Showing posts with label Calibre 12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calibre 12. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 July 2021
Saturday, 24 October 2020
Sunday, 6 September 2020
Tuesday, 28 April 2020
Monday, 27 April 2020
FEATURE: My Top Five Monacos (Again...)
CAW211R.FC6401
Way back in May 2018 I posted what I thought would be the first of a regular series of posts featuring my 'Top 5' watches from each TAG Heuer model range. But somehow it never got off the ground, and so I thought a good way to resurrect the idea would be to revisit the Monaco and see if my opinions have changed? After all, there's been a good few Monacos released in the last eighteen months and I've discovered more that I never knew about back then... and this time I will make sure to continue the series, with possibly the Grand Carrera being my next port of call.
As it happens I don't own a Monaco, but I've decided that when it comes to model ranges I do own I will include watches that I have alongside watches that I don't, otherwise it will be rather silly; even if that means my 'Top 5' Aquaracers ends up being largely familiar - which it could well do.
For this one though I am excluding the 'fantasy' watches like the Monaco V4 in all it's various guises since they are all way beyond my price bracket and it's far more interesting I think to muse on models that we can all aspire to own. On the other hand, I've decided to include the Monaco 24 and Monaco 24 cased models in the pool this time...
#5. CAW211M - ACM Limited Edition
To be honest it was a toss-up whether to go for this or the new blue dial Heuer 02 Monaco, but this one won out in the end. I do like the new CBL2111, I think it's the best looking blue dial Monaco yet, but for me it's still a bit of a 'safe' option and I don't really do 'safe'.
I do remember trying this one on many moons ago and I had very mixed feelings about it. It seemed very odd on the wrist as I'm not used to the very square 'traditional' Monacos, and I think the black PVD coating only made it worse.
But, that black case still looks really cool and I really like how far away this is from the obvious blue dial Calibre 11 'Steve McQueen' Monaco and for that reason, it's still (just) in the top five.
#4. CAW2117 - Singapore Grand Prix Limited Edition
#3. CAW2119 - Carbon Dial Limited Edition
This one came out on top last time around, but of course that was then and this is now... it's still the top rated 'traditional' Monaco though, which means that none of the 50th Anniversary pieces have made it into my list. I'm quite surprised about that as I thought the first three (and particularly numbers 2 and 3) were pretty cool, but there we are.
This is another one I've had on my wrist, a long time ago in a Watchfinder boutique. I imagine the price of this will have gone up in the meantime if anything, I mean what's not to like - carbon dial, red stitching, red highlights... this is perhaps the ultimate 'traditional' Monaco for the non-traditional Monaco enthusiast!
#2. CAL2113 - Calibre 12 Boutique Edition
I tried this on last year I think, in the Cheshire Oaks Outlet... and ever since it's been right at the top of my 'potential' Monaco purchases list. It's not quite the 'dream' Monaco, but it's right up there. It definitely ticks a lot of boxes and realistically it's likely to be a good bit more affordable than my number one choice.
Admittedly it's kind of a half-way house between what I really want and what I can potentially afford, so it does have the stigma of possibly ending up as a 'compromise' watch; but for the money you are getting that awesome Monaco 24 style case (which I really like), albeit with 'just' a regular Calibre 12 movement inside.
I have to say though, I did find the chronograph pushers just a tiny bit tacky. Maybe if I get in the position to buy this one, I should keep saving and go all out?
#1. CAL5113 - Monaco 24 Calibre 36
Long term readers of this blog will probably not be overly surprised by my choice to put this at number one, God knows I've bleated on about this one often enough, albeit not recently. A couple of years ago these regular passed through the outlets and then one day I was told that all the Monaco 24s were gone. Oh the regret I felt that day, especially since these seem to sell for more pre-owned than they cost new in the outlets... but then earlier this year I was told that another black Monaco 24 had been and gone, so perhaps all is not completely lost.
