Available for sale in boutiques from January 11th 2023, this is the first release of many to come this year that celebrates the Carrera family’s 60th Anniversary in 2023. 

This 60th Anniversary Carrera is a modern update to the beloved ‘panda’ dial original from the 1960s, celebrating 60 years of its chronograph genre defining run. First introduced by Jack Heuer in 1963, the design has been an everlasting favourite over decades for legibility, ease of use and understated,  functional beauty. The Carrera is legendary in TAG Heuer’s history which speaks of its long lasting appeal – and is testament to how well it projects a cool, bold energy in a highly wearable action oriented watch that is both classic and modern. Personalities from F1 driver James Hunt, Mick Jagger and recently, Ryan Gosling have been noted to be among the fans of Carrera. 

TAG Heuer’s engineering and design teams have leaned on the 2447 SN original – complete with the silvered dial and three registered black sundial design of the counters , reflecting the “SN” nomenclature: Silver and Noir.  The hour markers and hour/minute hands have stripes down the centre for ultimate legibility; and at 12 are double stopped to indicate when the chronograph hand is zeroed. White hands and markers on the black counters make for easy legibility and the beige Super-Luminova employed on the hands and at the tips of the hour markers extend that capability in low light.

The case has been updated to a modern sizing of 39mm from the classic’s 36mm. There is now a see through sapphire case-back which showcases the Heuer 02 column wheel chronograph movement that has 80 hours of power reserve, Geneva Stripes and a special 60th Anniversary rotor. The box shaped sapphire crystal raises the case profile; the slim silver flange on the outer edge of the dial has a 60 seconds/minute scale and the vintage styled rounded pushers and winding crown invoke a retro feel. Operation of the pushers is smooth, confident and firm, as expected from the column wheel TAG Heuer Calibre 02 Automatic movement powering the watch.   This update even offers the vintage Heuer logo. 

Water resistance is rated at an everyday wearable 100m, which is good to survive in water if the watch is on a rubber strap. That being said, the supplied vintage inspired strap in a perforated black calfskin leather with polished steel folding clasp with double safety push buttons, will make this more of a land dwelling time-piece instead, perfect if you’re driving.

For any vintage lover, especially of the Heuer Carrera, this is a solid, highly specified and modern update that sacrifices little on the original yet offers substantial modern qualities like wearability, increased water resistance, and robustness; with an in house movement with a three days plus power reserve and a modern chronograph function that operates precisely and smoothly. This exciting opener to the 60th anniversary celebrations of the family signals a promising start to what will be a succession of exciting, excellent Carrera inspired releases all year.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

REFERENCE: CBK221H.FC8317

CASE: 39 mm polished steel with polished fixed bezel; box sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment; crown, push buttons at 2, 3 and 4 o’clock in steel; screw down case back with the limited edition number engraving. 

MOVEMENT: TAG HEUER CALIBRE 02 AUTOMATIC, 80 hours power reserve

DIAL: Silver Sunday brushed dial, silver flange with 60 second/minute scale; 3 counter configuration with black background and silver hands and markings. Minutes counter at 3 o’clock; seconds counter at 6 o’clock; hour counter at 9 o’clock. Rhodium plated, facetted and polished hour, minute hands filled with beige Superluminova.

Availability: January 2023

One of the most significant pieces of the Tag Heuer stable, The Monza, arrives in a 2023 contemporary form, manifesting the luxury watchmaker’s “advance expertise in dial design and performance timekeeping”, according to Frederic Arnault, CEO of Tag Heuer. “It is a bold and resolutely modern reinterpretation of its famed ancestor”, invoking the original watch’s rich emotional and historic racing heritage. The Monza was introduced to celebrate Niki Lauda’s historic 1975 F1 World Championship with Scuderia Ferrari, for which Heuer was its technical timing partner. The watch is named after the Italian racetrack which is still part of the Formula One racing calendar today – its famed location near Modena, the home of Ferrari, features high speed turns such as the Parabolica – and is still one of the favoured tracks that F1 drivers love to drive on and win!

I have always enjoyed the tactile almost pebble like haptic feel of the Monza case in its original form; its very readable dial and hands set against a serious, professional black dial with contrasting red and cream colour codes to lift the arrangement into a spirit of energetic ‘raciness’.

This contemporary version enhances the spirit and feel of the original in more ways – its striking black dial featuring a two registers arrangement with translucent fume blue sapphire crystal chronograph counter at 3 and permanent second at 6 o’clock.

The movement is seen through a skeletonise dial and the blue colour code is replayed on the date window at 9 o’clock, as well as on the  lacquered indexes. Super-luminova applied hour and minute hands offer great legibility in low light. The watch is powered by TAG Heuer’s in house 02 Flyback calibre – allowing the chronograph hand to reset without stopping it for lap timing. 

In action, the Monza offers a chronograph, a tachymeter to calculate average speed over a kilometre or mile, and a pulsometer, which determines heartbeats per minute. All useful functions for any racing driver, in theory and ostensibly, in practice! Red details, as in the original Monza, contrast elegantly against the black dial, case, blue indexes and stitching on the textile strap. 

The Principal of the F1 Red Bull Racing Team, Christian Horner, says that the Monza is one of his favourite personal watches, having bought the original at Nice airport to celebrate a successful race in Monaco. TAG Heuer also happens to be a partner of Oracle Red Bull Racing Team (since 2016)! Available from January 2023, and sold in boutiques, this superbly engineered and well designed watch will surely set the hearts of TAG Heuer collectors racing!

