The Monza Calibre 17

From Tag Heuer -

Courtesy of Tag Heuer

You can certainly be forgiven if you are not as familiar with the Monza collection as some of the other Tag Heuer stable mates.  The Monaco and the Carrera tend to get a bit more press, but for me the Monza holds a special place.  And perhaps I am drawn to the Monza because it is not necessarily everyone's baby, but whatever the reason, it speaks to me.

Here are the pertinents -

CASE

• Case diameter: 42 mm
• Brushed & polished titanium carbide coated titanium (Grade 5) case and bezel
• Scratch-resistant “domed” sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment
• Polished steel crown with Heuer shield
• Polished steel push-buttons
• Brushed & polished titanium carbide coated titanium (Grade 5) caseback with vintage “HEUER” logo and “No XXXX” engraved number
• Water resistance: 100 meters

DIAL

• Black dial
• 2 printed counters
• Black and white hour and minute hands with luminescent markers
• Red chronograph central seconds hand
• Printed tachymeter and pulsometer scales on the flange
• Angled date window at 6 o’clock"

MOVEMENT

• TAG Heuer Calibre 17, Swiss Made
• Automatic calibre, rapid date correction
• Diameter: 28.6 mm (12 ½''') — 37 rubies
• Balance frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
• Power reserve: about 42 hours

The Link Chronograph

Way back in December of 1990, there was a young man completing his degree at the University of Oregon.  He was given a choice between a Tag Heuer Link, and another more "standard" Tag Heuer model.  He opted for the standard model.  Yes, that young man was me.

At that time, the Link was a brand new thing, sort of sexy, but in all honesty?  It was "not ready for prime time".  It just didn't seem to come together for me.  It seemed more like a loosely constructed bracelet that was forcefully welded onto a watch head.  Now unfortunately, the Tag Heuer that I did choose had a "bumpy" ride, having repeat battery malfunctions and was "retired" a mere 3 years later in a Suburban Tokyo pawn shop where I traded it and 5,000 yen for a not-so-gently used Rado Green Horse.

Needless to say, I have often thought that had I chosen the Link, things might have turned out differently.  After all, wouldn't you like to still have your graduation present with you as you go through life?

Well, time has moved on as it inevitably must, and Tag Heuer have (at least in my opinion) finally come up with a Link model that is not only of the now, but will most definitely be aesthetically relevant into the future -

Courtesy of Tag Heuer

This is the recently released Tag Heuer Link Chronograph.  The case is stainless steel and measures 41 mm in diameter.  It is a three register chronograph providing hours, minutes, (constant) second and date as well as the aforementioned chronograph.  But the star of the show is the integrated steel bracelet.  And this is a HUGE step forward for Tag. Whereas the Link that I opted not to take way back then had a bracelet that did not really make it for me, this one is more ergonomic, smoother, and much better looking than its predecessor.  

Courtesy of Tag Heuer

Well, I've already gone through grad school, so it is probably too late for me to garner another "graduation watch", but this new Link makes it almost worth considering going back to school.

Here are the pertinents -

References 
CBC2110.BA0603 (black dial)
CBC2112.BA0603 (blue dial)

Movement 
TAG Heuer Calibre 17
Automatic chronograph with date

Case 
Diameter 41 mm – in steel
Fixed bezel in satin-finished steel
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating
Steel crown at 3 o'clock
Chronograph push-pieces at 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock
Screw-down sapphire case back


Dial 
Black or blue sunray
Black or blue flange with 60-second scale
3 black or blue snailed counters:
- Chronograph small second counter at 3 o'clock
- Chronograph hour counter at 6 o'clock
- Chronograph minute counter at 9 o'clock
Faceted and polished indices and hands, rhodium-plated with white SuperLuminova™
Date window at 4:30
Rhodium-plated "TAG Heuer" logo at 12 o'clock
"LINK AUTOMATIC CALIBRE 17" inscription

Water-resistance 
100 metres

Bracelet 
Steel with S-shaped links

 

My visit to the Tag Heuer booth

So now is the time to review all of the cool watches that I saw at Basel -and at the Tag Heuer booth, Lindsay Hymson showed me some of the new chronographs -

Stay tuned!