HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 Day-Date
It’s easy to think of the Carrera as purely a collection of chronographs, as that complication is where its roots and, indeed, heart lies. But for a long time the Carrera has been about more than just sports timers. It’s evolved into something more, a shorthand for sports pedigree and precision. This is the spirit with which the Carrera Calibre 5 Day-Date shines. The Carrera look is still there, of course, notably in the 41mm steel case, with those proud lugs and polished bezel. But the heritage is there in the dial — the simple baton markers and matchstick hands aren’t too far off those of the earliest Carreras. What’s new, though, is the day-date apertures: large, legible and neatly framed. Honestly, I really like this sort of execution of dates. They cop a lot of flak when they’re done in a haphazard, last-minute manner, but that is most definitely not the situation here, where the supremely practical calendar info is king, standing out from the matt black dial in a good way. This Carrera is a classical beauty, and the day-date doesn’t detract in the slightest. It’s also a watch built for the everyday. It feels comfortable and solid on the…
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They say your 50s are the new 30s. I’m not sure who ‘they’ are, and why exactly they say that. But just Google “celebrities in their 50s” and you’ll see that maybe they are on to something (Halle Berry and Tom Cruise, amirite?). Well, this year marks 55 years of the TAG Heuer Carrera, and the motorsport-inspired collection is looking good. Never before has it been more diverse or all-encompassing, featuring everything from sporty three-handers to GMTs, tourbillons, and, of course, chronographs. The Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 is TAG Heuer’s modern take on their original racing chronograph. And this version really lives up to the Swiss brand’s Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) label, taking things to the next level, with its blacked-out ceramic case. That’s right, this is no PVD coating. Instead, this Carrera Heuer 01’s modular 45mm case – including its tachymeter marked bezel, and sharp-edged lugs – is crafted in matt black ceramic, providing a stealthy edge to the bold collection that has already proven to be a favourite amongst the sporty offerings of the TAG Heuer catalogue. Ceramic also means that this Carrera is lightweight and virtually scratchproof. Pair that with a water resistance of 100 metres, and…
The story in a second: Classic Carrera. More colour. If you spend more than a few minutes in the sometimes crazy world of watches, it’s easy to lose perspective. You can very quickly get caught up in the hullabaloo of new this, in-house that, and proprietary the other. But while all that stuff is cool and sometimes really matters, at the end of the day it’s a watch on your wrist with a job to do. And that job is telling the time and looking good. I think this particular model excels at this job, which is why I chose it as one of my 10 favourite Baselworld 2018 releases. I made that decision in the thick of the fair, but you know what, after a few months reflection, I think it holds up. The dial The dial is where the party is at. The matt mid-blue matches perfectly with the fixed ceramic tachy bezel (love the choice to use ceramic BTW), and is freshened up even more thanks to the white, red and orange at play. The contrasting white is great, and adds an instant retro flavour. I particularly like the break afforded by the white inner flange, which…
A little over a week ago I found myself paying more attention than usual to the pre-flight safety spiel. Perhaps due to the fact that I was standing in a sunny clearing, looking at a helicopter. “Don’t go near the tail rotor, don’t put your hands up when you get out, and if you lose your hat, don’t worry about it.” Sensible life advice. Half an hour and a hundred-odd kilometres later I found myself looking down at my destination: a sweeping golden-brown field on the top of a mountain — Spicers Peak Lodge. It’s a beautiful location, sweeping vistas and high country that is equal parts stunning and Australian. It’s also, thanks in no small part to its elevated position, the perfect place to learn more about Montblanc, a brand for which the mountain is more than a literal logo. It’s also a metaphor for the pursuit of something higher, something greater. Given all that, it makes perfect sense that my wristwear of choice for the weekend was the TimeWalker Date Automatic, a no-fuss number that’s made with action in mind … My first impression was … that it was lighter than expected. This isn’t my first foray with…
The story in a second: Workwear meets watchmaking in Omega’s latest colourful take on the Railmaster. One of last year’s most compelling releases from Omega was the revamped Railmaster. This new take on an old favourite offered winning combination of old-school looks, everyday wearability and a movement with some serious chops. Initially offered in more conservative silver and black brushed dials, we all knew that the day would come when Omega offered some more colourful takes on the genre. Well, that day came recently, when Omega unveiled a new, blue Railmaster that was surprisingly textural. The dial Clearly, this is the real talking point of the watch. Omega refer to it as a “blue jeans” dial, and the combination of the indigo colour and vertical brush finish really does combine to create something that looks like an old pair of Levi’s. The Railmaster text and lollipop-tipped seconds hand are in a browny-beige, inspired by the contrast stitching of classic denim. One notable change from the previous Railmasters is that this version eschews the vintage-cream colour for the hour markers, in favour of a much fresher, light grey. Omega tie the choice of denim as an inspiration into the practical, tool-like/workwear…