Technical Specifications

Reference: TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer (CR5090.FN6001)

Functions: Chronograph counter at 3 o’clock/ Seconds counter at 6 o’clock/ Tachymeter/ Pulsometer/ Hours and Minutes/ Date at 9 o’clock/ Central seconds hand

Case: 42mm Diameter/ Carbon case/ Carbon Fixed Bezel/ Domed Sapphire Crystal with double anti-reflective coating/ Black DLC coated crown at 3 o’clock; Round push buttons at 2 & 4 o’clock/ Black PVD grade 5 titanium casebook/ Water resistant to 100 Meters

Dial:  Skeleton Dial

Strap: Custom black textile with blue stitching; black textile lining, Carbon folding clasp with double stay safety push buttons

Available January 2023

Movement: TAG HEUER Calibre 02 COSC Flyback

The first ever Aquaracer appeared in 2004, featuring the line’s six signature features: unidirectional bezel, screw down crown, 200m water resistance, luminous markings, sapphire crystal and double safety clasp on the bracelet. The 2022 Aquaracer released last year added a solar powered movement by famed movement maker in La Chaux-de-Fonds, La Joux-Perret, in keeping with the philosophy of being in tune with nature, whilst navigating the great outdoors. This 2023 version comes with all these elements intact, now presented in titanium and offering durability, lightness, comfort and robustness.

The design here always proposes ultimate readability in any lighting condition, or lack of. The dial is partly translucent to allow the solar charging, complemented by polar blue accents to invoke the northern lights of the Arctic Circle, recalling the outdoor origins that inspired the Aquaracer.

The features and titanium construction already makes this a standout candidate for a do anything, go anywhere watch for all times. The icing on the cake, so to speak, is the in house solar movement, Caliber TH50-00. No one can dispute the convenice and usability of a quartz powered movement, let alone one powered by solar energy. This movement only needs a 2 minute exposure to the sun to power the watch for a day.  After a full charge, the watch can run up to 6 months provided it is exposed to another 20 hours of sunlight. Thereafter, only 10 seconds of sunlight gets it started again.

As an Aquaracer and with a unidirectional timing bezel, it can be used for diving, and this is where I find the application of the solar powered technology especially useful. First of all, it is nice that Swiss made versions of solar powered watches are coming to market more and more. It’s no secret that Japanese solar powered watches have been around for a long time, and while these offered many technical advantages to buyers who were interested in a set in and forget it type of watch, they didn’t have the kind of styling and name-cachet of their Swiss made counterpoints. To this end, it is good that TAG Heuer is heading the charge in this kind of technology for the entry level segment of the market.

The Solargraph does look good and wear well after all, and I see potentially two types of customers for this watch. The first type would be those who love their mechanical watches but would not want to put them through any abuse when engaging in outdoor activities. The second are for those who are looking for a Swiss made quartz watch to wear everyday, but can now get a watch like this, and dispense with the need for regular battery changes.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph (WBP1180.BF0000)

Movement: TH50-00
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Dial: Black Sunray brushed dial
Black applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova® Black hour hand with white Super-LumiNova®
Black minute hand with Super-LumiNova® /Polar blue lacquered central hand with Super-LumiNova® Rhodium plated TAG HEUER sticker logo / 3 o’clock angled date / AQUARACER SOLARGRAPH 200 M / 660 FT printed
Case: 40 mm diameter/ Titanium grade 2 sand blasted case/ Titanium grade 2 sand blasted 60-minute scale unidirectional turning bezel Flat sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment/ Steel screw-down crown at 3 o’clock/ Sand blasted titanium grade 2 screwed case back
Water resistance : 200 meters
Bracelet/Strap: Sand blasted titanium grade 2 bracelet/ Titanium grade 2 folding clasp with double safety push-buttons with comfort link extension; TAG Heuer shield
Availability February 2023 with a 5 year warranty

With the Formula 1 collection, it seems only fitting that these modern collaborations continue, with the next evolution in the Mario Kart and TAG Heuer series – the Formula 1 x Mario Kart editions. This collaboration brings together the worlds of TAG Heuer and Nintendo, joined by their mutual love of racing and competition. This has resulted in two watches – the TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph and Chronograph Tourbillon.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph is a twist on the classic version powered by the Calibre 16 mechanical chronograph movement. Housed in a generous 44mm case hewn from stainless steel, the bezel features an insert made of ceramic, engraved with a tachymeter that has “Mario Kart” engraved and filled with SuperLuminova for a bit of low-light pop. The start pusher and crown are encircled with red lacquer, and the crown also features Mario’s trademark ‘M’ found on his cap.

The dial sports a chequered pattern, much like the chequered flag signalling the end of a race, and Mario in his go-kart can also be found in the running seconds subdial at 9 o’clock. At 3 o’clock, the date can be found, however, the date wheel interchanges between fan favourite Mario Kart items, such as Bullet Bill, the Banana and the Star – and there is no doubt that there are plenty more to be seen by the lucky owners. 

As mentioned previously, the watch is powered by a Calibre 16 mechanical movement, one that has served the brand and this collection very well for a number of years, and is protected by a solid stainless steel caseback with the silhouette of Mario in his go-kart. Limited to 3000 pieces, this piece is surely going to be a fan favourite of those who grew up with Nintendo.

A collision of the worlds of haute horlogerie and the frenetic nature of Mario Kart, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph Tourbillon brings a youthful energy to modern high-end watchmaking. In this version, we have a 45mm case made from Grade 5 Titanium – a grade that enables high-end finishing of the case that accepts brushed and polished finishes.

The bezel insert is in ceramic, displaying a tachymeter, and the Mario Kart logo that has been inlaid with SuperLuminova that glows in the dark in low light environments. Like its Calibre 16 powered brother, the start pusher and the crown are inlaid with red lacquer, and the crown has a M for Mario engraved into it. The dial is black with skeletonised elements, and red accents highlight the dial, giving it a more sporty nature.

