TAG Heuer's Big Four - The Masterpieces Of 2011

Given that TAG Heuer's mainstream collection starts at less than $1,000, that means that the TAG Heuer brand spans an amazing range of price - from the value end, right up to the very top end of the watchmaking market.

The good news is that these watches are not some irrelevant side project for the well-heeled. The thinking and creativity that goes into these high-end models does matter for the watches in the mainstream range. Before answering why this is, let’s take a look at the four masterpieces...

TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrograph

The Carrera Mikrograph was launched in Geneva in January 2011 with TAG Heuer’s new Mikrograph movement, which can measure time to an accuracy of 1/100th of a second- ten times as accurate as the next best Chronograph on the market.

The name Mikrograph comes from the stopwatch created by Heuer in 1916, which was the first time-piece to be able to measure 1/100th accuracy- imagine how the worlds of sport and science were transformed by this amazing accuracy.

The watch itself is a beautiful design- a unique mix of Rose Gold case, with a brown and cream dial, in a style quite unlike any other TAG Heuer watch. The design is classic, yet not a re-edition of any past model.

The watch is available from later this year, with prices around $50,000.

TAG Heuer Mikrotimer

As if reaching 1/100th of a second wasn't impressive enough, TAG Heuer upped the ante at Basel in March by showing the Mikrotimer, which boasted accuracy to 1/1000th of a second. To put that in perspective, only one brand other than TAG Heuer has a mechanical watch capable of 1/10th of a second, let alone something 100-times more accurate.

The party-piece of the Mikrotimer is the flying central hand that spins around the dial ten times every second- almost like a helicopter blade.

The Mikrograph is a futuristic design that is only a concept watch at this stage. Given TAG Heuer’s track record of commercialising these, you wouldn’t think it was long until the Mikrotimer was available - at least to a lucky few.

TAG Heuer Monaco Mikrograph

At the Monaco Grand Prix in May, TAG Heuer showed another watch to use the Mikrograph movement - this time a Monaco Mikrograph of which only one will be made for a charity auction in September 2011.

The Monaco Mikrograph has a unique three-layered dial design and is unlike any TAG Heuer watch seen before, with its short hands and mix of dials and discs.

TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Titanium

Finally, we have the Monaco V4 Titanium, which as the name suggests is a Titanium case version of the ground breaking Monaco V4. The V4 was announced by TAG Heuer as a concept back in 2004, being the first watch to replace the traditional gears with belts.

TAG Heuer has refined the design of the Monaco V4, last year launching a "New Generation” case that is slightly larger than the 2009 original.

Expect prices to be around $80,000.

So what does it all mean...?

The best analogy to these watches is the concept car released by the car makers. Every year the car companies show us outlandish designs, with special features that will one day make their way down to the cars in the showrooms. The only difference with these TAG Heuer watches is that they are concept watches that some can actually buy.

Take a look at the non-Chronograph version of today’s Monaco, or to the Monaco Twenty-Four and you see a case design borrowed from the Monaco V4. The watchmaking know-how that TAG Heuer brought in-house to develop the V4 and Mikrograph movements is the same team that works on refining the Calibre 1887 that powers today’s Carrera.

So, think of these watches as a chance to peer into the future of what tomorrow’s mainstream, range will offer, both in terms of movements and style. An R&D lab on your wrist, if you like.

See TAG Heuer for a range of watches at TIME2.co.uk.