Baselworld 2016- Diary/ Reactions

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I googled for "best watches of Baselworld 2016", and it appears Tag Heuer made a positive impression with its offerings, particularly the Monza and the Heuer 02 tourbillon. Non-watch snob publications had the most to say.

Ablogtowatch: Top 10 Totally New Watches Of Baselworld 2016
On the Heuer 02: We love this watch because it an exercise in appealing to a younger generation of watch collectors with little regard to the old way of doing things or worry about messing with expectations in the Swiss watch world. TAG Heuer has placed an automatic chronograph tourbillon in a sporty watch that you can actually wear every day, and it has no interest in appealing to the traditional crowd. The piece is a testament to what the brand is going to do more of, and I feel that Jean-Claude Biver has succeeded in taking away a lot of long-held limitations of what you can and cannot do. By making the TAG Heuer DNA fluid and offering a sporty, fresh-looking tourbillon at a price of $15,900, Biver is bringing some long-held expectations down to earth.

Ablogtowatch: Top 10 Existing Watch Updates Debuted At Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: A real old-school tool watch "the way they used to make 'em," the TAG Heuer Monza epitomizes the benefits of designing the old-fashioned way. It's cool-looking, legible, and a successful reissue of a Heuer Classic. TAG Heuer bypassed over-wrought design and presented a straightforward piece that looks like the vintage model but with modern additions like the Calibre 17 movement. In short, it's a reissue done right, and other brands can take a note on how it's done with the TAG Heuer Monza. Price for this watch is $5,250.

Men's Journal: The 12 Best Watches at Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: A return to its racing roots sees the return of the iconic Monza watch, first created by Jack Heuer in 1976 to celebrate F1 legend Niki Lauda’s first world championship title with Scuderia Ferrari, the racing team for which the Swiss watch brand was then official timekeeper. This modern 42mm version is the first to include both the tachymeter and pulsometer scales within the cushion-shaped case as well as the original type font on the all-black matte look dial.

AskMen: The Best Watches Of Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: In 1976, Jack Heuer designed a watch to celebrate Niki Lauder's first championship win with Ferrari. This is a reissue of that model, its racing heritage there for all to see in the sporty dashboard stylings inside a distinctive cushion-shaped case. The key features are the pulsometer and tachymeter skirting the edge, even if your eye is drawn to the two symmetrical dials (a minute chronograph and running seconds) and that handsome perforated strap. A timepiece for proper petrolheads.

Bloomberg Pursuits: Seven Watches That Geeks Will Freak for in 2016
On the Monza: Every year Tag Heuer releases a new watch inspired by a vintage piece in its museum. This year, it came up with the Monza, a 42 mm chronograph with a black titanium case. It was modeled after a watch made 40 years ago, also called the Monza, after the Formula 1 track in Italy where in 1975 Niki Lauda solidified his World Championship win. In 1976, Jack Heuer gave the watch to the Ferrari F1 team, which is why you’ll note this version has the old Heuer logo (without the Tag). It will be made in a limited edition and cost $5,200.

Hodinkee: Arthur's Favorite Watches From Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: With the help of Jean-Claude Biver, TAG Heuer is once again grabbing headlines. Disruptive watches such as the Connected and the Carerra Heuer-02T have created a lot of buzz, but what I’m much more excited about are the re-editions of their racing chronographs. Following the announcement of the Autavia’s comeback in 2017, TAG Heuer unveiled a beautiful new Monza Chronograph. It’s been completely rebuilt around Calibre 17, but it borrows the iconic color scheme of the original. I was initially turned off by its size when the official diameter was announced (42 mm) but the cushion shape of the case and its black robe make it feel smaller in person.

Esquire: The 7 Most Amazing, Risk-Taking Watches from Baselworld 2016
On the Heuer 02: Introducing the concept of "affordable" haute horology to TAG Heuer comes a COSC-certified automatic chronograph with a surprising feature: a flying tourbillon. The "Controle Official Suisse des Chronometers" or "COSC" is an independent-testing organization that guarantees that a chronometer meets the highest standard of accuracy and was a tremendous buzzword used at this year's fair. The tough industrial look of the watch is totally fantastic, and the biggest shock of all is the price: 15,000 CHF (approximately $15,500) for a standard version, or a 250-piece, limited-edition "Black Phantom" version that costs 19,900 CHF (about $20,500). For point of reference, most tourbillons in the market are usually priced around four times this amount.

Esquire: The 15 Best Watches From Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: A satisfying mix of understated style and road worthy functionality, the newest iteration of Tag Heuer's classic cushion-shaped Monza (the first in six years) is perhaps the most discreet to date. Featuring a brushed an dpolished titanium carbide case, it's as hard working as it is good looking.

GQ: The Watches We Want Now We're Back from Baselworld
On the Heuer 02: Having launched the only credible Swiss response to the burgeoning smart watch market with the Carrera-clad Connected watch, TAG Heuer similarly disrupted the "haute horlogerie" world with its ultra-well priced tourbillon piece. Now you can have a piece of watch-making history for just £12,100.

