Monaco is my favorite collection from the whole Tag Heuer portfolio. I closely follow all the news about its special editions and I’m going crazy about the specific square cases. Even if many people don’t resonate with square cases, the way that Tag Heuer designs them is truly remarkable. That’s the reason why this line is the most recognizable one from the whole Heuer heritage. But that’s not the only one. Watch enthusiasts also love Monaco watches due to their close connection to racing and this particular connection makes the collection even more desirable.
I am lucky now for having to review the CAW211P.FC6356 replica watch. This particular model is amazing for various reasons: great and engaging look, fabulously sporty charisma, and reliable technical profile. What other combination can be more delightful for a watch enthusiast?!
The first thing to feel with this imitation is that it’s different from other square watches, in a good sense. I don’t know the replica manufacturers’ secret in replicating it, but the square shape offers such a comfortable feeling that I never felt before with other similar shapes. But let’s take it gradually, looking at this watch from all the perspectives possible.
The case
I suppose that the comfortable feeling of this watch is due to its solid and compact construction. When I put it on, nothing is causing me discomfort. On the contrary, the first things to notice were the soft material of the strap and the greatly finished case. If the finish wasn’t of high quality, I would instantly feel “scratch-like” sensations. At first, when inspecting the case visually, I thought that the button pushers would produce a “digging” effect on my wrist skin. But, I must admit that the manufacturers have chosen a great strategy to integrate them into the case so that I don’t feel any unpleasant sensation.
So, my first conclusion about this watch is that it feels much more comfortable than you would think just by looking at it.
The dial
Now, it’s time to move on to the watch dial. My advice is to not expect to resonate immediately with it. It takes some time to get used to it because the differences between the case shape and the contours of the dial might confuse you a little bit at the beginning.
Usually, we are closely familiar with round cases including round contours for the dial chronographs and time displays. Similarly, most square cases repeat the square shapes within the dial. But not with this Monaco timepiece. This watch is an exception from the just-mentioned rule and its dial comes with an impressively different architecture. Just give yourself time to analyze it and you will discover how masterful the combination between dial colors and contours is.
More than that, the color contrast you see in it actually improves readability. So, be sure that within a short time, you will notice how strategic each color actually is. For example, the red accents on the hour indexes and hands couple perfectly with the navy blue of the dial, making you quickly read the time.
Complementary to this, I think the dial is the most inspiring element of this watch. All the featured colors look vibrant and evidence perfectly all that the wearer has to primarily see.
The movement
The imitation runs on an AAA automatic chronograph movement providing a spectacular 40 hours of power reserve. To be honest, I expected that the watch would arrive with the same quartz A movement as the previous release. I wasn’t highly satisfied with that one as it generated some chronograph errors during the testing period. With this AAA movement, I see that the functionality of the replica watch has significantly improved. In addition, I applaud the fact that this imitation is 30 meters waterproof, unlike the daily water-resistant configuration for the previous Tag Heuer models.
Additional Specifications
What I also embrace in this imitation is the fact that it comes with a deployment clasp strap. This solves the problems of all watch enthusiasts with bigger wrists because this clasp mechanism allows the wearer to fold the strap into diverse positions and angles, according to personal comfort.
Just like the genuine model, the imitation comes with a solid stainless steel caseback. Actually, the whole case of the watch is also stainless steel. Better said, 316l steel alloy with scratch and wear-resistant properties. In addition, the bezel is also made of solid steel and I think it’s the most expensive component in this imitation. The bezel feels hard and rigid enough to provide resistance against corrosion and impact. At the same time, its surface is smooth and greatly polished, to not irritate the skin.
I find the 39mm case just perfect. And I say that because square cases are somewhat “dangerous” when it comes to proportions. If the watch was even a bit bigger, the corners of the square case would generate discomfort. But, with the 39mm, the watch feels pretty great, no matter how you move your wrist.
Many customers email me asking about how sharp this watch is. Let me tell you that it only looks so; in reality, all the corners are as smooth to the touch as possible.
Downsides
If you wonder about the shortcomings of this imitation, what you have to know is that the thickness of the watch might frustrate you a little bit (or maybe, not at all). The genuine version of this Tag Heuer comes with a slightly thick 14.3 mm case. Some customers aren’t ok with it. In this context, the imitation is even a bit thicker, recording 14,4mm. There is only a 1 mm difference and some customers might even not observe it. Still, pedantic watch enthusiasts like me will notice that with the naked eye.
On the other hand, I must say that the thickness of the imitation doesn’t cause me any discomfort. The thickness is calibrated with the slender watch diameter and on my wrist, it looks gorgeous.
Overall impression
The testing period with this replica watch on my wrist was a really pleasant experience. If there is anything I understood with this imitation it’s that I’ve been underrating it for some reason. I knew about this model, I saw it many times, but I realized how great it is only when I put it on my wrist. As a result, it substantially amplified my impression of it, and that way, it became my number one Tag Heuer watch.
What do you need to know before you buy this replica watch?
The Monaco replica collection is available in different quality grades in the replica market. Each time you read a review about a Monaco replica watch, it may refer to a certain quality category. There can be A, AAA, and Swiss imitations. All of them come with a different mechanism. The A replicas are usually the most affordable. In most cases, they come with a quartz mechanism (though, not always) and the overall quality is medium. What you have to know is that some dealers price such imitations at expensive levels of the price range. If so, you should avoid them. The AAA imitations and the Swiss ones are more expensive, but their price is justified by their high quality. This means that the mechanism is better and the overall functionality also prevails.
In the same context…
Be highly prudent with chronograph functioning. Not all the Monaco imitations come with functional chronographs. Some of them might be frozen. Some dealers take advantage of your “not knowing” and price the imitation just like it is all functional. Considering such circumstances, you have to be highly vigilant with Monaco imitations and not only. Talk to the dealer before placing an order. Kindly ask him to tell you about all the watch specifications. Tell him to send you real pictures of the imitations you intend to buy.
Not a less important aspect is to get familiar with all the return and warranty policies that a certain dealer offers. These are usually found on the dealer’s website. Read them carefully to avoid any potential pitfalls. You have to be sure that you can send the imitation back if it doesn’t correspond to what the dealer promised you. That way, you protect yourself from possible scams that sadly, are highly frequent these days. Don’t rely only on the dealers’ promises. Rely only on the research you make BEFORE buying any replica watch.