Retrospective -- The "First Generation" Glassbox Carreras

[Ara]

Mspeedster

It's great that the new glassbox is very successful, I'm happy for TAG Heuer. I'll probably own one someday, but the right one hasn't come along yet.

Would love to go behind the scenes at an AD one day and see who's buying them.

Jeff Stein

they can really fill the display cases and catalogs with these watches. The sales associates who I have spoken with are enthusiastic about Second Generation, as they never had many of the First Generation watches to actually sell.

That itself was a big issue for the first gen glassbox. Both my local ADs here in LA (Century City and Topanga) didn't even know the Blue Dreamer or Dato existed when I brought them in for show and tell.

 

[bpsmith]

So, the real question is did they make more of the new version or is it nowhere near as popular, considering there’s very little constraint on stock?

 

[Hubert]

I would love to see a re-launch of the heritage glassbox series in a slightly larger case (40 or 41mm), with non-rounded lugs and more accurate proportions, to avoid the watch looking bloated.

.

 

[Aquagraph]

Porsche editions are 'Special' editions, not limited editions as far as I'm aware...

 

[Mspeedster]

Hubert

I would love to see a re-launch of the heritage glassbox series in a slightly larger case (40 or 41mm), with non-rounded lugs and more accurate proportions, to avoid the watch looking bloated.

.

Sharper lugs would be welcomed. But upsizing to 41mm means a lug to lug of around 50mm in order to keep the proportions, which will make it wear & look large. That's why the 42mm Elegant and Glassbox Carreras have a shorter lug to lug of about 48mm to make them more wearable.

For reference, the original 36mm Carreras had a lug to lug of 45mm. The first gen 39mm heritage glassboxes are about 47.7mm lug to lug. So its relative proportions aren't far off. It would be a pretty neat trick for TAG to make it even bigger but some how capture the dainty elegant look of the vintage original, especially its long lugs.

 

[kappa_md]

The first generation glassbox was TH’s gift to Heuer/TH enthusiasts clamoring for a throwback to Heuer’s rich history and heritage

The newer / second generation has wider mass appeal as seen by mostly favorable reviews by watchblogs / YTers / watch enthusiasts.

TAG Heuer in the right direction? I hope so, time will tell

 

[kappa_md]

Just a slight correction sir @Jeff Stein with the article, the Hodinkee Skipper is also Calibre 18, together with the Telemeter & Blue Dreamer. Please correct me if I’m wrong


Also, great article & retro analysis! Thank you for sharing this with us. I have 4x 1st generation glassbox and now a proud owner of the 2nd generation glassbox Skipper which I’m enjoying every bit

 

[Jeff Stein]

kappa_md

Just a slight correction sir @Jeff Stein with the article, the Hodinkee Skipper is also Calibre 18, together with the Telemeter & Blue Dreamer. Please correct me if I’m wrong


Also, great article & retro analysis! Thank you for sharing this with us. I have 4x 1st generation glassbox and now a proud owner of the 2nd generation glassbox Skipper which I’m enjoying every bit

Thank you for the correction re the Calibre 18 movement in the Hodinkee Skipper . . . I have fixed it in the posting.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Stein]

Ara

Would love to go behind the scenes at an AD one day and see who's buying them.



That itself was a big issue for the first gen glassbox. Both my local ADs here in LA (Century City and Topanga) didn't even know the Blue Dreamer or Dato existed when I brought them in for show and tell.

Yes, there are many issues with the Limited Editions that are available only though TAGHeuer.com or the TAG Heuer Boutiques. Everyone seems to grumble -- the ADs get no watches to sell; the Boutiques usually face very limited supply; etc. Also, it is difficult for TAG Heuer to know how many to produce . . . how can we explain 100 of the Blue Dreamer but 1,000 of the Montreal?

 

[Hubert]

Mspeedster

Sharper lugs would be welcomed. But upsizing to 41mm means a lug to lug of around 50mm in order to keep the proportions, which will make it wear & look large. That's why the 42mm Elegant and Glassbox Carreras have a shorter lug to lug of about 48mm to make them more wearable.

For reference, the original 36mm Carreras had a lug to lug of 45mm. The first gen 39mm heritage glassboxes are about 47.7mm lug to lug. So its relative proportions aren't far off. It would be a pretty neat trick for TAG to make it even bigger but some how capture the dainty elegant look of the vintage original, especially its long lugs.

I'm going to reuse the image that I created in 2021.

I think sharpening the lugs and extending their separation would be the key to approximating the look of the originals and making the case look less bloated.

Here's my rough illustration where I copy pasted the lugs of the original over and extended the width of the strap.

Versus, here's the original photo:

 

[Mspeedster]

Hubert

I'm going to reuse the image that I created in 2021.

I think sharpening the lugs and extending their separation would be the key to approximating the look of the originals and making the case look less bloated.

Here's my rough illustration where I copy pasted the lugs of the original over and extended the width of the strap.

