REVIEW WITH MANY PHOTOS: Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 1887 (quartz) from TS Watch

[bosko 0]

I received my new Carrera on Monday after a quick and smooth transaction with Mark and Christina. I placed my order on 18 July and received the QC photos on 28 July. The watch was despatched by EMS on 30 July and arrived here in Australia on 4 August.

 

For anyone unfamiliar with this TD, TS Watch use a bridal wear site to process payments and putting my credit card details into it felt very weird, contrary to every online purchasing instinct I have! Happily, I can confirm that it's all legit.

 

During the process of ordering, QC and so on I didn't ask many questions of Mark and Christina but I'm happy to report that those I did received prompt replies.

 

Some background: my rep history is limited to this Formula 1 purchased from a non-TD about three and a half year ago.

 

It's a decent little watch, pretty close to gen (also a quartz of course), the tells being the sub dials being slightly undersized and the red dial being a less vivid colour than on the real thing. The sub dials and chronograph worked for a year or so and given I've worn it daily and have three young kids it's lasted pretty well.

 

In researching a replacement I was fortunate enough to find this forum (and some others I like less) and have read and read and learned a great deal. Whilst not an original sentiment, I'm extremely grateful for all those who generously shared their knowledge and experience. I hope this review might be similarly useful to someone else doing their own research.

 

I've long had a thing for Tag Heuer, probably prompted by a 1980s childhood obsession with Formula 1. The Carrera for me is a design classic, like the Porsche 911. I went for this particular Carrera as I love the understated elegance of it. It has a distinctive style but is not, to my eye, ostentatious. It's clearly a stylish watch but does not scream for attention.

 

I went for quartz this time because of the cost, because I wanted something reliable and because I wanted to give this watch a try out before shelling out for an automatic version with a beautiful clear case back and view of the movement.

 

For those unaware, the Carrera Calibre 1887 was launched in 2013 to (eventually) replace the iconic Day-Date Calibre 16. The very excellent calibre11.com provides some background for those interested in the history and technicalities here:

http://www.calibre11...-ceramic-bezel/

 

Here's a couple of photos of the gen from calibre11.com who for some reason decided to use Chewbacca as an arm model for this particular photo shoot.

 

 

 

The Calibre 1887 has, by definition, a different movement to the Day-Date but externally it's very similar. The cases are very slightly different in dimension and of course the day in the 'day-date' no longer appears. I'm usually quite confident on what day of the week it is so this didn't dissuade me from the newer model.

 

So onto my quartz cheapy from TS.

 

 

 

 

 

It's a fantastic looking watch. It has a great weight and the polished stainless steel on the case glistens beautifully. It has a lovely chunky presence and profile on the wrist. The double AR is very good. The photos don't really communicate what a pretty object this is.

 

It seems churlish if not a little bit ridiculous to talk about 'tells' on a US$108 quartz version of a US$5,000 automatic watch but for the record, there are a few.

 

Obviously, being quartz the case back is solid and of course the hand ticks rather than sweeps. The tick is actually quite smooth. In addition, the word, "quartz," appears on the dial where, "automatic," appears on the gen. I've noticed this on a few quartz reps. It's a bit odd, a bit like adding “not actually a,” before the Tag Heuer logo. Not sure why they do this.

 

 

The arrow is missing from the G on the Tag Heuer logo but you already knew that. The biggest tell is the missing 15 next to the date. The date window is a slightly different size and the font of the date itself also differs. These tells are minor and on the wrist, not at all noticeable. You'd have to be a Tag Heuer technician or bloody Rain Man to spot these tells at any distance over 15cm. The overall build quality is very good. The only flaws are slightly misaligned zeros on the 10 and 30.

 

 

The watch itself is a lovely looking object, and the tells and flaws really are insignificant. Noticing them seems a bit like observing that Scarlett Johansson is incredibly beautiful but that her elbows are a bit weird. It doesn't actually matter.

