# Carrera calibre 16 chrono - a disappointment



## Tom Ford

I thought I would share my honest experience about this watch, since I cannot find any contacts at the mighty LMVH website that might lead to someone at the TAG design department take a notice.

As a short intro - I am an architect by profession, someone that is dealing with art, design, engineering and manufacturing on a daily basis. I enjoy the beauty of simple, functional, beautifully designed things made to last. 

That is why, about a year ago I wanted to treat myself to a new watch, one that I will enjoy to wear for many years to come, a piece of "technical jewellery" that will become an everyday item, without which I wouldn't leave the house. With a budget in mind I looked at quite a few different watches and in the end paid a bit more than I initially wanted to for a lovely black dial Tag Heuer Carrera automatic chrono.

I remember the salesman talking at great length about the amazing accuracy of the Calibre 16 movement and the luminous dial...

Now, I am not in any way naive - this is not a Rolex or a Patek Phillipe, it's a Tag - more avantgarde design than a real precision timepiece, but I thought it's a reasonably expensive Swiss made automatic watch from a renowned company... Hey, look - Brad Pitt's got one on his wrist! (laugh)

Straight out of the box I loved it, it looked great on, it felt weighty and solid - you know how you just can't help checking the time every 10 seconds just to see the face of the thing.

After a few days the novelty wore off and I started looking at the watch from a daily use point of view:

1. THE CROWN - now this is a man's watch - I don't have long finger nails and my hands are quite large. I find adjusting the time a really painful experience - the first pull out position I just about manage but the second one always feels like my nail is about snap and the sharp crown is a real pain to handle if I occasionally have to wind it up a little.
The crown is too small and it should be a screw-in one so that the pull resistance does not need to be so great.

2. THE DIAL - there are too many polished silver elements on the dial so telling the time by just a quick glance is difficult, one really has to stare at it for a while. A friend has an earlier Carrera model where the dial markings and the 2 main hands are white on black and it is much easier to read.
At least the long stop watch hand should be a different colour finish - the two silver owl-eyes-like counters complicate the thing even further. Nice to look at but very difficult to read.

3. LUMINESCENCE - my wife has an inexpensive P50 Tissot quartz chrono - when I wake up in the middle of the night, her watch glows like the moon and mine is dark. When I leave my watch under a lamp for longer periods of time the hands and the tiny(?) dots on the dial perimetre will glow for about 10 minutes then the dots will stop and the hands will glow not very brightly for another 30min-1hour and than it's "good night nurse". 
What's going on there Tag?

4. THE CASE - now I take care of the watch; I take it off whenever I am doing some dirty or manual work, I give it a quick wipe with a soft towel every morning after shower (I do not wear it IN the shower). But there is this sharp outer edge right where the black tachymetre bezel is fixed that just seems to collect little bumps and nicks from daily wear and tear. It is absolutely a real design flaw - the outer edge of the watch, where it really needs to be strong and impact resistant (just look at the Omega or Rolex bezels) is this fragile, blade-thin polished exposed edge. Every time I accidentally catch my hand on the door handle or something somewhere I just grind my teeth and look at another little dent right there, on the polished edge of the watch. Hardly a design suitable for active lifestyle!

5. THE MOVEMENT - tick tock tick tock goes the mighty Calibre 16 - minus about 20-25 seconds per day. The shop tells me it's within the normal automatic movement tolerance. OK, it's a mechanical watch but it's Swiss and it's new. My father's 80's mechanical Seiko is more accurate than that! Has the technology not moved forward - I mean is Calibre 16 just a hot new brand name for an old Valjoux movement? I'm not a robot and would happily accommodate 5-10 seconds a day but this way, I just put the watch forward 2 minutes every Monday - ouch, that stupid sharp crown again - to keep it roughly on time. 21st century Swiss Chronograph...hmm?!

6. THE STRAP - Love the black racing style perforated leather strap - that way you can wear a sports watch with a crisp business suit. After a year (never used in wet) the strap is about to give way, cracking just through the last perforation where the strap gets thin. If only the designers at Tag stopped the perforation where the thicker, padded part of the strap finishes, it would surely last much longer. But no, you see I just found out that the genuine replacement strap costs USD$300 - here is the reason why the strap wasn't designed to last. One strap per year at 300 bucks - I could have a brand new Seamaster in 10 years. That is if the actual watch lasts 10 years... Would be better of with a metal strap but then I like the leather one more, the original Carrera design had a leather strap.

What to say in the end? Despite of all the above flaws I still like the watch but honestly, if I am to buy another watch in the future it will not be a Tag Heuer. I now believe that LMVH spends more money on celebrity marketing of its TAG brand then it does on the actual watch design and engineering.

What is your honest opinion about the design of the watch you paid a lot of your hard earned money for? I would be interested to know, as long as you have the ability to evaluate what one should actually expect from a Swiss made watch apart from the fact that it looks "cool".

