VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300M Professional by Fun With Watches

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 5 Watch

 

WBD2112.BA0928

Goldsmiths / Milton Keynes, 13th September 2021

For the past few months I've been seriously considering the idea of purchasing a 'WAY/WBD' or possibly 'CAY' Aquaracer, if only because once they have disappeared from the shops the stress of ensuring that I don't end up buying a fake on the pre-owned market is too much. Admittedly I do already own a 'WAY' model in the WAY208C, but I'd also really like a steel version and the front runners are either the white dial version with the black hour markers and orange second hand, and the blue dial with yellow accents. 

I can't honestly remember the last time I actually tried on a blue dial (WAY/WBD series) Aquaracer, it must be a long time ago - maybe it was that limited edition 'Hawaii' model with the turtle on the dial and the palm trees on the back plate that I found in the old TAG Heuer outlet store at Bicester Village?

GALLERY: Heuer Carrera 160th Anniversary Heuer 02 Limited Edition Chronograph by Anthony_Ranalli

 

Instagram @ Anthony_ranalli

VIDEO: Heuer Silverstone by Crown and Caliber

 

HISTORY: The TAG Heuer SLR (2004-2012)

 

The TAG Heuer SLR started life in 2004 with the release of the CAD5110; probably the most curious looking watch the company have ever released. Following on from the McLaren F1 idea, this watch was only available to people looking to purchase the Mercedes Benz SLR super car and of course, at this particular moment in time TAG Heuer and Mercedes were still very much connected through their associations with the McLaren Formula 1 team and former TAG Heuer owners Ron Dennis and Mansour Ojjeh. 

The back of this first piece is numbered, but unfortunately it doesn't say of how many. A quick Google reveals that Mercedes made 2157 SLRs, so it must be less than that. The watch wasn't cheap by any means and given the scarcity of them on the pre-owned market perhaps we can assume that the take up rate wasn't too high? Or maybe the owners just aren't selling, or they sold them on with the car...

A notable feature of the watch is that it is a 'regulator' the only example that TAG Heuer have ever made, at least since the company was taken over in 1985.

GALLERY: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Watch

UPDATE: New Index Page

Today I think I finally found the character limit of the 'Index' page, which was not entirely unexpected if I'm completely honest. So now I have introduced a new 'Index' page which you can access from the tab at the tap of the page or by clicking this link. This now leads you to a menu where you can select the year you wish to view posts from.

https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/p/index.html

Simply click on the banner for the year you are interested in and you will be taken to a new page with a complete list of posts for that period. Please let me know if there are in issues and I will do my best to resolve them.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 1 by The Covert Crow

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Porsche Special Edition; Heuer 02 Chronograph

 

CBN2A1F.FC6492

Harrods / London, 15th September 2021

This is the last of the three watches I tried on in Harrods on this hot September day and it's probably my favourite. Yet again it's a watch that doesn't show itself at its best in photographs, but it's not quite the revelation that the blue dial Dato 45 Carrera 160th Anniversary LE was (for example). 

When TAG Heuer announced that they were going to collaborate with Porsche they unfortunately set up a lot of expectations. People were getting very excited about it and (for the most part) expecting 'Heritage' this and 'Retro' that, but to be honest when I think of Porsche I don't think of a company that is 'Retro' or 'Heritage'. Sure the 911 has massive history behind it, but to me as a casual observer the company are more about pushing the model forward through continual evolution rather than trading on some whimsical 'glory days'.

GALLERY: TAG Heuer Carrera CV2113 by Thingz I Like Too

 

INSTAGRAM @thingziliketoo

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 Porsche Special Edition by Watch the Fresh Faces

 

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 2014-2015 General Catalogue & Watch Time 'TAG Heuer Special' Magazine

Isn't it amazing how sometimes you check eBay at just the right time? I tend to look at the site at least every few days for watches, but I only check for catalogues now and then. So I was really lucky to catch this one which I found with only a couple of hours left to go and a very reasonable starting price of £30 (which is what I got it for). The catalogue is in superb condition and included some update sheets, pity there was no price list but still a great find!

