# Calibre S. What is it exactly?



## joe48 (Dec 23, 2011)

Hello everyone. I'm a newbie here. Just stumbled upon this forum whilst looking for info on the Tag Heuer Calibre S. Hope someone can help.

I am looking to buy a new Tag Heuer. Never had a watch which cost more than £100 before. That was a Raymond Weil which was bought new at least 15 years ago and which has been an excellent time keeper, but has now stopped for good I think. It is an anologue watch with a quartz movement. 

My budget for the Tag is up to a max of £2k and I am looking at the Aquaracer, Link and Carerra models. Trouble is the more I look at them the more confused I become and keep on going in circles. 

I cannot decide for example between a quartz movement and a mechanical one. I am used to having to correct my watch only once every six months when the clocks go forward or back, and then by only a minute or two. So it is quite a shock to see Tag's own website talk about automatic movements being less accurate than quartz movements by "a few minutes per month". Is this for real? I would want to be correcting my watch at least once per week on that basis. Not sure that is what I want. 

Then there is the issue of having to change the date whenever there are less than 31 days in the month. I always used to forget to do that on my Raymond Weil. I was hoping that a much more expensive watch would have a perpetual calendar.

I would quite like a chronograph. Not that I would use the chronograph features much, but I like the look of the sub dials as long as it's not too busy looking. But then I find that the large second hand is only for the chronograph mode and the watch second hand is the small sub dial. I like a watch which has a full size second hand ticking round the main dial. 

Which, those of you paying attention will already have realised, brings me to the Calibre S models per the title of this post. They seem to tick all my boxes (I think). They are described as electro-mechanical which I think means that the movement is essentially quartz and should therefore be accurate to within a few seconds per month. Am I right? Just where does this sit between an automatic and a quartz movement? 

They also have a perpetual calendar, albeit the method of displaying the date is somewhat odd.

Also, there is just the one large second hand which operates in both the chrono and watch mode.

So far so good. But I am not too keen on the look of the 160 degree sub dials. Of the three models, Aquaracer, Link and Carerra, the Link is above my budget and at first look I prefer the Carerra anyway. But it has a major drawback which I don't think I can come to terms with. The five second intervals around the dial are written in words rather than numerals -Ok but the word forty is spelled FOURTY. What on earth is going on there! How can such an expensive watch from a reputable maker have misspelling on it? Does anyone know if it's just the example on TAG's website and there are watches available with the correct spelling?

Sorry for the lengthy post, but answers to the specific questions I have raised would be most appreciated. Thank you.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Great questions! I remember when I had these questions and the fun I had learning answers. Welcome!

The Calibre S is an innovative attempt by TAGHeuer to address most of your concerns. As far as I know, no one else has a similar calibre.

Yes, quartz is more accurate and if your tolerance is a minute or so correction with daylight savings time corrections, then the Calibre S will meet those standards.

Mechanical watches are swinging weights arranged in a wheel, pivioting on indentations which are made from jewels and controlled by a small coiled spring. Each swing of the wheel is supposed to take exactly the same time and this is used to time the watch and ultimately drive gears that turn the hands. It has taken about 200 years of refinement to get them to accuracy of a few seconds per day.

Quartz watches have a clever electric motor which pulses and kicks the second hand once a second. Although it uses gears like mechanical watches, the mechanical complexity of quartz movements is much lower. And since the timing comes from an electronic circuit which is controlled by a quartz crystal, the accuracy is one to two orders of magnitude higher. The downside is you need a battery where a mechanical watch is easily hand wound (or wrist movement wound in the case of an automatic). (There are Automatic-Quartz (Autoquartz) watches but that's a different topic.)

The Calibre S is what is technically known as a mecaquartz. It has a base quartz movement but the chronograph functions are driven by a mechanical system usually used in mechanical movements. These mechanical functions are often done by an add-on chronograph module which is the case with the Calibre S. (Most quartz chronographs just drive the chronograph hands with additional motors. These are integrated quartz chronographs.)* [EDIT: SEE SUBSEQUENT POSTS FOR CORRECTION]*

As to the cosmetics, well, I have learned this is a matter of personal taste. For every opinion one way, you will find another the opposite. But cosmetics change and if you don't like one dial configuration, wait a year or so and it will be different. Remember also that this was true in the past and many pre-owned models are always for sale with different cosmetics. One might fit your needs.