Regards

Tom


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## Guest

I have the CV2014 model of this watch, and maybe this is the one you should have chosen. It would fix 2 of your problems at least, it has a red chrono seconds hand instead of silver and doesn't have the large "owl eye" rings around the sub dials. I find it easy to tell the time at a glance too. I have the steel bracelet it came with and have since bought the rubber strap also which is currently fitted. To be honest the rubber strap hasn't been on it long so I can't comment on it's longevity yet. I would expect that the leather strap could be replaced under warranty though, especially as TAG Heuer state that their straps go through rigorous testing to ensure long life. Have you tried this yet? They would also probably recalibrate the movement if it was outside their tolerances I'm sure, the law of averages would suggest that some number of the movements would function less than perfectly. This is what warranties are for.
I never have, and probably never will, tested the accuracy of mine as it doesn't really bother me. If I can wear the watch and not notice a time difference over a few days then it's accurate enough for me. I'm also never in a dark enough environment long enough to comment on the lume either, sorry. Overall I'm very happy with mine, but as it's not a daily wearer it's more of a treat when I do wear it so maybe I'm overlooking the faults. I do agree that the crown finish is quite harsh and can grate the skin when winding. I would suggest talking to your local AD and see what they will do for you as it's still under warranty. I would also be pushing for a new strap as I would expect it to last longer than a year. Hope this helps and I hope you start enjoying your watch again soon.:-!


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## christech81

Hi Tom, sorry to hear that you are disappointed with your watch purchase, I can assure you that the Tag Heuer Calibre 16 Chronograph is a good choice and a great watch. The foibles are just part of the ownership, it's the same with any purchase such as Hifi, Computers, Cars; a watch is a marvel in engineering and is a delicate instrument. The Tag Calibre 16 chrono you have is a fantastic design and excellent value for money in my opinion.

Being an architect you should realise that it is nearly impossible to attain form and function, very few products do it and most come with compromise. The design flaws that you point out may well be features that other people like.

However I can tell that you are bitterly disappointed with your purchase which is a shame given that it is not a cheap watch. Despite the solid look and Chronograph I've always positioned the Tags like yours as dress watches really rather than hard wearing watches, the Aquaracers (or possibly LINK) make better day to day watches.

If it makes you feel happier go to a jeweller and compare your purchase to another manufacturer but you have to compare like for like models, as the other poster said maybe take it back and see what the dealer can do for you. 

For reference I bought a brand new Sea Dweller six years ago and it did not feel as solid as my 20 year old DateJust, I was gutted as I thought the Sea Dweller would be a nice solid hard wearing watch; I lived with it and really love it so maybe the thinks you hate could become the design quirks you love?


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## Sniper-sam

Excellent review Tom.
I have the Calibre 17 RS2.
My only real issues are the deployment buckle not holding the croc strap and have such created a larger "groove" but I have learned to live with it.
Also the PVD coating, when it gets a dink the sliver shows through and because it's black against silver is more noticeable than a standard stainless case for example.
All that said I still love this watch, thinking of buying the rubber strap for it to make the watch a little more practical.


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## h2xmark

the carrera line is very vast with several models to choose from, at the time of purchase you thought you were buying the perfect watch, but after some time with it you found some issues that you did not think of at the time of purchase, that happens. I guess that's one of the reasons that some of us buy so many different watches. one for dress, one for work, a sport watch, also one for use in the water, ect. you have a very nice watch that you should be proud of. I would get the watch regulated, most Tag's run a little fast when new, they can get it running a lot closer than the 25 seconds that your's is running at


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## Wisconsin Proud

It sounds to me like you didn't do your homework when you selected this particular model.

Most of the "problems" are your opinion that they are design flaws. I don't recall anyone claiming pain when using the crown - man up! - or complaining of banging the bezel on doors - be more careful?.

To me, *your only legitimate complaint* is the accuracy and that can be easily adjusted. 7750-based movements are very accurate on the whole.

Your opening statement of trying to find a rep to email these complaints to is laughable. There are perhaps millions of watches to choose from, maybe hundreds by TAG alone. Do better research for a watch that fits your clumsiness and ever so soft fingertips. :-d

The Carrera is a staple in TAGs model line for many years. No way you minor gripes change anything with this watch.


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## kyotousa

about the luminous if I was outside all day absorbing all the energy from the sun :-!

The watch will glow all night. THe little dots will dissapear in semi-dark area. But you will see them in pitch black environment.

Tag uses _Super_-LumiNova Which glows super-bright for 30 min or so. Then goes darker. It's just the natural of the substance most Swiss watch uses.
You should have gone for the Aquaracer Chrono....Similar design with larger luminous dye area. You'll prbably like it more.

I kinda though I should have went with the GC Calibre 1 since it's $800 cheaper and I am growing to like the look. But I think the 17RS has more futurist desing and it's automatic.
So not much of a regret here.....maybe only a little bit of buyer remorse, since I didn't see the 187 watch list after I made my purchase.

Btw I read Patek Phillipe is not accurate at all....+/- 20 sec per day. It's not about the time when you have that much money to purchase a watch.
Rolex on the other hand I heard it's +/- 1/day. CRAZZZY


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## Salan

kyotousa said:


> Btw I read Patek Phillipe is not accurate at all....+/- 20 sec per day. It's not about the time when you have that much money to purchase a watch.
> Rolex on the other hand I heard it's +/- 1/day. CRAZZZY


I dont want to go too much off topic here but do you have a source on that one (the patek statement)?

My CV2014 started going +6sec per day. But now (around 8 month later) its -1sec per day. But I position it in another way over night nowadays, so that may be a reason for some off the time-keeping difference?


