BY ALEXANDER KRUPP PHOTOS BY NIK SCHLZEL
The TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph measures time to 1/10 of a second and then magnifies it.

WatchTime February 2010

TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS
76 WatchTime February 2010
ne look at the dial of the TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph and you know right away it is no ordinary chrono. Introduced in 2008, the Caliper Chrono is the worlds first automatic chronograph with a rotating caliper scale (called a vernier scale). The scale, which slides around the edge of the dial, magnifies 1/10-second measurements by a factor of 10, making it much easier to read fractions of a second. Another peculiarity of the watch is that it uses disk displays to show the elapsed hours at 6 oclock and elapsed minutes at 3 oclock. Then theres the linear small seconds indication at 9 oclock. And how about that decorated steel bridge sitting smack dab in the middle of the dial? Its the caliper scale that gives the watch its greatest distinction (and its name). Vernier scales are familiar to most people from slide rules. They are used to measure fractions of a given unit. For example: to read 1/10 millimeter, the user checks which graduation corresponds exactly or most closely with a millimeter mark. (The last photo of this article provides an example: the vernier scale begins directly after the 11 millimeter line, and its 1 index is precisely aligned with a millimeter mark. The caliper therefore shows 11.1 millimeters.) TAG Heuer has adapted this device to measure time intervals instead of lengths. On a wristwatch, the linear track of a caliper rule is circular so that it can interact with the central chrono-seconds hand. Heres how the scale works: After stopping the chronograph, the wearer uses the red-striped crown at 10 oclock to turn the caliper scale along the edge of the dial until the red triangle at the zero point on the scale lines up precisely with the red tip of the chrono-seconds hand. On the photo on the previous page, the chrono-seconds hand has stopped between 37 and 38. You use the caliper scale to get the one-tenthof-a-second measurement. Heres how: the caliper scale lies flush with the watchs 60-minute track. Examine the markers on the caliper scale to see which marker lines up most exactly with a marker on the 60-minute scale. In the photo, you can see that the only marker on the caliper scale that lines up precisely with a line on the 60-second scale is the 4, indicating 4/10ths of a second. So the chronograph hand reads 37. 4 seconds.
THE WATCHS UNUSUAL FEATURES INCLUDE ITS VERNIER SCALE, LINEAR SECONDS DISPLAY AND ROTATING DISK COUNTERS.
THE ONLY FREQUENCY that makes measurement of a tenth of a second possible is five Hertz, or 10 vibrations per second. TAG Heuer did not have to search very long to find a reliable movement with this frequency. Its sister brand in the LVMH Group, Zenith, makes the most famous one, the El Primero chronograph movement. Its advantages include a powerful eccentric fine regulator with a long regulator pointer and a Glucydur balance that is resistant to temperature fluctuations. The El

+ Attractive, technical design + Exciting movement + Top quality case
- Poor legibility - Second crown is difficult to use
TAG HEUER GRAND CARRERA CALIBRE 36 RS CALIPER CHRONOGRAPH Manufacturer: TAG Heuer SA, Rue L.-J.-Chevrolet 6a, CH-2300 La Chauxde-Fonds, Switzerland Reference number: CAV5115.FT6019 Functions: Hour, minute, linear small seconds; chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour counters; date Movement: Calibre 36 RS COSC, derived from the Zenith El Primero 400, automatic; COSC-certified chronometer; chronograph; 36,000 vph; 31 jewels; eccentric fine regulation; Glucydur balance; Kif shock absorption; 50-hour power reserve; diameter = 30 mm Case: Stainless steel with curved, doublesided nonreflective crystal; sapphire caseback with crossbar and six screws; waterresistant to 100 meters Strap and clasp: Rubber strap with stainless-steel folding clasp Rate results: (Deviation in seconds per day): Chronograph off/on Dial up Dial down Crown up Crown down Crown left Crown right Greatest rate deviation: Average deviation: Average amplitude: Horizontal positions Vertical positions +3 +3 +-1 ++2.3 +1 +2 +1 -++1.2
Primeros only technical drawback is that it lacks a hack mechanism, which makes it impossible to precisely set the time. Onto the reliable El Primero base caliber TAG Heuer adds its own in-house disk displays for elapsed minutes and hours and running seconds. The engraved, skeletonized rotor with Geneva stripes as well as the C36 engraving are also TAG Heuer additions. Other visual treats like exposed wheels, blued screws, line finishes and polished and beveled edges belong to the Zenith base movement. After adding modifications to the base caliber, TAG designates the movement as Caliber 36 RS (the RS refers to the disks, or rotating systems, for the chronograph minutes and hours). All Caliper Chronograph movements are certified chronometers, tested for accuracy by the Swiss testing agency COSC. Its worth noting that the only position not tested by COSC (the rarely occurring position crown right) showed results that jumped far into the positive range in our test. This increased the maximum deviation to seven seconds. As a result, the Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph re-
Dimensions: Diameter = 43 mm, height = 14.5 mm, weight = 140 g Variations: With steel bracelet ($7,900); with black PVD-coated titanium case and rubber strap ($8,900) or alligator strap ($8,900) Price: $7,900
The chronograph pushers are fluted; the oversized crown features the TAG Heuer logo.

