Mixing fashion and sports is one of the harder things to pull off when it comes to men’s fashion watches. The high-end brands have a hard time making both sides of the proverbial coin work. Some companies seem to pull it off, and TAG Heuer appears to be doing it quite nicely; in fact, the brand’s ability to balance fashion and sportiness is one of the major highlights that you get from the TAG Heuer Men’s Carrera Automatic Chronograph Watch. With a sophisticated layout, sport crossover elements, and an attention to details that most miss, this is a solid timepiece worth exploring a bit closer.
Pros
The round design plays well with the sapphire crystal window dial. The interior dial is very much what you would expect from a chronograph, and the contrasting color lends itself quite well to the aesthetics of the timepiece. The stainless steel clasp comes with a fold-over and double-push button, which is sturdy and premier overall. As for the casing, it’s stainless steel and is a good size at 43.5 mm in diameter, with a thickness of 16.5 mm. The band is stainless steel and offers a black and silver contrast with white pieces in the dial. This use of color and the round shape point to the sport aspect of this watch, instead of the silver stainless steel found in many high-end fashion watches.
The bezel is actually made of black tone aluminum with full tachymeter, which is a nice addition to the chronograph view. The guts have an automatic self-wind movement, which is definitely a solid piece of construction. Perhaps the most compelling feature, and the truest sign that this watch is not just for the office, is the 328 feet (100 meters) of water resistance depth. Additionally, it has 100 bar water pressure resistance, and so if you’re cliff diving, you’re set with a solid depth ratio and pressure resistance.
Cons
A lot of time and effort have gone into making this watch sporty; however, the major negative points are in regards to its resistance to water. It was noted above that this piece is water and pressure resistance, but some reviewers have noted that they could not wear the watch in the ocean. This was due in large part to salt – the water can cause a small bit of moisture to build up underneath. If this happens, you’ll have to look into the warranty, as it could be a manufacturing error. Outside of that, this is a sporty watch and can definitely provide a great deal of sport and adventure.
The Final Verdict
The TAG Heuer Men’s Carrera Automatic Chronograph Watch is a sporty watch with good overall design flow and high-end automatic timing. However, it’s not an “extreme” watch, nor is it 100% waterproof. If you are going to wear it on your adventures in deep sea diving, or if you’re going to put it through the ringer, it may not pass your stringent tests. However, this watch does feature a strong combination of fashion and function from a company that knows how to mix the two well. To check out more of it’s features click here.
