Wow. This year’s most surprising timepiece from Tag Heuer may not be their smartwatch collaboration with Intel and Google, but this matte-black piece that gives new meaning to the term incognito. This watch is black—the deep, monochromatic face almost disappears into the watch giving this timepiece its well-deserved title, the Monaco V4 Phantom. In fact the only color seen on the surface of the watch are the blood-red jewels that are used throughout the movement. It’s awesome and totally eerie at the same time.
In the latest’s V4 edition, the watch casing and movement’s seven bridges are made from a micro-blasted, patterned Carbon Matrix Composite to give them a brushed appearance. The interior is also done entirely in black, with numerals, indexes and hands painted a dark grey and coated in anthracite Super-LumiNova for visibility in the dark. Even the alligator strap and closure get the blackout treatment. Carbon fiber is also used in the production of the timepiece, making it extraordinarily durable, shock-resistant and lightweight.
Housed inside is the microscopic micro-belt transmission, with 268 parts, 28,800 vib/h and a 42-hour power reserve. The belt transmission and linear weigh move along a “straight rail rather than the usual rotational movement,” a mainstay of the V4 collection. A total of 48 jewels can also be found in the movement—the only part of the watch to have escaped the monochromatic color.
