Monthly Archives for October 2024

Replica TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana Watch

The Carrera name holds great importance for both replica TAG Heuer and Porsche. Each brand has a product line named after the thrilling yet perilous Carrera Panamericana rally, which took place in Mexico in the early 1950s. The 3,000km race was halted in 1954 due to safety issues but was revived in 1988 and continues today. The year 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of the Porsche 550 Spyder’s success at the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, where it secured first and second place in the under 1500cc sports car category, along with third and fourth overall in the race. Just in time for the 2024 Carrera Panamericana, the replica TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana watch is launching, drawing inspiration from the victorious Porsche 550 Spyder. It is limited to just 255 pieces.

Upon first inspection, the silver, black, and yellow color scheme of the watch is clearly reminiscent of the classic Porsche 550’s design. The timepiece features a 42mm stainless steel case (49.7mm from lug to lug and 15.1mm in thickness) with a domed sapphire “Glassbox” crystal on top, a style that was popular in the 1970s and has been recently revived by replica TAG Heuer. The crystal elegantly extends to cover the 60-minute scale on the black flange. The case alternates between brushed and polished finishes, and the side is engraved with a “Spyder” logo in the original 1950s Porsche script. Branding is abundant as well, from the split “Carrera Panamericana” text on the dial to the iconic Clone TAG Heuer shield at 12 o’clock and the “Porsche” inscription on the flange, honoring both brands in this special edition.

The dial is where replica TAG Heuer Carrera Panamericana-racing Porsche 550 Spyder. The skeletonized design evokes the car’s wheels, while the shimmering surface of the dial replicates the vehicle’s bodywork. Black grain-finished details symbolize the asphalt, and the trio of yellow lacquered hands — placed at the center, the 3 o’clock chronograph minute counter, and the 9 o’clock chronograph hour counter — echo the shade of the number 55 stickers on the sides and front of the race car. The lume plots near the polished rhodium-plated indexes are also yellow. At the 6 o’clock position lies the tourbillon, the defining feature of the watch.

Inside the watch is the in-house COSC-certified Caliber TH20-09 tourbillon movement, offering 65 hours of power reserve and a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour. While parts of the snail-brushed movement and the tourbillon mechanism are visible from the front, a clearer view is provided through the sapphire crystal caseback. Like other replica TAG Heuer x Porsche models, this watch features a rotor inspired by a steering wheel. The individual number of each watch, out of the 255-piece series, is engraved on the bottom of the caseback. Why 255? Replica TAG Heuer explains that it is a nod to the number 55, which adorned the Porsche 550 Spyder during its victorious run in the 1954 Carrera Panamericana.

The replica TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana comes with a black perforated calfskin leather strap, featuring a yellow lining that is visible from the sides and top. It is fastened with a brushed and polished stainless steel folding clasp, equipped with double safety push-buttons.

Replica TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green Watch

The replica TAG Heuer Monaco is undoubtedly one of the most iconic watches in the world of motorsports. Although the collection has featured numerous models over the years, it typically sticks to color schemes of blue, red, black, or white. However, for 2024, replica TAG Heuer has introduced a limited-edition titanium version of its signature square-cased chronograph, the replica TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green. This edition features a silver sunburst dial with striking green accents and bright yellow highlights.

The replica TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green (ref. CAW218E.FC6565) is essentially the green counterpart to the Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue that launched last year. Similar to the blue edition, the new Racing Green version will also be limited to just 1,000 pieces. Both models maintain the vintage-style layout of the Monaco, with the crown located on the left side of the case at 9 o’clock rather than between the pushers. In terms of design and construction, the two models are nearly identical, featuring silver sunburst dials with chronograph registers in their respective colors. Swap blue for green, and you’ve got the idea behind this latest limited release.

The new replica TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green’s case is crafted from sandblasted grade 2 titanium, measuring 39mm in diameter and 14.35mm in thickness, with 22mm-wide lugs that create a total lug-to-lug distance of 47.4mm. On top of the case sits a box-shaped sapphire crystal with curved edges, and the caseback features a screw-on display. Like other modern Monaco models, the chronograph pushers have an angular, oblong shape (as opposed to the traditional round pushers found on vintage versions), and it offers 100 meters of water resistance, making it suitable for most moisture-related activities.

The new super clone TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green has a silver sunburst dial, continuing the Monaco’s original two-register layout with a date window at 6 o’clock, similar to last year’s blue version. It also features small yellow accents on the 12 o’clock marker and chronograph seconds hand, while the chronograph registers are green to match the overall theme. The Super-LumiNova dots along the outer edge of the hour markers have also been updated to a pale green, in contrast to the blue luminous dots on last year’s model.

Just like the blue predecessor, the replica TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green is powered by the brand’s Calibre 11 automatic movement, which is based on the Sellita SW300-1 with a Dubois-Depraz module for chronograph functions. The performance specs are typical for this movement, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) with a 40-hour power reserve. Although the Calibre 11 mirrors the crown/pusher configuration of vintage Monaco models, it does feel somewhat outdated compared to modern in-house movements. It would be exciting to see replica TAG Heuer develop an in-house left-crown chronograph movement for future Monaco models.

The strap on the new replica TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green is a green calfskin leather version of last year’s blue model. It’s attached to the 22mm lugs, with perforations for added style. The interior of the strap is lined with bright yellow to complement the yellow accents on the dial and hands. Aside from the new color, the strap is essentially the same as the blue version from last year, and it fastens with a sandblasted titanium folding clasp that bears the vintage Heuer shield logo and operates with a double push-button release.