Tag Heuer Monaco V4

Somebody had better send the medics over to LVMH headquarters...STAT! There is something going on with them over there. There MUST be! Why else would they stray so far from the norm that is the Tag Heuer brand and create this masterpiece? The Tag Heuer Monaco V4.

While the average Tag Heuer is priced around $2000., the V4 packs a much loftier price, $80,000. to be exact. See, now you know why I want the medics over there? What exactly do you get with the extra $78K over the standard Monaco? This is where the fun begins...

First, according to Tag Heuer, the Monaco V4 watch took them 14,200 days of R&D to make. That is somewhere around 38 years for those who are keeping score. (I'm sure that is including all man hours combined) The case is 950 Platinum and is in the familiar Monaco square shape. There is a semi-domed sapphire crystal shows off the engine-like (V4, get it?) movement in an almost three-dimensional look. The hands are a cool blue that stands out on the brushed metal movement, very well. A second hand is non-existent.

Moving to the rear of the watch, you will see a specially designed curved case back that displays two turbine looking banks of cylinders, (again, keeping with the high performance automotive theme) with four wheels in the corners driven by belts. Those four wheels are the mainspring barrels and the belts help provide 52 hrs. of power reserve for the watch. The belts actually need to be replaced, just like a cars belts do. What no oil change? Separating these two banks of "cylinders" is a linear weight that moves up and down as you wear it and serves to wind the movement. No oscillating rotor here!

S0 lets see, we have a belt driven transmission, an $80K price tag, what am I missing from describing this unique vehic, err...timepice? Of course ball bearings!! Tag Heuer uses micro ball bearings in place of rubies between the gears and movement plate. They say the ball bearings cause less friction. All these unique, yet functional elements keep the Tag Heuer well in Chronometer range by being accurate to within 4 seconds per day.



Tag Heuer is making the first 150 pieces of this watch available through auction at the Only Watch 2009 charity watch auction. The other 149 of them are waiting at the Tag Heuer showroom - I would guess next to the Rolls' and the Bugatti's!

Specs courtesy of Tag Heuer:

TRANSMISSION
5 NOTCHED BELTS INCLUDING 2 WITH INTERNAL STEEL REINFORCEMENT WIRE
3 DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION BELTS, OF 0.25 X 0.07 mm, WITH A LOAD TO 130g
2 IDENTICAL BARREL BELTS, OF 0.5 X 0.15 mm, WITH A LOAD TO 1’300g
11 MICRO BALL-BEARINGS OF 2.2 TO 4 mm DIAMETER AND 0.6 TO 1 mm THICK
6 NOTCHED PULLEYS INCLUDING THE ESCAPEMENT PINION REPLACING THE TRADITIONAL PINIONS AND WHEELS
48 JEWELS

ENERGY
2 PAIRS OF BARRELS IN SERIES, SET IN PARALLEL AND INCLINED AT 13°, STORING 450g OF ENERGY EACH: 900g TOTAL STRENGTH

AUTOMATIC WINDING SYSTEM
LINEAR MASS WITH DOUBLE RACK RAIL: 12g TUNGSTEN INGOT

MOVEMENT FEATURES
28’800 VIBRATIONS PER HOUR
STRENGTH COLLECTING SYSTEM SET ON A MICRO BEARING AT 12 O’CLOCK
2 DISCHARGE RATCHETS WITH GEAR CUT AT 13°
ANNULAR BALANCE WITH 3 ARMS MADE OF GLUCYDUR
« TOP » QUALITY SWISS BALANCE-SPRING WITH MICRO BLAZED FINISHING
« RAQUETTERIE » WITH FINE ADJUSTMENT BY ECCENTRIC SCREW
52-HOUR POWER RESERVE
AVERAGE ACCURACY PER 24H: +/- 4 SEC
RANGE max 310°, min 210°
SMALL SECOND AT 4

WATCH FEATURES
PLATINUM 950 CASE
BEVELED EDGE AND CURVED SAPPHIRE GLASS
HAND-SEWN BLUE ALLIGATOR STRAP
FOLDING BUCKLE WITH DOUBLE SAFETY PUSH-BUTTONS IN PLATINUM 950