Watches and Wonders 2023

bpsmith

Two comments in that video stick in my mind:

“This WAS the watch to have…”

“If it wasn’t for the mistake of the date at 12, I wouldn’t look at this twice…”

For me personally, I wouldn’t buy a watch now just because it was once THE watch to have. I also wouldn’t buy a watch that is forgettable other than there being a repeat of the mistake of putting the date at 12. Both points seem daft to me.

If you genuinely like the watch for what it is, then I have no issue with that. Go for it. Buying for the other reasons. No chance.

Mspeedster

Valid points, but I see things a little differently.

I was also surprised by his comment about the date at 12 o'clock. But I personally like the implementation on this watch. Not because it's a quirky callback to the original Dato 12, it's because I think the implementation is better than the original. Some people would prefer not having a date at all to maintain symmetry. The way TH placed the date on the reverse panda almost makes it look like it's part of the 12 o'clock marker rather than a separate date window, hence maintaining symmetry.

The other point deals more with heritage. Let's be real, the majority of the watchmakers do this. Do I think the Navitmer is the most beautiful watch based solely on looks? Nope. It was designed as a slide rule tool watch for pilots, totally outdated in today's world, but it's a part of the Navi's charm. Similarly, would the Moonwatch have such a big following had it never gone to the moon? Nope.

bpsmith

Firstly, and most importantly, I totally respect a different opinion and if you like it then you like it. Totally cool with that. No question at all. I wouldn’t tell anyone they’re wrong, just because our opinions differ. No offence ever meant. 😀

My point is that he made it sound like we should all like it because of the heritage aspect, irrespective of how it looks.

That’s my main gripe about heritage. Some people think it’s the be all and end all. My opinion differs in that I think if it’s heritage and epic, then buy it. If it’s modern and epic, then buy it. Simple really.

As for the Navitimer and Moon Watch, I deliberately avoided even looking at those when this journey started, for exactly the above reasoning around blindly bowing down to that view despite liking them or not.

I have kind of done myself a disservice though, as I have blindly avoided those heritage models, but it turns out some of them are rather nice. I think I am drawn to the modern take on those heritage models though.

The plus point? If I bought one of them, I certainly know it’s solely down to liking them right now, rather than just because they were THE watch 60 or 70 years ago.

Mspeedster

No offense taken. I get where you're coming from.

I don't know if you follow IDGuy and his videos, he's all about "design", being an industrial designer by profession. He likes both modern and heritage, but he's always focused on the design aspects. He seems to favor Tudor, Omega and Rolex, rarely ever talks about TAG Heuer.

That's why I'm quite surprised and pleased that he likes the new glassbox Carrera so much. It would be one thing if he gushed all over the 60th Anniversary Panda, because that's simply a heritage re-issue. But these are all new watches, that I consider to be more modern than heritage. They look nothing to me like the Carreras of the '60s or '70s. So when the IDGuy says he's impressed, I feel it's genuinely due to the design elements on merit, irrespective of the legacy nods.

Aquagraph

It's amazing the amount of positive press these two get, I saw them both again yesterday and it only reconfirmed to me how much I dislike them. I cannot fathom that they are 1mm smaller than my Aquaracer, they look toy-like in person. I think it would be interesting to see the blue one in 42mm, I think it would make a difference. The reverse panda is still my least favourite TAG... sorry.

Aquagraph

And yeah, I would rather see positive press for TAG Heuer than negative, but George Bamford's praise seemed particularly OTT.

Mspeedster

Valid points, but I see things a little differently.

I was also surprised by his comment about the date at 12 o'clock. But I personally like the implementation on this watch. Not because it's a quirky callback to the original Dato 12, it's because I think the implementation is better than the original. Some people would prefer not having a date at all to maintain symmetry. The way TH placed the date on the reverse panda almost makes it look like it's part of the 12 o'clock marker rather than a separate date window, hence maintaining symmetry.

The other point deals more with heritage. Let's be real, the majority of the watchmakers do this. Do I think the Navitmer is the most beautiful watch based solely on looks? Nope. It was designed as a slide rule tool watch for pilots, totally outdated in today's world, but it's a part of the Navi's charm. Similarly, would the Moonwatch have such a big following had it never gone to the moon? Nope.

Aquagraph

https://eqotime.com/hands-on-tag-heuer-lanserar-nya-carreror-och-aquaracer-i-guld/

Aquagraph

https://eqotime.com/hands-on-tag-heuer-lanserar-nya-carreror-och-aquaracer-i-guld/

HeuerLondon88

Surprisingly really love that two-tone rose gold Aquaracer, as normally would not be something that would grab my attention.

Something about the all gold seems a bit off to me. Would it really be too much for them not to also do a gold crown?

Aquagraph

Major, major flaw that. Spoils the yellow one. Not so bad on the black dial version, but still penny pinching

HeuerLondon88

You’d think with an all gold case they might as well push the boat out a little further and complete it with a gold crown!

Aquagraph

https://eqotime.com/hands-on-tag-heuer-lanserar-nya-carreror-och-aquaracer-i-guld/