In recent years, perfect replica TAG Heuer watches have emerged as an unlikely champion in democratising elements of high watchmaking. Tourbillon variants of the Carrera represent some of the most affordable Swiss tourbillon watches on the market, and the brand’s experiments in lab-grown diamonds – crafting entire watch dials and crowns out of single pieces of polycrystalline diamond – are definitely worth taking note of. 2024 also saw TAG Heuer offer its first mechanical split-seconds chronograph movement, the Calibre TH81-00, outside of the context of a piece unique with the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph.
This piece’s TH81-00 movement, produced in partnership with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier (who also produce chronograph movements for Richard Mille, among other high-end brands) is impressive enough, boasting a 65-hour power reserve and 5 Hz beat rate, but I actually think the best thing about the best fake watches are how it’s reinterpreted the Monaco’s signature square case. The cheap super clone watches‘ skeletonised dials are good-looking, but it’s the caseback that’s really novel: rather than simply featuring a sapphire crystal exhibition window, the entire bottom ‘sandwich’ of the case is made from a single piece of sapphire, exposing the movement even further.
Now, it’s not a cheap watch. There will certainly be many collectors put off by the prospect of a modern high quality copy TAG Heuer with a six-figure price tag, even if double chronographs are rarely much more affordable in today’s market. But I’m glad TAG are pushing the boat out and trying new things. It’s also a complication that makes perfect sense for the brand, and perfect sense for the Monaco, one of the most iconic chronographs of all time.
