Hi Heuer fans, I would love to buy a Monaco , certain dials I love more then others, but my main question here is to do with the movements. As far as I know , the most common are listed in the title above. There may not be an answer to this question as which is best, but what are the pros and cons for each in a direct comparison. I know only some dials only come with certain movements , this is purely movement related . Cheers

 

I'm not really sure what you're after. Most buy a Monaco because of its looks and heritage.

The Monaco 24's Calibre 36 movement is based on the Zenith El Primero, which is very highly regarded. The downside for me is that these watches are large and not the traditional looking Monaco. Power reserve is about 50 hours. But if you want to buy a Monaco based on its movement, this might be one for you.

The Heuer 02 is TAG Heuer's in-house premium movement with 80 hours of power reserve, it's regarded as better than the Calibre 11 or 12. If you're into having "In-House", this is the one.

The C11 & C12 are basically the same, based on ETA and later Sellita with a with a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module. The main difference is the C11 movement is modified to accommodate the left side crown. Power reserve is 48 hours. The C12 has basically been replaced by the H02 Monaco. If you want the vintage look of the original Calibre 11 Monaco of 1969, the current C11 movement is your only option. Many feel the C11 Monaco's lofty price tag merits a better movement than something based on ETA/Sellita; this is probably the biggest negative. But IMHO, it's more about perception than the movement itself.

 

^ Perfect answer

 

I dont own the C11/12 but I can give you my thoughts on the H02

Pros
- Looks good
- Developed and manufactured by TAG Heuer which feels a bit cooler
- Long power reserve, I hardly ever wind it
- Efficient winding system, the rotor spins and roars like a sports car when you wear it
- Excellent feeling to operate the chronograph

Cons
- That roaring rotor sometimes sounds very loud. I've had people asking me in a quiet room "what the hell is that weird sound?"
- The crazy spinning rotor sometimes make it feel as if the whole watch is wobbling on your wrist
- There were some reliability issues in the early days of this movement, we hope that TAG has fixed these by now, hopefully nothing to worry about if you go for the recently released H02 Monacos

 

Here is a video I shot so people can know what to expect in terms of sound from the movement. Of course the camera is close to the watch so it will not be this loud irl but like I said, every now and then you can definitely hear it when it is on wrist

 

Wow yes, it does spin, I’m sure my Heuer 01 doesn’t make half as much noise, but maybe it’s nice to have a living , breathing movement to know it’s with you.

 

Thanks for the detailed description , I must admit I do like the gulf dial with the winder on the left, so that would be the cal 11. Let’s hope that maybe they build a H02 in the same configuration in the future as I would still like an in-house movement for 4000 pounds.

 

Yes the Heuer01 is much less noisy, that rotor doesn't spin like a maniac

 

Rumor has it there will be a Gulf themed H02 Monaco early 2022, no crown on the left though

 

Oh maybe I will wait a little longer then for the H02, or try and find a good pre-owned cal. 11 while I wait. I got my carrera H01 with a good discount from Bicester recently, but I never see Monaco’s there for sale.

 

Both my H02 weren’t that noisy. This sounds like it needs some WD40

 

It's not so much that it's a noisy movement - my cal 17 was just as loud - it's the fact that the Heuer02 is so free spinning (think of a fidget spinner) and it goes on for ages, that it makes it so noticeable.

 

I'm not sure if they can adapt the Calibre Heuer 02 for a left sided crown

 

Agree Charlie.
My JH 80th is quite noisy too.
But not like the 02.

 

Yes good point! But still, its actually louder than others for instance the H01 or the 2824 in my Breitling. But like I stated, the video makes it sound extreme, of course it is not as noticeable on wrist.

Unlike everyone else here I think I might be the only one who would prefer if the movement was silent and less wobbly. To me that would be more "sophisticated" for a watch at this pricepoint.

 

I'm not really sure how to answer your query since I'm not sure if we are talking purely about different movements or different models with the same movement? For example, the Calibre Heuer 02 has been housed from 39mm (Glassbox Carreras / Monaco), 42mm (Carrera Elegant, Autavia Chrono), 43mm (skeleton Carrera), 44mm (Carrera Sports, Fragment F1) and 45mm (skeleton Carrera & tourbillon Carrera) and there have been noted differences in the same movement with different models.

It was already mentioned earlier that Calibre 11 and Calibre 12 are basically the same ETA/Sellita + DD. They offer reliable time in my experience. Calibre 36 is an El Primero movement. Only a few TH models acquired this movement and I have no issues in mine so far. Calibre Heuer 02 is probably IMHO, the best "mass-produced chronograph automatic movement" for a 3-6-9 register layout with column wheel and vertical clutch. Noise is not a dealbreaker for me, the feeling of the rotor movement is a plus in my experience and also keeps reliable time, the 80 hour power reserve is more than enough to last you over a weekend break

 

You're not the only one. My Rolex and Tudor are both pretty silent and smooth, and it does feel more premium that way. That said, I tend to only notice the Heuer 02 when surroundings are quiet and my wrist is nearer to my ear. Maybe a couple of times a day I'll notice it. In normal use, it tends not to bother me at all.

 

I reckon the 02 is just slightly noisier than the 7750, that bugger spins for ages also.

 

I agree. It’s doesn’t bother me much but I have a BB58 also and it is silent. I do wonder why this couldn’t have been so.

that said, omega’s latest coaxial movements are noisy too by all accounts.

 

Wow didn't know that loud. Reminds me off something from a kid but cannot put my finger on it.