At 6 o’clock, the tourbillon cage is visible through a cut-out in the dial that is surrounded by SuperLuminova – most curiously, the tourbillon cage has been redesigned to accommodate Mario in his go-kart, a Bullet Bill and a Spiny Shell, all of which make one revolution per minute. A sapphire crystal caseback is incorporated into the case, that is printed with the Mario Kart logo.

Housed within its titanium case is the in-house Calibre Heuer 02T movement, that has been COSC certified – unusual in the world of tourbillons, but a certification that guarantees its accuracy. On the reverse side is the rotor that is specially designed to feature Mario and Luigi in a kart, and Princess Daisy on her Mach Bike. A curious detail – the column wheel for the chronograph is coloured in red, further highlighting the sporty nature of the watch, as well as bringing further visual interest to the movement. 

Limited to 250 pieces worldwide, it is sure to delight millennials who grew up with Mario Kart since the Super Nintendo days and who have also become watch aficionados.

Both watches are delivered on a black calf leather strap that is embossed with a pattern that looks to be a turtle shell – very much similar to the turtle shells fired from the karts as you chase down fellow racers. The deployant clasp is also engraved with Mario’s M, further tying this collaboration together to the Mario Kart universe.

The two watches will also be available from the 20th of October, at selected retail partners, TAG Heuer boutiques, and TAG Heuer e-commerce websites in select countries. Overall, both watches make for incredibly fun watches that do not take themselves seriously, that also bring new fans to the world of watchmaking through their mutual love of competition and racing.

Technical Specifications

TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph) 

CAZ201E.FC6517

Movement

Calibre 16 Automatic

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph

Dial

Black dial, checkered pattern

Black flange with 60 second/minute scale 3 counters:

–  12 o’clock: black grained minute chronograph counter; rhodium-plated polished hand
–  6 o’clock: black grained hour chronograph counter; red lacquered hand
–  9 o’clock: black grained permanent second indicator; rhodium-plated polished hand
Rhodium-plated polished applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova® Rhodium-plated facetted, polished hour and minute hands with white Super-LumiNova®
Red lacquered central hand with white Super-LumiNova®
Angled date display at 3 o’clock
White TAG HEUER applied logo
FORMULA 1 CALIBRE 16 printed

Case

44 mm diameter
Polished and fine-brushed stainless-steel case Black ceramic polished tachymeter fixed bezel Flat sapphire crystal
Polished stainless-steel crown at 3 o’clock
Fine-brushed stainless-steel push-buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock Stainless-steel screwed case back with special engraving

Water resistance:

200 meters

Strap
Textured black calf skin strap with custom embossed pattern, red lining Fine-brushed steel folding clasp with double safety push-buttons; special engraving

Availability

From October 2022

3’000 pieces 

TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph Tourbillon) CAZ5080.FC6517

Movement

Calibre Heuer 02T COSC

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph, tourbillon

Dial

Black opalin dial, with red lining

Black flange with 60 second/minute scale

3 counters:

– 3 o’clock: anthracite grained minute chronograph counter; black hand – 6 o’clock: black tourbillon with alternate finishing

– 9 o’clock: anthracite grained hour chronograph counter; black hand Black applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova®

Black facetted hour and minute hands with white Super-LumiNova® Red lacquered central hand with white Super-LumiNova®

White TAG HEUER applied logo

HEUER 02T CHRONOMETER printed

Case

45 mm diameter

Polished and fine-brushed titanium grade 5 case Black ceramic polished tachymeter fixed bezel Flat sapphire crystal

Polished stainless-steel crown at 3 o’clock

Fine-brushed stainless-steel push-buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock

Titanium grade 5 screwed sapphire case back with special engraving and numbered XXX/250

Water resistance: 100 meters

Strap

Textured black calf skin strap with custom embossed pattern, red lining Fine-brushed titanium grade 5 folding clasp with double safety push -buttons; special engraving

Availability

From October 2022

250 pieces 

As a physiology major in university, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy played a large part in our studies. A genetic disorder affecting mainly boys, its effect on growing children is devastating, as muscle membrane proteins are unable to repair effectively. Currently, gene therapy is undergoing trials in patients, and it has shown some promise in increasing muscle strength – however, there is still much work to be done in this field in order to develop new therapies for this affliction. 

Every two years, the watch world together with the Association Monegasque contre les Myopathies, works on an auction where all proceeds go to funding research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy – as of early 2021, over 70 million Euro has been raised to benefit children afflicted by this disease. It is an opportunity for brands and independent watchmakers to put forward their wildest watches, ranging from prototypes, to altered colour schemes for familiar pieces, all the way to new movements and complications.

For someone who studied physiology, and has delved into the mechanisms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, it is truly enlightening to see the watch world come together for such a noble cause. It is one of the rare times we see the industry so united, and we think there is no better cause than this for them to create these one-offs.

Our founder Adi Soon has written about his picks for Only Watch – here are my fantasy picks if I had the wallet to help raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Akrivia – Chronometre Contemporain II

A darling child of the independent watch scene, Rexhep Rexhepi begins a new chapter in his career with the Chronometre Contemporain II. Retaining the lauded classical aesthetics of the first version of his Chronometre Contemporain, the watch is built from the ground-up as an entirely new timepiece.

A dial with a two-stage production process of grand-feu enamel, followed by a translucent champagne-coloured flinque enamel graces the front of the watch.l  The case, hewn from 950 Platinum respects traditional craftsmanship, and is produced in 14 parts by Jean-Pierre Hagmann – a boitier/casemaker by trade who has been lauded for his minute repeater cases, manufacturing for numerous brands in the past and is now working with Rexhepi. The “JHP” hallmark on the lugs signifies its provenance, and each of these lugs are individually soldered to the case.

