Carrera Calibre 5 & Day-Date: First Look

The revamping of TAG Heuer’s Carrera watch range continues with a squadron of new Calibre 5 models. In the last couple of weeks we’ve shown you the boutique-only Carrera Drive Timer and Carrera Twin-Time, and today we have the Carrera Calibre 5 and Carrera Calibre 5 Day-Date.

These new models complete the revamp of the 3-hand Carrera watch range, joining other non-chronograph Carreras launched over the last couple of years, such as the Carrera Heritage Carrera 6 and the Carrera Calibre 8 GMT.

Goodbye to the old…

WV211B_BA0787The new Carrera Calibre 5 replaces two existing Carrera watch models- shown above and below.

The Calibre 5 model below was an interesting design, both with its patterned dial and the exposed date-wheel at 3 o’clock, which gave this model a distinct look in the ever-broadening Carrera range. Both watches will drop out of the catalogue when the new Carrera arrives.

Automatic watch, 39 mm.

Hello to the New…

The changes with the new Calibre 5 Carrera are very similar to those on the Twin-Time Calibre 7 Carrera we looked at last week:

  • Applied TAG Heuer logo (rather than printed dial)
  • Applied date window surround
  • Newly designed hour markers that have a tapered end, rather than being rectangular
  • New crown design
  • Minuterie inner-flange
  • Thinner external bezel

The finishing on the new watch does seem a step-up on the older models, and helps give a very smart, albeit conservative, look.

Carrera Calibre 5 Steel- 39mm

Kicking off the new range is the stainless steel Carrera, available in three dial colours: Silver (White), Anthracite and Black. Each of the watches comes with either a leather alligator strap, or the “H-pattern” steel bracelet that we first saw on the Grand Carrera.

The Silver-dial model with the tan strap (below- Ref. WAR211B) looks particularly sharp.

Carrera Calibre 5 Steel & Yellow Gold- 39mm

Next we have three bi-metal models, which combine Yellow Gold and stainless steel. The bezel is solid Gold (18K 3N), while the bracelet links are Gold-capped, a finish which uses considerably more gold than Gold plating, but is not as expensive as solid Gold.

Again, there are three choices of dial: Gold, Silver and Anthracite.

Regular readers will know that bi-metal is not a combination that we’re fans of, but there is no doubting that there is a market for the steel & gold look.

Carrera Calibre 5 Steel & Rose Gold- 39mm

For those that like Gold, but prefer the warmer Rose Gold, there are two models, that again have a solid Rose Gold bezel and gold-capped links in the bracelet. The watch below is reference WAR215D.

Carrera Calibre 5 Day-Date Steel- 41mm

The second family of watches in the Calibre 5 range is the Carrera Day-Date Calibre 5, which offers the expanded Day-Date function in a larger 41mm case

There are two dial choices- Silver or Black- and again the choice of a leather strap or stainless steel H-shaped bracelet. The watch below with the Black dial is Ref. WAR201A.

Carrera WAR201E

In 2015 TAG Heuer added a blue dial model to the Calibre 5 range.

TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 Blue WAR201E.FC6292

Carrera Calibre 5 Day-Date Steel & Rose Gold- 41mm

And rounding out the range are two Day-Date Carreras that are offered with Rose Gold (plated) brightwork on the dial- the hour-markers, hands, date-window and TAG Heuer logo each get the Rose Gold treatment.

This is the most successful of the Gold-themed models- the watch below (Ref. WAR201D) with a Silver dial and Rose Gold detailing looks fantastic.

Movement- Calibre 5

Calibre 5Each of the new Carreras is powered by what TAG Heuer call the Calibre 5 movement (shown above). The Calibre 5 used to be supplied by ETA (the 2824-2), but these days is more likely to be the Sellita SW200, which is essentially the same movement.

The Calibre 5 can be seen through the sapphire caseback, which is offered on each of the new models.

Price & Availability

The 2014 TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 range starts at around CHF2,650 (Swiss Francs) for the stainless steel watch and goes up to CHF4,500 for the Steel & Gold models on a bracelet- with exact pricing varying by market.

The Day-Date range starts at CHF3,000 for the stainless steel, with the Rose Gold model costing around CHF3,200.

The Calibre 5 Carrera is already available at Authorised Dealers and we’ll be bringing you live photos from Basel in the next few weeks.

***

  • Philmo

    I believe I may be forgiven for voicing the view that TH has become a tad suburban in style!
    These offerings do little to move that perspective on.
    Yes, the innovation and fresh style is there in high end models, but gone are the days when we saw fresh input at the lower end from iconic models such as Moondust and Black Coral!
    Many watch innovators have offered attractive creations in brass and bronze for instance and have pointed in the direction of outdoors and leisure wear rather than dress/city styles.
    Food for thought?

