Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 17 Jack Heuer Limited Edition CV2119.BA0722 by Elizabeth Lowry

Ever had a watch named after you? Jack Heuer has. The CV2119.BA0722 model was recently released in honor of Jack Heuer’s 80th birthday. The Tag Heuer Carrera Jack Heuer Limited Edition exhibits iconic Tag Heuer elements including the family coat of arms etched in black on the watch’s casing. This coat of arms, which has been in existence since the 15th century, depicts a lion flanked by stars and standing on its hind legs while brandishing an axe. The watch is a Carrera, which is Tag Heuer’s signature. This is especially significant because, as Jack Heuer was largely responsible for launching the Carrera in 1963, this Limited Edition timepiece also reflects the octagenarian’s personal taste. Further, during an online discussion forum sponsored by Tag Heuer, Mr. Heuer was asked if his children or grandchildren were likely to enter into the watch industry and follow in his footsteps—and his answer was no. Therefore, the fact that Jack Heuer will be the last of the Heuer family to be at the forefront of chronograph manufacture makes the release of this watch a particularly poignant event.

Some distinctive features of this timepiece include its Calibre 17 movement and the fact that the bezel has been narrowed to facilitate a quick and clear reading of the dial. (After all, Jack Heuer has always been a proponent of “clean design.”) The gray sunray dial displays a red Heuer logo and Jack Heuer’s signature can be found on the back of the watch’s casing.

Pros: The Jack Heuer Limited Edition watch is mechanical but automatic (meaning that it doesn’t need to be wound every day). Further, this watch is water-proof to a depth of 100 meters (300 feet), has a double anti-reflective treatment on the scratch-resistant crystal covering the dial and carries a classic aura that is not too dated. More importantly, being the last of its kind and part of a limited edition, it has all the trappings of a family heirloom.

Possible cons: Consumers should be aware that if they do not wear a mechanical self-winding watch for a while its power reserve will peter out after a couple of days. This means that the watch will need to be re-started by turning the crown (Tag Heuer suggests 30-40 times) until the watch’s movement is re-sprung and will start again. For watch connaiseurs, this will not come as a surprise, but people who are used to quartz movements (rather than the more traditional mechanical ones) may find this cumbersome.

Since this watch is such a recent release—and since it is a limited edition—it is bound to be snapped up quickly by watch collectors and chronograph enthusiasts of all stripes. And again, I reiterate that the value of this watch is also enhanced by the fact that it commemorates a century and a half of world-class watch-making.