TagHeuer Glassbox Carrera Reverse Panda. Owner review after 6 consecutive days of use
This is my first mechanical chronograph watch and first TagHeuer. Being a divewatch fan at heart, my only other chronograph is a moonSwatch.😁
Please don't hesitate to ask additional questions if you need something clarified and i will answer them as best i can.
For a while now i have had an on and off interest in getting a chronograph just to diversify my divewatch heavy collection. I often times dismiss the idea of getting a chronograph because i like my watch dials neat and clean - just 3 hands and a date - only the basics for everyday use at the office. Chronograph subdials are clutter to me that is why i have avoided them ever since i started the hobby in 2021. But tastes change and eventually, for the sake of diversity, i found myself looking up mainstream chronograph options for my one and only chronograph. I was searching google and youtube for the most popular and iconic chronograph brands and models. I wanted to get it right since i plan on only owning one. I finally arrived at the top 5 on my list and the reasons why i did not end up buying them instead.
Rolex Daytona - unobtainium at srp. Even at srp, still a bit over my budget. Too expensive at secondary market price. A bit much text on the dial. Do i even really like it or just subconciously driven by the hype? No date.
Omega Moonwatch - manual wind- i'm not ready for that. Hands are a bit basic. Not shiny enough. No date.
Breitling Navitimer - dial is a little bit overkill with all the texts of the slide rule bezel.
Zenith El Primero - the different colored subdials added even more feeling of clutter to the dial. Would have been more visually pleasing if the subdials were the same color.
Tag Heuer [Glassbox] Carrera (initially the heuer 02 caliber before the glassbox was released) - visually pleasing. Symmetrical. Shiny. Has a date. Not too busy dial. We have a winner!
Over the course of 6 days i have come to enjoy this watch. Outlined below are some of the reasons why i love it and also some areas that could use improvement (but not deal breakers). Thanks for reading. 🤗
TagHeuer Glassbox Carrera Reverse Panda. Owner review after 6 consecutive days of use
Yes
No
- Boxed sapphire crystal covering and protecting the whole top of the watch. Polished top of lugs, indices, hands, and silver ringed subdials.
- The date at 12 o'clock is nicely positioned so that it is there when you need it but neatly tucked away behind the resting seconds hand if not needed. It is the best place to put a date on a triple subdial chronograph in my opinion.
- I like the open caseback and a view of the movement even if it is not that dazzling. It's nice to see my watch running.
- While not COSC certified, this TH20-00 movement has been consistently running at +1 second every 24 hours. I check it daily for the past 6 days. Very impressed by the accuracy.
- No bracelet or rubber strap option (for now). As a sweaty person that lives in a tropical country, leather straps are the enemy. 😅 It does visually compliment the watch though, so this is more of a personal taste than a negative.
- Date wheel slightly misaligned to the left of the date window but hardly noticeable.
- Non screw down crown and pushers but i do appreciate the 100m water resistance. Start/stop and reset pushers also have an audible click during activation to ensure no accidental operations (this is a positive).
- While the polished elements are awesome it also comes at a price. The silver subdials (i love them) sometimes makes it hard to see the little polished hands as well as the small tick marks within them. Also, lume brightness is poor and short lived.
Hi, my name is Ryan and i'm addicted to watches 🫣
Thanks for the review. Really impressed with the new TH glassbox editions.
Thanks for the review. Really impressed with the new TH glassbox editions.
I'm glad you like it. I agree this watch has very nice wearing dimensions and as far as chronographs go, very clean and symmetrical dial. It is also flashy, but just the right amount for my taste. 😊
Very cool, and congratulations on acquiring one of the most handsome chronograph releases of 2023! I too was looking at the Heuer 02 model, but feel like it was too... sterile? This, however, is a whole other bundle of joy, and glad that it comes with 100m WR.
Very cool, and congratulations on acquiring one of the most handsome chronograph releases of 2023! I too was looking at the Heuer 02 model, but feel like it was too... sterile? This, however, is a whole other bundle of joy, and glad that it comes with 100m WR.
Yes there were some elements of the heuer 02 that was keeping me from pulling that trigger. This one however was not a very hard decision. 😄
Very nice watch and great review!
Very nice watch and great review!
Thank you for the kind words 🥰
Yes! Congrats. Had a similar dilemma. I ended up buying the Reverse Panda GlassBox a few months back. Very pleased with my decision.
Yes! Congrats. Had a similar dilemma. I ended up buying the Reverse Panda GlassBox a few months back. Very pleased with my decision.
High five. I also see you praising it on youtube. 😊🥰
Enjoy your glassbox 🍻
Thanks for the review love it. How are you finding the watch thickness wise? Are you able to share some wrist shot from the side while wearing it? Its a bit thick and wonder if the shapes makes it ok-ish for 6.5-7 inch wrist like the speedmaster.
Thanks for the review love it. How are you finding the watch thickness wise? Are you able to share some wrist shot from the side while wearing it? Its a bit thick and wonder if the shapes makes it ok-ish for 6.5-7 inch wrist like the speedmaster.
Thanks for the kind words.
Thickness is not bothersome. I think it is 14mm on the spec sheet but it wears fine on my 7 inch wrist. It also slips ok under a cuff. In 2 days time it will be his turn on rotation i'll take side shots for you. ☺️
Thanks for the kind words.
Thickness is not bothersome. I think it is 14mm on the spec sheet but it wears fine on my 7 inch wrist. It also slips ok under a cuff. In 2 days time it will be his turn on rotation i'll take side shots for you. ☺️
Awesome thanks!
Did the thickness felt similar than a speedy?
Awesome thanks!
Did the thickness felt similar than a speedy?
Unfortunately i have not tried on a speedmaster so i couldnt do a one to one comparison