Because not many from the Heuer crowd saying a word about it and some are asking for my feelings about, here are my thoughts.
To bring it in the line, first check Jeffs Post about the “Five New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronographs for 2023” here. You will see the series of new Carreras, same dial layouts and case/pusher.
Then check the new Skipper. Maybe here: tagheuer.com – THE COMEBACK OF A SAILING ICON or here on Hodinkee – using the limits of the new Carreras.
Whats to say about the watch from my own taste, opinion, experience and feeling?
Summary first: I don’t like.
For me it’s a design by committee – pack all on the dial and ah, not forget to put “Skipper” somewhere!
To me many little things looks wrong – hands (orange boy lookalike?), indices too big, subdials applied with a silver ring? a Date window? Please, no!! Running seconds hand over date? Wtf! That tension ring – no! Dial surround raising – why?
Ist it uncool for Heuer to give it in the market as is? Yes and no.
No, because there are some marketing applausing fashion guys around to bring it to the market and of course some really like it because it fits their taste – it´s a watch that it is available without a search for a vintage Skipper with needs patience and knowledge. Of course, no problem with that, please, I really hope it´s a good sale on this Skipper because its good because I am happy that TH is back in the Skipper game after nearly 40 Years (Hodinkees LT beside).
And coming back to the question – yes, uncool, because I am sad that TH did it because they should have done it much better.
It just have to fit in the “New Carreras for 2023”, of course. And the kind of mushroom pushers are not my thing too, to have a last negative add.
Whats good? 2 things, made a new real yachting watch, use the nice colors from the 7753 and Hodinkee LE – and TH put on a real regatta countdown this time. Thats cool.
BTW thats what I missed badly on the Hodinkee LE Skipper, that was such a cool project, nice looking dial and with great work of the team around Louis they find out the real color of the subdials etc. (read here my interview with Louis about the LE) . Very nice looking and balanced but these things let me give my Hodinkee Skipper away for a real nice vintage Heuer: the missing regatta countdown (that makes it a fashion watch to me), the size (too big for my taste), the Sellita movement and the super expensive used domed saphire, might be the most expensive part of the watch. If you need to change it, you will remember my words.
Maybe it looks more ok if wearing one. As Jeff said “it grows on me with having on the wrist”. Another friend tried and said: dial is bling-bling, metall-effect, subdials are matte, fits good from the color but subdial over date and date nobody needs and indeces are too fat.
Anyway – try it and tell me your opinions, I am really interested in collectors meanings about it! Maybe I am alone with my thoughs.
Just my 2 cents.