Men's Health: 10 Best Watches from Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: Tag Heuer’s Monza is based on a watch launched in 1976 to commemorate Nikki Lauda’s Formula One World Championship win. It’s been through various guises over its 40-year history but the re-launched version shown at this year’s Basel is based on the original, with a black dial and 42mm case, larger than the original.

Watchuseek: Baselworld 2016: Best of the Best by Price
On the Monza: Tag Heuer presents the re-edition of Monza. It is a numbered special edition series (not limited). There is heavy emphasis on resurrecting the old Heuer that has the pre-TAG logo, fonts, as well as pulsometer and tachymeter on the dial.

Kempt: The Five Coolest Watches from Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: Tag Heuer decided to bring back the Monza 40 years after Niki Lauda wore one while winning a race on the fabled racetrack of the same name. It was a good decision.
 
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Wasn't the 02T last years news? Feels like they had a lot more to show off last year, 01, 02, Connected. This year it's just Monza and some stuff they announced last year. Supprised not to see a modular aquaracer and something Connected.
 
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dtf dtf
Wasn't the 02T last years news? Feels like they had a lot more to show off last year, 01, 02, Connected. This year it's just Monza and some stuff they announced last year. Supprised not to see a modular aquaracer and something Connected.
Yes it was. But it wasn't officially showcased at Baselworld 2015, until this year. Since this is still a bit of a "transition year", based on what JCB has said on his interviews, I'd expect bigger reveals next year and in 2018.

Speaking about Heuer-02, it was featured as a "Top 5 Mechanical Marvels of Baselworld 2016" by TheWatches.tv
 
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^ Some really amazing mechanisms in that video. I wish they showed the Heuer 02 in action with everything moving inside.
 
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I googled for "best watches of Baselworld 2016", and it appears Tag Heuer made a positive impression with its offerings, particularly the Monza and the Heuer 02 tourbillon. Non-watch snob publications had the most to say.

Ablogtowatch: Top 10 Totally New Watches Of Baselworld 2016
On the Heuer 02: We love this watch because it an exercise in appealing to a younger generation of watch collectors with little regard to the old way of doing things or worry about messing with expectations in the Swiss watch world. TAG Heuer has placed an automatic chronograph tourbillon in a sporty watch that you can actually wear every day, and it has no interest in appealing to the traditional crowd. The piece is a testament to what the brand is going to do more of, and I feel that Jean-Claude Biver has succeeded in taking away a lot of long-held limitations of what you can and cannot do. By making the TAG Heuer DNA fluid and offering a sporty, fresh-looking tourbillon at a price of $15,900, Biver is bringing some long-held expectations down to earth.

Ablogtowatch: Top 10 Existing Watch Updates Debuted At Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: A real old-school tool watch "the way they used to make 'em," the TAG Heuer Monza epitomizes the benefits of designing the old-fashioned way. It's cool-looking, legible, and a successful reissue of a Heuer Classic. TAG Heuer bypassed over-wrought design and presented a straightforward piece that looks like the vintage model but with modern additions like the Calibre 17 movement. In short, it's a reissue done right, and other brands can take a note on how it's done with the TAG Heuer Monza. Price for this watch is $5,250.

Men's Journal: The 12 Best Watches at Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: A return to its racing roots sees the return of the iconic Monza watch, first created by Jack Heuer in 1976 to celebrate F1 legend Niki Lauda’s first world championship title with Scuderia Ferrari, the racing team for which the Swiss watch brand was then official timekeeper. This modern 42mm version is the first to include both the tachymeter and pulsometer scales within the cushion-shaped case as well as the original type font on the all-black matte look dial.

AskMen: The Best Watches Of Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: In 1976, Jack Heuer designed a watch to celebrate Niki Lauder's first championship win with Ferrari. This is a reissue of that model, its racing heritage there for all to see in the sporty dashboard stylings inside a distinctive cushion-shaped case. The key features are the pulsometer and tachymeter skirting the edge, even if your eye is drawn to the two symmetrical dials (a minute chronograph and running seconds) and that handsome perforated strap. A timepiece for proper petrolheads.

Bloomberg Pursuits: Seven Watches That Geeks Will Freak for in 2016
On the Monza: Every year Tag Heuer releases a new watch inspired by a vintage piece in its museum. This year, it came up with the Monza, a 42 mm chronograph with a black titanium case. It was modeled after a watch made 40 years ago, also called the Monza, after the Formula 1 track in Italy where in 1975 Niki Lauda solidified his World Championship win. In 1976, Jack Heuer gave the watch to the Ferrari F1 team, which is why you’ll note this version has the old Heuer logo (without the Tag). It will be made in a limited edition and cost $5,200.