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## kyotousa

Salan said:


> I dont want to go too much off topic here but do you have a source on that one (the patek statement)?
> 
> My CV2014 started going +6sec per day. But now (around 8 month later) its -1sec per day. But I position it in another way over night nowadays, so that may be a reason for some off the time-keeping difference?


from several pp owners


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## Ozy

So you bought a watch and then realised that you didnt like the design.


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## AbsoluteMustard

Wisconsin Proud said:


> It sounds to me like you didn't do your homework when you selected this particular model.
> 
> Most of the "problems" are your opinion that they are design flaws. I don't recall anyone claiming pain when using the crown - man up! - or complaining of banging the bezel on doors - be more careful?.
> 
> To me, *your only legitimate complaint* is the accuracy and that can be easily adjusted. 7750-based movements are very accurate on the whole.
> 
> Your opening statement of trying to find a rep to email these complaints to is laughable. There are perhaps millions of watches to choose from, maybe hundreds by TAG alone. Do better research for a watch that fits your clumsiness and ever so soft fingertips. :-d
> 
> The Carrera is a staple in TAGs model line for many years. No way you minor gripes change anything with this watch.


Aint it the truth :-!


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## bradharro

Sniper-sam said:


> Excellent review Tom.
> I have the Calibre 17 RS2.
> My only real issues are the deployment buckle not holding the croc strap and have such created a larger "groove" but I have learned to live with it.
> Also the PVD coating, when it gets a dink the sliver shows through and because it's black against silver is more noticeable than a standard stainless case for example.
> All that said I still love this watch, thinking of buying the rubber strap for it to make the watch a little more practical.


Sniper, Im thinking about buying the watch you talk about. Is the silver showing through the PVD a major issue (ie is the PVD coating relatively strong)?


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## Guest

bradharro said:


> Sniper, Im thinking about buying the watch you talk about. Is the silver showing through the PVD a major issue (ie is the PVD coating relatively strong)?


I have the Calibre 17 RS2 also and actually thought the opposite regarding the PVD. Mine has sustained 2 knocks, one on the bezel and one on the top pusher. Although the damage is relatively easy to see, there doesn't appear to be any silver showing through. Whether the Ti used is a very dark colour to start with (is this possible?) or the PVD coating is quite thick I don't know.
The watch is currently with TAG Heuer to be repaired and I've asked for the damaged bezel (it's only minor damage) to be returned as I'm going to turn it into a keyring for something different. I also haven't had any trouble in regards with the clasp securing the leather strap sufficiently. I just love this watch, it's my favourite.


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## bradharro

axelf71 said:


> I have the Calibre 17 RS2 also and actually thought the opposite regarding the PVD. Mine has sustained 2 knocks, one on the bezel and one on the top pusher. Although the damage is relatively easy to see, there doesn't appear to be any silver showing through. Whether the Ti used is a very dark colour to start with (is this possible?) or the PVD coating is quite thick I don't know.
> The watch is currently with TAG Heuer to be repaired and I've asked for the damaged bezel (it's only minor damage) to be returned as I'm going to turn it into a keyring for something different. I also haven't had any trouble in regards with the clasp securing the leather strap sufficiently. I just love this watch, it's my favourite.


Tried it on for the first time yday. I planned on picking up a day/date black face for my upcoming bday but that has all changed since yday. Thanks for the info Axel.


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## Guest

bradharro said:


> Tried it on for the first time yday. I planned on picking up a day/date black face for my upcoming bday but that has all changed since yday. Thanks for the info Axel.


No problem, just don't quote me if you damage it and any silver shows through:-d:-d I'm sure you'll love it, IMO it looks way better than the day/date. I'm not usually a leather strap person either (the RS2 is the only watch on leather) but I love this one. It is very comfortable to wear and looks great with the red stitching. TAG Heuer call it "soft touch" leather and I agree, they sure must tenderise those 'gators to make it feel so nice:-!


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## bradharro

axelf71 said:


> No problem, just don't quote me if you damage it and any silver shows through:-d:-d I'm sure you'll love it, IMO it looks way better than the day/date. I'm not usually a leather strap person either (the RS2 is the only watch on leather) but I love this one. It is very comfortable to wear and looks great with the red stitching. TAG Heuer call it "soft touch" leather and I agree, they sure must tenderise those 'gators to make it feel so nice:-!


I noticed the softness of the leather gator strap yday. I'll definately be getting it with this and the red stitching, it adds to the look of the watch.


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## Guest

Ozy said:


> So you bought a watch and then realised that you didnt like the design.


HA HA, love the pic!:-d


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## Sniper-sam

bradharro said:


> Sniper, Im thinking about buying the watch you talk about. Is the silver showing through the PVD a major issue (ie is the PVD coating relatively strong)?


Just like Axel says, brilliant watch and I don't regret the purchase, it's also my favourite watch too. Although I orob wouldn't by another pvd watch. My rinks aren't major but the silver does show through, again I don't mind toooooooo much as it shows the watch gets worn.
I've actually ordered the rubber for it as. Prefer that although I do like the croc strap too. I'll start a separate thread once the strap arrives with pics etc, I'll also try and get a pic of the dinks


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## Tom Ford

When I posted the original review of my own experience with this watch I thought that this was a forum for watch professionals and enthusiasts. I didn't realize that my issues with the watch's design will provoke a wave of personal insults, immature comments and ridicule.

