I look at the Carrera from 2014 (shown below), and agree that the new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Special Edition shows some lack of originality / creativity.

We see many of the same "racing" elements in the 2014 model as we see in the new model introduced a few days ago -- asphalt finish on the dial; "double digits" to mark the minutes; the red lettering on the bezel where we usually see "Tachymeter"; and the red accents on the dial and hands. Perhaps there is a limit to such elements, so that some repetition is inevitable. Note that the "Monaco Limited Edition" model uses a titanium case and the rubber strap with tire tread finish; the new Porsche Special Edition offers a leather strap or a stainless steel bracelet.

Of course, two of the core advantages of the new Porsche model are the Heuer 02 movement and the new "Sport" Carrera case, both of which offer a much cleaner look than the 2014 model. For many enthusiasts, the switch from 12-9-6 registers (on the Calibre 1887) to 3-6-9 placement (on the Heuer 02) is itself a major improvement in the design.

At the end of the day, the mission of TAG Heuer is not to win prizes for originality or innovation, but to create good looking watches, at reasonable prices, that today's customers will want to buy. Looking at the 2014 Carrera (with the Cal 1887 movement) and the new Carrera Porsche Special Edition (with the Heuer 02 movement), I believe that the new watch is much better looking and the Heuer 02 movement puts it at a strong advantage versus the Cal 1887 movement. Oh yes, and it has the "Porsche" on the bezel, which will be very attractive to many buyers.

I am hoping that we will see many more models in the TAG Heuer x Porsche partnership and, yes, I am hoping that we will see more originality in the subsequent models. How about that black titanium case or even a solid black dial, as we have recently seen from Bamford? Can we drop down to 42 millimeters for those who want smaller watches? Can we see something in the "glass box" case, at 39 millimeters, for those who want the vintage look? Could there be Porsche Special Edition Carreras, across the Carrera collection?

This is a lot to hope for, three days after we have seen the very first TAG Heuer x Porsche collaboration. While much of this may be far in the future, in the short-term, I will hope that the new TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Special Edition will achieve commercial success, with customers who may not study the back catalogs and the old reference numbers, and who may not demand originality. Let them simply walk into the store and see a great looking watch; the fact that TAG Heuer has made other great looking watches with some of the same elements should not be a strike against the watch. I believe that the new Carrera Porsche Special Edition will appeal to today's Porsche and other motor sports enthusiasts, and that is a big, global market of prospective buyers. Here's to its success!!

Jeff

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: TAG really should have put some effort into this, since this
: partnership has such great potential. Instead, it's like they
: harbor active contempt for their customer base, and think
: "Eh, we'll just slap 'Porsche' on the bezel and call it a
: day, they'll buy it anyway"

: So, nothing but a light paint job, for $300 extra over the standard
: 44mm Carrera. Do TAG have anyone at all at their decision-making
: level, who actually cares about what they do?