I hope this helps.


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## joe48 (Dec 23, 2011)

Thank you for your response Eeeb. That has helped me understand a bit more of the Calibre S movement and its accuracy. 

I am surprised no one has replied to my question about the misspelling of forty on the Carerra calibre S. This astonishes me and it is putting me off buying it. Makes it look like one of those fake watches you can buy on the streets of Hong Kong. Can anyone shed any light on this? Surely this has been queried before? Has TAG ever published a response to it? Have they corrected it? 

If the spelling has not been corrected I could go for the Link version (but getting well beyond my budget) or the Aquaracer (but dont really like other aspects of the design).

I might still go for another TAG chronograph and accept that I will have to check the date on 1st of each month and maybe adjust the time. But can anyone tell me if there is a chrono (quartz or auto) where the the second hand is the one on the main dial, not the sub dial?

Thanks


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## vanilla.coffee (Feb 27, 2011)

Can be spelt either way. Forty or Fourty. I believe Canadians for example may spell it with a u ? 
A quick google suggests both spellings are correct.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

On chronos, the central second hand is always associated with the chrono timing. A subdial isn't nearly as useful for timing. Indeed, my favorite chronos are like the Lemania 5100 where there is also a central minute hand which is associated with the chrono. It makes timing easier. ETA also has this on some of its quartz chronos, including their high accuracy movements (none of which TAG has ever used... oh well).


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## cuthbert (Dec 6, 2009)

Eeeb said:


> The Calibre S is what is technically known as a mecaquartz. It has a base quartz movement but the chronograph functions are driven by a mechanical system usually used in mechanical movements. These mechanical functions are often done by an add-on chronograph module which is the case with the Calibre S. (Most quartz chronographs just drive the chronograph hands with additional motors. These are integrated quartz chronographs.)


Therefore the Calibre S is basically the quartz equivalent to the Omega Speedsonic that used a tuning fork and a mechanical module?


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## Wisconsin Proud (Jun 22, 2007)

Just get one of these and be done with it.......I believe TAG made an Aquaracer with a similar/same movement


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## joe48 (Dec 23, 2011)

vanilla.coffee said:


> Can be spelt either way. Forty or Fourty. I believe Canadians for example may spell it with a u ?
> A quick google suggests both spellings are correct.


Thanks Vanilla Coffee. I did indeed research it thoroughly on the internet, as I assumed FOURTY was perhaps a US English spelling. I followed numerous threads via google and without exception everyone agreed that there is only one correct way to spell it, that being FORTY. Doesn't matter if it's UK English, US English, Canadian English or Australian English, it's still FORTY.

Anyway, I found a local store this afternoon that had one for me to look at and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was spelled FORTY. I showed the salesman the photo in his copy of TAG's brochure where it is spelled with a 'u'. He said that maybe the photos for the brochure and the website were taken from a pre-production model. However, he also suggested that if some were actually produced and sold before the mistake was noticed, then they would be collectors items now and worth a lot perhaps.

Don't want to turn this thread into a forty/fourty discussion. So thanks everyone for your input. I just have to make a decision now.


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## calibre 11 (Jan 2, 2007)

Here is a partially Assembled Calibre S


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Wisconsin Proud said:


> Just get one of these and be done with it.......I believe TAG made an Aquaracer with a similar/same movement


Breitling uses nothing but HAQ (High Accuracy Quartz) for their movements. TAGHeuer uses nothing but normal accuracy quartz for their movements. But normal accuracy quartz meets the OPs requirement.

But you are correct, there are a number of TAGHeuer analog-digital quartz movements that that have perpetual calendar, et.al. Here is one I like


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

calibre 11 said:


> Here is a partially Assembled Calibre S


I stand corrected! It is not mecaquartz in that the chrono is not a mechanical add-on.

I confess the Calibre S's enrapture with flyback does have an appeal. The above is a much better way of doing that than the mechanical flybacks I have seen.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

cuthbert said:


> Therefore the Calibre S is basically the quartz equivalent to the Omega Speedsonic that used a tuning fork and a mechanical module?