 

The strap is surprisingly excellent. It looks like authentic alligator leather (I assume it isn't)! and very close to the gen. The red stitching and trim looks great. Incidentally, I'm aware that the gen doesn't come 'out of the box' with the red strap but you could of course purchase and fit said strap. The deployment clasp works perfectly and looks fantastic.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a very good watch for the price. I'm now questioning whether to get myself an automatic as planned or, for the same price, another three of these little quartz beauties! Perhaps I should do both, just to be sure. Yes, I'll do that. For research purposes of course.

[bosko 0]

edit: four paragraphs in I refer to my Formula 1 but failed to add a photo. Here it is:

 

[rusky27 1,964]

Thanks for taking the time to put together this review, Its not a watch I particularly fancy but once into your review I couldn't stop reading, Thanks I enjoyed that.

[bosko 0]

Thanks man, all the best.

[Sam Circus 0]

Good review enjoyed reading it photos are also sharp.

Enjoy wearing it!

[glynsaul 0]

That's a great review of a great looking watch. Especially love the strap, it really sets the watch off.

 

I've just acquired a white face Carrera day-date Calibre 16 from Silix, as I fully agree that the Carrera is simply a classic.

[bosko 0]

Good review enjoyed reading it photos are also sharp.

Enjoy wearing it!

 

Cheers! I certainly am enjoying it.

Edited August 8, 2014 by bosko

[bosko 0]

That's a great review of a great looking watch. Especially love the strap, it really sets the watch off.

 

I've just acquired a white face Carrera day-date Calibre 16 from Silix, as I fully agree that the Carrera is simply a classic.

 

Yeah, I'm very tempted to go for a white face with stainless steel bracelet to keep this one company.

[Banterbay 0]

Nice watch. Lovely write-up. I have never had any Tag so you just make me wanna one now. Thanks for sharing.

Wear it well.

[Genius 281]

Great Review and great photos you clearly put effort into this.

 

My advice - don't go for the auto version! and there are two main reasons I say this. Firstly why have 2 of the same watch when you can use the money to buy a rep of another watch you like the look of! You already enjoy that watch so no need for a better version of it I can tell from your review you are happy with that one.

 

Also auto chronos tend to be less reliable than their quartz counterparts so if your next purchase is going to be a auto rep why not pick something you like without the chrono function it'll be cheaper and probably last you longer.

[bosko 0]

Nice watch. Lovely write-up. I have never had any Tag so you just make me wanna one now. Thanks for sharing.

Wear it well.

 

Ha! Cheers.

 

Great Review and great photos you clearly put effort into this.

 

My advice - don't go for the auto version! and there are two main reasons I say this. Firstly why have 2 of the same watch when you can use the money to buy a rep of another watch you like the look of! You already enjoy that watch so no need for a better version of it I can tell from your review you are happy with that one.

 

Also auto chronos tend to be less reliable than their quartz counterparts so if your next purchase is going to be a auto rep why not pick something you like without the chrono function it'll be cheaper and probably last you longer.

 

Thanks for that. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

[hadzray 0]

hi,

great review. loving the high def pictures. which shop mark and christina is from?

 

thanks

[Paparolf 45]

Great informative review mate, and very nice watch. Always a result when everything runs smoothly.

[SebSpain 0]

Fantastic review. Enjoyed very much reading and learning about TAG. Gracias from Spain!!

[bosko 0]

I'm glad this has been useful. All the best.

[timesshopnet 0]

cool.

[tim38 0]

what a great review and awesome pictures, although I was distracted by the hairy wrist

[jumpaz 0]

What a great review !

[Jayums 47]

I notice there is a new version of this with 7750 movement on puretime...Looks very good to me, open case back and a decent stab at decorating the movement as gen. Does anyone have it / seen it ? Any opinions?

 

 

[Asaf 0]

I think I prefer the version with the metal strap ant the transparent back cover. but Still - looks fine.

[ndelev 0]

Great review. It helps a lot to newbies (like me). I wonder if it is still available...

[wahzai 1]

Wonderful info you had provided. I am also wondering if it is still available