SCORES

TAG HEUER GRAND CARRERA CALIBRE 36 RS CALIPER CHRONOGRAPH Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): The high-quality strap is quite thin but well made. Stainless steel bars on the strap ends and simple but sturdy safety folding clasp with adjustable strap add style. 8 Operation (5): Ridged chronograph pushers and fluted crown increase comfort but the additional crown is difficult to reach. The movement does not have a hack mechanism. 3 Case (10): The case is water-resistant to 100 meters, rich in details and very well finished. Its single fault: the edge between the lugs and the steel strap ends collects dust. 9
ceived just eight of 10 points for rate results in our test scores, despite having met the standards for a chronometer. The average rate is low, at +2.3 seconds per day, and improves still further to +1.2 seconds per day when the chronograph is engaged, with amplitudes remaining stable. The fact that the chronograph disks have a compensating effect on the rate is proven by the low deviation of five rather than seven seconds per day when the chronograph is on. The watch is regulated so precisely that it hardly shows any minus values in any of the positions, while still consistently running ahead slightly. If you're trying to catch a train, youre more likely to arrive a bit too early than too late. THIS GRAND CARRERAS stainless-steel case is excellently finished. The case frame, bezel (with an engraved tachymeter track) and screw-down sapphire caseback have both polished and brushed surfaces. The two fluted crowns with the TAG Heuer logo and the ridged chronograph pushers with black highlights complete the overall high-quality appearance of the case. The top sapphire crystal is curved and nonreflective on both sides, while the sapphire caseback is divided by a steel bar. This is an attractive design feature but it should be reserved for watches with less interesting movements. The case is held in place by six screws and is water-resistant to 100 meters. The multi-layered dial is just as nicely finished as the case, with deep ridges, applied markers, a deep date window and the attractive bonus of two steel bridges with beveled and polished
Design (15): The dynamic technical sport watch design is attractive and balanced. Only the illogical placement of the minute counter marker is distracting. 14 Legibility (5): Ease of reading the standard hour and minutes is average, but the elapsed time is more difficult to read. Plus, the linear small seconds has no detail track. 2 Wearing comfort (10): The thin rubber strap is not an adequate counterweight to the very heavy case, but wins points for its suppleness and ventilation holes. The clasp has a few sharp edges. 7 Movement (20): TAG Heuer adds disk displays on top of the reliable, finely decorated, COSC-certified El Primero chronograph caliber from its fellow LVMH brand, Zenith. 17 Rate results (10): The timing machine recorded mostly good individual rates and an average deviation; the maximum difference between the various positions was somewhat poorer. 8 Overall value (15): The finishing and the movement justify the high price. 12 TOTAL: 80 POINTS

