Monday 6 November 2017

ON THE WRIST: Carrera Heuer 01 Ayrton Senna Special Edition

CAR2A1L.BA0688

TAG Heuer Boutique, Sheffield / 6th November 2017

After the relative disappointment of the new quartz Monaco, it was nice to get my hands on something else which restored the faith a little. This all-black, Heuer01 Carrera is perhaps even nicer than the Red Bull Drive Timer I tried on earlier in the year, and although the watch is branded with the Senna S logo on the 9 o'clock subdial and also on the bezel, it's quite subtle and it takes a moment or two to notice it. I kind of like that, I mean I'd prefer it if all the 'branding' was on the back (like the Red Bull watches), but I get that a lot of people would want the 'Senna' name where people can see it.

The watch is surprisingly heavy, not that it is particularly heavy, but my Heuer01 is titanium with a rubber strap whereas this is all PVD coated steel (save for the clasp which is titanium and the bezel which is ceramic). You certainly know you've got it on, but I don't think it's anywhere near as heavy as my Aquagraph. I do wonder though how the bracelet is going to stand up to wear and tear, the bezel's going to be fine of course (save for the endless fingermark wiping), but a PVD coated steel bracelet... I'm not so sure.


Still at £4900 I would hope the buyer would be taking good care of his watch and not wearing it 24/7 like a beater, but you know how susceptible to scratches bracelets and clasps are.

I really, really liked this watch. I think the numerals on the face make the watch look different enough from my original Heuer01 that I wouldn't mind owning both and I think the bracelet is much cooler than the standard steel bracelet on the Red Bull version. I don't even mind (too much) the £750 premium for this over the standard 45mm Heuer01, but at this price the same problem arises... if I had £4900 to buy this watch, I would save a bit more and get the Monaco 24.

But that's by the by really, this is a very nice piece and easily one of best watches in the current line-up.

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