I have tried to be honest and observant in my writing - I agree that other people will have different experience with the same product, which is why I wanted to share mine. What I do not appreciate are posts from people that have absolutely nothing to contribute to a constructive debate about the fine points of a Swiss watch design apart from their unwavering brand bias or flippant personal remarks. 

That sort of uneducated attitude doesn't help anyone and does not improve anything. It is precisely one of the reasons that today's manufacturers can allow themselves to charge high prices for inferior quality products - as long as the marketing campaign is powerful and the product looks the part, there will always be enough people eager to participate in the "brand religion" - to consume unquestioningly anything new and fashionable.

I maintain my opinion, that the Tag Heuer Carrera watch I bought is nice but a poor value for money. The technical features that Tag is claiming on it's promotional website have not been met in real life. I believe, that it is reasonable to expect from a premium modern Swiss watch to be accurate, robust and easy to use. 

When Tag is extolling the virtues of the Calibre 16 movement over others it should be very accurate. When the s. steel case is 100m waterproof and the sapphire glass scratch-proof, it is unacceptable that the outer edge of the bezel is by design fragile. And when Tag says the hands are luminous they should indeed glow brighter and longer than any cheaper brand.

Call me old fashioned but I believe that good design does not mean a great superficial look only, supported by a film star on the ad.


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## Wisconsin Proud

Tom Ford said:


> When I posted the original review of my own experience with this watch I thought that this was a forum for watch professionals and enthusiasts. I didn't realize that my issues with the watch's design will provoke a wave of personal insults, immature comments and ridicule.
> 
> Complaining that a crown hurts your baby-bottom soft fingers will get you some comments:-d
> 
> I have tried to be honest and observant in my writing - I agree that other people will have different experience with the same product, which is why I wanted to share mine.
> 
> I think it was the whiny nature of your post that riles us.
> 
> That sort of uneducated attitude doesn't help anyone and does not improve anything. It is precisely one of the reasons that today's manufacturers can allow themselves to charge high prices for inferior quality products - as long as the marketing campaign is powerful and the product looks the part, there will always be enough people eager to participate in the "brand religion" - to consume unquestioningly anything new and fashionable.
> 
> The Carrera is not new and fashionable - it was conceived in 1964 and revived in 2004 and is one of their iconic pieces. Brand religion alone will not amke a watch as successful as the Carrera design is.
> 
> I maintain my opinion, that the Tag Heuer Carrera watch I bought is nice but a poor value for money. The technical features that Tag is claiming on it's promotional website have not been met in real life. I believe, that it is reasonable to expect from a premium modern Swiss watch to be accurate, robust and easy to use.
> 
> Value is a personal matter. I agree these watches have become quite expensive - not many years ago the price tag was around $2000, now, they are $3400. However, price alone does not guarentee the best of all possible features.
> 
> When Tag is extolling the virtues of the Calibre 16 movement over others it should be very accurate.
> 
> In reality, this movement is very accurate but that's not to say some won't perforn as expected. Getting it regulated is an easy process.
> 
> When the s. steel case is 100m waterproof and the sapphire glass scratch-proof, it is unacceptable that the outer edge of the bezel is by design fragile. And when Tag says the hands are luminous they should indeed glow brighter and longer than any cheaper brand.
> 
> Again, the Carrera style is not designed with alot of lume capabilities like dive watches that have alot of lume area. It's a dressier watch, something you should have noticed when you bought it. I have a Monaco with very small lume dots that glow very brightly but I don't expect the lume to last all night based on the small amount of lume material. If you want robust, get an Aquaracer.
> 
> Call me old fashioned but I believe that good design does not mean a great superficial look only, supported by a film star on the ad.
> 
> Ok - you're old fashioned! :-!
> 
> You continue to jab about a film star. Fact is, most brands have reps in film, sports, etc. get over it.


see above


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## Tom Ford

Is there actually a moderator on this forum that could get THAT STUPID REDNECK off my case?


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## Sniper-sam

Now who's throughing the personal insults?
This is an open forum where people will not agree with you all of the time, and I'm quite sure any "insults" etc would be Tongue and cheek.
Just chill out and take all comments with a pinch of salt. 
I for one liked your review and excepted all your criticisms of the watch because that's your personal opinion.


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## Guest

"CHILL PILLS TO THE TAG HEUER FORUM NURSE, STAT!" This topic got people going didn't it? Obviously not everyone is going to have the same opinion on any one watch, and I too could say both positive and negative things regarding some of them. On the one hand I agree with the OP that the Carrera crown is "rough" when winding the watch. I work with my hands and they are definitely not baby bum material, but the Carrera is the only crown that will leave a rough patch on my fingers after winding. Nothing to write home about but it is surprising for this class of watch IMO.

On the other hand if the OP now doesn't like the "owl eyes" on the face then that's just a personal opinion and not a fault of the watch. I think sometimes we just need to agree to disagree, and not sink into a playground slinging match. It may border on blasphemy but they are only watches.:think: Cheers.


