The base section is in polished steel with some sandblasting on the sides where the case has been cut out. The upper section is in titanium with TAG Heuer’s black titanium carbide coating. The 45mm wide case is larger of course than the 41mm wide case of the Carrera Jack Heuer 80, but is more modern and sporty versus classic looking. Color-wise they share a black and steel palette with some deep orange/red thrown in for good fun. Don’t forget the orangey red color on the strap liner – that is a must for any Jack Heuer watch.
At 45mm wide, the main issue with the Carrera Calibre 1887 isn’t the diameter, it is the height. People who wear sleeves will likely need to shy away from watches like this. That said, given the predominant use of titanium, it isn’t too much of a heavy watch. Good thing I don’t wear sleeves that often. When I first saw the watch I admit that it looked strange to me given the case design. Though after putting it on and looking at it more and more, it has grown on me. I like to give new designs like this a chance, and wanted to trust in TAG Heuer since this case has been making an appearance on many of their highest-end models.
A subtle difference that marks the two Jack Heuer watches is branding. As I stated before, the Carrera Jack Heuer 80 watch has “Heuer” and not “TAG Heuer” branding on the dial as a nod to the brand’s history (when it was still just “Heuer”). This more modern looking Carrera Calibre 1887 Jack Heuer has the more contemporary “TAG Heuer” branding and logo, along with the shield on the crown.
On the rear of the watch you have a print of Jack’s signature as well as a graphic of his family shield. I think more families need shields these days. There is also a reminder on the caseback that the watch is indeed for the 50th anniversary of the Carrera watch collection – something that not all the 2013 Carrera models bear. This is one of those little details that help make things collectors items far into the future.
Like the case, the dial design is a novel creation. It doesn’t immediately scream “Carrera,” and represents a newer, more experimental design approach that I appreciated. “More of the same” is not something you look forward to when seeing new watches. There is a lot of sunburst finishing on the dial mixed with applied polished elements. Contrast is quite good given all the different colors and textures on the dial. There is lume, but a minimal amount. The overall approach is satisfying.
A very clever element of the dial is that it is actually a three register chronograph but it only looks to have two registers. The in-house produced calibre 1887 movement has been literally placed on its side for this orientation. The running seconds hand above 6 o’clock has no dedicated dial, and shares a space with the date window. This allows you to have a running seconds hand without really interfering with the bi-compax look. The two prominent chronograph sub dials are very easy to read and I like the little orangey red tips that help with legibility.
On the rear of the watch you can view the movement through the sapphire crystal caseback window. Note that while this Carrera Calibre 1887 Jack Heuer watch contains an in-house produced movement, the Carrera Jack Heuer 80 contains a calibre 17 movement which is not. Simply something worth mentioning. A very special watch that really helps push TAG Heuer into those upper segments it has been after lately, the Carrera Calibre 1887 Jack Heuer edition watch should be out now. For a bit more info, you can read aBlogtoWatch friend’s Calibre11’s review of this watch here. Price is $7,800. tagheuer.com