I do love this one, although I'm not totally sold on the strap. I don't know what kind of strap I'd like to put it on, but it needs something a bit more 'interesting'. Or maybe just something a bit more substantial; the watch itself is very chunky and this delicate strap doesn't seem quite right to me. Ah, first world problems eh? I guess if I ever get my sticky mitts on one of these I'm sure I'll manage to work something out.
But with second hand values starting at around the £6k mark, unfortunately this one is likely to remain just as much of a fantasy as the V4s for some time to come...
Thursday, 30 January 2020
Monday, 9 December 2019
Tuesday, 5 November 2019
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 'Final Edition'
CAW211J.FC6476
So, here it is... with the launch of the new Heuer 02 loaded CBL2111 Monaco, this new limited edition model marks the end of the line for the incumbent 'TAG Heuer' branded Calibre 12 Monaco, and really... what an excellent way for the model to bow out.
Limited to 1000 pieces, this isn't by any means as rare or collectible as the 50th Anniversary Monacos launched over the last few months, but at the same time I don't really expect this one to hang around too long and I certainly don't anticipate this rocking up in the outlets at a bargain price like a few past era 'limited editions' have.
The dial is brushed 'ruthenium' which according to the TAG Heuer website has... 'a dynamic iridescent colour that changes in different shades of light'. Interesting! I had a quick Google of ruthenium, which is apparently often used in jewellery, but is also apparently carcinogenic if ingested - which seems slightly incongruous to say the least! Still I'm sure it'll be fine encased in stainless steel and sapphire crystal as it is in this Monaco.
I've always found the grey dial Monacos quite appealing, much more than the blue dial variants if I'm completely honest, although I definitely prefer the non-radial hour markers. Indeed my only two hesitations about this particular piece are those hour markers and the black subdials, I'm not sure if they don't look a little harsh against the silver background? I think it depends how dark or light that dial proves to be, if it's a fairly dark dial (as in the photo below) then I think it will look great, if it's a very light silver, then it might be a little jarring, perhaps?
Curiously, this picture on the website shows the right hand side subdial hand as red, but the main render shows it as silver. I guess this will be cleared up once some actual photographs start to emerge in the coming days. Hopefully these won't all disappear before I get a chance to see one as I'm intrigued to check out how dramatic the colour change effect is on the ruthenium dial. Somehow I get the feeling this one might be one that impresses more in the hand than on the screen, but we'll see...
This one hasn't made it onto the UK website yet, but the US price is $5950 and that equates to about £4600 if it's a straight exchange equivalent.
So that's it, the end of the Calibre 12 era, tomorrow we take a look at the new Heuer 02 Monaco.
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Thursday, 26 September 2019
Tuesday, 10 September 2019
Thursday, 29 August 2019
Tuesday, 2 July 2019
Saturday, 29 June 2019
ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Chronograph 'Boutique Edition'
CAW211N.FC6177
TAG Heuer Boutique, Cheshire Oaks 15th June 2019
This was the 'other' Monaco that I tried on last weekend in Cheshire Oaks, and again I really liked it. Some of you may remember that I put this at number six in my 'Top Six Monacos' post just over a year ago, but this was the first time I've been able to see it up close. Usually I'm not crazy about the radial hour markers on Monacos, I usually much prefer the horizontal kind, but here it definitely works; in fact I think with the vertical stripes the horizontal markers would probably look a little bit out of place.
I'm still kind of struggling a little with the Monaco, I kinda like them but often feel they are too retro for me, especially the blue dial ones that are intrinsically linked to the 70s and the association with Steve McQueen, but this version doesn't feel too retro, despite the square case and leather strap, I feel the same way about the Gulf versions, they always look more modern to me even though they are supposed to represent something very 70s.