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## nakedjohnny

Tom Ford, why are you so bitter? For me, I can take some short-comings of a watch to look cool with it on me. Heck, some girls buy $2K high-heels to look fancy, while wiping the blood on their toe-nails from the shoes at night. Well, that's an extreme comparison, after all we are guys. but guys or girls we all share same human nature- wea all want to look nice.

I can understand your complaining about crown etc. but I just can't get over your comments on the dial & lume, and all the aesthics/exteriors. Were you NOT staring right into the exact dial on the watch while forking over your hard-earned money?

So it only means one thing; it seems to me that you made an IMPULSE buy and now you're regretting it because now you're finding all the flaws that you should've researched before the purchase. I think the best thing for you to do is to sell it (while it's in good condition to get the most money) and buy something more suitable for you.

I for one love this watch and would offer to buy from you, but seeing some of your previous 'tempered' comments I somewhat doubt your character to do any business with.

Anyway, I know it's a lot of money for a watch and you're not happy with it I feel for you. Good luck.


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## Watchyman

Hey Tom
IMHO, apparently you made an impulse purchase, the lack of lume and owl eyes are part of the design of that specific model you chose. I guess no one forced you to buy it. There are a lot of good TH models to choose from if those were your main gripes with the watch. I guess that you would've been happied with any Aquaracer (clean dial, lots of lume, etc).
Now regarding the movement the 7750 is a very fine auto chrono ,you have to realize that it is old technology it is not a cutting edge thing, it's not as accurate as a quartz watch and it's way more delicate to handle and service.
I guess that in way you fell for the marketing strategy, the Carrera is pretty and a good swiss watch but it is not half of what TH is telling you it is.
If i knew you and we were friends i'd probably tell you to buy a Citizen Signature Eco-Drive Flyback Chronograph.
It will probably be a better value for you, better lume, more accurate, cleaner dial, easier to service,great finish and atention to detail, and way more affordable, but guess what Tom?
It's just a Citizen, and you wanted a Tag Heuer (just like the one Brad Pitt wears).
Peace man!

W


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## kauebm

Tom Ford said:


> I thought I would share my honest experience about this watch, since I cannot find any contacts at the mighty LMVH website that might lead to someone at the TAG design department take a notice.
> 
> As a short intro - I am an architect by profession, someone that is dealing with art, design, engineering and manufacturing on a daily basis. I enjoy the beauty of simple, functional, beautifully designed things made to last.
> 
> That is why, about a year ago I wanted to treat myself to a new watch, one that I will enjoy to wear for many years to come, a piece of "technical jewellery" that will become an everyday item, without which I wouldn't leave the house. With a budget in mind I looked at quite a few different watches and in the end paid a bit more than I initially wanted to for a lovely black dial Tag Heuer Carrera automatic chrono.
> 
> I remember the salesman talking at great length about the amazing accuracy of the Calibre 16 movement and the luminous dial...
> 
> Now, I am not in any way naive - this is not a Rolex or a Patek Phillipe, it's a Tag - more avantgarde design than a real precision timepiece, but I thought it's a reasonably expensive Swiss made automatic watch from a renowned company... Hey, look - Brad Pitt's got one on his wrist! (laugh)
> 
> Straight out of the box I loved it, it looked great on, it felt weighty and solid - you know how you just can't help checking the time every 10 seconds just to see the face of the thing.
> 
> After a few days the novelty wore off and I started looking at the watch from a daily use point of view:
> 
> 1. THE CROWN - now this is a man's watch - I don't have long finger nails and my hands are quite large. I find adjusting the time a really painful experience - the first pull out position I just about manage but the second one always feels like my nail is about snap and the sharp crown is a real pain to handle if I occasionally have to wind it up a little.
> The crown is too small and it should be a screw-in one so that the pull resistance does not need to be so great.
> 
> 2. THE DIAL - there are too many polished silver elements on the dial so telling the time by just a quick glance is difficult, one really has to stare at it for a while. A friend has an earlier Carrera model where the dial markings and the 2 main hands are white on black and it is much easier to read.
> At least the long stop watch hand should be a different colour finish - the two silver owl-eyes-like counters complicate the thing even further. Nice to look at but very difficult to read.
> 
> 3. LUMINESCENCE - my wife has an inexpensive P50 Tissot quartz chrono - when I wake up in the middle of the night, her watch glows like the moon and mine is dark. When I leave my watch under a lamp for longer periods of time the hands and the tiny(?) dots on the dial perimetre will glow for about 10 minutes then the dots will stop and the hands will glow not very brightly for another 30min-1hour and than it's "good night nurse".
> What's going on there Tag?
> 
> 4. THE CASE - now I take care of the watch; I take it off whenever I am doing some dirty or manual work, I give it a quick wipe with a soft towel every morning after shower (I do not wear it IN the shower). But there is this sharp outer edge right where the black tachymetre bezel is fixed that just seems to collect little bumps and nicks from daily wear and tear. It is absolutely a real design flaw - the outer edge of the watch, where it really needs to be strong and impact resistant (just look at the Omega or Rolex bezels) is this fragile, blade-thin polished exposed edge. Every time I accidentally catch my hand on the door handle or something somewhere I just grind my teeth and look at another little dent right there, on the polished edge of the watch. Hardly a design suitable for active lifestyle!
> 
> 5. THE MOVEMENT - tick tock tick tock goes the mighty Calibre 16 - minus about 20-25 seconds per day. The shop tells me it's within the normal automatic movement tolerance. OK, it's a mechanical watch but it's Swiss and it's new. My father's 80's mechanical Seiko is more accurate than that! Has the technology not moved forward - I mean is Calibre 16 just a hot new brand name for an old Valjoux movement? I'm not a robot and would happily accommodate 5-10 seconds a day but this way, I just put the watch forward 2 minutes every Monday - ouch, that stupid sharp crown again - to keep it roughly on time. 21st century Swiss Chronograph...hmm?!
> 
> 6. THE STRAP - Love the black racing style perforated leather strap - that way you can wear a sports watch with a crisp business suit. After a year (never used in wet) the strap is about to give way, cracking just through the last perforation where the strap gets thin. If only the designers at Tag stopped the perforation where the thicker, padded part of the strap finishes, it would surely last much longer. But no, you see I just found out that the genuine replacement strap costs USD$300 - here is the reason why the strap wasn't designed to last. One strap per year at 300 bucks - I could have a brand new Seamaster in 10 years. That is if the actual watch lasts 10 years... Would be better of with a metal strap but then I like the leather one more, the original Carrera design had a leather strap.
> 
> What to say in the end? Despite of all the above flaws I still like the watch but honestly, if I am to buy another watch in the future it will not be a Tag Heuer. I now believe that LMVH spends more money on celebrity marketing of its TAG brand then it does on the actual watch design and engineering.
> 
> What is your honest opinion about the design of the watch you paid a lot of your hard earned money for? I would be interested to know, as long as you have the ability to evaluate what one should actually expect from a Swiss made watch apart from the fact that it looks "cool".
> 
> Regards
> 
> Tom


