novel, if not necessarily something I'm personally interested in wearing.
The H02 Dato LEs get a 2 for effort - a rare quality in TAG's watches these days. The execution doesn't work but the date at 12 is unusual and has a fun throwback to the early date-function Carrera.
The Montreal and the gold Jack Heuer both get higher scores for nice design features, though the Montreal colourway doesn't belong in the Carrera case in my opinion and the JH88 is just a bit too messy overall. TAG seems to know this which is why they printed '88' on the dial, so they can rope in a few extra customers interested in Chinese numerology. (Unfortunately the number '88' has some very horrifying negative connotations, but it's typical TAG to half-ass these things).
FORMULA 1
The Formula 1 line does not interest me in the least, but it has a raison d'etre and I get that. But why not go back to basics and use this product line to offer cheap, colourful and fun entry-level 3-handers again? Leave the automatic calibers and the sunburst-metallic dials to the next step up in the Aquaracer, and lower the price below $1000 for the 3-handers. Like so many people, my first nice watch was a Formula 1 and I did not care that it had a matte dial and quartz movement. I enjoyed it. And guess what my next watch was? A Monaco chronograph.
I'm geeked about the idea of the H02 in the Formula 1 case, though. In my opinion, this should be the Autavia line rather than some limp-di... erm, limp-wristed "pilot's" watch that looks like every other microbrand offering. I don't like the Fragment style of "let's take a TAG and make it look like a $200 Movado" but it was a nifty step to go all out with the top movement in the F1 and I really hope to see more options.
LADIES LINK
In my opinion these aren't quite worth considering since they are solely commercial offerings, not meant to actually interest anyone but rather to be given as gifts most likely. I don't even mean this in a derogatory way - but I'd be surprised if anyone voted for them much beyond a 1.
Which is too bad - the 'Sundial' design is actually quite nice. There are actually quite a few more women watch enthusiasts out there than we might realize from product offerings like these; if TAG had any balls they'd make it without the silly diamonds and with an automatic movement. (And I do mean that in a derogatory way.)
MONACO
The Heuer-02 Monacos each get a 1 with extra emphasis for unimaginative expression. Make them 3-registers or 2-registers. Don't half-ass both into one shitty model. I'd give them zeros if I could.
WATCH OF THE YEAR
Without even a shadow of a doubt the watch of the year is the silver Carrera 160, CBK211B. Not only is it TAG's best of the year though - it's perhaps the best watch released this year, by anyone.
And TAG, as usual, bungled it up! One of the key elements that made the original 2447 Carrera such an amazing design was that there was no chronograph track on the dial - it was left to the tension ring. This allowed for a very clean, elegant dial that did not sacrifice sporty at-a-glance readability for the exact minute, or for the chronograph. Unfortunately, TAG's shoddy crystal design blocks the tension ring from visibility except under not-insubstantial viewing angles, and removes this important element from the experience.
And I don't care one bit! Because wearing this watch is a true joy.
One of TAG's unheralded specialties is their skill with sunburst-metallic dials - I truly believe they're really one of the best out there at this - and the dial on this Carrera is so spectacularly, mesmerizingly beautiful. The fonts are spot-on. The restraint from putting any "HEUER 02" text on the dial is truly commendable. The case is reasonably slim for a modern automatic chronograph. Even the package with the mini travel case and loupe is truly excellent, higher quality than I've seen on some much more expensive watches.
I honestly think that while the front side of the watch is all Heuer, the caseback and movement should have been branded TAG Heuer. They should be absolutely proud of this one.
I pre-ordered mine after a leak the day before the announcement, and paid full retail plus tax for this - something I almost never do for any new watch (and categorically not for a TAG!). I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Well done, TAG!
Ah well, at least he finished on a positive note! Thank you Abrod520 that was most entertaining, I look forward to hearing more from you next year, and actually Abrod520 and I would like to hear more from the members of the council on the Calibre 11 forum. Abrod520 suggested I start a thread there where you could discuss your decision making and perhaps his rather strident comments as well....
Here's the link:
Thursday, 24 December 2020
FEATURE: The Best and Worst of TAG Heuer 2020
Once again it's Christmas Eve and that means it's time for our annual round-up of the ups and downs of our favourite watch brand. This time around I decided it might be fun to obtain input from some other watch enthusiasts, so I gathered together a selection of people (20 in total) to form the 'Council of Considered Opinion', henceforth to be known as 'COCO'.
