SPOTLIGHT ON: Heuer Mikrograph 1/100th of a Second Chronograph

CAR5040.FC8177

Launched in 2011, the 'Mikrograph' (is anyone else confused by the Mikrograph / Micrograph / Multigraph / Microtimer naming conundrum?) featured an 'in-house' development of the Calibre 360 movement first used in the TAG Heuer Vanquish (one of the rarest TAG Heuers in existence - just eleven were made) and was limited to 150 pieces in total. 

While it's a beautiful thing to behold, the CAR5040 Mikrograph has a 43mm solid rose-gold case and a split white and dark brown dial, it was also frighteningly expensive with an original list price of $50,000 - quite a sum of money for a brand who tend to chiefly inhabit the £1000-£6000 price bracket.

But this was nearly ten years ago, when Jean Christophe Babin was still in control of the company and he felt the way to make the company's more affordable products more desirable was to develop so called 'halo' high-end products which supposedly push the value of the whole range up.

I don't really think that concept worked to be honest, though as a watch enthusiast it's a shame because I'd personally love to see a return to the days of high end innovation and models such as the aforementioned Vanquish and Monaco V4. But to my mind that idea only really works if you make your 'halo' model very visible. For example, the Audi R8 fulfills that role perfectly, I'm not sure that the majority of potential TAG Heuer customers who wanted to put down £1000 on an entry level Formula 1 would know a Mikrograph if it slapped them in the face.

The Heuer Mikrograph in the TAG Heuer factory at La Chaux de Fonds

I suppose the theory is that watch enthusiasts would read about it in the specialist press and it would inform their opinions about the brand and that should have trickled down to the mainstream, but it clearly didn't work as until Mr Biver stepped in a few years ago and launched the new Carrera and Connected models, TAG Heuer's overall reputation was pretty weak.  

Still it wasn't for want of trying; the CAR5040 features an integrated chronograph and has two balance wheels to facilitate the main movement running at a different frequency to the main complication. This means that while the chrono operates at 360,000vph giving that all important 1/100th second accuracy, the 'time telling' part of the movement operates at a slightly less energy sapping rate of 28,800vph. In turn this gives the chronograph a run time of just 90 minutes, while the main movement has a power reserve of 42hrs.

From an aesthetic point of view I think the colour combination works really well and though an unusual choice I think that bright blue chrono second hand looks absolutely fantastic. The Mikrograph is quite unusual in that its dial is marked out to make the most of its 1/100th of a second accuracy, with no regular hour batons or Arabic numerals in sight. That gives this watch a unique and purposeful look more akin to a stopwatch than a regular timepiece. But I can't really see anyone who buys this missing the hour markers, we all know where they should go after all!

The great thing about this superb watch though, from a pre-owned purchaser's point of view at least, is that it can be had today for a considerable saving over it's original list price. This post has been kicking around in my file for a very, very long time, but when I started this one Watchfinder (hardly a company known for its bargain prices) had one of these for sale for about £21,000. That one has gone now but there is a 'new' one on Chrono 24 going for £18,338... other than that it's slim pickings, with the only other options the regular bullsh*tters like Jura watches (£41,500) who claim delivery in 3-10 days but will probably ultimately tell you it's no longer available

One thing to bear in mind though, the movement in this watch was handmade and it will definitely have to go back to TAG Heuer in Switzerland for servicing - I can't imagine that being cheap, so like your bargain four seater Ferrari 400i (if those are still bargains?) it's probably worth bearing that in mind before committing to buy one...

Further reading: Check out David's hands-on review at Calibre 11
https://www.calibre11.com/heuer-carrera-mikrograph-review/

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 360 18K Rose Gold Limited Edition

CV5041.FC8164

I'm encountering a bit of a lull in being able to find video content for some reason, I guess it ebbs and flows but there have been times when I had 20-30 videos in the queue, right now I've got nothing. So you might find my posts become every other day for a while until people start uploading videos a bit more frequently. Thankfully Baselworld is just around the corner so that should prompt some movement!

Anyway, so I just had my refund confirmed from my ill fated Searacer purchase. Obviously I was straight on eBay, and failing to find anything particularly interesting my next port of call was Watchfinder. Nothing in my price range particularly grabbed me there either, but I did come across this rather tasty morsel.

There's something vaguely Ulysse Nardinish about this watch, it looks like the ideal piece to wear when sitting on a nice big shiny yacht, albeit with a water resistance rating of just 30M it's entirely unsuitable for anything remotely water-adjacent! Not that you'd want to get that strap wet anyway, and while we're on the subject of the strap - well, long term readers will know that I'm not overly keen on brown straps, but with rose gold pieces I have to say that I find them entirely appropriate!

There were just 500 of these made, which makes it something of a rarity, and it also contains one of the rarest TAG Heuer movements, the Calibre 360. This was TAG's first attempt at in-house manufacturing, albeit it was more a case of modifying an existing movement than starting from scratch. But still, there aren't many ways you can own a Calibre 360 and it's an important piece of TAG Heuer history. You can read more about the Calibre 360 on Calibre 11 (CLICK HERE)

I've never seen a TAG Heuer box that looks like this either... very nice!

It seems the Carrera Calibre 360 was intended to be released in stainless, rose gold and black PVD, but according to David's article it looks like the PVD was released as a limited edition of 10 pieces and the rose gold 500 pieces, but the stainless never made it into production. It's a bit of a shame as it would have made it a lot more affordable, but I guess it only adds to the exclusivity.

At 41mm this is the perfect size for my wrist, but unfortunately (if not entirely surprisingly) this one is a bit out of my price range. I don't know what the original list price was*, but this one is currently available through Watchfinder at an asking price of £8925.

Wow, that's a lot of money, but then it is 18K Rose Gold so you can't really expect a bargain. As much as I like it, I still think if I had £9,000 in my pocket I'd probably take the new Carbon Carrera and save the balance.

Would you sell your CV5041 through 'Cash Converters'???

Intriguingly, while trying (and failing) to find the original list price, I came across a CV5041 on 'Cash Converters' website for £4995. I can't quite comprehend how a high end, solid gold, limited edition TAG Heuer ends up on Cash Converters website... but maybe I need to check that site a little more regularly in future! Sadly the watch has already been sold which at that price isn't really surprising, especially as this one had been serviced by TAG Heuer as well!

*Now had it confirmed that the original list price was £18,000...... WOW!