Hello, Tom,

I feel very comfortable to answer your post and help you shed some light on those things you don't like about the watch, since I happen to own that exact model myself.

Regarding the crown, I also find it somewhat harder to pull out if compared to my other watches. Not to the point of hurting the fingers, but a little more tricky than average.

I really can't comment on the dial as I am totally biased - in all honesty, aesthetically speaking, this is the nicest looking chronograph I have ever seen, regardless of brand. That's how much I love the looks of the watch. I really don't find it hard to read the time, but, as I said, my personal opinion doesn't count on this one.

The lume is not very strong, you gave a point there. However, as others have pointed out, this is not a diver, and it also is more on the dressy as sporty side - which normally implies less lume as well. This is not a tool watch, mind you.

The case has been perfectly fine by my experience. If yours goes to show it has become a bump magnet, perhaps you could be more careful, or perhaps it was a mistake to buy a watch that has a polished/mirror like case. Again, not a tool watch, which is fine, as long as you wear it accordingly.

I did quite some research on the movement prior to my purchase, an my conclusions were pretty straightforward: The Valjoux 7750 has been around for a while, and thus is a tried and tested, reliable movement that will last a long time - perhaps even a lifetime, given proper service. On the other hand, it is NOT the most elaborate - or even amongst the most elaborate - chronograph movements. This is the reason you get the watch for the price it costs, as opposed to a much higher price tag for chronograph watches from brands that use more refined movements. Honestly, Normally the chronographs we see from other well known swiss brands cost at least 50% more than the carrera tachy. Having said that, my watch runs at about +4/+5 seconds a day, which I am really satisfied with. Perhaps yours could be calibrated to run at better specs. I have seen much more expensive watches need to be calibrated to meet the movement's true potencial, so don't worry about this being a let-down.

I got mine with the bracelet, so cannot comment on your strap issue - I do think the original straps from Tag are overpriced, though (as are Omega's, Breitling's, etc.).

Hope you come to get over these issues, as it is a striking, sporty-looking and at the same time classical timepiece.

Cheers,

Kauê


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## wdrazek

I think this guy should get a break. This is starting to feel like the Om+++ forum, with a few little smilies at the end of the posts.


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## h2xmark

Tom Ford said:


> Is there actually a moderator on this forum that could get THAT STUPID REDNECK off my case?


He's one of the good guy's around here, he's just playing with you a bit. You also have to remember we get a lot of people on the Tag forum that talk smack about Tag, and how there Omeeeega or what ever brand is soooooo much better than Tag, it does get a little old. I'm sorry you feel your new watch is a let down to you, a watch only tells time, you can do that for 19 dollars with a cheap watch, but for the people on this board we feel stronger about our time pieces than that, it makes us feel good, look better add some class to our lives and most here are proud that we work hard to buy someting nice, i dont think there is only one watch that's
perfect for every activity, thats why a lot of us have so many watches in our collections, I own 4 Tags right now and love all of them, but I also like a lot of other brands out there, and will own some in the future. I do hope your Tag will grow on you some more and that you dont run away from the brand. and thanks for your honest input.


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## Eeeb

h2xmark said:


> He's one of the good guy's around here, he's just playing with you a bit. You also have to remember we get a lot of people on the Tag forum that talk smack about Tag, and how there Omeeeega or what ever brand is soooooo much better than Tag, it does get a little old. I'm sorry you feel your new watch is a let down to you, a watch only tells time, you can do that for 19 dollars with a cheap watch, but for the people on this board we feel stronger about our time pieces than that, it makes us feel good, look better add some class to our lives and most here are proud that we work hard to buy someting nice, i dont think there is only one watch that's
> perfect for every activity, thats why a lot of us have so many watches in our collections, I own 4 Tags right now and love all of them, but I also like a lot of other brands out there, and will own some in the future. I do hope your Tag will grow on you some more and that you dont run away from the brand. and thanks for your honest input.