Hodinkee: Arthur's Favorite Watches From Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: With the help of Jean-Claude Biver, TAG Heuer is once again grabbing headlines. Disruptive watches such as the Connected and the Carerra Heuer-02T have created a lot of buzz, but what I’m much more excited about are the re-editions of their racing chronographs. Following the announcement of the Autavia’s comeback in 2017, TAG Heuer unveiled a beautiful new Monza Chronograph. It’s been completely rebuilt around Calibre 17, but it borrows the iconic color scheme of the original. I was initially turned off by its size when the official diameter was announced (42 mm) but the cushion shape of the case and its black robe make it feel smaller in person.

Esquire: The 7 Most Amazing, Risk-Taking Watches from Baselworld 2016
On the Heuer 02: Introducing the concept of "affordable" haute horology to TAG Heuer comes a COSC-certified automatic chronograph with a surprising feature: a flying tourbillon. The "Controle Official Suisse des Chronometers" or "COSC" is an independent-testing organization that guarantees that a chronometer meets the highest standard of accuracy and was a tremendous buzzword used at this year's fair. The tough industrial look of the watch is totally fantastic, and the biggest shock of all is the price: 15,000 CHF (approximately $15,500) for a standard version, or a 250-piece, limited-edition "Black Phantom" version that costs 19,900 CHF (about $20,500). For point of reference, most tourbillons in the market are usually priced around four times this amount.

Esquire: The 15 Best Watches From Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: A satisfying mix of understated style and road worthy functionality, the newest iteration of Tag Heuer's classic cushion-shaped Monza (the first in six years) is perhaps the most discreet to date. Featuring a brushed an dpolished titanium carbide case, it's as hard working as it is good looking.

GQ: The Watches We Want Now We're Back from Baselworld
On the Heuer 02: Having launched the only credible Swiss response to the burgeoning smart watch market with the Carrera-clad Connected watch, TAG Heuer similarly disrupted the "haute horlogerie" world with its ultra-well priced tourbillon piece. Now you can have a piece of watch-making history for just £12,100.

Men's Health: 10 Best Watches from Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: Tag Heuer’s Monza is based on a watch launched in 1976 to commemorate Nikki Lauda’s Formula One World Championship win. It’s been through various guises over its 40-year history but the re-launched version shown at this year’s Basel is based on the original, with a black dial and 42mm case, larger than the original.

Watchuseek: Baselworld 2016: Best of the Best by Price
On the Monza: Tag Heuer presents the re-edition of Monza. It is a numbered special edition series (not limited). There is heavy emphasis on resurrecting the old Heuer that has the pre-TAG logo, fonts, as well as pulsometer and tachymeter on the dial.

Kempt: The Five Coolest Watches from Baselworld 2016
On the Monza: Tag Heuer decided to bring back the Monza 40 years after Niki Lauda wore one while winning a race on the fabled racetrack of the same name. It was a good decision.

Great analysis @calibre11user Agree that the Monza in particular really hit the mark with journos...most of whom tend to drool over the LE watches and ignore the watches that most people actually buy!
 
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Calibre11 D.C
most of whom tend to drool over the LE watches and ignore the watches that most people actually buy!

Isn't the Monza a limited edition though? I thought I'd read that it was going to be 2000 pcs.
 
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Isn't the Monza a limited edition though? I thought I'd read that it was going to be 2000 pcs.
Limited for sure, but I've read conflicting stories about whether or not it will be numbered:
http://www.calibre11.com/first-look-2016-heuer-monza-calibre-17-40th-anniversary/
The 2016 Monza will be limited to 2000 watches, with pricing yet to be confirmed. Swiss pricing is CHF4,900, which is the same price as the Carrera Heuer-01, to give you a point of reference for your local market.
DOS_CR2080.FC6375_2016_HD.jpg
But then this surfaced:
http://www.fratellowatches.com/tag-heuer-monza/
The TAG Heuer Monza will be a limited edition but not numbered, so let’s see how tough it is to source.
 
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Some conclusions from TheWatches.tv
This year’s edition of Baselworld started in a different climate then previous years with everyone talking about the gentle slowdown of the industry. After 15 years of uninterrupted growth, watchmaking is now facing a more challenging environment and brands have to adapt to this with better positioned collections. But this trend can be experienced in almost every industry worldwide and there are no reasons why watchmakers would not be affected by this.

Never the less, we were able to see some pretty cool timepieces, a bit less exuberant than what we’ve been accustomed to, but overall creativity is still there and thanks to the independents there was some exciting novelties presented.

Attendance was a bit lower, but there was still a lot of interest from the public and journalists for what remains the biggest watch show in the world.
 
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Limited for sure, but I've read conflicting stories about whether or not it will be numbered:
http://www.calibre11.com/first-look-2016-heuer-monza-calibre-17-40th-anniversary/

DOS_CR2080.FC6375_2016_HD.jpg
But then this surfaced:
http://www.fratellowatches.com/tag-heuer-monza/

The plan was for an LE run of 2000...and may still be. TAG Heuer has revised the numbers of several LE in recent years after Baselworld, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see it change...but the plan going into Baselworld was definitely 2000.