February 2010 WatchTime 79
edges, and ctes de Genve finishing. The date at 4:30 is recessed because its disk lies beneath the rotating system. The caliper scale at the edge of the dial consists of three curved steel bars; they provide a balanced effect, even though two of them have no function. This could have been avoided by using a triple vernier scale. Wearers will find that the crown at 10 oclock is inconveniently placed; a triple vernier scale would have meant turning the crown as little as possible. The unusual design of the watch unifies sport and technology. Still, there are some features that bear scrutiny. The placement of the red marker on the minute counter, for example, makes no sense. It is crooked, offset from the usual horizontal position by one marker. Also, because they are the same color, the hands are difficult to distinguish from the dial bridges and are highly reflective under strong light. All the hands are somewhat too short and don't reach the corresponding tracks. Plus, the triangle on the vernier scale doesnt reach the seconds hand. The disk displays for the chronograph minute and hour, while quite unusual, are difficult to read; one problem is that the numerals are quite small. The linear running seconds indicator at 9 oclock has no detailed track. Instead, a disk with printed graduation marks moves behind a cutout in the dial. For design reasons, the beginning of the track as well as some of the rotating hash marks are red. It looks as if they have something to do with the chronograph function, which also has red indicators, but they do not. The watchs legibility is below average. Aside from the additional crown being hard to reach and the lack of a hack mechanism, operation is easy the ridged chronograph pushers work smoothly and the fluted screwed
crown locks cleanly in its positions. The watch feels good on the wrist thanks to the snugly fitting case and the suppleness of the ventilated rubber strap. The imbalance of the heavy case and the very thin strap is a distraction, however, as are the two sharp edges on the inner side of the clasp. Otherwise, the highquality rubber strap and the carefully constructed simple folding clasp and the adjustable strap adjustment leave nothing to be desired. The strap has rounded edges to make it simpler to thread into the elegant clasp. The closure itself is constructed of a solid piece of stainless steel and bears a relief of the brand logo. It closes reliably. The solid stainless steel elements with engraved TAG Heuer name, attached to the ends of the strap with two large-headed screws, are a visual bonus. This creates a virtually seamless connection with the case even though the strap is fastened with conventional spring bars. Its only unfortunate that the rounded edges of the steel strap ends do not follow the curvature of the lugs as this creates an edge that collects dust. What is true for the strap is true for the rest of the watch. The Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph is complex in both its design and finishes, though some details need improvement. The $7,900 price is justified by the high quality of all its components, not to mention the beautiful and precise movement within. In fact, Zenith watches with the El Primero caliber cost significantly more. Anyone who can live without a hack mechanism, and is prepared to put a bit more effort into reading the time, will find unlimited pleasure with this striking sports watch and its exciting additional functions.

The clasp can be adjusted to any length along the rubber strap.

READERS

AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW GREEN YOUR WATCH IS FEATURED A BATTERY-POWERED WATCH. ALL MY WATCHES ARE MECHANICAL. YOU CANT GET MUCH GREENER THAN THAT.
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL Im afraid I must highlight three slip-ups in the December issue of your otherwise excellent publication. 1. You missed the mark entirely with your description of the 1/10-second reading capability on TAG Heuers Grand Carrera Caliber 36 RS in the Drive Timers article on page 134. The RS disks were not developed with a 10x magnification to make it possible to read the time to 1/10-second. It is the rotatable bezel, which is equipped with a vernier scale (in fact, three of them evenly distributed around the circumference of the bezel), that allows the 1/10-second reading. The procedure is shown graphically in a video on TAG Heuers website (www.tagheuer.com). Once the chrono is stopped, the bezel must be turned until the zero mark in any of the three available scales coincides with the tip of the measured seconds hand, then the corresponding 1/10-second fraction can be read directly where any of the indexes in the scale exactly coincides with a seconds index in the chronograph dial. Longines developed a similar principle with their Honour and Glory LE stopwatch and wrist chronograph of the late 1990s. The only difference is that the vernier scale was an integral part of the measured seconds hand, instead of being in a bezel. 2. On the Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX 2 DBS Transponder in the same article, the sweep of the black dial that resembles dashboard counters does not measure 270 degrees; it is only 240 degrees. 3. After writing highly favorable words about the clear caseback of the Perrelet Big Date chronograph (Two For the Road) with a built-in crystal, for which Perrelet has been granted international patent protection, lets you view these attractive developments, it seems unforgivable to omit a picture of such a wonderful feature. Armando Camacho Guadalajara, Mexico You are correct not once, not twice, but thrice, Armando. Many thanks. JT GREEN BATTERIES? In the WatchTalk section in the October issue, there is an article about how green your watch is (How Green Is Your Watch?). The watch featured is battery-powered. My watches are an Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Submariner, and Breitling Superocean Heritage 46. All are mechanical, no batteries. You dont get much greener than that. Charles Power Via email MORE TO COME? How fascinating to see and read about Nicolas Hayeks repeat of Breguets original design of the watch meant for Marie Antoinette (My Audience With the Queen, October 2008). Since it had to be redesigned from scratch, Im not sure whether one should call it a replica. How sad that she never saw it and how even more fascinating that the original has been recovered. I look forward with bated breath to the whole story of its theft and recovery. By the way, why was it in a Museum of Islamic Art and will it be there again? F.B. Oldham St. Louis, MO The article Case Closed in this issue details the rest of the Marie Antoinette saga. The Marie Antoinette watch was in the L.A. Mayer Museum of Islamic Art in Jerusalem because Vera Salomons, who inherited a part of her fathers fabulous collection of Breguet watches, was the founder of the museum. The museum plans to exhibit the Marie Antoinette and 52 other stolen and recovered Breguet timepieces this spring. JT HOW ABOUT A MEGAGAUSS? Having read your article on the Rolex Milgauss (Antimagnetic Attraction, August 2008), I felt I had to share my thoughts on the necessity of a watch that can survive 1,000 gauss. For most av-

