HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 45mm Black Ceramic, it’s got your black
David Chalmers
We all knew it at the time, but it has taken 12 months to play out in terms of product; the Carrera Heuer-01, launched last year was never going to be a one-off model. It was always intended to be the flag-bearer for the next generation of the TAG Heuer Carrera. And now, 12 months ofter its initial launch it has come to fruition. The modular, modern and technical Carrera Heuer-01 is now a full-fledged range, with titanium, steel and rose gold models. But it’s the Black Ceramic Phantom model, Reference CAR2A90 that has caught our eye today.
That might be because this is the first time ever that TAG Heuer has offered a fully ceramic case for a watch in their men’s range (they’ve offered a women’s Formula 1 model in ceramic for the last few years), but mostly it’s because this new, blacked-out, phantom Carrera looks awesomely mean. And not only does the glossy black case look great, it also offers real advantages over the more traditional steel or titanium. It is lighter than both, yet also harder. And this hardness has real world advantages, because it makes the case far more scratch resistant.
The downside of ceramics? Well, they can shatter, or crack if dropped from a height or if the case is hit very hard, but this would require a significant amount of force. We’ll assume you know that sort of treatment of your sparkly new watch is not going to end well, irrespective of what materials it’s made from. The case, bezel, lugs and case middle of the black ceramic Heuer-01 are each made from black ceramic. There are some steel parts used (inner case section, screw-in case back and chronograph pushers), mainly to ensure water resistance.
Putting aside the details of what the watch is made from, let’s focus on the end result – an all black phantom for your wrist. It might be the same size and design as last years Heuer-01, but it feels completely different on the wrist, mostly because it’s so much lighter in ceramic as opposed to the steel of the original Heuer-01. We’d say that the difference between ceramic and steel cases is not as stark as that between say, steel and titanium, but nevertheless it is a completely different wrist-feel. The 45mm Carrera case is a large one, so balancing out that visual heft with a lightweight case material offers the best of both worlds.
The watch is only available on a rubber strap at this stage, but it’s one that suits the style of the watch very well.
No changes on the inside of the watch – it’s still powered by the Heuer-01, the Calibre that lends its name to the collection, and is a development of TAG Heuer’s own Calibre 1887 movement. This movement has been in production for more than five years now and over the next few years expect to see the movement reserved for the Heuer-01 models in the Carrera range. Stealth lovers beware – the sapphire caseback of the Carrera does reveal a rotor with bright red detailing, perhaps the only splash of colour on the otherwise inky-black Heuer-01.
TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 45mm Black Ceramic Australian pricing and availability
Expect to see the 2016 TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 arrive in Australian retailers by October with a local price of $8650.