I'd like it if the dial was a little darker though, the render gives the impression that it's white and dark grey but in person it looks a lot lighter, almost silver. That is a shame for me, but I still like the watch despite that. I don't know if I'd buy it, with the choices in front of me on this day I'd definitely pay the extra £600 and take the Monaco 24 cased CAL2113, but this is still a great deal at £3300 (list price £4400), especially as this model is 'boutique only' anyway so you're unlikely to find it discounted 'new' elsewhere if you really want one.
The watch features the Calibre 12 movement (easily identifiable as the crown is on the right rather than on the left) and carries the TAG Heuer shield rather than the Heuer logo, both of these details appeal to me, but I'm still not 100% convinced that this is the Monaco for me. Maybe it's the leather straps? I'm not really a leather strap guy, and I'm afraid I detest the Monaco bracelet with a passion. To me a rubber strap looks wrong on a Monaco as well, so really it comes back to the textile strap as fitted to the CAL2113. It would be interesting to see this watch on that strap, as again I think it would give it that extra push towards the modern that might change my mind. Ah well, I can't afford either of them right now so I'll have plenty of time to think about it!
Friday, 21 June 2019
ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Chronograph
CAL2113.FC6536
TAG Heuer Boutique / Cheshire Oaks, 15th June 2019
Living where I do (in the Midlands) I obviously get to go to Bicester Village a lot more often than I go to Cheshire Oaks, but for me Cheshire Oaks as a whole is a better day out. There's a lot more shops that I can shop in for a start, and as a rule of thumb I generally spend five hours there before I come home. On this visit I was quite pleased to see that Karl Lagerfeld has popped up there (not literally) having disappeared from Bicester pretty quickly, and my wife was very happy to get a resin KARL bag at an outlet price. Sadly, TAG Heuer at Cheshire Oaks never seems to be quite as exciting as the Bicester store, it seems a lot smaller (maybe not in square feet, but certainly in cabinet space), but there's usually something in there to interest me and so it was this time, with two Monacos catching my beady eye.
Long time readers may remember that many moons ago I visited Cheshire Oaks and was very interested in a black coated 500M Aquaracer, but I couldn't get on with the rubber strap (the deployment irritated my wrist within seconds) but I was so impressed with the guy who served me and the lengths he went to try and resolve the problem that I emailed TAG Heuer and received a thank you email (and subsequently a superb watch travel case) from his manager Carly. I knew Carly worked at the store sometimes, but every time I'd been in since then I hadn't seen any ladies in the shop, so it was really nice to finally meet her at last and put a face to the name.
The first of the two Monacos I tried on was the CAL2113.FC6536, which utilises the Monaco 24 case but contains the much more affordable Calibre 12 movement. I must admit I'm not a fan of some of the watches that use this case like the Monaco LS which unfortunately for me kind of has the aura of an eBay fake about it's dial, but this I definitely appreciate. Actually, just looking at a picture of the Monaco LS bracelet, it looks distinctly like the one fitted to the 'Grand Monaco' prototype I photographed at the factory last September...
I've always liked the Monaco 24s themselves, but the dials are quite busy, this seems much simpler and more elegant, and less divisive I would imagine. One of the reasons I never bought a 24 (besides the sizeable financial outlay) was the feeling that I might go off it. It's a watch I felt I would be head over heels in love with one minute and regret purchasing the next, but this one just seems that much more approachable.
I'm not crazy about the crown if I'm completely honest, or the strange 'pedal' like pieces around the pushers, but I could certainly live with them for the sake of the case and the dial. The leather and woven nylon strap is really nice as well, I'm not sure what the difference is but it seems like a slightly nicer version of those nylon straps fitted to the current Aquaracer range. Maybe there is no difference, but it certainly suits the watch extremely well and I like the fact that the watch doesn't have a normal leather strap and it certainly adds to the modern feel of the piece.
It just seems like a very well designed watch, and I love that it has a modern appearance to go with the case. I've never been a fan of retro watches and that's always been a major barrier to Monaco ownership for me, hence my liking of the 24 range and also the Gulf models and some special editions like the Japan only green version. The CAL2113 seems to have just enough red highlighting on the dial to make it look sporty as well, although again I could have lived without the red line around the crown, but that's a minor niggle really.
