Who makes the better chronograph?
Tag Heuer and Tudor are the entry-level luxury segment. And as such, their flagship chronographs, the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph ($5,225) and the Tag Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph ($5,750), inevitably invite comparison.
Both are recent releases, but more importantly, they are big chronographs with more or less in-house movements (more on that later), steel bracelets, and tachymeter bezels. And crucially, they're both available in black.
Tag Heuer's aspirational ethos means the Carrera at least tries to keep up with the likes of the Omega Speedmaster and the Rolex Daytona. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the Tudor.
The Tudor looks good enough from afar, but upon closer inspection it is far from good. In fact, it feels held back. Hamstrung, even.
It's almost as if Tudor took a Rolex and remade it, worse, in every possible respect. Some have called this the poor man's Daytona, but even that might be generous given its unmitigated mediocrity.
First, unlike the form-fitting Daytona, the Tudor is a bulky block of steel measuring 50mm lug to lug. Second, it brings to mind Samuel Johnson's witticism—the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.
The good parts (Panda dial, box sapphire crystal, red text, and screw-down pushers) are unoriginal, clearly copying the Paul Newman Daytona. Moreover, even the movement is based on the Breitling B01. Good, but not original.
Sadly, it is the original parts that do the most damage: a blocky case, faux-riveted bracelet, diver style hour markers, and an obtrusive "snowflake" hour hand. The Tudor's style is often described as "vintage evocative," but it's really more of a has-been.
By comparison, the Carrera is sharp, sleek, and modern. Indeed, these two watches, while similar on paper, offer a case study in contrast.
DIAL: As one review put it, "nearly every surface on the [Carrera's] dial has either a specific texture, an indentation, a bevel, or a snailed recess, creating a visually dynamic and staggeringly detailed execution that's rarely seen at this price point." By contrast, the Tudor's is plain and one-dimensional.
MOVEMENT: Both are vertical clutch, column wheel chronographs with strong power reserves, but the Carrera has an in-house Heuer 02 movement and a display case back. The Tudor has a Breitling-based movement, which is hidden behind a closed case back.
BRACELET: The Carrera boasts a sleek bracelet with a single fold, twin-trigger deployment vs. the Tudor's clunky clamshell lock clasp and faux rivets.
BEZEL: The Carrera's bezel is ceramic, whereas the Tudor's is aluminum.
The Heuer 02 has an impressive 80 hour power reserve, côtes de Genève finishing, and an openworked rotor.
In the end, the Tudor is probably the safer, more conventional choice, at least amongst watch collectors. But the Carrera is, without a doubt, the RRISTY pick—especially in blue (and at a discount).
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