Sihh & Baselworld 2018 - Predictions, dreams and wishes

[Jim Dollares]

Hey guys,

Its soon that time of year again. Besides from awesome coverage by Calibre11 I also look forward to the vlogs by ABTW, I hope they do the same format as last year. I guess we can expect some releases in connection to Sihh aswell, as long as Biver decides to park one of his TH yachts nearby again

When it comes to watches I have some dreams about Breitling (of course ) but the following 2 wishes for Tag Heuer:

A slightly bigger with central seconds version of the WV5111. Im thinking a combination of the regular Calibre 5 Carrera with the styling from this one

A blue dial version of the new Quartz Monaco. I think this will remain a dream though, it makes sense to keep the nice blue versions in the top range of the Calibre 11/12 but a boy can dream right

What are your predictions, dreams and wishes?

//Jim

 

[OttoWilliam]

I would love to see the 3 hander monaco with manual winding. Black dial. Orange hands. But as we agreed in the first place, its all remain a dream. I dont think they will make it now or ever.

 

[imagwai]

Given we've now had several vintage pieces released - Monaco, Carrera, Monza, Autavia - I wonder what, if anything, we'll see with a Heuer brand this year? What would I actually like to see? This (done properly, like the Omega '57 Trilogies), but I think the chances are 0%:

For the mainstream Tag Heuer brand, I imagine there'll be one or two new celebrity ambassadors rolled out?

Also, was wondering, what happened to the smaller diameter Tag Heuer Connected that was suggested when the 45 was released?

 

[Mr_Orange]

I'm not really sure what would pique my interest. The only other 2 TAG Heuers that I would like to acquire are the Carrera Calibre 17 Chronometer (CV5111) and the Monaco Gulf (CW211A). Anything new based on the mutant Carreras would be highly unlikely to show up on my radar and there aren't really any heritage models that I would like to see re-released.

I fear imagwai will be correct about more brand ambassadors and associated special editions.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

I want a Heuer badged Monaco with the vintage style mushroom pushers as on my Monza, Silverstone & Autavia.

 

[elbeik]

#savethecarrera

 

[Hubert]

I've been saying this every year, again and again, I hope they will finally give us a ~41mm 'Heuer' branded Carrera with a Heuer-02 movement with these same lines, proportions.

 

[imagwai]

Hubert

I've been saying this every year, again and again, I hope they will finally give us a ~41mm 'Heuer' branded Carrera with a Heuer-02 movement with these same lines, proportions.

It would presumably need to be thicker to accomodate the Heuer 02? Whilst the thickness kind of works with the Autavia design, not sure it would with the Carrera (for me anyway). I also feel that 39mm would be a better compromise size for a vintage reissue but Biver doesn't much like subtlety!

 

[Hubert]

imagwai

It would presumably need to be thicker to accomodate the Heuer 02? Whilst the thickness kind of works with the Autavia design, not sure it would with the Carrera (for me anyway). I also feel that 39mm would be a better compromise size for a vintage reissue but Biver doesn't much like subtlety!

Thickness is not an issue for me, but the size is. I hope they don't go smaller than 41mm.

 

[Jim Dollares]

Why is it that they could make thin watches back in the days but movements and watches today are all very thick?

Or were chronographs in the 70's also 16-19 mm thick?

 

[Mr_Orange]

Jim Dollares

Why is it that they could make thin watches back in the days but movements and watches today are all very thick?

Or were chronographs in the 70's also 16-19 mm thick?

It depends on a variety of factors:

1. Integrated chronograph movement;
2. Piggy back chronograph module; and
3. if 2, the thickness of the base time-only movement.

All of the above have existed since forever.

You would find that a Calibre 11/12 should be thicker than a 16/17/1887/Heuer 01/Heuer 02 because the former pair are modular, whereas the others are integrated.

If you would like a thin, integrated chronograph, you can choose a JLC Master Chrono which is a bit thinner than the average, but you will also pay for this privilege.

 

[Jim Dollares]

Mr_Orange

It depends on a variety of factors:

1. Integrated chronograph movement;
2. Piggy back chronograph module; and
3. if 2, the thickness of the base time-only movement.

All of the above have existed since forever.

You would find that a Calibre 11/12 should be thicker than a 16/17/1887/Heuer 01/Heuer 02 because the former pair are modular, whereas the others are integrated.

If you would like a thin, integrated chronograph, you can choose a JLC Master Chrono which is a bit thinner than the average, but you will also pay for this privilege.

Im aware of these factors but doesnt really answer my question if chronographs were generally thinner 35-40 years ago?

Seems like a lot of people are complaining about watches being too big and too thick, perhaps its always been like that, the only difference being the internet

 

[imagwai]

It's also because of the switch to automatic movements, whereas many 60s and 70s chronos were manual wind. Thinness used to be something the manufacturers actively worked towards. With modern trends, this isn't so important.

 

[Jim Dollares]

imagwai

It's also because of the switch to automatic movements, whereas many 60s and 70s chronos were manual wind. Thinness used to be something the manufacturers actively worked towards. With modern trends, this isn't so important.

Good point!

 

[Calibre11]

Not long to go now. Yes, there will be watches launched at SIHH as well as Basel, so the first of the 2018 watches is only a few days away

 

[Hubert]

Calibre11

Not long to go now. Yes, there will be watches launched at SIHH as well as Basel, so the first of the 2018 watches is only a few days away

Me waiting all like...

 

[MRC]

Jim Dollares

Im aware of these factors but doesnt really answer my question if chronographs were generally thinner 35-40 years ago?

First remember that there were no automatic-winding chronographs before mid-1969 and well into the 1970s the automatics on the market were outnumbered by manual winders due to the extra cost. Also that the original Cal. 11 base movement had a micro-rotor buried inside the movement rather than taking a full diameter inside the case as all moderns seem to do.

However as my micrometer happens to be close to hand ( no, I can't remember why , probably something to do with measuring broken RC "drone" parts ) :

Zodiac 7721 (Heuer 7721), ~1970 manual wind, integrated: 12.20mm
Heuer Carrera 7753, 1969, manual wind, integrated: 11.25mm
Hamilton Cal.11, 1969, automatic, modular: 14.70mm -- 1st generation automatic chronograph
Omega Speedmaster "Reduced", ~1993, automatic, modular: 11.94mm -- photo below

To my mind it's as much to do with fashion than anything else, except the Cal. 11 which was a "Only way we could get it all to fit inside within the timescale we were given".

Edited: Jan 2, 2018

 

[OttoWilliam]

Yeah manual movement then to be thinner

Hubert

Me waiting all like...

Classic !

 

[OttoWilliam]

Why is that micro rotor seems "less popular" now compare to big rotor ? I know Piaget use it to make their ultra thin automatic. Why almost most companies doesn't develop micro rotor for their movement ?

 

[Mr_Orange]

OttoWilliam

Why is that micro rotor seems "less popular" now compare to big rotor ? I know Piaget use it to make their ultra thin automatic. Why almost most companies doesn't develop micro rotor for their movement ?

Cost, I imagine. I, for one, love micro-rotors as they allow so much more of the movement to be seen and take the notion of tiny mechanical engineering even further than full size rotors do.

For some porn (though not exclusively micro-rotors), see this thread on WUS: http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/lets-see-your-beautiful-rotors-2786066.html.