Originally my plan was simply to add the council's scores onto this post, but as I got more feedback from the council and in one case, some very strident comments that were well worth sharing with you in full, I decided that what I would do would be to add the basic scores here, but hold back the top five - just to keep you guessing a little bit longer.
I know, so very mean... but this is the world we live in, gotta keep you coming back!
I asked each member to score each watch from 1-5 with one being the lowest and 5 being the highest. I also asked each member to choose a single 'Watch of the Year' (since one might wish to give several watches the full five points), these votes alone would determine the ultimate winner, earning it the title 'COCO Watch of the Year'.
Now my plan is to do a post dedicated to the 'COCO' scores and feedback on the 27th of December and also to reveal the 'COCO Watch of the Year', so make sure to come back for that. Until then, here are the 'Best and Worst' TAG Heuers of 2020...
CBK221B.FC6479
We started this 160th Anniversary year with a bang, and what a bang it was. I am actually rather surprised that this watch has already been around nearly a year such is the continuing buzz around it on the Calibre 11 forum. Granted it's not to my personal taste, but clearly it is a future classic and found itself many admirers over the course of the year. No surprise then that this one is in the top five.
COCO rating: XX/100
CAZ101AB.BA0842
Four years on from the original 'Red Bull' F1 (still a stunner) came the second version and while it makes a lot more sense as far as the colour scheme goes, I can't help thinking that it's not as striking or desirable as the original. With Aston Martin parting ways with the Red Bull team at the end of 2020 it remains to be seen how long this watch will be available; the back plate is engraved 'Aston Martin Red Bull Racing', so these could end up in the outlet sometime before the 2021 F1 season starts perhaps?
COCO rating: 62/100
WAY2018.BA0927
Following on from last year's potentially 'scintillating' jewel green Aquaracer, TAG Heuer followed it up with this.... brown dial version. Yeah, I mean... I'm sure it's great and everything, but it's brown. Don't get me wrong, I've tried on a brown Grand Carrera and I thought it was pretty stylish and maybe this is too (I haven't actually seen one as yet), but I was hoping for something a little less brown and a little more... red, perhaps? Oh well, maybe next year...
COCO rating: 48/100
WBD2117.BA0928 WBD1417.BA0741
TAG Heuer has a history of releasing limited edition watches for the Japanese market and this year was no exception. With four watches in total, these were released early on in the year and while good looking there's nothing to get particularly excited about unless you are particularly attached to the Japanese island of Amami Oshima. Undoubtedly these were designed to be bought by tourists visiting the islands, much like the other 'Island' watches TAG Heuer have produced over the years, though this year presumably tourists have been noticeable mainly by their absence?
COCO rating: 53/100
WAZ1018.BA0842
Now this one I have actually seen and while I didn't get a chance to try it on, it looked a lot better in person than it does in pictures. It's a very 'strong' look though and it certainly isn't going to appeal to everyone, but for the right price I might be tempted to pick one of these up at some point. I am slightly put off though by the fact that the TAG Heuer website doesn't show a lume-shot for this piece and I am left wondering whether there is in fact any lume on this watch dial at all?
COCO rating: 53/100
WAY201T.BA0927
Perhaps my absolute favourite TAG Heuer watch of 2020 (at least before the Bamford Aquaracer was announced), the 'Batman' Aquaracer is truly a stunning looking watch with the most amazing jewel-blue dial. I'm still somewhat ambivalent about the light blue GMT hand (and the GMT function as a whole, actually) but the overall aesthetic is a winner for me. The only slight negative is that that black/blue bezel is aluminium not ceramic, but other than that what is not to like?
COCO rating: 71/100
WAY101L.FC8222
One of TAG Heuer's less imaginative releases this year, the WAY101L took the colour scheme of the WAY101E and reversed it, but kept the khaki NATO. Despite that I think it's quite an appealing looking watch, but I don't get why you can't have it on a bracelet?
COCO rating: 53/100
WBD2120.BB0930
When I saw the render for this one I thought 'Wow', but when I saw it close up it was more a case of 'Oh...okay'. It was, I must say, a moment of genuine disappointment. On the face of it the blue dial and the gold should create something really luxurious, but somehow it looks rather gaudy. TAG Heuer seem to have tried to combat this by giving the bezel a kind of matt finish, which in turn achieves the spectacular feat of looking blingy and dull at the same time! Granted, a polished bezel would have been even worse (and a scratch magnet to boot), but this one really doesn't cut it and I'm starting to understand why two tone watches tend to have white or silver dials now!
