FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Porsche 1964' Limited Edition Chronosprint

 

Way back at the start of the year TAG Heuer dropped two new Porsche Chronosprint models celebrating some race where Porsche came 2nd (or 5th, depending on how you read it) which I found very difficult to understand honestly. These watches were very popular though and the gold version sold out very quickly (albeit only 11 were made... because '911') so I suppose it's no great surprise to see this slightly different take on the same model coming out now. And it's surely indicative of the level of demand that this new rose gold version is limited to a slightly more accessible sixty four pieces (because 1964, of course.... do keep up).

I think it's fairly indicative that I kept putting off writing this post, because really it's not that different to the earlier release and if it wasn't for the fact that it's a different colour gold (rose this time rather than yellow) and another limited edition I would probably have skipped over it... but here we are.

The other main difference is that the subdials here are silver rather than black, and while some may prefer it, to me it looks 'okay' but definitely inferior.

I just can't help thinking that adding silver when you already have 'pink' gold and black and red is perhaps a step too far and the overall effect is less cohesive. Perhaps if the subdials were the same rose gold as the case that would have been a better choice? But then the red highlights would probably look a bit odd I guess...

I'm sure plenty of people will still like this, and may view it as a chance to get the watch they missed out on earlier in the year, but do you really want to spend this kind of money (£21,500) on a watch that's similar but not as cool? 

I definitely don't hate it, I'm giving it a very fair 6/10, but for me it's definitely 'less' than the original version... and I don't even think you get a toy car with this one! 🤣

Okay, let's see how this fares with the Porsche loving, Carrera loving 'Council of Considered Opinion...'

9/10: "I really like this one, it's got the classic look I like; traditionally what I'd expect a Carrera to look like and highly legible. Some nice innovative touches too. I like the steering wheel rotor and the 6 o'clock subdial is reminiscent of a classic Porsche speedo. Out of my price range but definitely a watch I would wear. A solid 9/10 for me."

6/10: "Looks good, price is tough though."

8/10: "Don't know if this one comes in a cool box set like the 911 Monte Carlo Rallye did. Also, lacks the originality impact of the earlier release but the rose gold is nice."

6/10: "I like the black and rose gold together but apart from the dial is a bit....meh. It's OK. Can't remember what I scored the previous one so I'll give it a 6."

7/10: "Very smart and elegant. Definitely gives off expensive car vibes which I guess is the point."

7/10: "I love the Chronosprint, 7/10 for me."

4/10: "This one gets a 4/10, which is pretty much the same score as I gave almost the same watch which we started the year with. 🙈"

7/10: "Not sure if anyone with full conscience will buy it though given the price."

5/10: "The "Chronosprint" function is quite clever mechanically, but it's basically a gimmick that renders the chronometer useless for actually timing anything. Also too expensive."

4/10: "Can't remember what I gave the original. I'd probably rate this a 4/10."

4/10: "Can we see the other exact same one for comparison please? Oooooh so the new one is lady gold instead of good looking gold 👍🏻"

8/10: "Yep this would get a home here."

7.5/10: "Same score that for the Porsche Rally version."

5/10: "For lack of originality and steep price."

7/10: "There was a limited number of 64, and it is unclear how they were sold out."

8.5/10: "I absolutely love this dial with the glass box design, but I’m not sure how I feel about this tone of rose gold."

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraphs by Brent Miller Time

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Senna' Quartz & Calibre 16 Chronographs

TAG Heuer Boutique / Milton Keynes, 10th November 2025

A few years ago I did a post about all the Ayrton Senna watches that TAG Heuer had produced, which included a poll of the C.O.C.O. and pronounced the Ayrton Senna designed (WH1114) 6000 Series the pick of the bunch. Since then we've seen last year's (oddly) predominantly blue tourbillon version... and now these slightly more accessible 'Formula 1' models (for those of us operating on slightly more real-world budgets). As luck would have it I visited the TAG Heuer boutique in Milton Keynes a few days ago and these two both happened to be in the store; as such this post is really not so much of a 'First Impression's' post for me, but since we all love to read what the Council's first impressions are I didn't want to skip to a full 'On the Wrist' post either.   

