The Breitling Watch Blog

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.

One brand that I keep getting sucked in by, even though I rarely keep them for long periods is Tag Heuer. Every time a new model comes out, it usually appeals to be from a design standpoint and I decide that if I ever find one for a good deal I will buy it. Quite often I do, but then its a Catch and Release, and I am back to zero Tag Heuers in my collection.

Same is the story with this Caliber S. Liked it a lot, but its just not my kind of watch. Perhaps its the branding? Perhaps its the fact that its too pedestrian for this snobby watch collector. Granted I’m happy to wear Breitling and Rolex, so I couldn’t be that snobby.

Anyway, back to the TAG Heuer Caliber S:

As you can see, the one I picked up is a beautiful blue dialed example, complete with the applied semi-circle multi-purpose subdials. I really like the new applied dial accents that TAG has started to use in the last few years such as the Geneve-Striped examples on the Grand Carrera watches. Like all TAG Watches, and nearly every other high-end watch brands, the case is milled from a solid block of 316L Stainless Steel.

Those subdials are responsible for telling the date and the 100 of a second timing when in Chrongraph mode. Additionally, they also allow you to set the perpetual calendar that the watch has. This Hybrid “mechaquartz” movement from TAG Heuer is quite remarkable. It contains as many parts as most Automatic movements, in fact.

Unlike its younger brother, the Aquaracer Regatta, this Aquaracer has the push-button released bracelet clasp as opposed to the cheaper fliplock clasp. The larger 43mm diameter case is also much more impressive than the 41mm on the Regatta model.

Overall a great-looking watch that can be had for a song on some of the watch forums due to TAG Heuer’s somewhat tarnished image, especially with their Quartz watches. Since this watch is essentially a quartz watch, it does not maintain its value nearly as well as it’s Automatic counterparts, and can often be picked up for 1/3 of retail!

Word to the wise: Do not buy quartz watches new!

While I love the aesthetics of Tag Heuer’s new Automatic Chronograph, I still wonder why they have not spent more effort on creating a new in-house movement (UPDATE: Turns out the Caliber 1887 is indeed partially in-house, but whether it is 100% in-house is debatable). The new Aquaracer 500 line is fantastic in looks, but I am hoping that with all these new in-house designed calibers such as the Caliber S, the Caliber 360 and other experimental stuff that they do, why is there no true 100% in-house Chronograph or even a base movement for a brand that so closely associates themselves with timing and chronographs?

While Breitling was slow to the game, Tag is even slower. At any rate, they still design some very nice looking watches, and are still desired by the many out there as the gateway watch to the eventual Rolex.

Sounds like the guys at Tag are going to keep their relationship with Tiger “Woman-Eater” Woods. I don’t really have a comment positive or negative. I personally things its overly done and i’m sure there are plenty of other ambassadors and world icons that have committed adultery. Nobody’s perfect. But whatever. At least we know they’ll still have the Tiger Woods watches.

“The partnership with Tiger Woods will continue,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer, “but we will downscale the use of his image in certain markets for a period of time, depending on his decision about returning to professional golf. We will continue to actively support the Tiger Woods Foundation”

I did a review on a Tag Heuer Formula 1 Chronotimer that I had briefly in my possession. This was actually a pretty neat watch and I liked the way it looked on my wrist, but I figured if I didn’t keep the Breitling B-1, why would I keep this one? I’d make the typical excuse of wearing it for sports, but I would either wear a Casio G-shock or one of my Lings. That’s just the way it is.

I’ve also had a soft spot for Tag Heuers, and they are really making a move to the Automatic Swiss watch market. Enjoy the video