CAR5A5U.FC6377
TAG Heuer Boutique / Meadowhall, Sheffield 28th January 2023
It's not everyday one runs into a Heuer 02 Tourbillon Carrera and it's even less common to run into one with solid rose gold lugs that cost a staggering £1000 each! Indeed I was very lucky to see this one at all as this particular watch wasn't on 'general display' but was residing in the safe and awaiting collection by its lucky new owner. Needless to say I was extra, extra, extra careful handling it, especially as it wasn't wrapped in plastic (not that I am ever anything less than extremely careful when trying on watches you understand, wrapped or not)!
I always liked the old Heuer 01 with gold lugs, but at £7000 odd it was always a bit out of my price range, especially since I already had the original Heuer 01 skeleton. But still every so often I would come across one and lust after it for a while until the memory faded. I must admit I've never really felt the same about the Heuer 02 skeleton as I do about the Heuer 01, which is mainly due to the dial layout. I know a lot of people value symmetry, but to me the H02 layout always left a lot of awkward, empty space at the top of the dial and as you can see this CAR5A5U is no exception.
I have to say that the watch looked a lot better in person than it does in these photograph; a combination of difficult 'boutique' lighting, shiny surfaces on the watch and doubtless my amateurish photography skills resulting in a less than flattering image. I usually take issue with people who say the skeleton Carreras are illegible as I find my CAR2A1Z perfectly legible, but here I must agree the combination of reflections and grey lume paint does make this one a little hard to read.
I'm slightly perplexed also by the polished steel ring surrounding the tourbillon cage. I can't help thinking it might look better in gold and it also bugs me somewhat that it is larger in diameter than the subdials. I don't know what could be done about that, I'm not suggesting the subdials be made larger as they are already quite big enough, but it's hard not to notice this as they sit so close together on the dial.
The rubber and leather composite strap is absolutely lovely and I really wish I could get one of these to fit my Carrera, alas they do not make one (the lug holes on different Carreras are not all the same, don't be caught out - if in doubt ask your AD to check).
Despite looking rather large on the wrist in my picture, I found the watch (which is 45mm, the same as the original skeleton Carrera of course) wore nicely and not uncomfortably large. Sure this is not in the slightest bit 'discreet', but I sincerely doubt any potential buyers of a watch like this are going to be looking for something which slips under a cuff and I'd wager the new owner will take great pride in rocking this on his travels (though perhaps not too indiscretely given the number of watch-stealing scumbag criminals about these days!)
Personally, if I had £23,650 burning a hole in my pocket I don't think I would be buying one of these. I've never really fallen for the romanticism of the spinning tourbillon, I mean it's cool and everything but for me I would rather pick up four or five non-tourbillons for the same price.
Interestingly the boutique were holding another piece for the same customer, a watch I haven't seen for a good few years now and something I'm slightly surprised was still available new. This CBG2017 Carbon Collection Carrera came out in 2019 and was highlighted recently in my 'Watch of the Year - The Missing Years' post (link at the foot of the page). The watch isn't on the TAG Heuer website anymore, but I believe the price is about £7000. Very nice.
CBG2017.FT6143
While I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to see and hold watches like the CAR5A5U, it really didn't make any lasting impression on me. I certainly didn't come home and instantly feel repulsed by my collection of non-tourbillon watches; I guess I've always been driven by overall aesthetics rather than horological dick swinging. And honestly I can't see that the premium charged is worth it for something that has limited use in a watch which is not stored upright in a pocket. I mean sure it is a nice watch, but for me it simply isn't nice enough to put all of that money into one watch.
But if you have the money, then why not?
LINK TO THE CAR5A5U/FC6377 ON THE TAG HEUER WEBSITE:
LINK TO MY 'WATCH OF THE YEAR - THE MISSING YEARS' POST:
No comments:
Post a Comment