You could definitely argue a few different things are a sign of the best watches around. Some would search for exquisite movement finishing. Others look to a killer dial.
One thing which has been the mark of a top watchmaker for decades, though, is a tourbillon. Once used to ensure regular, accurate timekeeping in a variety of different positions, the piece is largely decorative these days. Still, that doesn't stop it from being incredibly difficult to master – and subsequently superbly expensive.
I've been testing the TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Extreme Sport to put it through its paces. While it's not the cheapest tourbillon piece on the market, it does remain a more affordable option – and it boasts a chronograph to boot!
TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Extreme Sport: key specs
With the movement taking up so much of the headlines here, let's start there. As mentioned, the in-house TH20-09 calibre offers both an automatic chronograph and a tourbillon, which is impressive on its own.
You'll also snag a 65 hour power reserve and a 4Hz beat rate, while a semi-skeletonised dial offers an alluring design which catches the eye with different levels.
That dial is mostly a grey metallic hue, save for a few accents in rose gold. Those match the case of my example, which uses a mix of rose gold and titanium for a balanced wearing experience.
It's not for the feint hearted, either. At 44mm across and 15.1mm thick, this is a positively massive watch. I will say that it doesn't wear quite as large as the measurements suggest, but it's still a beefy thing.
That comes on a rubber strap for comfort, and features 100m of water resistance to boot. That's a nice touch – though anyone taking a watch like this for a paddle really may need a good talking to.
What's the TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Extreme Sport like to wear?
As mentioned above, the wearing experience is slightly awkward if you've got a smaller wrist. Those dimensions simply aren't going to play ball – on my wrist, it was just barely manageable.
The worst part for me wasn't the size but the mismatched weight. It's a common curse for precious metal watches on rubber straps – the head of the watch is just so much heavier than the underside, which causes it to roll around your wrist.
Still, if you've got a slightly larger wrist size, that shouldn't prove so much of an issue. Once you've got it on, you'll enjoy a truly beautiful piece, too.
I called the dial semi-skeletonised above, and I stick by that. Parts of the dial – the sub-dials, tourbillon and centre stack, specifically – protrude from a neatly crosshatched dial, and are joined by bridges. However, the entire movement isn't skeletonised.
Still, that shouldn't detract from what is a seriously good looking dial. The crosshatched base layer and brushed metal bridges are seriously neat, and allow the rose gold accents to really pop.
The chronograph is absolutely brilliant to use, too. There's a solid clunk to the pushers which feels reassuring, and the hands sweep with a beautiful smoothness – it's a really luxurious experience.
Is the TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Extreme Sport worth the money?
There's no getting around the fact that a £28,600 (approx. $36,370 / AU$57,580) price tag is steep. It's an annual salary for most people, leaving this far out of reach for the majority.
Still, if you have the cash to spare, you can certainly do worse. You'll need some big wrists to get the most from it, but the finishing is superb and the movement is really neat, too.
It's certainly a contested market, though – £30,000 gets you well into brands like Vacheron Constantin, A Lange & Söhne and Patek Philippe. It could score you a few Rolex or Omega models, if that was your bag.
Still, none of those models would look like this. It's certainly a pricey watch, but if you love it, it's a great buy.