  • Agree Philmo. Hard for me, as given the choice I will almost always choose a chronograph for a watch like the Carrera, so I'll always prefer say a Carrera 1887 to a Calibre 5.

    This new range is focused on those who will wear this watch with a suit, so smart-conservative rules the day…

    • Nick

      Do you think they will offer the steel Carrera Calibre 5, with a blue dial option? I would buy one in a heart beat.

      • calibre11
        • Nick

          Fantastic, when will we see it in Canada? I trust it will come with a metal bracelet? Any chance the 39mm date only will go blue as well?

          • calibre11

            I think it’s out in the next 4-6 weeks, and yes, it comes on either a blue leather strap or the “H-Link” steel bracelet. No word on the date-only version yet.

          • Nick

            Thanks for the info, if you hear anything about the date only version going blue, please let me know. I will be checking your site from time to time.
            Thanks!

          • JeffT10000

            I’m also hoping they come out with a 39mm date only version with blue dial. Keep us posted.

          • Josh C

            This blue really needs to exist in the 39mm date-only line. I just left my local AD and tried on both the 39 & 41mm models and the 39 was just absolutely perfect. I have been lusting for a blue-dialed Date Just or Oyster Perpetual, but a blue 39mm Carrera would steal my heart and my hard-earned and long-saved funds in a heartbeat!

  • Robert

    I'd rather have "best of both worlds": chronograph movements more-or-less in-house (depends on cal. 1887 or 1969) with day-date feature, like that of the ETA 2436 or ETA-Valjoux 7750.
    While unfortunately weekday feature is concealed from the Aquaracer Chronograph SW500 (=ETA 7750) based watch dials too. What a smart feature it was the AR Chrono Day-Date a few years ago!!!

  • Mark

    Actually, I don’t mind a bit of conservatism in the Carrera line. The design was originally Bauhaus informed and some of the recent models have strayed so far from form following function (Cal 16 Day Date) that they aren’t even recognisably a Carrera.

    The range is getting a bit confusing now though – 25 different models, with up to 11 variants of a single model, on the UK site. Could do with a bit of rationalisation I reckon. No surprise to anyone if my first suggestion is to ditch anything with an external bezel?!

    • For sure the range is getting confusing. I also think there is starting to become too much emphasis on the Carrera relative to other models…would be nice to see a Monaco/ Aquaracer/ Link concept watch rather than another Carrera.

      dc

  • Himawan

    Very nice design but I thought the strategy for Carrera is to use in-house movement. Low-end Carrera?

    • I think that's right, but there is no in-house TAG Heuer watch movement. It does sound as though there is an intention to build one, but given normal development times, I would have thought its at least 18 months away.

      TAG Heuer will still use 3rd party movements to supplement the range- e.g. Calibre 36, GMT complications, etc.

      dc

  • Eric

    Is it me or does it seem like the side casing and inner lug surface is brushed on the day date and polished on the date only model?

    • Not 100% sure Eric. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on these next week, so will let you know

      dc

  • asdf

    why they dont make 36mm….

    • calibre11

      Yes, I’d like a little smaller…although 36mm is too small for me.

  • asdf

    this model use lowest grade movement sw200 or equivalent to eta2824-2(eta is better), and charge so high for the price. now day people just buy watch base on brand…

    • calibre11

      I’ve yet to see any evidence that Sellita is any better or worse than ETA- most watchmakers I talk to say the same thing: the movement is exactly the same (in practice…)

  • James Pool

    I have seen these beautiful watches available locally int he UK and I’m interested as I like the minimalist design very much. Forgive my ignorance though, what is the difference between a chronograph and these calibre 5 models.

    And are you saying that the automatic movement in the calibre 5 is not of a high quality as I don’t want to spend £2000 and buy a sub standard watch?

    • Hi James,

      A chronograph is a stop-watch feature, and these typically have several registers on the dial. A time-only watch- such as this- does not have the stop watch feature.

      No, TAG Heuer use the same supplier for its supplier of Calibre 5 movements as other chronograph movements, so it’s not a question of quality…simply of features.

      • James Pool

        Many thanks for the explanation. I prefer my watches simple and fairly minimalist so the time/date calibre 5 has everything I want and if the quality of the automatic movement is good then I’ll probably go ahead.

        Have you heard of any disgruntled customers who have bought these watches?

        All the best
        James