Chuck,

Regarding the "hour creep" question - it was my mistake - I did not realise the hour register was calibrated at 30mins intervals!

As I said, your posted symptoms did not follow the Chrono Hour Creep norm. Not a surprise.

The watch is perfect! My dealer is sending a correct manual from TAG - they didn't seem to know it was a manual wind watch.

Most dealers, in my experience, are nearly quazi-functionally-illiterate...

I looked again at the TAG site for the "Limited Edition" and under "History" of the Carrera line-up, I quote "In 1996, TAG Heuer decided to launch a new edition of the Carrera chronograph, closely based on the original 1964 model: in other words, retaining the small 37 millimeter diameter, the self-winding mechanical movement (Lemania 1873) and the organic glass crystal." Incorrect statement?

Yes, Incorrect statement: Self-winding and Lemania 1873 is not correct, for the Lemania 1873 is a manual wind movement. TAG-Heuer goofed with this verbage.

Note the picture of the watch they call the Carrera Ltd Edition 1964 is of a 2-register, date automatic chronograph...

Carrera Ltd Edition 1964 ...

"Worn by five-time Driver's Champion Juan Manuel Fangio and most Formula One drivers in the 1970s, the original Carrera is a highly coveted must-have among watch collectors and racing lore enthusiasts. After the Limited Edition 1964, an exact copy of the original design, the Carrera is once again in line with its time."

I find the above paragraph highly dubious as well.... First off JM Fangio's career as a F1 driver was over long before the Carrera was introduced. Second, Most F1 drivers in the 1970's wore the original Carrera? What, where they doing a poll at each race? While I wouldn't be surprised if most F1 Drivers in the 1970's wore a Heuer (at least at times), I doubt that the "original Carrera" was the watch they wore. Jo Siffert, a F1 driver wore a Heuer Autavia for example, not that that fact isn't marketable, I just think TAG-Heuer's marketing is getting a little carried away with the facts. Thirdly, "After the Limited Edition 1964, an exact copy of the original design" the watch TAG-Heuer is calling the Limited Edition 1964, is not an exact copy of the original design. Neither is the 1964 Re-Edition for that matter. Neither use the same movement as earlier models. The Re-Edition uses the Lemania 1873 vs. the original's Valjoux 72, the new model uses an ETA/Dubois-Depraz module chronograph movement, vs. the 1970's Micro-Rotor movement.

I trust TAG-Heuer's marketing text to be conductive to selling watches, I woudn't expect it to be accurate.

When you purchased the watch, did it come in a special dark red box labelled "Classics Heuer" with the zip box sporting a copy of the perforated leather band around the lid?

My examples came with packaging that looks like this picture I glommed from a current eBay auction:

Mine came in a typical dark grey box. Do you think the packaging is quite variable?

Nope. I think the dealer mixed up the boxes somewhere along the line.

Also, when did they start and stop making the Re-edition?

Oh, gosh... I don't remember exactly they stopped making them, it was a couple of years back... I want to say 2001 but it might have been a year earlier or later. And they introduced the Carrera before I started collecting watches seriously, but I would guess they re-introduced the 1964 Re-Edition in the 1996-1998 timeframe.

TAG aren't keen on taking your serial number and checking the date of manufacture.

I don't understand this sentence. What do you mean?

Thanks again for your responses.

No problem...

Steve