lhooq Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hello, TAG-Heuer Area! This is my first time starting a thread in this subforum, but it's not because I don't like the brand. In fact, my dream watches ten years ago -before I was even really into watches- were all TAGs. I remember lusting after the Monaco, the Monza, and the Targa Florio--in that order. However, I also remember thinking that spending more than a few hundred bucks on a watch seemed a bit silly. Oh, how things change! The hunt for this particular watch began almost a year ago. Other than the Monaco and the original Carrera, I wasn't very familiar with the 70s Heuer lineup. One night I was trawling eBay when I found a Carrera similar to this one being sold from Hong Kong. It was love at first sight as everything about the design (silver sunburst, blue/gray subdials and tachy ring, orange hand) struck all the right chords in me. But I'm a naturally cautious sort, so I resisted the strong urge to bid right there and then. As nice as the watch was, I figured it was just a common Carrera and another one would show up really soon. Better do some research first, right? "WRONG!" to quote Arnold in Commando. These 2nd-gen Carreras are much rarer than I expected, and it was even harder to find one with this particular color scheme. After months of regular searches, one finally showed up on one of the watch forums last December. Unfortunately, someone bought it within a day of the listing's posting, so... dammit. Fast forward six months and the closest I'd found was a white-on-blue dial example. Nice enough, but it wasn't the same. Chrono24 showed one seller in Germany with the exact model I wanted, but at a very European price. Very expensive, but I think I would have gone over the edge after a few more months of looking. Then this popped up a month ago. It was the exact same watch that I'd missed out on in December, but the seller had decided he wanted to move up to an Anniversary Edition Monaco. Good for him! And even better for me. I've had a portion of my funds earmarked for this watch since last year, so I bought it without hesitation. This, then, is a 1969 or 1970 Carrera ref. 1153S. It's either a Calibre 11 or a Cal. 11-I, as described in OnTheDash. I could find out for certain, if only I could get this blasted caseback off! Cal. 11 is remarkable for being one of the first three automatic chronograph movements ever made. To this day, there is still debate on whether the crown belongs to the Zenith El Primero, the Heuer/Breitling/Buren/Dubois-Depraz Chronomatic, or to Seiko for its immortal 6139. As with the Submariner vs. Fifty Fathoms debate, I'm inclined to just call it a three-way tie, due to overlapping announcements and production schedules. (I think it's Seiko, but.. Shh!) This particular example is in very good condition, as it was refurbished by TAG-Heuer Japan last year. (I believe there are still a few months left on its warranty.) Based on what I've read and the prices I've been quoted for parts, that service couldn't have been cheap. Also not cheap is the original Corfam strap on this Carrera. If you think vintage Tropic rubber straps have become extremely expensive in recent months, Corfam straps have been even more ridiculously priced for a much longer time. Not bad for a failed leather substitute by DuPont! The feel of the Corfam strap is much better than I'd been led to believe, though less comfortable than what we expect from straps these days. As for appearance, it's very vinyl-shiny and very 1970s. Sort of like the seats on a Stutz Blackhawk. If you're not familiar with vintage Heuers, you may be surprised by the absence of a running seconds subdial. The register at 3 counts minutes and the one at 6 counts hours, but if the chronograph isn't running, you'll have to wait a bit to see any action. Another surprise can be found in the hour counter. Rather than slowly sweeping one rotation every 12 hours (like every other chronograph in my collection), the hand jumps in 30 minute increments. Neat, but this feature caused some reliability problems (described in the OnTheDash article linked above), and led to the use of weaker springs in the Cal.11-I. I only meant to say a few words about this watch, but this is turning into a full-blown article! Better wrap things up... IN CONCLUSION, I finally found the watch that I'd been searching for since August 2010, and I'm pretty damn happy about it. Also, if you see something you like, go for it! Let that lesson apply to watches as it does in life. Onto the pictures! Thanks to alligoat for helping me out yet again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Oh, boy that's a nice one. One of my favorites as far back as memory serves. Wow!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 First of all.... CONGRATULATIONS! You're search more than paid off as that is a fine example of such a nice vintage Heuer! Secondly, as usual, your photos are superb and your story to go with it was excellent. I am always sucked in to your back story about each watch you purchase/build. Nicely done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vlydog Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Agreed, A very nice vintage piece in superb condition. congratulations M! Thanks for the generous right-up, and as S has mentioned, the always gorgeous photographs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoever Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 simply magnifique! besides, whats your camera? Great shots!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelizer Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 WOW, just WOW! Congrats to a very very nice example of a stunning watch M! Heuer at it's best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asf Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 That's twice now you've let something slip away from you but got a second chance! I'm glad you got to get the same watch again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McRae Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Magnificient... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Thanks, all! I've got the Carrera on my wrist as I type this, and it's wonderful having it right here after so may months of seeing it on a monitor. It's smaller than I expected (just under 39mm, I reckon), but a perfect fit nonetheless. I don't like using the term 'Grail' lightly, but it was a bit of a quest to find it. So let's call it "The Flagon with the Dragon". (Or is it "The Vessel with the Pestle"?) whoever: I'm still using an old Canon G9, which is very hard to beat for low-ISO still shots. However, I am jealously looking at Andei3000's Finepix X100... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSK1974 Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 ......it's absolutely fabulous. Now if they would only rep. a Ferrari Daytona from 68, lets all have a trip to St. Tropez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted September 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Well, this is embarrassing. I've been referring to my Carrera as a Cal.11 for the past couple of months without even taking a look inside. I finally got the caseback off tonight: The golden plates mean Caliber 12. As does the helpful engraving "Cal. 12". This is a 21600bph movement, but I'll admit that -unless I see them side-by-side- I can't spot the difference between 5.5bps and 6bps. I Unfortunately, this means that I can no longer call it a '69--it's a 1971 production at the earliest. The upside is that Cal.12 is the superior movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeleni kukuruz Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 And my wife asks me way i always have a hardon when i come to bed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrgod Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Beautiful watch and great story. :-) Some of the most interesting mechanical movements were made just prior to the quartz-revolution.. Some years ago, I had a similar Carerra. It was unfortunately stolen. My first (and only) pvd-coated watch. I never really got to like it. The lack of seconds hand was annoying, and I found it a bit boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted September 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 No running seconds takes some getting used to, but it does make sense. Sort of... Shame about your Carrera, though. It really looks the business, but I suppose part of the fun of 70s Heuers are the 70s colors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praetor Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 this is what the carrera that I dream of: This is the one I have, close nuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted September 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 Nice! Excalibur, or a different kit? Good watch, too. The Lemania-powered Re-edition of the original Carrera is very nice, too. Always a bit pricier than I'd like, though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrgod Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 I have a soft spot for these vintage Heuers, and their modern reissues.. I kind of noticed them before I got into replicas. The first "serious replica" I bought was a white dial Heuer Monza reissue replica. I loved the pillow-shaped case. It was quartz chrono, but a rather good one. Agree that the seventies style looks its best with colorful details! These days, I am thinking about an Autavia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobey Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 whoever: I'm still using an old Canon G9, which is very hard to beat for low-ISO still shots. However, I am jealously looking at Andei3000's Finepix X100... You are making such marvelous pictures already, so there are no reasons for you to be envious of him If you do not already know about this, I would advice you to look into CHDK for your camera. It just opens up so many more options You can read about it at: chdk.wikia. com/wiki/CHDK And you can download it for your G9 at: forum.chdk-treff. de/autobuild.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted October 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Thanks for the tip, bobey! Let me read up on CHDK's list of features... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted November 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Update! Lately, I've been getting nervous about wearing the Corfam strap on a regular basis. Not only is that pleather strap more expensive than many high-end reps, but it's also starting to show a few signs of wear. The material itself has been holding up pretty well, but the back is showing signs of delamination. Not only that, but the black dye is wearing off on the edges of the keeper, leaving the Corfam looking a grayish beige. Is there a way of restoring this strap without using dangerous chemicals from DuPont? Anyway, here's my nouveau-retro solution: A TAG-Heuer "Heuer" deployant (as seen on the Monaco and Silverstone re-editions) and a generic perforated strap: Maybe the big, honkin' HEUER is a little bit gaudy, but I do need a little bit of flash to compensate for the loss of the "wet-look" pleather! It's also hard to beat the convenience of a single-fold deployant. Looks like the Corfam is staying in the vault for a spell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vlydog Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 This is an awesome look M! Your killer photos really make this combination pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabularasa415 Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 My first gen was a tag carrera date re-issue and I loved it. It had that lovely pie-pan dial look of the 60s that I'd never really seen before (which would eventually lead me to research and spark my obsession with collecting vintage pieces) and I now miss when I look down at my datejust. While most of my gen vintage pieces are late 50s to 60s, I have to say you found a beautiful piece from the era of 70s fish tank watches. Way to persevere, my friend. Wear it with pride!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Amazing new strap! I love the combo! I think it looks a lot better than the other one to be honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Thanks, guys! tr415: Those Lemania-powered TAG reissues from the late 90s were beautifully designed watches, and very faithful to the originals. More recently, TAG put out a 40th anniversary "Jack Heuer" edition that mixed styling cues from the first- and second-gen Carreras. The result was disappointingly plain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ephry73 Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 I wonder if the Carrera Cal 12 dial would fit a Poljot 3133 movement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.