Housed within its platinum case is a manually wound movement that is aesthetically similar to what was housed in the previous Chronometre Contemporain, however it now incorporates a dead-beat seconds mechanism, as well as being certified by the Besancon Observatory. This watch also includes an experience of visiting the Besancon Observatory – undoubtedly a package that represents fine watchmaking as a whole, in its craftsmanship and its history.

Blancpain – Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No-Rads

Proving to be incredibly popular amongst watch fans, the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms series of watches looks back into the archives, and revives key models that were instrumental in forming the evolution of the modern dive watch. At Only Watch 2021, the No-Rads has been brought back with orange-coloured accents on the dial and bezel to match with the theme of the auction – this can look like an attractive pumpkin-like patina, which vintage enthusiasts are sure to enjoy.

This version for this edition of Only Watch also removes the date window, cleaning up the dial and making it more symmetrical – this is, however, not how the original was presented, but will be sure to please those that love a cleaner aesthetic. The orange colour scheme extends down to the No-Rads symbol at 6 o’clock – instead of yellow and red, it is now orange and yellow. Powering this version of the watch is the Blancpain Calibre 1154, with a custom-engraved rotor commemorating Only Watch 2021.

Chopard – Alpine Eagle XL Chrono Only Watch

For fans of Switzerland, the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono Only Watch is the brand’s familiar sports watch, but with the addition of a natural Swiss granite stone dial from the Graubunden region of the country. Speckled with blue and green inclusions, the dial echoes the view of the Alpine region from the sky.

Naturally, in order to view the beauty of the stone dial, the sapphire crystal has the brand printed onto it. The 44mm case is made from Lucent Steel, the same as in the main line collections where a portion of the steel used is recycled – this steel is also harder than traditional 316L Stainless Steel used in many watches. Housed within the fantastic steel case is the Chopard 03.05-C movement, for which 3 patents are filed for the chronometer certified movement, and the watch is delivered on a calfskin strap with a titanium inlay.

Czapek – Antarctique Rattrapante “Sunrise”

ISOCHRONO are very much fans of this new release from Czapek, and we wrote about it extensively earlier this year. This version of the Antarctique features an orange colour that is CVD coated, done in partnership with Positive Coating.

The movement itself is also the fruit of a partnership – with Chronode, no less. The SHX6 movement displays the entire split seconds chronograph mechanism on the dial side, to display the beauty of its finishing, and the mechanical interactions each component plays when the chronograph is activated.

Housed in Stainless Steel, and measuring in at 42.5mm, the Antarctique Rattrapante “Sunrise” also features chronograph subdials and a minutes track in fume coated sapphire crystal – the minutes track also features a hidden message from 0-10 seconds – “Courage Every Second” – a message that is fitting for an auction that benefits Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 

DeBethune/Voutilainen

On the surface the entry from DeBethune and Kari Voutilainen represents a collision of worlds, with a stark juxtaposition of classic and modern watchmaking in one watch. In reality, the duo of Denis Flageollet and Kari Voutilainen is closer than one might think – they both had the same teacher when they attended watchmaking school, and hence, each side represents their vision of watchmaking.

Kari Voutilainen’s side of the watch continues his very classical interpretation of watch dials, with multiple forms of guilloche visible on the dial, and heavily stylised Breguet-esque hands. Denis Flageollet’s side, on the other hand, displays the hyper-modern watchmaking that DeBethune is famous for – Star Trek-like shapes for the movement components, and skeletonised bridges to expose more of the mechanisms lying underneath.

Voutilainen’s side uses the Isogone display, where a minute ring revolves with the minutes hand. This means that hands will always line up at the hour, be at 90 degrees for 15 minutes past the hour, 180 degrees for the half hour, and 270 degrees for 45 minutes past the hour – the idea being that the display of the hands remains consistent throughout the hours. This side also features a large deadbeat seconds hand. DeBethune’s side involves a rotating minute hand at the periphery of the dial, and the hours indicator curiously positioned where the balance wheel is located – an unusual arrangement, but nonetheless an attractive one that leaves the construction of the movement to speak wonders for the watch. The calibre OW21 housed within has a 4 day power reserve, and features a titanium balance wheel as well as a silicon escapement.

FP Journe x Francis Ford Coppola – FFC Blue

Taking an incredible 7 years from conception to development, the FFC Blue was inspired during a dinner between Coppola and Journe, with Coppola asking if there was any possible way for a watch to tell the time with a hand – and not in the sense that we are used to in watchmaking. Journe took the inspiration of this display from a mechanical hand created by Ambroise Pare, the father of modern surgery, and had to devise a way to display all 12 hours with only 5 fingers.

Furthermore, this is powered by a version of the Octa 1300 movement, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Housed within a weighty tantalum case, the movement is crafted entirely of rose gold, and the rotor is engraved with the names of Ambroise Pare, Francis Ford Coppola, and of course, FP Journe.

The minutes are displayed on a disc on the periphery of the dial with a blued triangular arrow, and of course, the “digital” hours are indicated by the blue hand in the centre of the dial. Whilst we can certainly think of ways that this watch can be even more provocative through the use of its middle digits, this watch is certainly provocative enough with its radical display of time, and incorporation of automata in its construction.

Girard-Perregaux – Casquette, Only Watch Edition

It’s back to the future for Girard-Perregaux at the 2021 edition of Only Watch, as the brand works with Bamford Watch Department to unveil a new version of the famous LED watch from 1976. The watch uses a new movement that utilises an LED display, just like the original Casquette, but protects this in a case of forged carbon and titanium.

