HANDS ON: Clean and serene, the new TAG Heuer Autavia COSC GMT carries no excess baggage

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It's no secret at Time+Tide that I am a bit of a GMT fiend. There is just something about that complication that gets my horological juices flowing. Which means when a brand decides to release a GMT, I'm all over it. Will it have a classic design? How will the lume be? How will the bidirectional bezel feel? All these things and more come to my mind when something new comes along. So with the release of the TAG Heuer Autavia COSC GMT - the first in the Autavia collection - there was no question: I had to get some one-on-one time with this new multi-timezone tracking beaut.

The case

The case of the TAG Heuer Autavia COSC GMT shares the case used on all members of the Autavia line. Measurements are 42mm with a a lug to lug of 50mm and a thickness of 13.5mm. There is a mixture of polished and brushed surfaces that highlight the quality finishing that went into the watch. From the chamfered edges travelling north/south from lug to lug that vary in thickness to the finely brushed sides and top side of the lugs. Each edge where these different finishes meet is sharp and well-defined.

These finishes also set the stage for the two most dominant parts of the case, the thick crown and bidirectional bezel.

For the crown, its large size makes it easy to grip. Though it doesn't screw down, popping it into first position requires a bit more effort than expected. A good indication as to why the case is still rated to 100 metres of water resistant. As for the bezel, it features the classic black and blue motif. Though both colours used here are dark, legibility is still high with the numerals upon it having been deeply engraved into the ceramic. Finally, the gear-tooth bezel has a nice feel to it, locking securely into place at every click.

The dial

Moving on to the dial, you immediately notice that this simply isn't the blue Autavia given a GMT bezel treatment. Where the Autavia reference WBE511A.BA0650 had a grainy dial, here we get a simple sunburst pattern. This is the first Autavia GMT model not to feature a chronograph and also loses the hour index track, too. Finally, a bright orange GMT hand, which uses a different colour lume, has been colour matched to the "AUTAVIA" written on the dial.

All together, what these design decisions have done is left us with a cleaner looking dial that is highly legible and tones down the "tooliness" of the watch. A perfect low-key look for a traveller.

The movement

Beating inside of the TAG Heuer Autavia COSC GMT and hidden behind a closed caseback is the TAG Heuer Calibre 7.  It is based on the Sellita SW 300-1 movement; providing 50 hours of power reserve on a full wind while beating at a rate of 28,800 bph. The GMT function on this movement is accomplished through the use of an independently set 24-hour hand. At any point in time, without interfering with local time, the hand can be set to another timezone for at-a-glance tracking.

The bracelet

For the TAG Heuer Autavia COSC GMT, the brand will be using the same 21mm bracelet as seen on other Autavia models. It features multiple facets with the centre link being both polished and brushed. The side links are brushed on the top surface and polished on the sides. There is a slight taper down to the deployant clasp, which has two push buttons for opening.

One of the best features of the bracelet is the quick-release button built into the end links. This allows you to easily change out the bracelet for one of the multitude of leather straps TAG Heuer sells. And since this system is also built into the straps, you can easily change back to the bracelet.

On the whole, the bracelet feels great on the wrist. It's light enough for everyday comfort. And though it has many facets, TAG Heuer ensures that the portions of the bracelet touching the skin are more rounded.

The verdict

This past year has seen a ton of brands introduce GMT offerings to the public. Some have even released multiple models. Yet among all those releases, this offering from Tag Heuer makes the most sense. They took a storied line and to mark its anniversary provided a first for fans in the form of a GMT. The design stays true to the DNA they have established with the modern Autavia while also doing enough to differentiate it from the other models. Overall, I like what they've done and welcome a classically styled GMT to the market.

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