Thank you for a voice of reason.

Members are reminded to review the forum rules. I already had to delete part of this thread for rules violations. :rodekaart

Let's keep discussions and disagreements civil, please. The TAG crew should be above this.


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## Guest

Eeeb said:


> Thank you for a voice of reason.
> 
> Members are reminded to review the forum rules. I already had to delete part of this thread for rules violations. :rodekaart
> 
> Let's keep discussions and disagreements civil, please. The TAG crew should be above this.


This is definitely the most controversial thread I've read since joining WUS, and to be honest I have found TAG Heuer fans to be the most passionate about their brand. I personally think TAG Heuer watches are great but I wouldn't get "fired up" if someone said something negative about them. Quality, design, worth and appeal are all purely subjective qualities to a certain extent, and everyone has different levels of each.

I am constantly told by many people that spending thousands on one watch is ludicrous, let alone several. I just shrug it off, not everyone is into watches, just as some will spend thousands on video games where as I wouldn't dream of it. If we can appreciate these watches, then we should also be capable of appreciating that not everyone is going to feel the same way, and be able to accept that fact.


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## gts_2001

Tom Ford said:


> Is there actually a moderator on this forum that could get THAT STUPID REDNECK off my case?


For the record, he's hardly stupid and definitely not a "REDNECK". In fact, he has more knowledge about watches (and a trove of other disciplines) than you can even begin to comprehend!

That being said, I guess that if you accuse WP of having these attributes, then I claim them, too.

Insult my friend then insult me as well!

Chill out buckaroo!

:-!:-!


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## Wisconsin Proud

*"What is your honest opinion about the design of the watch you paid a lot of your hard earned money for? I would be interested to know, as long as you have the ability to evaluate what one should actually expect from a Swiss made watch apart from the fact that it looks "cool"."*

Tom, this is the last sentence in your original post.

With all due respect, when you ask for honest opinions, I'll give mine - and did - by addressing many of your points. I felt some of your points are very trivial while at least one (accuracy) was legit.

As for having the ability to judge Swiss Made watches, I have owned the following:

Accutron
Oris
Doxa
TAG Heuer
Omega
Breitling
Rolex
Hamilton
DeBaufre
Gevril
Panerai
Zodiac
and other "lesser brands"

This is in no way bragging but rather I feel I have a decent basis for judging watches. I also base my opinions on what others have said for years about your specific watch and many speak proudly of it.

*Tom, I wish you well and hope you can overcome the deficiencies you see in the Carrera. All watches are not perfect and price really isn't a factor in this. I no longer have some of the above brands, some were sold because they were not a good fit for me, others because I wanted a different watch more.*

Sometimes we banter back and forth here but in the end we respect eac other's opinions and at some point move on. Please continue to post here with your opinions on watches others post and become a regular here.

*Take care and hope to see you back.....*

*Dan*


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## wristclock

Hey man sorry you dont like your watch. Any one who is in to this hobby experiences what you just have to one degree or the other. Sometimes you have to go through a couple to get the one that fits you best. That is why some people flip a ton of watches and hang on the only a few keepers. Keep it and wear it or move on and learn from the experience, good luck |>


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## cuthbert

Tom Ford said:


