By Jovan Krstevski
Anyone care for a TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer–02T Tourbillon at 15,000 Swiss Francs? Yes, you read it right, this price is absolutely terrific which is 10 times lower than what you would expect for a watch this grade. Now before you dismiss this fact as mere superficial like low quality or something similar stuff like that, take into consideration that these watches will be COSC certified, so now we are talking. Besides, what is not to love with this Swiss made Tourbillon, it is Tag Heuer for crying out loud.
Anyhow, the 45 mm case comes in two editions namely the titanium and black edition and the full Phantom black edition. Personally, the Phantom black is best for those with peculiar taste for subtlety like yours truly. The case also features a modular construction which promotes fascinating stylish designs. In total, there are 12 modular components such as the central part, the lugs, the independent central insert and a separate bezel. The case design also allows for easier manipulation of mechanical parts such as a semi-skeletonized dial. We see the awesome pushers at 2 and 4 sandwiching the handsome crown with the unique bold black line running through the material. The bezel really brings the sporty feel to the watch in general.
As for the semi-skeletonized dial, it comes with all the bells and whistles of a masterfully crafted timepiece. If you look at it closer, you will notice that it is quite transparent. So where do we see the applied register tracks for the sub-counters and applied indexes? We find these beautiful markings right on top of the rigid sapphire crystal. What I like about this design is that it allows for the skeletonized bridges and plates of the movement to be clearly visible to the naked eye. The theme is subtle, it is highly mechanized with powerful iteration of handsome hands particularly the thin seconds hand. The sub-dials for the chronograph are also nicely done located at the 9 and 3 o’clock. The main visual course is, of course, the one-minute tourbillon regulator at the 6 o’clock.
What powers the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer–02T Tourbillon is the powerhouse derived from the in-house CH–80 movement. This is an automatic winding movement sporting integrated construction for both the chronograph that is actuated by a column-wheel and the Tourbillon. Note that this will have COSC certification so you can expect that it will be reliably accurate. The 65 hours of power reserve also makes it even better thanks to the modern and fast frequency of 4Hz complete with a balance wheel, a hairspring, an escape wheel and a pallet fork. These goodies are perfectly housed in a modular case that rotates on a central axis.
As to why it’s priced too low, the manufacturer cites low-cost development and that the movements are not hand-finished meaning they are basically industrial movements. Either way, with a COSC certification it’s convincing enough. It’s a fully operational Tourbillon watch that comes in a sporty design only seen on high-end watches.
For more info, please visit tagheuer.com
JOVAN KRSTEVSKI – FOUNDER, PROPRIETOR & EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jovan Krstevski has been collecting watches every since his father bought him an Omega Seamaster back when he was just a teenager. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’ Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. Read his articles here
