Saturday 25 July 2020

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer S/EL Quartz Watch

S99.313C

Browsing eBay the other day I was almost tempted to do something very foolish. You may remember that I once bought a champagne dial S/EL for about £110 and when it arrived it was absolutely tiny! At the time I was kicking myself because while I didn't have the time to enquire about the size (the auction was ending) and I couldn't find reliable data for that particular part number, I really should have known that a full size S/EL on a leather strap would not sell for £110.


So, with this one, I checked the part number and found a website selling the bracelet version. They listed the watch as '41mm including crown', so I figured.. okay. maybe 38mm, worst case scenario 37mm. But something was niggling me about the part number, because I know from looking at 3000 Series pieces that the full size models end in 06, while the intermediate / boys watches carry a number ending in 13.


So I dug a little further and found that the actual diameter of the watch is 34mm. While it may well be 41mm including the crown, the crown on the S/EL is so substantial that to list it that way is extremely misleading... and I imagine, quite deliberate in an attempt to shift a watch that will be hard to sell - least of all for $1299AUS!

You have no idea how close I came to making the same mistake twice, it was only that brown strap that put me off. I didn't mind it with the champagne dial but it looks kinda wrong with that black dial. It's a shame because overall the watch looks in good condition, but I would have been fuming if I'd bought another 'little' S/EL, and I don't suppose I'd have been able to flip this for a £10 profit like I did the other one either...


With that knowledge in hand, if you are interested I will leave a link below. The seller sent me an offer of £300, so I wouldn't pay any more than that... and probably less than that to be honest, as realistically selling this is going to be a bit of a problem, unless you can find a lady or a small boy to buy it off you!

Link to the eBay sale
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193555855189

Link to the hilariously overpriced bracelet version
http://jamisonwholesale.com/product_info.php?products_id=38

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