CAZ101AR.BA0842
Well this is slightly embarrassing... I found this post in the 'Draft Posts' folder, it should have been posted over a month ago and included in the 'Half Year Round-Up'. I can only apologise for my tardiness!
Over the years there have been some fairly.... umm, unattractive looking 'Indy 500' watches produced by TAG Heuer. But two years ago they finally got it right and produced the rather good looking CAZ101AD. Here at last was a watch I and many others on the TH Forum could get behind, regardless of whether or not they had any interest in the race itself. With it's black coating, rubber strap and bespoke dial (with red brick stripe), I even contemplated buying one myself and I've never watched an Indy 500 in my life!
But of course, with success comes pressure when it's time to follow it up... and here we have the follow up to that very watch. As you can see it's very much designed on the same template as this year's 'Red Bull' Special Edition, but instead of the somewhat controversial 'grid markings' instead we have the control tower (or as someone cheekily suggested on the TH Forum the 'Christmas Tree').
I have to say I'm not as immediately drawn to this new 'Indy 500' model as I was to the previous one, but at the same time it's still leagues above many of the previous efforts. I do like the colour scheme, with the red chapter ring bringing the colour of the famous start line bricks to the dial I just hope it doesn't end up looking 'washed out ' like it does on the Red Bull version.
I never noticed on the Red Bull F1 (perhaps because I was distracted by those bizarre grid markings) but like this that one also has the larger '12' and oddly small '6' hour markers. I don't really know why they are so noticeable here, but it almost gives the impression that the markers are getting smaller as they go down the dial. I don't think they are, but it gives that impression... and I don't care for it at all. I guess the alternative is lopping off the top of the '6' which is also undesirable to be fair. I also really dislike the way the 4 is missing and they have replaced it with a simple baton.
It's funny, the more I look at this one the less I like it. I like the overall aesthetic, I mean you can't really go wrong with black, red and gold (*cough* Tudor Black Bay), but the details are just nagging me. I never liked the Indianapolis logo on previous models, it's a difficult shape to fit onto a watch dial, but the 'control tower' they've decided to replace it with does look a bit odd, and isn't really what I would call an 'improvement'.
Confusingly TAG Heuer is calling this both a 'Limited Edition' and a 'Special Edition' on their website, but there is no mention of a number of pieces, so I'm guessing it's fairly safe to say that this is in fact a 'Special Edition', despite the fact that it appears to say 'Limited Edition' on the back of the watch.
Well honestly I'm not too fussed with this one, but let's find out what the C.O.C.O. Council have to say shall we...
CAZ101AR.BA0842: 5.8 / 10
6/10: "It's fine but I prefer the Red Bull version. However I do like the gold accents along with the burgundy chapter ring which gives it a somewhat vintage style. On the other hand I do not like the pyramid thingy in the 6-o'clock dial! But apart from that its ok."
6/10: "Dunno what to think about the watch. But I am sure some people might like it."
5/10: "I have no feelings about this watch."
5/10: "A rather lazy and uninspired design. The only thing Indy 500 about this watch is the burgundy and gold color scheme, found in the current Indy 500 shield motif. But real life photos show the chapter ring to be more of a pale red instead of burgundy, so even that misses the mark. The Indy Pagoda in place of the classic Wing & Wheel logo makes this watch a non-starter. Even if it had the right logo, I'd still score it the same."
6/10: "I quite like the design. But 43mm makes it a no from me."
6/10: "It’s OK but nothing jumps out from it grabbing at my cash, so, yet another limited edition that’s really not so special. Maybe I’m becoming Victor Meldrew, or, just being vertical and breathing every morning is more of a victory."
4/10; "The Formula 1 (and especially the quartz models) aren't for me but I think it's decently executed."
4/10: "Not for me, quartz. Bizarre image at 6 sub-dial (looks like something from The Jetsons), size also. I often wonder who the target market is for these? I do like the raised applied lume filled numerals mind you."
8/10: "I want to make it 8 points. Unfortunately, this watch will not be sold in Japan. The logo with the motif of the control tower gives a sense of newness. The dial is also matte and cool."
7.5/10: "Interesting touches, however far from a must buy."
7/10: "Not bad with the control tower subdial, but I prefer last year edition with the 'Brickyard' touch."
5/10: "It’s a watch, doesn’t really seem to have a wow factor. I give it a 5 as it brings no emotional response from me in either direction."
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