Sadly my TAG fund is at an all time low having bought four pieces in the last month or so, and since there is only apparently one of these available I'm sure by the time I have the funds in place it will be long gone (assuming it hasn't been sold since Saturday of course). I know the one Bicester had didn't last five minutes so if you're keen then I suggest acting quickly. This one is on offer at £3920 which is £1680 off it's list price of £5600, quite a saving for a stunning timepiece and notably £530 cheaper than the pre-owned one Watchfinder are currrently selling! I'm sure whoever bags this is going to be a very happy customer indeed!
Thursday, 14 March 2019
ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 v Heuer Monaco Calibre 11
CAW211P.FC6356 CAW2111.FC6183
Selfridges / London, 9th March 2019
I realise of course that this post is likely to prove
controversial. Pitching the classic blue-dial Heuer Monaco up against the later
TAG Heuer version is just asking for trouble and while I can’t help but have my
own predilections, I honestly approached this as openly and fairly as I could…
and actually you might be slightly surprised by my conclusions.
On the face of it these two watches are quite similar, at
least until you get them in your hands. Once you are close up with them you
realise that there are distinct differences in the dials. For a start the Heuer
has a very flat blue dial, while the TAG Heuer has a somewhat brighter,
metallic dial which I personally prefer. No doubt some might argue the flat
blue dial makes for greater legibility and that’s probably true, but for me
that electric blue wins every time.
I also much prefer the red subdial hands on the TAG Heuer to
the black ones found on the Heuer, and I find the red on the minute and hour
hands on the Calibre 11 a bit much to be honest. On the other hand I do like
the small red markers around the dial on the CAW211P and I also think the older
model’s applied hour markers are much more interesting and well thought out. I
can see the logic of the radial design on the CAW2111, but because the dial is
square they end up getting cut off at odd angles which looks pretty unappealing
actually.
I also think the Heuer wins out when it comes to the
positioning of the logo. It seems to fit better with the dial and because it’s
wide and flat it leaves room for the marker at the 12 position which is notable
by its absence on the TAG Heuer version. I can’t help thinking it might look
better if they moved the TAG Heuer shield lower and moved the ‘Monaco’ text to
the bottom part of the dial, which would then allow room for the missing
marker. Also the Monaco text looks a bit odd on top of the TAG Heuer shield,
but somehow it works with the old Heuer logo.
So now we come to my biggest issue with the Calibre 11, that
being the positioning of the crown on the ‘wrong’ side of the case. My friend
Rich has a Tudor Pelagos LHD that has the crown on the left, and I don’t mind
that at all. In fact, I think it’s quite a good idea as it stops the crown
digging in to your wrist. The problem is, the Pelagos doesn’t have a
chronograph so there aren’t any pushers on the case, unlike the CAW211P. I know
this is a unique selling point of the Calibre 11, but unfortunately I find it
very strange to see the gap inbetween the pushers where the crown should be,
and I really don’t like it.
There’s not a great deal to choose between the supplied leather straps, but I think I would give the nod to the perforated version found on the Heuer. As you would expect at the mid-to-high £4000 mark, both are supplied with push-button deployment clasps and for me it’s the TAG that wins out here. The TAG shield buckle is just a touch more refined and subtle, while the Heuer logo is huge and unnecessarily in your face.
There’s not a great deal to choose between the supplied leather straps, but I think I would give the nod to the perforated version found on the Heuer. As you would expect at the mid-to-high £4000 mark, both are supplied with push-button deployment clasps and for me it’s the TAG that wins out here. The TAG shield buckle is just a touch more refined and subtle, while the Heuer logo is huge and unnecessarily in your face.
As far as prices go, there is a 10% difference with the
Heuer Calibre 11 attracting a £400 premium over the TAG Heuer Calibre 12.