COCO rating: 46/100
CBL2114.FC6486
COCO rating: 69/100
CAZ101AC.FT8024
This was another one that blew me away in the photos but left me a tiny bit disappointed in the flesh, not to the extent that the blue and gold Aquaracer did you understand, but I was expecting to be fighting the urge to flex my credit card in the store and I really wasn't. Perhaps it didn't help that I was transfixed by the Aquaracer 'Batman', but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. To be fair, I was hoping to check it out on the black rubber strap rather than the bracelet, but it wasn't to be. Maybe I need to see it again to be 100% sure one way or the other.
COCO rating: 58/100
Bamford Special Edition
One of the strangest releases of this (or any) year, was the Bamford Coffee Carrera. In most respects this is a bog standard Calibre 5 Carrera, which TAG Heuer custom collaborators 'Bamford' have 'modified' with a dial made of actual coffee. No really. Just twenty pieces were made and although I think it actually looks quite smart, for me the usual Bamford issue remains - they remove all the hour markers, date windows, etc... but then they leave the TAG Heuer logo and other text exactly where it was. It only needs to move out a little bit to stop it looking cramped, but it seems like they just can't be bothered... and the £5500 price tag is, well... hilarious.
COCO rating: 45/100
WAY201S.BA0927
Without getting into the whole 'Green Aquaracer' debacle yet again, I was hoping that this one would go some way to assuaging my disappointment over never even getting to see a 2019 steel bezel green dial Aquaracer. In short it didn't, and I quickly came to the conclusion that the green bezel was a mistake. The bezel is quite dull and seems to drag all the sparkle and life out of the dial. People who have seen the older version claim the dial is almost too bright, if this is actually the same dial (as I presume it is) then the bezel has surely killed it.
COCO rating: 59/100
CAZ201A.BA0641
Towards the end of 2019 someone told me that there was a Heuer 02 powered Formula 1 coming and it would have a price tag of £5000. Naturally my eyebrows were somewhat elevated and I was more than a little skeptical, but come June my source was proven correct when TAG Heuer dropped the second limited edition piece designed by Hiroshi Fujiwara (Fragment). Despite the eye-watering price, some people genuinely loved it, with some on the Calibre 11 forum claiming that since the F1 range now effectively uses the old Autavia case it wasn't a Formula 1 at all. Sadly, the back plate clearly states that it is a Formula 1 and no amount of reverse snobbery is going to change that. Again this was a limited edition (500 pieces) and again I haven't been able to see one close up. I do kinda, sorta like it... but the price is something else. At least they gave it a bespoke bracelet, it would have been hilarious if it had a pressed clasp for that money!
COCO rating: 72/100
WBC131F.BA0649
It seems the lady TAG Heuer enthusiasts have had a rather rough deal of it this year, with very few new pieces (save a few fairly innocuous and unremarkable Aquaracers) but this at least was loud and proud and as divisive as ever. On paper I liked the look of this, but when I actually saw it... boy did I go off it quickly. The dial is just too much, and I am not some old school conservationist, far from it. This one was available with diamonds or with lots of diamonds. Perhaps unsurprisingly these two occupied the bottom two places in the COCO league table. Next!
COCO rating: 45/100 (Plain bezel)
COCO rating: 42/100 (Diamond bezel)
CBK221C.FC6488
When I first clocked eyes on the second of TAG Heuer's 160th Anniversary 39mm Carreras I really thought they'd gone too far. Yes the colours where bright, but more than that they'd taken the dial from one watch (the Montreal) and slid it into a Carrera, and not just any Carrera, but the ultra conservative 39mm Carrera, the one the 'Heuer' fans actually like! So as release day loomed I gleefully waited for the onslaught of outrage, punctuated by the sound of leather backed gloves being slapped against palms... but in the end, all my fears came to nought. The Calibre 11 forum was generally accepting of this Frankenwatch, albeit with most favouring the classic appearance of the 'Silver' dial variant. Personally I can't really figure this one out, it's like someone took a classic Jaguar and painted lime green stripes down the side. Truly bonkers, but maybe in a good way?
