Stylish, sporty, and avant garde; these are but three of the words that sprung to my mind when I first saw the new Carrera Calibre 36. TAG Heuer has always been a force to reckon with in the dress sport category going up against brands like Omega, Breitling, and of course Rolex. The fact that this brand is still around and is, indeed, gaining ground says a lot about the TAG’s core values. Personally, I like watches in all black with a hint of another color, so I was immediately drawn to this gorgeous watch.
The case of this watch is made in grade II titanium, which is treated with black titanium carbide to give it a darker, sleeker look. The fact that this watch is made from titanium means that it very light on the wrist. Titanium, as most of you know, is 5 times stronger than stainless steel, with half the weight. As a sports chronograph, TAG did an excellent job with choosing the case material. The main crown is uniquely textured with a swizzle pattern indicating which direction to turn this screwed down crown. The case back features a sapphire crystal exhibiting the powerful Calibre 36, which is self-winding mechanical. The case carries a 43mm diameter, which gives this Carrera model great wrist presence.
The movement oscillates at 5 Hz (36,000 VpH) which is higher than most other chronographs. This allows the chronograph to time smaller intervals of seconds, thus resulting in a very precise chronograph. The 32 jeweled movement carries a power reserve of 50 hours. The oscillating mass is decorated with a Cotes de Genève and is open worked. I especially liked the open worked rotor as it gave me a chance to enjoy more of the movement.
The dial features a tachymeter on the flange, which enhances the racing theme of this watch. The most prominent feature on the dial, however, is the large Arabic numerals of the chronograph seconds dial, which is indicated by a central hand. Functionally this watch is superb as it has a Flyback function which allows you to time successive events without the need to stop and reset. At the 3 position resides the chrono minutes subdial. The small seconds counter is located at 9, and the vaulted date aperture can be found at the 6 position. The hands governing the main timekeeping functions are coated in lume so that telling the time at night is never a problem.
Another great sporty aesthetic on this watch is the perforated leather strap which is fitted with a clasp made from titanium. Protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal, which defends against scratching. This model from TAG is made water resistant to 100 meters.
