BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
TAG Heuer, in my opinion, is one of the more underrated luxury watch brands out there. With its origin dating back to 1860 and having produced some of the best Motorsport inspired watches, TAG Heuer has the credibility to stand tall amidst its competitors but somehow does not get the respect it deserves. We at WristReview have been closely following TAG Heuer for a while now, and today, we would like to share with our audience what we think are the best five watches that the brand has released in the recent past.
5. TAG Heuer Isograph
What we are looking at here is the updated avatar of the Autavia Isograph first released during Baselworld 2019. A handsome looking sports watch, the new Autavia Isograph keeps the aviation and Motorsport design DNA of the first-gen intact. Gradient dials with bold Arabic numerals and a stainless-steel housing that is water-resistant to 100 meters combine to create a watch that makes a strong visual impression and is ready for any adventure. Ticking inside the watch is the Calibre 5, which is based on the trustworthy Sellita SW200. One point worth noting is that this version of the Calibre 5 bereft of the carbon composite hairspring that made the generation 1 Isograph special. The movement offers a power reserve of around 38 hours when fully wound and is also COSC certified making it accurate to within -4 to +6 seconds a day. The watch retails between USD 3000 and USD 4000 depending on the choice of strap.
4. TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 GMT Chronograph
GMT and chronograph are among the most useful complications from the world of horology. The Carrera Heuer 02 GMT chronograph blends the two and exhibits the modern and experimental side of TAG Heuer. Applied and polished lume filled markers and hands provide a nice contrast to the sculpted black base making the watch highly legible. A bright red arrow tipped hand makes it possible to track an additional time zone with the help of the fixed bezel with 24-hour markings in black and blue. The tri-register layout takes care of the chronograph duties. Beating inside is Heuer’s manufacture B02 movement that has been modified to incorporate the GMT function. It operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers a substantial power reserve of around 80 hours. The stainless-steel case measures 45mm in diameter and is water-resistant to a healthy 100 meters continuing the bold and rugged theme. The watch retails for USD 5,950 on a rubber strap and USD 6,150 on a stainless-steel bracelet.
3. TAG Heuer Monaco 02
The TAG Heuer Monaco is one most widely recognized TAG Heuer watches out there. Since its inception, the watch has retained its peculiar square-shaped case. On this latest iteration of the Monaco, the stainless-steel case measures 39mm in diameter and features angular pushers, a nice grippy crown, and 100 meters of water resistance. What makes this watch special though is the new bracelet that flows down seamlessly from the lugs to the clasp and gives the watch a cohesive and sporty look. The dial like the case remains quite familiar with applied hour indices, circular lume plots, and contrasting squared twin registers. To add visual interest, the chronograph functions have been presented in a bright shade of red. Another detail worth noting is the floating second’s hand on the dial above the date at the 6 o’clock position. This is a result of the modern TAG Heuer Heuer 02 movement that powers this watch which can be appreciated through the see-through case back. The watch retails for USD 6,750 and comes mated to a brushed steel bracelet with polished center links. The watch can also be purchased on a black leather strap.
2. TAG Heuer Carrera 44mm
The TAG Heuer Carerra 44 is a refined and more palatable sporty cousin of the Carerra Heuer 02 GMT chronograph, sans the GMT complication. The case on this watch measures a large but manageable 44mm in diameter and offers a water resistance of 100 meters. There are two pump-style pushers and a grippy crown on the right side of the case and the top of the case is adorned by a fixed bezel with a tachymeter scale. To complement the sporty exteriors, the dial has been given a circular brushed finish and features a tri-compax layout with applied hour indices and well-proportioned baton-style hands. There are 4 variations with 3 colors on offer which include blue, green, black and black and gold. Powering the TAG Heuer Carrera 44mm is once again the in-house Heuer 02 column wheel-based chronograph movement that ticks at 28800 VPH and offers an autonomy of around 75 hours. Prices vary between USD 5,750 and USD 6,550 based on the variant you choose.
1. TAG Heuer Carrera 42mm
The TAG Heuer Carerra 42mm watches bring elegance and sophistication to the Carrera line up. The case this time around measures a wearable 42mm in diameter and is dominated by polished surfaces including the smooth bezel on top to lend the watch a classier look. The dressy theme continues on the dial as well which has been offered in more conventional shades of black, blue, silver, and anthracite. The layout is also on the cleaner side with two recessed circular sub-registers at 3 and 9 for chronograph functions and a floating running seconds hand above the date window at 6. Applied batons form the hour index and there is a printed minute track on the flange that makes it easier to read the time. The watches are powered by the capable Heuer 02 in-house movement that is visible through the exhibition case back and are available to purchase on a leather strap or a steel bracelet. The retail price has been set at USD 5,350.
What do you think about our top 5 TAG Heuer watches? Would you like to add or remove something from this list? What are your Top 5 TAG Heuer watches? Please feel free to mention your valuable thoughts in the comments section below.