Titanium pushers are used to activate the display – just like in the 1970s, LED displays still utilise a lot of power, and the pushers activate the display on demand. Undoubtedly, this is a great way to get vintage vibes from the 70s, whilst retaining an essence of modernity in the form of the case.

Krayon – Anywhere

Featuring a lacquer dial with a mosaic effect, the Krayon Anywhere for Only Watch 2021 features an interpretation of Claude Monet’s “Impression, rising sun” on its Metiers d’Art dial. Distinctive for being the only watch with its Equation of Time and Sunrise/Sunset function capable of being set for any location on Earth, the buyer of this watch will be able to choose the location upon purchase.

The watch also features an incredible amount of fine finishing on the movement – as a prototype, it is finished excellently with manually executed bevels, many of them internal bevels.

MB&F HM10 Panda Only Watch

The shape of the “bulldog” lent itself well to an iteration of this watch in Panda form, with its rounded edges and organic forms. To further the Panda aesthetic, titanium ears were added to domed upper sapphire crystal, the upper case was reworked in stainless steel to accept a black and white lacquer finishing, and a silicon nitride ball was used for its tail. As the Panda is always munching on bamboo, the teeth remain underneath the “eyes/hour and minutes indicators” of the panda – this also serves to indicate the power reserve. To top it all off, the Panda motif is further reinforced with a black and white velcro strap.

Patek Philippe – “Complicated Desk Clock”

For those that managed to procure the entire collection of Patek Philippe watches (including the elusive Nautilus 5711/1A), Patek Philippe dug deep into its archives and based their Only Watch 2021 entry on a clock owned by a famous collector. Originally delivered in 1923, the original clock was ordered by James Ward Packard, and now resides in the Patek Philippe Museum.

The modestly named Only Watch 2021 clock is a veritable horological beast, hewn from Sterling Silver, with vermeil decorative elements and American walnut furniture. Driven by the Calibre 86-135 PEND IRM Q SE, the clock boasts a power reserve of 31 days with power reserve indicator, a perpetual calendar, jumping seconds and a week indicator shown through a red window at the periphery of the dial. Its precision in construction utilising its Gyromax balance wheel and a 28,800 vph oscillation frequency, the clock is adjusted to within +1/-1 seconds per day – an amazing rate of accuracy for a mechanical clock, and we can expect nothing but the best from Patek Philippe.

Speake Marin – Dual Time Openworked Only Watch The Sun

With the world awakening from its pandemic slumber, it could be said that the Speake Marin is a watch for the times. Equipped with an in-house dual-time movement (the SMA02), the watch is ready to accompany its wearer on journeys across the world.

Contrasting with 42mm DLC coated case is an orange dial that is the thematic colour of this year’s edition of Only Watch, not only representing hope and progress in the world of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research, but also a reminder of the reemerging world.

TAG Heuer – Only Watch Carbon Monaco

A modern reinterpretation of the “Dark Lord” Monaco, the watch takes its inspiration from this vintage model of the 70s, and utilises modern materials to update its look and feel, whilst incorporating thoroughly modern features in its movement construction. The case is made from forged carbon, and the Only Watch 2021 thematic colours of orange stand out against its dark skeletonised dial.

The movement features a ‘gratte’ finish to echo a finishing flag that brings to mind its racing heritage, and the rear of the watch features the largest sapphire crystal case back to ever be featured on a Monaco. Within the forged carbon case is the Heuer 02 in-house movement, that is curiously fitted with a carbon hairspring – continuing the theme of carbon within the movement. It is fantastic to see that the carbon hairspring has made its way back to a production watch, and we can only hope that it is a signal for things to come.

Zenith x Felipe Pantone – Defy Double Tourbillon Felipe Pantone

All of your chromatic dreams come true – Defy Double Tourbillon Felipe Pantone brings the artist’s chromatic artistic inspiration to the wrist in an amazing 46mm sapphire case. A rainbow for the wrist, the multi-coloured finishings are applied to an El Primero 9020 movement that features one tourbillon for timekeeping and one for the chronograph itself, beating at 5Hz and 50Hz respectively. Accompanying the watch will be an artwork made by the artist himself. Two whirlwinds are better than one, and with this watch and the accompanying artwork, it will undoubtedly be a colourful one at that.

In order to remain fresh and relevant though, one area in which the watch industry enjoys experimentation is through different dial colours – we have often seen blue, grey and tones of brown make their debuts throughout the years. In the last two years however, we have seen a verdant explosion of green dials, not only in models focused for more casual wear, but also permeating through classically designed watches as well. In 2021, we have seen this trend persist through the releases at the recent Watches and Wonders show in Geneva – here we will explore some of the best green watches that have been released this year.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Green

The Art Deco legend from La Grande Maison receives the green treatment this year, with a sunburst finishing radiating from the centre of its dial that brings subtle changes to its appearance, depending on the way the light hits it. Everything else is classic Reverso, including a small seconds indicator, Dauphine hands and the emblematic Art Deco gadroons at the top and bottom of its swivelling case. The reverse side is a blank canvas – for the owner to leave clean as a reminder of its Polo origins, or for personalisation (models of the past are renowned for having their owner’s initials engraved on the reverse side). The watch is mounted on a green calf-skin strap in the signature Casa Fagliano style with the stitched fold close to the lugs, and powering the watch is the in-house Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2 – a manually wound shaped movement that features in much of the Reverso line.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-014 with Green Dial

With the “it” watch of the last few years being discontinued, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711 has its last hurrah with the 5711/1A-014, featuring a subtle olive green dial to be produced for the year of 2021 only. The rest remains familiar – its Gerald Genta design featuring a case and bracelet that has a strong interplay between its satin brushed and polished elements, requiring 55 steps in the process of its finissage. It is a watch that has remained bold in its execution since 1976, with its porthole-inspired design embodying a casual elegance that is virtually unmatched by other watches of a similar ilk. Housed within the stainless steel case is an improved version of Patek Philippe’s reliable Calibre 324 S C – the 26-330 S C upgrades this movement with an improved winding system and hacking seconds. All in all, a fitting send off for the legendary Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A, something that is sure to have collectors champing at the bit to get their hands on one.

Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K

For what was originally meant to be a tribute to tool watches of yore, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight welcomes a precious metal version in 18K Yellow Gold with a green dial in 2021. Sporting an entirely brushed finish, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K manages to make this usually loud material into something rather understated, and even suggests a form of utilitarian toughness. The green of this dial is also slightly muted, whilst simultaneously complementing the yellow gold case with its gilt markers and Snowflake hands. It may not make sense at first, but once you take a deeper dive with the watch, there is an intangible understanding of the method behind the madness. Housed within the 200m water resistant case is the Tudor in-house Calibre MT5400, that is visible behind a sapphire crystal caseback – a rarity amongst watches from Tudor.

Rolex Datejust 36 with Palm Motif Dial

Evoking a lush green tropical forest, the Rolex Datejust 36 with Palm Motif Dial brings the essence of the wild to the wrist. This watch exhibits Rolex’s commitment to dial-making, showing off the Palm Motif in two shades of green, on an olive green background. Whilst this may sound like the colours would blend into each other, the reality is that the shades are distinctive enough for the Palm Motif to be made out, even at just a glance. This variant was presented to us in an Oystersteel case with domed bezel, mounted on an Oyster bracelet. Housed within the 36mm case is the Rolex Calibre 3235, with additions such as the Chronergy escapement that aids with movement efficiency and enabling a 70 hour power reserve, as well as holding the Rolex Superlative Chronometer certification –  guaranteeing timekeeping thresholds of -2/+2 seconds per day.

Panerai Luminor Marina eSteel PAM01356, Verde Smeraldo

A green dial for an environmentally friendly watch – fitting for a watch featuring the debut of Panerai’s eSteel. The case of the Luminor Marina eSteel contains 89 grams of recycled steel, which, out of the 152.4 grams of the total weight of the watch, comprises 58.4% of the total weight. This includes the trademark crown-protection system that is the signature element of the Panerai Luminor line. This development is remarkable, because it signifies the arrival of Panerai into sustainable watch manufacturing, whereas many other watch manufactures will use virgin  material for the construction of their watches. This notion of sustainability goes right down to the strap and buckle – the strap being crafted out of recycled textiles, and the buckle being hewn from the same eSteel as the watch case. Powering the watch is the in-house Calibre P.9010, automatically wound with 3 days of power reserve. The Verde Smeraldo version, PAM01356, is a boutique and eCommerce exclusive – if you want one of the greenest watches out there (literally and figuratively), best to talk to Panerai as soon as you can.

Cartier Tank Must

Bringing back an aesthetic of the 80s back into the present-day, the new Cartier Tank Must features a set of three monochromatic colours that echo the spirit of the original Tank Must models of the late 70s and early 80s. In particular, a Green dial version is the latest addition to this series, having never before been offered in the Must collection of yore. A vibrant addition to the series, the green is certainly vibrant and eye-catching. The watches feature a dial with no markings – freeing itself from traditional watchmaking design cues, and creating a clean slate of colour. Housed in a stainless steel case, the Tank Must is powered by a Quartz movement, and mounted on a matching strap respective to its dial colour.

Montblanc Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 – Lime Gold

Minerva is undoubtedly the unsung hero of Montblanc, creating some of the finest watches that the industry has to offer. For 2021, the brand introduces a slight variation of green to their Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 – a case crafted of their exclusive material, Lime Gold. An 18K alloy of Gold (750 parts/1000), Silver (238 parts/1000) and Iron (12 parts/1000), this combination gives a distinctive greenish hue to what is normally a yellow metal. The intended effect is to evoke a sense of vintage aesthetics through its colour – combined with the Cathedral hands, green numerals and the gold coloured dial, the watch certainly evokes the sense that it is from another era. This combined with the colimacon (snail) tachymetre scale, further reinforces the old-world feel of this watch. When the watch is turned over and viewed through the sapphire crystal caseback, we see the gorgeous Minerva Calibre MB M16.31 – traditionally hand finished with bridges crafted of German Silver that has been coated with 18k gold. A manually-wound, monopusher split-second chronograph movement, the watch contains two column wheels to control the chronograph and its ingenious split second mechanism.

IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 – Green Dial

The IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is traditionally a design that is conservative, with a black dial echoing the original “Mark” series wrist watches first issued to the RAF in the late 40s and 50s. In recent times, however, we have seen blue and brown dials, paying tribute to Le Petit Prince and Antoine de Saint Exupery respectively. For Watches and Wonders 2021, we see an unusual addition to this line, a green dial version of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 in regular production. Appearing as a rich, dark green, it almost resembles British Racing Green in its tones – the sunburst finishing on the dial definitely helps with this. This new model also features the brand’s EasX-CHANGE system, that enables quick strap changes between bracelet and leather options. Housed within the watch is the in-house Calibre 69385 movement, an Automatic Chronograph movement visible from its sapphire crystal caseback.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer – Green Dial Titanium

The Aquaracer, is a favourite first watch for many people who like watches (certainly in Australia), and this year, it has been given a facelift and an upgrade, particularly in the materials department. Most notably, the green version of this watch now features a titanium case and bracelet, bringing lightness and comfort to this model, in addition to its toughness and high water resistance. The horizontal ridges of the previous models are retained, whilst the ceramic bezel now features a sunburst brushing with a yellow triangle at 12. The bracelet clasp also receives an upgrade, now equipped with a fine adjustment system that is operational even whilst the watch is on the wrist. Housed within the titanium case is the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 Automatic, featuring the date at 6 o’clock.