COCO rating: XX/100
Carrera Sports Manufacture
Somewhere in Switzerland, someone said 'Chaps, what we need is another range of Carreras, because we simply don't have enough already', and lo was born a new Carrera. But, shockingly, this one was 44mm in diameter! Again, I expected the Calibre 11 forum to go into meltdown with shooting sticks raised aloft and a march planned to demonstrate against the proliferation of larger watches (with the appropriate Covid precautions, obviously). But again I was disappointed... yes, there were mutterings about the shorter lug lengths, but clearly you can't have a 44mm watch with the lugs from a 36mm Carrera, so common sense largely prevailed. I tried on the black/gold model back in August and on the wrist it genuinely did not feel like a 44mm watch, but it was very chunky... and very expensive!
COCO rating: 73.5/100 (Black/gold)
COCO rating: 64/100 (Blue)
COCO rating: 64/100 (Green)
COCO rating: 63/100 (Black)
WAY201N.FT6177
Back at Baselworld 2019, TAG Heuer showed a blue dial, quartz Aquaracer with an unusual looking 'tortoiseshell' bezel to selected journalists... and of course the pictures found their way onto the internet. This watch fascinated me for a long time and it was even given a part number (WAY101K) but as the months rolled by I resigned myself to the fact that this watch was never going to arrive. Then, at the tail end of July 2020 TAG Heuer announced not one but two new Calibre 5 Aquaracers with 'tortoiseshell' resin bezels. In the meantime TAG had switched up the colour schemes so we got the black/red ensemble above and a less striking blue dial/bezel variant. I haven't seen either model as yet, but I rather like the look of this one.
COCO rating: 58/100 (Blue resin)
COCO rating: 53/100 (Red resin)
TAG Heuer continued their association with the Indy 500 with just one watch this year, this limited edition 43mm quartz Formula 1 and while the dial is busy, busy, busy... it does seem like one of the better Indy 500 watches the brand have produced. For me the Indy logo just doesn't seem to fit on a watch dial, it's entirely the worst shape possible and always looks crammed in, especially here with the wings interjecting between the numerals on the 1/10th of a second sub-dial.
COCO rating: 65/100
CAR5A8E.FT6181
Easily the most expensive TAG Heuer on this list at over £21000, the 2020 Aston Martin Heuer 02T Carrera Tourbillon is a limited edition of just 150 pieces. While the watch is striking to look at I'm not overly keen on the Aston Martin logo being placed above the TAG Heuer shield, indeed someone on the Calibre 11 forum (King Hubert it turns out) photoshopped them the other way around and to my eyes it was a definite improvement. Not that it matters, since I'm hardly in a position to add one of these to my collection!
COCO rating: 70/100
Carrera Elegant Collection
Since a couple of months had gone by without a new Carrera collection, in September TAG Heuer dropped the 'Elegant' Carrera on us... and right away that name put me off. It's a bit 'on the nose' isn't it? I mean I guess you could say the same about 'Sports', but 'Elegant'.... really? The watches themselves look fine. I'm sure they are fine.. kinda like the Sports ones with short lugs, but without a bezel and 2mm smaller (presumably because 'elegance' has its limits). I wasn't wilfully disinterested, I just didn't really take a lot of notice because... I forget. The Council however, largely liked them, particularly the one with the anthracite dial.
COCO rating: XX/100 (Anthracite)
COCO rating: 68/100 (Black)
COCO rating: 68/100 (Blue)
COCO rating: 64.5/100 (Silver/gold)
CBL2113.BA0644
A black dial variation on the Heuer 02 Monaco wasn't exactly a massive turn up for the books, but few expected it to appear sporting a brand new bracelet (the first new Monaco bracelet since 2004!), and inevitably that became the 'story' of the CBL2113. Believe it or not, you can actually buy the black dial Monaco on a standard black leather strap if you so please. I think I like it, but I like the blue one better.
COCO rating: 74/100
CBN2A1D.BA0643 CBN2A1E.BA0643
The last of this year's 160th Anniversary pieces and limited to 1860 pieces per colour scheme, the 'Dato' Carrera measures (you guessed it) 44mm and has its date window at the 12 position. Let's be honest, if TAG Heuer did this on a chronograph as a brand new model it would be decried as the stupidest thing since the beginning of time, but since there is historical precedent for it with the Heuer Dato then it's clearly fine that the red chrono hand obscures the date. 🙄 That aside, I think they look pretty splendid. I gravitated towards the blue to start with but as time has gone on I reckon the silver and black might just edge it for me.