> I thought I would share my honest experience about this watch, since I cannot find any contacts at the mighty LMVH website that might lead to someone at the TAG design department take a notice.
> 
> As a short intro - I am an architect by profession, someone that is dealing with art, design, engineering and manufacturing on a daily basis. I enjoy the beauty of simple, functional, beautifully designed things made to last.
> 
> That is why, about a year ago I wanted to treat myself to a new watch, one that I will enjoy to wear for many years to come, a piece of "technical jewellery" that will become an everyday item, without which I wouldn't leave the house. With a budget in mind I looked at quite a few different watches and in the end paid a bit more than I initially wanted to for a lovely black dial Tag Heuer Carrera automatic chrono.
> 
> I remember the salesman talking at great length about the amazing accuracy of the Calibre 16 movement and the luminous dial...
> 
> Now, I am not in any way naive - this is not a Rolex or a Patek Phillipe, it's a Tag - more avantgarde design than a real precision timepiece, but I thought it's a reasonably expensive Swiss made automatic watch from a renowned company... Hey, look - Brad Pitt's got one on his wrist! (laugh)
> 
> Straight out of the box I loved it, it looked great on, it felt weighty and solid - you know how you just can't help checking the time every 10 seconds just to see the face of the thing.
> 
> After a few days the novelty wore off and I started looking at the watch from a daily use point of view:
> 
> 1. THE CROWN - now this is a man's watch - I don't have long finger nails and my hands are quite large. I find adjusting the time a really painful experience - the first pull out position I just about manage but the second one always feels like my nail is about snap and the sharp crown is a real pain to handle if I occasionally have to wind it up a little.
> The crown is too small and it should be a screw-in one so that the pull resistance does not need to be so great.
> 
> 2. THE DIAL - there are too many polished silver elements on the dial so telling the time by just a quick glance is difficult, one really has to stare at it for a while. A friend has an earlier Carrera model where the dial markings and the 2 main hands are white on black and it is much easier to read.
> At least the long stop watch hand should be a different colour finish - the two silver owl-eyes-like counters complicate the thing even further. Nice to look at but very difficult to read.
> 
> 3. LUMINESCENCE - my wife has an inexpensive P50 Tissot quartz chrono - when I wake up in the middle of the night, her watch glows like the moon and mine is dark. When I leave my watch under a lamp for longer periods of time the hands and the tiny(?) dots on the dial perimetre will glow for about 10 minutes then the dots will stop and the hands will glow not very brightly for another 30min-1hour and than it's "good night nurse".
> What's going on there Tag?
> 
> 4. THE CASE - now I take care of the watch; I take it off whenever I am doing some dirty or manual work, I give it a quick wipe with a soft towel every morning after shower (I do not wear it IN the shower). But there is this sharp outer edge right where the black tachymetre bezel is fixed that just seems to collect little bumps and nicks from daily wear and tear. It is absolutely a real design flaw - the outer edge of the watch, where it really needs to be strong and impact resistant (just look at the Omega or Rolex bezels) is this fragile, blade-thin polished exposed edge. Every time I accidentally catch my hand on the door handle or something somewhere I just grind my teeth and look at another little dent right there, on the polished edge of the watch. Hardly a design suitable for active lifestyle!
> 
> 5. THE MOVEMENT - tick tock tick tock goes the mighty Calibre 16 - minus about 20-25 seconds per day. The shop tells me it's within the normal automatic movement tolerance. OK, it's a mechanical watch but it's Swiss and it's new. My father's 80's mechanical Seiko is more accurate than that! Has the technology not moved forward - I mean is Calibre 16 just a hot new brand name for an old Valjoux movement? I'm not a robot and would happily accommodate 5-10 seconds a day but this way, I just put the watch forward 2 minutes every Monday - ouch, that stupid sharp crown again - to keep it roughly on time. 21st century Swiss Chronograph...hmm?!
> 
> 6. THE STRAP - Love the black racing style perforated leather strap - that way you can wear a sports watch with a crisp business suit. After a year (never used in wet) the strap is about to give way, cracking just through the last perforation where the strap gets thin. If only the designers at Tag stopped the perforation where the thicker, padded part of the strap finishes, it would surely last much longer. But no, you see I just found out that the genuine replacement strap costs USD$300 - here is the reason why the strap wasn't designed to last. One strap per year at 300 bucks - I could have a brand new Seamaster in 10 years. That is if the actual watch lasts 10 years... Would be better of with a metal strap but then I like the leather one more, the original Carrera design had a leather strap.
> 
> What to say in the end? Despite of all the above flaws I still like the watch but honestly, if I am to buy another watch in the future it will not be a Tag Heuer. I now believe that LMVH spends more money on celebrity marketing of its TAG brand then it does on the actual watch design and engineering.
> 
> What is your honest opinion about the design of the watch you paid a lot of your hard earned money for? I would be interested to know, as long as you have the ability to evaluate what one should actually expect from a Swiss made watch apart from the fact that it looks "cool".
> 
> Regards
> 
> Tom


1)If you have problems with the crown of a Carrera, DON'T buy a Speedmaster pro:it's even more difficult to handle and it's also manual, so you've to wind it every day.

2) Perhaps you should have chosen another Carrera: there are many dials. That's also the reason why I prefer the old re-edition Carreras, black dials with white hands.

3)Same answer: Superluminova work that way, old tritium dials were more luminous, I don't now if your wife's Tissot used Superluminova or tritium...

4)I think that the bezel of a Speedmaster is more delicate than the Carrera Tachy's, but anyway, other Carreras don't have one.

5)Serious problem here: the watch needs a regulation! A 7750 should not gain more than 5 seconds per day.

6)Solution of the problem: Hirsch Rally.

Hope that it helps...


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## rpmoore

I came here after Googling for the phrase 'stiff crown on Carrera Calibre 16', and have had exactly the same problem setting the time as Tom. I dont however have much of an issue with accuracy, finding it pretty much +/- 7 or 8 seconds a day. Overall, had watch 12 months and really pleased with it.

Felt compelled to join and post to voice my opinion on the negative comments toward Tom regarding not being able to pull out the crown to stop 2. I have on a number of occasions cracked my finger nails trying this, and had concluded I was doing it wrong - hence the search. It is simply far too stiff!


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## HmJ_FR

Dear all, that's my first message to WUS so hi to all!

I'd like to follow up on your opinions regarding this Tag Heuer calibre 16. As time has passed, did your opinion changed? I've owned mine for 9 years now, that's my main watch dressed almost everyday at work. I'm not so careful with it, had a minor bump in the doors once in while but I was surprised that I had to service it already 3 times (always at official shops). The outside is still great, the bezel hold well and there's no big scratches, but inside I expected it to hold better, although it's not a rugged model of course.

So, in a way, I can relate to the OP: I'm a bit disappointed at the fragility of the watch, it took months to make my choice and that's hard earned money, I was hoping it holds better.


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