The point of any new watch is, of course, money. The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Polychrome costs $25k – which is damn cheap for a tourbillon. You know: the spinny thing invented to keep gravity from affecting pocket watch accuracy. I consider them a needless affectation. Unless . . .
You like spinny things on your watch face. I mean, it is kinda cool to stare at when you’re high. Especially if you’re listening to Billy Preston’s will it go ’round in circles. Fire-up a doobie, turn down the volume on the video below, set it to slow-mo, put Billy on the speakers and press play.
While TAG’s tourby isn’t as mind-blowing as Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Gyrotourbillon multi-axis tourbillon or ZEROOTIME’s Double Tourbillon, it still puts on a good show.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Polychrome is the newest performer in the brand’s [now] eight-member tourbillon ensemble.
They’re all powered by TAG’s in-house Cal. Heuer 02T, a “column wheel-controlled, self-winding integrated chronograph that runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) while offering users a power reserve of approximately 80 hours.”
Sweet! I just hope TAG’s tourbillon-equipped chronographs are as tough as their “proper” sport watches – adhering to TAG’s advice to “never crack under pressure.” I also hope my Ferrari 360 never needs a $20k service. Again.
The obvious change with the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Polychrome: color! An unnamed partner specializing in vacuum deposition PVD treatments helped TAG taste the rainbow. Their patented Positive Coating treatment deposits metallic oxides in thin transparent layers, varying thickness to create the Disney colors.
The Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor TAG Heuer is a bit of a beast at 45mm, but the grade 5 titanium case keeps things light-hearted. And who doesn’t want a tourbillon they can take 100m underwater, alligator strap be damned?
By creating a tourbillon for 25 large, TAG Heuer’s put another nail in the coffin of the “holy sh*t it costs THAT much?” history of the tourbillon (the $5k Aventi’s A11’s USP). How great is that?
The 150-piece Limited Edition Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Polychrome was sold out before it hit the streets. That’s $3,75,000 into TAG’s coffers, just like that. Why they didn’t put some lume on the spinny thing is anyone’s guess. Next model?