morlock Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 (edited) To be totally honest, I am not a TH fan, I just own a cheap Quartz rep Monaco and, as many of us, still waiting for truth decent copy. The Grand Carrera from this post, I just received from Andrew because I ordered for a friend who ask me for it. As usual, when I receive a new watch I check the overall conditions, movt, dial, functions, etc., you know to be sure all is right, and no damage occur during the shipping. Well, while I was doing so I realize this is a top quality rep, very faithful to the gen. So I look for info in the internet, an article in a back issue of IW magazine and in the TH web side. I even went to a nearby AD to see the real thing in person, you know the filing, a close encounter. After all this I came to one conclusion, apart from IMHO small issue this is awesome rep, high quality construction and really hard to point out as a rep. The Gen The key design element is the use of rotating disks instead of the traditional hands on the chrono subdials. The dial of the Caliber 17 RS is equipped with two rotating systems with Cotes de Geneve treatments: seconds at 3 o'clock; chronograph minute at 9 o'clock. The dials feature a hand-applied TAG Heuer logo and curved faceted markers. Oversized screw-in crown and push-button clasps, water resistant to 100 meters. The watch has sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment on front and a double window sapphire crystal case back. Gen Specifications: Movement: Automatic TAGHeuer Calibre 17 RS COSC Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Rotating Seconds at 3, Chronograph Center Sweep Seconds, Small Rotating Chronograph Minutes at 9, Date at 6 Case: Stainless Steel Crown: Screw-down, Stainless Steel, Fluted, with TH Logo. Screw-in and chronograph push-buttons Dial Color: Black with Circular Guilloche Watch Bracelet: Stainless Steel, Deployant - Hidden Folding Push-button, TH Logo Crystal: Sapphire - Double AR Caseback: Scratch-resistant sapphire caseback with Steel decorated bridge, secured with 6 screws Case Dimensions: 43.0 mm x 14.85 mm Bezel: Fixed Stainless Steel - Tachymetre Water Resistance: 100m / 330ft The Rep The first impression out of the box is great. Good fit and finish, very heavy, looks according with its 43 mm diameter and very thick with 17.5 mm, almost 3 mm bigger than the gen I guess due the second at 3 displacement. But due the case size, this increased thickness does not ruin the watch's balance. The dial IMO is an exact copy of the gen, correct font and placement. Polish hour marker and applied logo, same size as gen. The dial is black with concentric circular guilloche, the color and tone are on spot with the gen. Rotating disk at 3 for running seconds and at 9 for the chrono minutes counter. The Cotes de Geneve treatment applied to the disk window is really well done. The rep has a sapphire crystal with a light double AR. The lume is good but only applied on the hour and minute hands, no lume at hour markers but I think the gen does not have either. And here comes, apart of the 3 mm in thickness, the other flaw, recessed date wheel. I put it side by side with my Tricompax Navitimer (which suffers from the same issue) and the Grand Carrera date wheel looks deeper than the Navi, maybe it is a visual effect due the silver window applied on the dial. Anyway to be honest, this is not a mayor issue and unless you go to an AD or you have watch experts among your friends, nobody is going to notice this. By the way, the number on the date wheel are well aligned, I mention this because it is hard to notice in my pictures due angles. The SS case has a mix of polished and brushed surface very well performed, front and side is brushed and between this 2 surface is a polished line lung to lung. It perfectly mimic the gen. The bezel is fixed with tachymeter, also keeping with the mixed finish motif, it is brushed on front and polished on the side. For me the best surprise was in the watch back, I read and saw picture with the wrong Caliber 16 engraced in the rotor, even the picture at Andrew's site said 16. Well, guess what, this issue is solved, the Caliber 17 in perfectly engraved at the rotor. Also it is not an standard rotor with some glue in plate, it is a custom rotor with the exact shape of the gen and Cotes de Geneve decoration. I think this improvement is very import due the case back has 2 sapphire windows, so the rotor is very prominent. The caseback is secured by 6 screw like the gen, with the correct wording engraved, including a serial number. It has a nice screw-in crown (2 turn to lock it) with TH logo and the right threat. Also a nice touch are the chrono pushers, which are screw-in too, like the Rolex Daytona. On my eyes, the pusher are a little riser than the gen, but less than 0.5 mm. The bracelet is SS and exact copy of the gen with alternated polished and brushed link, even it includes two half size links for fine adjustment. As the gen, it uses pin for the links, so it's going to be easy to adjust. The clasp is very well done, side push buttons to open, with TH logo applied. In the claps deployant arms, the TAG Heur motif and the part number is print, nice detail. Finally, the movt is the well know A7750 with the running seconds at 3 and 30 minutes totalizer at 9. This re arrangement of the counters on the A7750 cause the issues of tickness and recessed date wheel. Rep Specifications: Movement: Asia 7750 Valjoux, with regulator Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Rotating Seconds at 3, Chronograph Center Sweep Seconds, Small Rotating Chronograph Minutes at 9, Date at 6 Case: Stainless Steel Crown: Screw-down, Stainless Steel, Fluted, with TH Logo. Screw-in and chronograph push-buttons Dial Color: Black with Circular Guilloche Watch Bracelet: Stainless Steel, Deployant - Hidden Folding Push-button, TH Logo Crystal: Sapphire - Light Double AR Caseback: Scratch-resistant sapphire caseback with Steel decorated bridge, secured with 6 screws Case Dimensions: 43.0 mm x 17.5 mm Bezel: Fixed Stainless Steel - Tachymetre Water Resistance: Non tested Conclusion Being a non TH fan, I must admit the Grand Carrera is a great piece, I am not an expert to call out for the Ultimate or Best title, but the flaws just come out in the millimeter range. To be what I think is the first generation of a recent model, it is very well performed. Edited February 21, 2009 by morlock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By-Tor Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Incredible review. Short and striking, that's my style too. Thanks for sharing with RWG as well. This was a missing link in my TAG Guide (which has naturally been updated). Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morlock Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 By-Tor, thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoTone Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 And yet another one... Morlock you Rock! Thanks! Double T . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Morlock, as TT says you rock. Fantastic review. Unlike the Breitling, which I owned some, I didn't yet tried a TH. This one seems very nice. Cheers Stephane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justasgood Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Well it seems this guy 'lock is bringin it strong! Another well laid out review. The watch looks great and your skillz wit da kodak is wak......sorry, I was just catching up on the news in New Orleans and I had a cultural relapse. I now await the next review.........don't leave us hangin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Great review. Thank you for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 You are on a roll my new friend! I was just checking out your Colt review and now this. I have had my eye on this watch for some time now. Pics don't do it justice. The gen is very interesting especially because of the movement to me. It is also nice to see the ETA 2894 another little known chrono, which is more like a 2892 than a 7750 really. The tricompax layout with seconds at 3 is also a fav of mine. I don't know why, but I just love the way the location of seconds at 3 please the eye.The disc display system is also a refreshing touch. In fact, one of my favorite other modern chronographs - The Ulysse Nardin Marine Chrongraph (not the Marine Diver Chrono that was recently repped - the dressier original one) is based on the 2894. In short, I'm a big chrono fan and I just love the 2894. It is amazing to me the quality of the c.17 Grand's replication and how well they adapted the 7750 to it. Although I would be lying if I said I wasn't still hoping for us to get a nice 2892 clone in our midst and maybe even a 2894 clone eventually from Seagull or Sellita. The modules just make for making interesting layouts so easy and we could have more and more cool watches repped with relative ease. A guy can hope can't he? Movements aside, I find myself looking at dials and cases as a spoiled man these days. You pretty much expect them to get the high end reps right in terms of fit, finish and feel. The bar is high, but the rep makers are getting there for the most part I think. This watch is no exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Another nice write up morlock. Thanks for sharing. There are some interesting Tag's out right now and this one might have gone unnoticed without your review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morlock Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Thanks to all you guys.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCraig Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Morlock, To be honest I only read this review because I liked the Breitling Colt review so much! This is also excellently done and also has great photos. And again to be honest, this review has whetted my appetite for this particular watch. ( Officially putting you on my wife's shitlist ). Keep up the great work and submit whenever you can; I'll be watching and waiting. JW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrgod Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Another great review! Interesting to see that the movement has the correct regulator on the balance wheel! It is nice to have when you have a display back. The rotor also seems excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djole Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Thnx for the review. Nice to see that the rotor has been upgraded. Another one to add to the list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg1459 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 wow, the rotor is really amazing, because of caseback design also the a7750 sawteeth isnt visible, looks just perfect imo.. shame about the date, otherwise it would be a real super-rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Manny Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Another excellent review! Man, I'm so close to getting this one but the sunken date just jumps out at me. Still tempting. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morlock Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I think I have done less that 10 post in RWG, and I feel as home. Due to the 7750 factory alterations, the sunken date and the thicker case are really small flaws that we have to live with. To solve them, the factories will need to do an extensive modification to the movt, just like TAG did to launch the gen, and IMHO the factories have done a great job already with this rep. I am glad you have been enjoying the review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterOfPuppets Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I've been waiting for the rotor to get fixed now i think im ready for my first replica! any recommendationd on where to get it from? cuz the dealers im checking out still have "calibre 16" on their rotors thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morlock Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I've been waiting for the rotor to get fixed now i think im ready for my first replica! any recommendationd on where to get it from? cuz the dealers im checking out still have "calibre 16" on their rotors thx F*ZZ, I got the one on the review from Andrew at Trusty Time, I highly recommend him: http://www.tt88time.com/index.php?main_pag...roducts_id=2990 He has several other version on this same model with deferents dial color, band and PVD. Enjoy the hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 That PVD one is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damnfinecat Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 That PVD one is pvd? also how is the watch's weight compared to the gen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Great review. Well done mate. I guess I'll have to get this one now. How is seconds disc movement? Jerky? Am looking at either getting the steel with white face or the RS2 pvd Ltd. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 The PVD is EVIL!!! I like!! Fantastic review - thank you, this rep had completely passed me by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Have decided to get the grand carrera. Which one to get is the issue now ... My choices now are steel with either black or white face and the Pvd RS2. Anyone know which color/variant gen was used for making this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Just confirmed with Josh that the black dial gen was used for this replication excercise. Hmmm..... Am leaning towards the black face steel now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterOfPuppets Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 F*ZZ, I got the one on the review from Andrew at Trusty Time, I highly recommend him: http://www.tt88time.com/index.php?main_pag...roducts_id=2990 He has several other version on this same model with deferents dial color, band and PVD. Enjoy the hunting. Thx morlock, but the link u provided has "calibre 16" on the rotor, maybe they didnt update the pics and the price is abit too high, but its just too hard to resist!! ill ask, and if they did change the rotor, ITS MINE amazing review, well done 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.