I must admit, despite the fact that I personally own a 'Senna' branded Formula 1 (the 2nd placed WAZ1014), every time I hear about a new watch coming out I roll my eyes. There's been so many of them (these are the twenty fourth and twenty fifth models in fact), which I suppose is quite incredible really and if nothing else illustrates the enduing power of the Senna brand. 

I know, I know... 'celebrity' endorsements are best treated with a degree of scepticism, but Ayrton did have a genuine connection to TAG Heuer, having driven for the McLaren F1 team (owned by then TAG Heuer shareholder Ron Dennis) and he continued to wear the brand even when he left to drive for Williams in the ill-fated 1994 season. Sure, if he'd lived and continued to drive for Williams it's possible that he could have switched to another watch brand (if say Williams had attracted a watch sponsor), but given that he did work with TAG Heuer to design the first 'Senna' 6000 Series, we can at least attribute a little more authenticity to the collaboration than say the ones with Chris Hemsworth, Bella Hadid or indeed Steve McQueen.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Full Collection Tour by Vintage Vega

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport I F1® 75th Anniversary Limited Edition

TAG Heuer are really doubling down on the Extreme Carreras aren't they? Clearly, someone, somewhere must be buying them... and so after the splendidly exotic 'Lucha Libre' limited edition launched a couple of weeks ago, we now have this 'F1 75 Anniversary' tourbillon. Oddly, my first thought was, doesn't it look like a Connected? And my second thought...? It looks way better than that terrible white ceramic Monaco Ratrapante with 'Lights Out and Away We Go' on the dial.

Surely there's no arguing with that, is there?

And yet, true to form the Council of Considered Opinion are laying into this one as well. It's funny, it seems that they are prepared to accept a certain amount of tomfoolery when it comes to Monacos; they might not really like it, but they'll let it slide a bit, but when it comes to Carreras... that's a different story. Because after all, Jack Heuer's original idea was to make a chronograph that was supremely legible on the wrist even when fishtailing through the Parabolica, and that's as relevant today as it was in 1963. Suuuuuuuuuuuure it is. 🤣

PRICE LIST: TAG Heuer Price List 2014/2015

 

FEATURE: Don't Trust AI to Tell You if a Watch is Genuine or Even If It Exists at All!

Quite regularly now I receive emails from people asking me to advise whether the watch they are thinking of purchasing is genuine or not. Of course I don't mind helping if I can, but honestly most of the time your best option is to join the THF forum and post the pictures there as there are much more fake-savvy people there who can advise you far better than I can. If a watch is obviously fake or it's an older model and I can be pretty sure it's pukka then I will give my opinion, but for anything recent, especially Formula 1 or Aquaracers, I generally can't say with any certainty.

However, when you get a watch like this 'TAG Heuer USA Air Force F-16 A/R Limited Edition' I don't really need to think too hard because this is clearly not a genuine TAG Heuer because this model simply doesn't exist!

But what if you don't know much about watches? Maybe you just think it looks cool? Some parts of it do look pretty cool I guess, if you like Breitlings... 

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Max Verstappen Red Bull Champions' Limited Edition Quartz Chronograph

 

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A few weeks ago I got an email from a guy who told me that he was an ex employee of the Red Bull Formula1 Racing Team, he said he wasn't a watch enthusiast but he had received one of the 'Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing Champions' watches and in researching what it might be worth he had discovered my blog and found it interesting reading my thoughts on his watch.

He said he had listed the watch on eBay for £3600, but perhaps unsurprisingly it did not sell and it was later relisted with a starting bid of £1025 and a buy it now price of £2800. Being that he wasn't into watches I tried to give him the best advice I could, but with a watch like this it's quite hard to advise on what he should expect because it's so difficult to assess.

First of all, who is likely to buy this watch? To me it's clear that it's probably more for a huge Max Verstappen fan than it is for a 'watch enthusiast'... much like the Alec Monopoly Formula 1s were, but this can work for and against you. A watch enthusiast is more likely to to be willing to pay 'thousands' for a wristwatch than a F1 fan who isn't really interested in wristwatches, but watch enthusiasts tend to be more invested in automatics than quartz pieces and with that rather clunky bezel this watch isn't exactly the best looking Formula 1 ever made either is it?