COCO rating: 72.5/100 (Blue/white)
COCO rating: 71/100 (Silver/black)
CAR5A8D.EB0212
Not two, but one Japanese limited edition Carrera Heuer 02T that comes with both a black strap and a funky camouflage one as well. 50 pieces only of this one, I like the camo strap, but I do not like the fauxtina lume used on the hands (but oddly not the hour markers). No doubt there's some 'reason' for this, but sorry, I think it looks absolutely dreadful.
COCO rating: 59/100
CAR5A98.FC6471
A 'properly limited' limited edition this one, with just 20 pieces made exclusively for the Nordic market and on the face of it it looks like one of the nicest Carrera Heuer 02Ts to date. Not unlike the 'Tete de Vipere' Carrera, albeit with a blue strap and a blue 'dial' (the TdV 'dial' is black). That said, I can't honestly say that it 'excites' me to any great degree.
COCO score: 64/100
The fourth and final of this years Japanese limited edition pieces and the pick of the bunch for me. I've been lucky enough to try on a previous Mother of Pearl dial Calibre 16 Carrera and I really liked it. This one looks even better, and for those of us who prefer the 6/9/12 layout it's nice to see the old Calibre 16 movement being utilised here.
COCO rating: 51/100
WBE5192.FC8300
Previously only available as a Chinese limited edition with the '1' numeral replaced by a character and a rodenty backplate, now finally you can get your hands on a bronze/red Autavia. I do kinda like it, but as someone pointed out when I posted it on Calibre 11.... it may be that it's just too much red. I'd like to see it on a black strap, I think that would tone it down a bit, but I still think I would prefer the bronze case with the green dial. This one stirred up some very negative reactions from the COCO, although in its defence it did garner one '5' point score from one of the members.
COCO rating: 53/100
Launched to celebrate Jack Heuer's 88th birthday this watch won't actually be available until next March, by which time we presume all 188 pieces will have found a home. With a slightly startling price tag of £15,300 this is clearly not something that I will be adding to my collection but for the most part I can appreciate it. I'm not sold on the whole '88' eternity symbol thing mind you, I think that's an unnecessary piece of clutter on the dial and just a tiny bit cheesy. But that aside, it's pretty nice.
COCO rating: XX/100
WAY208F.BA0638
Bamford do come in for a lot of stick in the watch community, but their carbon Monaco was pretty cool and this, their second official collaboration with TAG Heuer is easily my favourite release of the year. The case, bezel and bracelet are all made of titanium and this somehow captures the spirit of the 80s and the 3000 Series in particular. Well done George, two thumbs up from me!
COCO rating: XX/100
WAY201U.BA0927
When I first saw this Qatar limited edition (200 pieces) I really liked it, but as time has passed I'm becoming less and less sure. The council on the other hand were less than complimentary, with six of the twenty members giving it the lowest possible score. As such it finds itself right near the bottom of the league of 2020, with only the ladies Links beneath it.
COCO score: 45/100
CAZ201B.FC6487
Two more Senna editions this year, and with the Aston Martin tie up coming to an end (expect a 'Porsche' model in 2021) the yellow and grey colour scheme was free so.... why not? This one has an interesting idea on the leather strap, although I can't quite decide if I like it or not. I actually prefer the overall look of the quartz model and for sure the quartz price point is more where I would be aiming for one of these.
COCO score: 69/100 (Calibre 16)
COCO score: 62/100 (Quartz)
CV201AU.FC6292
Another genuinely 'limited' model is this nice looking blue dial Calibre 16. Just twenty four pieces made and available exclusively from Swiss jewellers 'Uhrenschmuck', this one retails for 4,6000CHF and is rather surprisingly still available on the Uhrenschmuck24.ch website!
COCO score: 62/100
Well, there we have it, another year done and dusted. So to recap, the top five pieces (in alpha-numerical order) are:
CBK221B Carrera 160th Anniversary Silver Dial
CBK221C Carrera 160th Anniversary Montreal
CBN2012 Carrera Elegant Anthracite Dial
CBN2041 Carrera Heuer 02 Jack Heuer '88'
WAY208F Bamford Aquaracer Calibre 5
But who came out on top in the popular vote, and more importantly who scored the most 'WOTY' votes to win the ultimate crown?
There's only one way to find out, come back here at midnight on Sat/Sun and all will be revealed.
As usual there won't be any posts on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. I hope you all have a good Christmas, or at least as good as it can be given the circumstances, and I look forward to seeing you all again on Sunday morning.
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