Nah... I was wrong. The Calibre S is not a mechanical add on module. See David's pictures to see that.

The Speedsonic was a "normal" ESA tuning fork module with a Dubois-Depraz chrono module added. I actually have the Longines version... pictured below.


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## cuthbert (Dec 6, 2009)

Eeeb said:


> Nah... I was wrong. The Calibre S is not a mechanical add on module. See David's pictures to see that.
> 
> The Speedsonic was a "normal" ESA tuning fork module with a Dubois-Depraz chrono module added. I actually have the Longines version... pictured below.


O didn't know Longines made these...it's a beauty!Better looking than the Speedsonic...


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## John Xenos (Jan 10, 2012)

joe48 said:


> Thanks Vanilla Coffee. I did indeed research it thoroughly on the internet, as I assumed FOURTY was perhaps a US English spelling. I followed numerous threads via google and without exception everyone agreed that there is only one correct way to spell it, that being FORTY. Doesn't matter if it's UK English, US English, Canadian English or Australian English, it's still FORTY.
> 
> Anyway, I found a local store this afternoon that had one for me to look at and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was spelled FORTY. I showed the salesman the photo in his copy of TAG's brochure where it is spelled with a 'u'. He said that maybe the photos for the brochure and the website were taken from a pre-production model. However, he also suggested that if some were actually produced and sold before the mistake was noticed, then they would be collectors items now and worth a lot perhaps.
> 
> Don't want to turn this thread into a forty/fourty discussion. So thanks everyone for your input. I just have to make a decision now.


Seriously? I just looked at mine and it's spelled "FOURTY". Need to ask TAG about this - there is an official store up the road...


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## rage2 (Jan 3, 2010)

John Xenos said:


> Seriously? I just looked at mine and it's spelled "FOURTY". Need to ask TAG about this - there is an official store up the road...


Every picture I can dig up shows it spelt wrong as FOURTY, including the current TAG website: TAG Heuer swiss watches

It would be interesting to see an updated one that's spelt FORTY. Here's a couple pics of mine with the incorrect spelling.



















As for incorrect spelling collector status, I highly doubt that would happen. The Calibre S's were mass produced for years, there's tons of them out there spelt wrong.


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## John Xenos (Jan 10, 2012)

I doubt the collector status too lol...

I'm starting to think its a Swiss thing. A quick google search shows a lot of Swiss websites using that spelling. Interesting though....


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## csimp (Nov 13, 2009)

Question... What does the S stand for??? Usually the caliber is a number to denote the mechanical movement but this is an S. What does it stand for??? Calibre 11 when are you gonna do an in-depth story about the Calibre S?


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## pcar964 (Mar 4, 2009)

csimp said:


> Question... What does the S stand for??? Usually the caliber is a number to denote the mechanical movement but this is an S. What does it stand for??? Calibre 11 when are you gonna do an in-depth story about the Calibre S?


+100!

I've been waiting for a detailed review of the Cal. S movement!


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## asiafish (Nov 25, 2008)

+101

I love my Calibre S and would also like to see a detailed review.


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## Dre (Feb 29, 2008)

Another happy Calibre S owner here, mine is the Aquaracer. The only niggle I have with it as compared to mechanical chronos (or even quartz chronos with subdials) is that to start timing, you have to switch from timekeeping mode to chrono mode. Granted, you can do that extremely quickly, but something to get used to if you normally just press the top chrono button.

Here's mine:


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## pcar964 (Mar 4, 2009)

Does anybody know the cost to replace the Calibre S movement? Not that mine is in need of replacing, I'm just curious what they cost compared to, say, a standard quartz movement replacement?


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## mode360 (Dec 9, 2010)

Dre said:


> Another happy Calibre S owner here, mine is the Aquaracer. The only niggle I have with it as compared to mechanical chronos (or even quartz chronos with subdials) is that to start timing, you have to switch from timekeeping mode to chrono mode. Granted, you can do that extremely quickly, but something to get used to if you normally just press the top chrono button.
> 
> Here's mine:


I have this exact same watch and I noticed that when I switch from timekeeping mode to chrono mode, then back to time keeping mode, the time would be off. And when I press the crown to go to chrono mode again, the hour hand and minute hands would not align at the 12 o'clock position. I manually reset the hour and minute hands but when I press the crown to switch from one mode to the other, it would be off again.