Versus, here's the original photo:

I agree on the 39mm. The proportions were slightly off, compounded with the rounded lugs and extra thickness, to make it look more bloated in comparison.

To have matched the proportions of the original's 36mm (width) x 45mm (length lug to lug) x 18mm (lug width)
the 39mm heritage glassbox should've been 39mm x 48.7mm (not 47.7mm) x 19.5mm (instead of 19mm)

That's just based on the math ratios. However, in order to visually maintain the long and broad shouldered look of the vintage Carrera's lugs, relative to the circular portion's 39mm size, the actual lug to lug length would need to be more than 49mm and the lug width broader than 20mm. This still would've been acceptable in the case of 39mm.

The problem is when you upsize to 41mm, to maintain the same look as original, the lug to lug will exceed 51mm and a lug width of around 22mm or more to achieve the same broad shoulders and long lug look. Which when placed on a table will look OK, but it will be fairly big on one's wrist, especially the 51+mm lug to lug.

 

[Mspeedster]

To further illustrate what I'm saying, here's @Jeff Stein's pic of his 42mm WoS next to a vintage 2447SN.


The 42mm Carrera has sharper lugs and a broad-shouldered lug width look (22mm), similar to the original relatively speaking. But the lug length is rather stubby in comparison. An acceptable trade off, as I find the 42mm Carrera quite wearable due to it's 48mm lug to lug.

In order have the same visual lug length on the 42mm, the lugs would need to be much longer, probably making the lug to lug well over 52mm. This would give it the same look (proportionately), but it wouldn't be very wearable for most.

 

[Hubert]

Good analysis.

The overall takeaway is that there are a several adjustments TH could try, in order to give us a new heritage case that looks better than the original. I just hope we don't have to wait years, to see it!

 

[imagwai]

Jeff Stein

Yes, there are many issues with the Limited Editions that are available only though TAGHeuer.com or the TAG Heuer Boutiques. Everyone seems to grumble -- the ADs get no watches to sell; the Boutiques usually face very limited supply; etc. Also, it is difficult for TAG Heuer to know how many to produce . . . how can we explain 100 of the Blue Dreamer but 1,000 of the Montreal?

The Blue Dreamer was commissioned by the Rake & Revolution, using up stock of Telemeter cases, and sold through their website. I expect the number chosen was what they felt confident committing to in terms of an order from Tag. Or it may perhaps have had something to do with how many cases they had left.

 

[Jeff Stein]

Hubert

Good analysis.

The overall takeaway is that there are a several adjustments TH could try, in order to give us a new heritage case that looks better than the original. I just hope we don't have to wait years, to see it!

I have no information how the design process actually works for new watches, but you have to believe that, in the era of quick and inexpensive 3D printing and CNC milling, TAG Heuer would have tried most or all of the approaches suggested on this forum. It's fun to play with Photoshop and the calipers, but I'm guessing that TAG Heuer was well ahead of us in designing the watches that we are discussing.

 

[dtf]

Jeff Stein

It's fun to play with Photoshop and the calipers, but I'm guessing that TAG Heuer was well ahead of us in designing the watches that we are discussing.

You’d have thought they’d have done a better job of it then!

 

[Ara]

Jeff Stein

I have no information how the design process actually works for new watches, but you have to believe that, in the era of quick and inexpensive 3D printing and CNC milling, TAG Heuer would have tried most or all of the approaches suggested on this forum. It's fun to play with Photoshop and the calipers, but I'm guessing that TAG Heuer was well ahead of us in designing the watches that we are discussing.

Desperately would love a tour one day. That would be so cool. Would be more fun than Photoshop.

 

[Hubert]

Jeff Stein

I have no information how the design process actually works for new watches, but you have to believe that, in the era of quick and inexpensive 3D printing and CNC milling, TAG Heuer would have tried most or all of the approaches suggested on this forum. It's fun to play with Photoshop and the calipers, but I'm guessing that TAG Heuer was well ahead of us in designing the watches that we are discussing.

Yes, one would image. However, I've suspect that the original Telemeter was overseen by Catherine Eberlé, who was at the time, the heritage director of TH. To me, that would explain why the case became more unisex.

 

[Mspeedster]

Hubert

Yes, one would image. However, I've suspect that the original Telemeter was overseen by Catherine Eberlé, who was at the time, the heritage director of TH. To me, that would explain why the case became more unisex.

In the Revolution video interview with Nicholas Biebuyck, Catherine's successor, he mentioned that he doesn't get too involved in watch design, that his role is more about maintaining the brand's history. If Catherine's role was similar, she might not have been directly involved in the Telemeter's design.

In any case, the shape of the lugs is a minor nit to me. I would've like to have seen a manual wind movement used to slim down the case thickness and also a plexi domed crystal to solve the distortion issue.

 

[dtf]

Mspeedster

In any case, the shape of the lugs is a minor nit to me. I would've like to have seen a manual wind movement used to slim down the case thickness and also a plexi domed crystal to solve the distortion issue.

Wonder if it would be possible to make a plexi crystal for the original telemeter…