The Breitling Watch Blog

I’ve had this Tag for quite a while, as you can tell since I uploaded the video review quite a while back. I never did post a written review on it, so here it is. It features the high end quartz movement ETA E20.321, which is featured in watches from Invictas to Hamiltons and Accutrons. This instance it is found on a Tag Heuer Aquaracer.

Great black semigloss dial fitted in a robust Aquaracer case, milled from a solid block of 316L stainless steel. The movement is quartz with three LCD screens used to display a number of things including the mode/timezone, seconds as well as time and date. My favourite mode for this watch is to have the analog hands at current time, the lower LCD with the date, the upper LCD blank, and the small right LCD with the seconds. This is my usual setup. It can also be set to display one of two other timezones as well as a Chronograph, Alarm and a Timer.

This version is mounted on the stainless steel aquaracer bracelet. Its also available in rubber. Case diamater is 44.5mm, and case thickness is 14.5mm. Water resistance is 300m, with a unidirectional dive bezel. The crystal is Sapphire, which should be expected.

There’s the push-button clasp, showing the horizontal Tag Heuer branding. Links are pinned together, not screwed. The bracelet is quite nice, however, and wears very comfortably. At the pricepoint, I think its totally acceptable to have pinned links. The higher end Carrera links are screwed.

See above the shot of the solid, robust caseback featured on the Aquaracer Chronotimer. The caseback features a diver’s mask as well as several design features that could be used as notches to open the caseback.

And finally, the wristshot. The Tag Heuer Aquaracer Chronotimer is a great beater watch for those of us that need a high-end quartz for travelling or swimming that we just don’t have to worry about too much. The 300m water resistance combined with multiple timezones, alarm function and chronograph make it a fantastic travel watch. Overall, very pleased with this watch for the money. It is more affordable than comparable watches from Breitling and Omega, and sits right in the middle of the pack above the pricing of similar watches from Accutron and Hamilton.

Rating:
Movement: 6/10
Case/Crystal/Crown: 8/10
Dial/Hands: 6/10
Strap / Buckle / Bracelet: 7/10
Accuracy: 10/10
Comfort: 8/10
Packaging / Manual: 8/10
Overall Impression: 7/10

Video review of the Tag Heuer Aquaracer Caliber S, Tag Heuer’s unqiue mechanical quartz Chronograph movement that reads timing to 1/100th of a second. Unique semi-circular subdials creatively show timing as well as the date.

Here’s the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph video review I just uploaded to Youtube. Hope you guys enjoy it. The Carrera Chronograph is one of my favourite Tags, and in this classic 41.5mm case looks fantastic on my wrist. Check out the video and let me know what you think!

My most recent video review is the Tag Heuer Aquaracer Chronotimer watch. This watch features the same movement used in the Breitling B-1 multifunction watches, and is usually available for around $900 – cheaper than even discontinued B-1’s. While it doesn’t look quite as nice, it does offer a lot of value over the B-1 and looks pretty decent. There one Dutch fellow that commented that doesn’t think so (as per the comments), but everyone is entitled to their opinion. Hope you guys enjoy the video!

While I like Tag Heuer’s designs, I somehow get bored with their watches very quickly, and they don’t get much wrist time beyond the first week I have them. I’ll see a Tag and want it, then once I get it the novelty seems to wear off. One of the best Tag’s I’ve owned is this Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph. It has a great size and design, and is sporty and a bit dressy at the same time.

This dial is a silver color, and the bezel is the grey. I think this is one of the nicer color configurations available for the Carrera Chrono, but the previous owner (I purchased it used) sold it because he had trouble with the color matching. Oddly, it was the dial I wanted the most! Very different from anything I had owned, but still an easy accessible color palette. I found the watch really easy to wear and match up with different styles of clothing.

As you can see, the case is on the thicker side given the modest 41mm case diameter. This is the Tachymeter version that has the smaller 41mm case. It is also available in a Day-Date variation that uses the same Valjoux 7750 based Caliber 16 but without the day-of-the-week wheel removed. The Day-Date version measures a larger 43mm across. I personally like the cleaner dial and look of this Tachymetre version myself.

Pusher and crown layout is identical to other Valjoux 7750-based movements with the chrono start/stop at 2 o’clock and the chrono reset at 4 o’clock. Crown is of the signed, screw-down variety and located at the usualy 3 o’clock position. One small visual complaint I have is that the crown was a bit small and would have liked to see it stick out a bit more to compliment the pushers.

Exhibition back shows off the nicely decorated Caliber 16 movement, which I have already mentioned is a based Valjoux 7750. I’m not sure what has been done to earn it a Caliber 16 designation, but it does have gold-etched lettering and cote de geneve striping on the rotor and bridge. It does not have a Chronometre COSC certification, however.

Finally we have the bracelet shot. The Carrera bracelets are among Tag’s best designed bracelets, and feature individually machined 5-piece links, with the polished thinner links actually separate pieces fromt he larger brushed ones. Very nice detail. Clasp is a semi-hidden machined and signed piece with dual push-button release and a machined hinge, a nice upgrade from the Formula 1 and base Aquaracer fliplock bracelets.

Overall a very nice Tag Heuer piece. With most of my friends that have no interest in watches, they are always looking for a Tag Heuer (Or a Rolex, but assume Rolex costs too much). So Tag’s are always of interest to them, since they always want to buy one. As long as the price is right, and the look is right, there’s always someone in the market for a Tag.