Speake-Marin One&Two Openworked Dual Time Mint

Bold and contemporary with its choice of colour, the Speake-Marin One&Two Openworked is a mint green number with a DLC coated case. Coming in either 38mm or 42mm case sizes, the brand’s signature Piccadilly case is modernised to enable a better fit on the wrist by integrating the strap closer to the case itself. This duality of the anachronistic, yet modern case lends itself to the movement that hosts the audacious choices of colour. The Calibre SMA02 incorporates darkened bridges on the dial side, as well as a mint green backdrop that accentuates these structures. In addition, the subdials at 1:30 and 9:00 (for the sub-seconds and the dual time respectively), feature mint green accents for an extra colour pop. The movement is also wound through a micro-rotor, and also features a retrograde date underneath the seconds subdial.

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept La Cotes aux Fees Edition

Coming in at only 2mm thick, the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept remains the thinnest mechanical watch in the world – to honour the place where Piaget continues to further the art of ultra-thin, the brand unveils the Altiplano Ultimate Concept La Cotes Aux Fees Edition, with green integrated components that echo the forests and green fields that surround the manufacture. This watch began its journey in 2018 as a true concept watch, and it was unknown to the public whether this would become a production piece. In 2020, a production version was realised, officially making it the thinnest mechanical watch in regular production. The case, mainplate and bezel is all one piece, and is machined out of a cobalt alloy for rigidity. All of the movement components are placed into the case to reduce its case height to the extremes, and even the crown is rectangular and telescopic to reduce the overall thickness of the watch.

Green on watches is a colour that, when done right, can be incredibly wearable and complementary to many wardrobes. In addition, some of these watches with exceptional colour hold exceptional movements, as seen in some of the examples above. We at ISOCHRONO believe that there is no doubt that green is here to stay, being a welcome addition to many watch collections.

In a 10 minute long presentation on the TAG Heuer website, given by CEO of TAG Heuer Frédéric Arnault and Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG, both brands will be starting what they describe, as the “Strongest Ever” a global brand partnership between a watch brand and a car manufacturer.

It’s a partnership that makes sense since each has iconic products that bear the same name -“Carrera”.

In Porsche’s case, it was in honour of their win in the Carrera Panamericana race of 1954 that they christened their most powerful engine ‘Carrera’. Since then, the name has been used throughout the iconic 911 sports car’s history. In modern times the “Carrera” name is used to refer to the standard 911.

TAG Heuer is of course known for the Carrera Chronograph, a watch that was introduced in 1963 by the great grandson of “Heuer” founder Edouard Heuer, Jack Heuer. His new watch was designed to allow drivers to tell and measure the time quickly, in the heat of a race. Jack Heuer also used the “Carrera” name, meaning Spanish for “race”, after what the watch was designed to be used for.

There were no other specifics announced during the presentation, with such details probably coming out later, but there is a new watch that will be introduced to celebrate the new partnership.

The new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition features a dial with an asphalt finish, Porsche numerals, as well as the Porsche logo in red on the ceramic bezel. The winding rotor of the in-house Heuer 02 movement is also shaped like the Porsche steering wheel. Finally the calf leather strap will feature white stitching, echoing the interior of a Porsche 911.

The rest of the watch will be familiar to TAG Heuer fans. The case measures 44mm wide and is in stainless steel with a black ceramic bezel and is 100 metres water resistant. 80 hours of power reserve are provided by the Heuer 02 movement, which comes with a vertical clutch and column wheel.

Two versions of the watch are available, one on bracelet (CBN2A1F.BA0643 – SGD8,500 / CHF5,900) and the other on the leather strap (CBN2A1F.FC6492 – SGD8,250 / CHF5,700) with information on each posted online at tagheuer.com.

It’s good news that this partnership has been teased to the watch media for some time since it does imply a high level of commitment and intention that both parties bring to the table.

While some might say that car and watch brands partnerships make sense on an intuitive level, history has shown that unless the resulting watches and the surrounding marketing campaign are done properly, the end result can be a disappointment to both parties and result in failure after some time.

What works in TAG Heuer’s favour however is the “Carrera” link from motorsport history, and the fact that LVMH stable Hublot, has been running, what is in my opinion, the most successful car and watch brand partnership with Ferrari.

If TAG Heuer are setting their sights on surpassing that high benchmark, then given what the brand is capable of, the odds are that this partnership will go the distance and might be the most important one for the brand in the coming future.

The Heuer 02 movement provides a great basic platform from which the new Porsche watches can be built, and the TAG Heuer Research Institute run by ex-TAG Heuer General Manager, Guy Sémon, might be able to expand the offer by way of exotic movements and technologies.

From a design perspective, Porsche can provide some of their DNA into the new watches, since they are no slouch when it comes to watch design themselves, with their iconic Porsche Design watches.

Looks like they’ll be some great things coming along from this and I’m personally looking forward to a TAG Heuer Carrera 02T Tourbillon with some Porsche DNA. That should be really cool.

The Golden Goose (Baselworld) is finally dead

In a press release sent out by the LVMH group, they, the only significant group of brands that includes Hublot, Zenith, TAG Heuer and Bvlgari, have confirmed their departure as well.

The most telling part of the press release states: 

“Within the context of clearly weakened representation of the Swiss watch industry and hence inevitably lower participation, it appears clear to the brands composing the Division and the House of Bvlgari that they must also withdraw to preserve their image and their relations with their clients as well as the media.” 