Anyone who knows watches will understand how this works, a premium is paid for
historical importance and for having the ‘correct’ logo on the dial and the
crown on the left hand side of the case. After all, his Royal Heuerness Steve
McQueen wore a Calibre 11 not a Calibre 12 and that extra authenticity costs.
No one should criticise TAG for this as this sort of thing is the norm in the
industry and doubtless we could come up with some much more extreme and
unjustifiable examples of price leveraging if we wanted to.
Youtube 'Watch Guru' Archie Luxury would advise you to take
the Heuer every time, because ‘when you come to sell it’ it will have retained
its value better and will be easier to sell. I’m itching to write a post about
Archie, Rolex and the whole watch collecting thing, but as I’m a bit snowed
under with posts just now it’s going to have to wait. It’s likely to be one
that’s going to take quite a bit of writing, but there’s a lot of stuff I want
to get off my chest at some point…
In this instance I would agree with Archie, I’m sure the
Calibre 11 will be easier to liquidate should you want/need to, but personally
I never take into account resale values when I buy watches as I have no
intention of selling anything I buy. Admittedly I have lost fairly big chunks
of money on the two watches I have sold in the last couple of years, but I just
can’t go down that route and people who do generally end up buying the same
watches as everyone else (Speedmaster, Submariner, etc) and that’s not me at
all.
So, inevitably you are going to expect me to choose between
these two… and you’re probably expecting me to pick the CAW2111 because my
preference for the TAG Heuer logo is well established. However, while I really
don’t like the left side crown and I really do like the metallic blue dial on
the TAG, the more I look at those radial hour markers the more I find they REALLY
annoy me.
So, as it stands, I really don’t think I could commit myself
to either model. However all is not completely lost because if you click the
link below you’ll find a list of my top 6 favourite Monacos, and maybe one day
one of those will find its way onto my wrist instead!
http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/04/feature-my-top-five-monacos.html
http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/04/feature-my-top-five-monacos.html
Looking at these, I notice that five out of the six also have the radial hour markers, but for some reason they've never bothered me - so it's clearly the combination of blue dial and radial markers that annoys me... :)
Sunday, 28 October 2018
SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Monaco Gulf Limited Edition
CW211A.BA0780
This caught my eye while I was browsing the 'New Arrivals' section of the Watchfinder website, and the first thing I thought was 'I didn't know they made that watch on that bracelet'. Clearly, given the fact that Watchfinder have listed it with the reference for a leather strap, they almost certainly didn't and this has been fitted to the watch after purchase.
I'm no fan of leather straps, in fact I don't even own a single one, but this just looks wrong. I actually saw somebody in a pub wearing one of the white (red/blue stripe) Monacos on a bracelet recently and I thought it looked really cheap and nasty then, and this looks almost as bad.
And cheap this most certainly is not... numbered 1746 out of 4000 pieces (on the strap) this particular example is up for sale at £4750, which is probably not completely outrageous - after all, there's always a market for 'Gulf' Monacos and I guess you could pick up the correct strap/buckle for a couple of hundred pounds?
Or maybe you like the bracelet, I mean, just because I don't like it - that doesn't matter... I must admit the more I look at it in the 3/4 view and the more I get used to it the less it offends me, but I'd still stop short of saying I like it.
The watch itself is pretty much the perfect Gulf Monaco as far as I'm concerned, I really like the fact that the subdials aren't white, I think it gives this model a bit more of a modern feel which I appreciate (though I get that the majority of Monaco fans want nothing of the sort). I think I prefer the black dial as well as it works better with the light blue Gulf stripe, but still - that bracelet really isn't my cup of tea.
Not sure if this is the correct box or not, it doesn't seem to say TAG Heuer on it, and it doesn't look like a regular TAG box, but then limited editions often come in slightly different looking boxes, so it's quite possible.
Thursday, 8 February 2018
Monday, 8 January 2018
Wednesday, 6 September 2017
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