TAGs Calibre 36 RS: Figuring fractions
Perrelet Big Date Chrono: Wheres that beautiful back?

WatchTime February 2009

AM I NAIVE TO BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A WATCH THAT COULD WITHSTAND FIELD STRENGTHS OF UP TO 30,000 GAUSS?
erage people, a watch with no additional magnetic protection against field strengths greater than that of the earths magnetic field is perfectly acceptable. So why was it that Rolex originally decided to manufacture a watch specifically suited to that small minority of the population that work with magnetic fields up to 1,000 gauss? I am lucky enough to work for Siemens, producing superconducting magnets for use in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging, also known as body scanners). As part of my job I am regularly exposed to field strengths of up to 30,000 gauss! With the advancement in material technology, I cannot see any reason for not being able to make an automatic watch that could withstand these levels of field strength and therefore allow me to wear my watch at all times during my working day rather than having to leave it in a desk drawer. Am I being nave to believe this is possible or am I just too small a percentage of the population to be catered to in Rolexs eyes? Matthew Hobbs Oxford, United Kingdom Good question. Well check with Rolex. Meanwhile, readers with a point of view should feel free to weigh in. JT
WatchTime welcomes correspondence from readers. Send comments to editor-in-chief Joe Thompson at 274 Madison Avenue, Suite 705, New York, NY 10016 or via e-mail to jthompson@watchtime. com. Please include your full name, city and state, and country (if outside the United States). Letters may be edited for length or clarity. Due to the volume of correspondence, WatchTime cannot acknowledge all the letters it receives. However, each one is read in full.
Rolex Milgauss: Gauss it up Just a moment: JLCs Gyrotourbillon 2
MISCREANT MISCHIEF As ever, I enjoy reading WatchTime but Im one of those awkward folk who need to comment on matters when they are definitely wrong. So here goes. So, the moment of inertia of the balance wheel in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 2 is 12.5mg/cm! (Basel/ Geneva 2008, WT August 2008) Mathematics shows unambiguously that the units of moment of inertia are M*L, be they used as mg.cm, kg.m, or Tonne.M, depending on the product in question. (I was in ships engines Tonne.M.) If you look at the press release for JaegerLeCoultre, you will find the units of inertia are, as you would expect, quoted correctly as 12.5 mg.cm. Who, then, is the miscreant at WatchTime who persists in rewriting JLCs text? After all, a house may take 5,000 Man.days to build, not as you would have it 5,000 Man/days (Man per days). Joe Rice Sunderland, United Kingdom The miscreant has been found and taken to the woodshed, as you have dutifully done with us. It wont happen again. JT RIGHTSIDE UP! OK, what is up with people who wear fine timepieces upside down on the bottom of their wrists or dont size them and just let them fling around and hit everything? These are expensive watches; people have labored over every last detail. Yet some think it is OK to wear them face-down or not size them properly so that every time they put their arm down they damage the watch and it ends up looking like a four-dollar Timex. There is nothing worse than seeing a woman in the grocery store with an 18k Cartier Panther with a diamond bezel purposely strapped on the bottom of her wrist and see it scarred from the damage inflicted down there. Not to mention it looks ugly that way. If you cant show off the watchs beauty, please dont wear it in a fashion that embarrasses people with good taste and common sense. Grant Williams Palm Springs, CA

SPECIAL QUESTION I am a happy owner of the following watches: Rolex, A. Lange & Shne, Breitling, Bell & Ross, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega and Hamilton. I would like to know if special issues have been dedicated to those brands. Andre De Man Braine-le-Chateau, Belgium On average, WatchTime has published one special issue a year since the magazines launch in 1999. The list of brands covered is: Patek Philippe, Breguet, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Longines, Citizen and Chopard. Each issue is of necessity sponsored by one company (other brands naturally dont want to advertise in them.) However, we maintain the objective, analytical editorial approach that is a WatchTime hallmark. JT