Jean Claude Biver, who famously declared that the brands under his charge would never leave Baselworld, said: “Grouping the entire Swiss watch industry in a single location, Geneva – the historical capital of watchmaking – and around a single date, is a major opportunity to ast last revive a sector that all too many divisions and divergent interests have weakened compared to the rest of the luxury sector in which Bvlgari is active and that is making much faster progress. We are looking forward to Geneva in April 2021, even though we still need to define the terms of our participation, which we will specify in the coming weeks.”

It’s a sad day, and the final nail in the coffin of the venerable fair that has been a mainstay in the world of Swiss watchmaking for over one hundred years. Great empires crumble all the time throughout history, and one of the main reasons is corrupt, weak and ineffective leadership. 

MCH Group (owner of the Baselworld fair) publishes the worst press release ever

How will Baselworld ever recover from this?

In the context of the Swiss watch industry and its dominance in mechanical watchmaking, the launch of the original TAG Heuer Connected smartwatch in 2015 might have been seen as a controversial move, a reaction to the encroaching threat posed by the Apple watch and its ilk. Today however, there is no question that it was a prescient one, with the Connected watches having carved out a firm position in the brand’s regular offerings, and being the best selling watch series that TAG Heuer has ever released in its history.

Today marks the launch of the third generation, now called the “2020 Connected”. The key improvements are a new case design, additional chronograph style pushers and a heart rate sensor that brings the capabilities of the watch in line with other dominant players in its category. It’s the same 45mm size, but the case has been re-contoured to make it sit closer and more securely on the wrist.

The older watches tended to sit higher and jut out just so, slightly on the border of being comfortable. The new case though is only 0.4mm thinner, yet because of the redesigned shape of the lugs, in hand it feels smaller somehow. On the wrist, this impression is carried through as well, as the new watch just feels more planted. Aesthetically, everything else is just that little bit more worked through, like the now flushed sapphire crystal, and the ceramic bezel with a reworked antennae now hidden underneath.

The new 2020 Connected will also differ by being offered in stainless steel, moving away from the only option of titanium from previous generations. This is, according to TAG Heuer, to give the choice of an aesthetic of polished accents on a stainless steel case for a more traditional watch look, something a little difficult to achieve with the matte surface of titanium.The watch runs WearOS by Google, and now comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip instead of the Intel one previously. There is an app that you can download to your mobile phone, that allows you to manage your exercise records, and to set up the watch just the way you want it more easily.

Now, I had the chance to try the first generation Connected before, and even attended the launch in 2015 in New York to be part of the action. At the time I was somewhat bothered by the fact that a Swiss watch brand known for its mechanical chronographs would come up with a  smartwatch, infused with foreign technologies that were disingenuous to the watchmaking tradition from where the brand had come from.

Yet when I handled the watch, I realised that it was the perfect option for the tech savvy customer, who wanted a little more craft and luxury from his smartwatch than what was available at the time with cheaper options. Yes, I surmised, a market did exist for a watch like this, and it was proven by the fact that the watch was sold out on the day it was launched, and that subsequently TAG Heuer would sell more units of it than another other watch it had ever made.

However the one thing that I lamented about it, that prevented me personally from wanting one was the lack of a heart rate sensor. It was a smartwatch yes, but what good was it when it was unable to measure my heart rate when I would go on a run. So instead of the one off solution that it looked like it could be, I realised that I would have to return to my mechanical watches for everyday wear, and then a Garmin smartwatch when I exercised.

Leaving this aside, it was a nice experience overall of course, the joy of being connected to my phone and and receiving alerts on my wrist, with a number of useful apps was great, yet was the perfect hybrid of a serious exercise tool and a smart everyday watch, it was not to be.

With the 2020 Connected today, I’m glad to say that this is no longer true. This is finally the luxury smartwatch crafted for performance, a watch that can accompany you on your runs, and also wear nicely for every day use to the office or for on a casual weekend. There is no longer any compromise.

Helping this possibility is the easily interchangeable straps and metal bracelet (steel or titanium available), with many colours and options, including a mock alligator print rubber strap, that can be used for exercise, rinsed off, and then worn to the office. Now that’s versatility.

The modular concept that was introduced with the previous generation of Connected watches, in which watch heads could be swapped out easily to change from a mechanical one to a smartwatch one has been discontinued, as is the option of exchanging your Connected watch to a mechanical one with a cash top up after three years. The latter option was found to be unpopular with customers, as most wanted a clear distinction between their watches, and not a changeable hybrid. So now the 2020 Connected will exist as its own thing, and that is certainly welcome.

The new 2020 Connected comes in a travel pouch for easy storage, and it also holds the USB C cable that connects to a small magnetic dock for charging. It’s all one small little package that makes everything easier.

At launch time, only the stainless steel versions are available – there are three to choose from, with two on rubber strap with either a ceramic or steel bezel – 1750CHF/2550SGD,  and also a version on bracelet with ceramic bezel 1900CHF/2750SGD. An additional premium version in black DLC titanium on rubber strap will come in April, and that will be 2300CHF/SGD3300.

Find out more at tagheuer.com

So I saw a video today from a Youtube channel that I follow by IDGuy that promises to make things easier. Have a look at it at the link below, and try it out.

How did I get on? Have a look here, with my TAG Heuer Tourbillon 02T.For me, it definitely looks neater, and the only downside is that the watch is a little fiddly to put on, since it take some dexterity with the fingers to do it properly. Try it, and let me know how you get on in the comments. Also do check out IDGuy’s channel for more interesting content.

Thanks IDGuy for the cool video!

An Owner’s View of the TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon 02T