So I just sent it out to Tag since I only had the watch for half a year so it should be covered under warranty. Did anyone else experience the same thing I have? I don't want the watch to be fixed and happens again.


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## Dre (Feb 29, 2008)

mode360 said:


> I have this exact same watch and I noticed that when I switch from timekeeping mode to chrono mode, then back to time keeping mode, the time would be off. And when I press the crown to go to chrono mode again, the hour hand and minute hands would not align at the 12 o'clock position. I manually reset the hour and minute hands but when I press the crown to switch from one mode to the other, it would be off again.
> 
> So I just sent it out to Tag since I only had the watch for half a year so it should be covered under warranty. Did anyone else experience the same thing I have? I don't want the watch to be fixed and happens again.


Bummer that it's happening to your watch. Mine's been working OK in that regard. It gets worn in rotation with my other watches, and when stored I keep it in chrono mode to save battery power. Going back to timekeeping mode the hands are always exactly where they need to be.

Do keep us updated on the status / progress of your watch though.


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## mode360 (Dec 9, 2010)

Dre said:


> Bummer that it's happening to your watch. Mine's been working OK in that regard. It gets worn in rotation with my other watches, and when stored I keep it in chrono mode to save battery power. Going back to timekeeping mode the hands are always exactly where they need to be.
> 
> Do keep us updated on the status / progress of your watch though.


I just got my watch back today and it's in working order...there's some new scratches on the band that I don't care for but what can you do...

At first when they received my watch, they sent me a username and password to log in to see the progress of my watch. Initially they said on the report "no fault found" and "set watch, on hold to check timing", so I called in to talk to the service technician and the guy was being a complete douche, he insisted there was nothing wrong with my watch and that I didn't reset or recalibrate the hands correctly, which I did but the time was still off when you switch between chrono-mode to time-mode. The guy said word for word "I don't want to argue with you because you don't have the watch on hand" and that he will send back the watch with a set of instructions on how to "properly" recalibrate it. I spoke politely with the guy and he had the nerves to say he didn't want to argue with me and that if I send the watch in again because "I didn't know how to recalibrate it" that he would have to charge me the next time. I only called because I did not want to get my watch back and have it not fixed and have to resend it out again.

So a few days go by and I log back in to see if they had shipped my watch back and I notice they changed the report and that there REALLY was something wrong with the watch so they did the following to the watch:


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

pcar964 said:


> Does anybody know the cost to replace the Calibre S movement? Not that mine is in need of replacing, I'm just curious what they cost compared to, say, a standard quartz movement replacement?


I do not believe the raw movement is sold separately. A 'movement service' normally runs $250 or so and includes a movement replacement if necessary.


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## pcar964 (Mar 4, 2009)

Eeeb said:


> I do not believe the raw movement is sold separately. A 'movement service' normally runs $250 or so and includes a movement replacement if necessary.


I highly doubt that they would replace the Calibre S movement for just $250.


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## Dre (Feb 29, 2008)

mode360 said:


> I just got my watch back today and it's in working order...there's some new scratches on the band that I don't care for but what can you do...
> 
> At first when they received my watch, they sent me a username and password to log in to see the progress of my watch. Initially they said on the report "no fault found" and "set watch, on hold to check timing", so I called in to talk to the service technician and the guy was being a complete douche, he insisted there was nothing wrong with my watch and that I didn't reset or recalibrate the hands correctly, which I did but the time was still off when you switch between chrono-mode to time-mode. The guy said word for word "I don't want to argue with you because you don't have the watch on hand" and that he will send back the watch with a set of instructions on how to "properly" recalibrate it. I spoke politely with the guy and he had the nerves to say he didn't want to argue with me and that if I send the watch in again because "I didn't know how to recalibrate it" that he would have to charge me the next time. I only called because I did not want to get my watch back and have it not fixed and have to resend it out again.
> 
> So a few days go by and I log back in to see if they had shipped my watch back and I notice they changed the report and that there REALLY was something wrong with the watch so they did the following to the watch:


Good to know they came through and fixed it, but bummer that there's scratches on the band.

Does the manual have instructions for recalibrating the hands? I've seen it menioned, but so far I haven't needed to do anything at all with mine. Never hurts to be informed though!


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## mode360 (Dec 9, 2010)

Dre said:


> Good to know they came through and fixed it, but bummer that there's scratches on the band.
> 
> Does the manual have instructions for recalibrating the hands? I've seen it menioned, but so far I haven't needed to do anything at all with mine. Never hurts to be informed though!


I don't think the manual tells you how to do it but here is a you tube video that shows step by step on how to do it: Tag Heuer Calibre S Regatta: Factory reset, hand setting and functions. - YouTube


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## mode360 (Dec 9, 2010)

So a little over a month has gone by since it was repaired and now my Tag has completely stopped working. Had to send it in last week...wonder what is wrong this time since the last repair said they replaced the battery and did a complete maintenance on it.


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## calibre 11 (Jan 2, 2007)

asiafish said:


> +101
> 
> I love my Calibre S and would also like to see a detailed review.


Took a while, but here is my look at the Calibre S- cheers

Review: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre S


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks, going to read that ASAP.
Always been a fan of the Calibre S since I saw the Link with the black dial but then I bumped into a new F1 version at a great price...still wish I's gone for the link though!


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## pcar964 (Mar 4, 2009)

calibre 11 said:


> Took a while, but here is my look at the Calibre S- cheers
> 
> Review: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre S


Thanks for the great article, very interesting read. But I have to ask, what makes you convinced that Tag will abandon the calibre s, and in fact all quartz movements, in the next 5 years? That would be a big disappointment to me.


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## Wisconsin Proud (Jun 22, 2007)

pcar964 said:


> Thanks for the great article, very interesting read. But I have to ask, what makes you convinced that Tag will abandon the calibre s, and in fact all quartz movements, in the next 5 years? That would be a big disappointment to me.


TAG Heuer continues to move upscale in its offerings and price. To coincide with the image of a serious watchmaker, quartz watches are frowned upon. TAG no longer wants/needs an entry level watch to get people in the door. My opinion of course...


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## calibre 11 (Jan 2, 2007)

Agree with you WP. The part about quartz being in the way out is my opinion only- nothing official. I recall asking at the launch of the new F1 series whether there would be an automatic version- can't recall the exact answer, but it was something along the lines of "if we didn't have issues accessing volume of mechanical movements (due to ETA slow-down), then this series would have been mechanical".

I still think quartz has a place- I like this one from Omega:


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## Wisconsin Proud (Jun 22, 2007)

Me, too....


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## Tag Mac (Sep 8, 2012)

mode360 said:


> So a little over a month has gone by since it was repaired and now my Tag has completely stopped working. Had to send it in last week...wonder what is wrong this time since the last repair said they replaced the battery and did a complete maintenance on it.


Interesting thread but needs closure. Dont leave us hanging, what happened?


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## mode360 (Dec 9, 2010)

Tag Mac said:


> Interesting thread but needs closure. Dont leave us hanging, what happened?


Well, the first time I sent the watch in, "Maintenance I" was done -_ *quartz chronograph watch battery replacement* consist of the following steps: ultrasonic cleaning of case & bracelet, replacement of case spring bars, battery, crystal gaskets, back gaskets, crown gasket & pusher gaskets if applicable, *measurement of lower working voltage*, time keeping test, water resistance test, one (1) year service warranty on all chargeable work performed._ And apparently that did not fix it.

The second time the watch was sent in, "Maintenance II" was done - _*complete service on quartz chronograph watch* consists of the following steps: ultrasonic cleaning of case and bracelet, replacement of case spring bars, battery, back gaskets, crystal gaskets, crown gasket & pusher gaskets if applicable, *replacement or repair of movement*, time keeping test, water resistance test, one (1) year service warranty on all chargeable work performed. _

I guess the first time all they did was basically change the battery but the second time they did a complete overhaul.


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## Tag Mac (Sep 8, 2012)

Thanks for that. It is a stunning watch. Has it been ok since?


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## mode360 (Dec 9, 2010)

Tag Mac said:


> Thanks for that. It is a stunning watch. Has it been ok since?


It has been working perfectly ever since..._knock on wood_.


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