GALLERY: TAG Heuer Kirium Quartz Chronograph

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera CV2113 Chronograph by Marshall Time

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 Elegant Chronograph

 

CBN2012.FC6483

Goldsmiths / Milton Keynes, 13th September 2021

Whilst I have come across the 'Elegant' Carrera in store before, it's never been one that I've been massively moved to try on. It simply isn't a model I gravitate towards and is certainly not something that I would ever buy or wear. But despite that, I was still intrigued enough to give it a go, after all as I keep saying - until you get a watch on your wrist you're only getting half the picture.

And once again this 42mm anthracite dial Carrera proved the point, as it was much nicer on than I had anticipated even by looking at it in the cabinet. For sure it's still not something I would ever buy, but I can still appreciate a nice dial, and this one is absolutely stunning.

GALLERY: TAG Heuer Carrera Elegance Heuer 02 Chronograph by Anthony Ranalli

 

Instagram @ Anthony_ranalli

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 1500 Series & 6000 Series Quartz Watches by The Time Bombardier

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 '2021 Senna' Quartz Chronograph

 

CAZ101AJ.FC6487

If you feel like you've seen this watch already and can't understand why it's getting a 'First Impressions' post here in November 2021, you're not alone. More than one member of the esteemed C.O.C.O. Council commented that they thought this watch was already in the line up, which is perhaps slightly embarrassing from people who should know better, but also (I think it's fair to say) indicative of the lack of 'inspiration' to be found with this release.

So yes, this is clearly little more than a DLC coated version of the steel 43mm CAZ101AF released just over a year ago in October 2020, albeit wearing the strap from the CAZ201B Calibre 16 model that came out alongside it. But despite that, I have to say I rather like it...

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 3000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 WAZ101A Quartz Watch by Random Rob

 

ON THE WRIST: Chopard Alpine Eagle Automatic Watch & L 'Heure du Diamant Ladies Automatic Watch

 

298600-3001

Harrods / London, 15th September 2021

This was my wife and I's first visit to Harrods in over two years and for the first time ever we decided to stop and look around the 'Fine Jewellery and Watches' room instead of simply walking through it on the way to the more 'regular' watch boutiques. I'm really glad we did too because we found all sorts of goodies there including a Dior boutique selling the ladies Grand Bal, all manner of bejewelled Hublots and Roger DuBois (many of which were clearly pushing the boundaries of taste) and the Chopard boutique which was well worth a visit.

I've never been a big fan of the brand if I'm completely honest, because the Mille Miglias left me pretty cold and nothing else spoke to me much either. However, that all changed today when I came face to face with the Alpine Eagle for the first time (and our Swedish friend Jim Dollares was first in line to tell me 'I told you so)'. He did actually, although I had completely forgotten about it since I saw the release photos a while back... so it came as a welcome surprise and the perfect start to a great day out in London.

GALLERY: Heuer Carrera CV2119 Calibre 17 Chronograph by Anthony Ranalli

 

Instagram @ Anthony_ranalli

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Monaco Heuer 02 Unboxing and Review by The Opulent Life

 

BUYING EXPERIENCE: Tudor Black Bay 58 Automatic Watch (featuring Jim Dollares)

Hi everyone, Jim Dollares here! You might wonder why the TAG Heuer Enthusiast blog posts a Tudor 'Buying Experience' today? Well, this one is as much about the Aquaracer, as it is about the Tudor Black Bay 58... 

Buying Experience: The Time I Almost Bought the Aquaracer!

Background

Going back four or five years when my obsession with watches started, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer was one of the watches I admired the most. I remember one of my first watch loves to be the WAY211B with its superb combination of blue and black, paired with a super comfortable and stylish strap. Since then the Aquaracer has always stuck in the back of my head and I knew that one day I would get one. 

Fast forward to 2021 and I decided I was ready to pull the trigger on another watch and this time I was going to get myself a nice proper dive watch. I enjoyed summer but was missing a good piece to just wear and not worry about and I was now pretty sure that the sexy looking blue dial 41mm aluminum bezel Aquaracer (WBD2112) should be the one. I was also feeling a bit stressed since TAG Heuer had recently launched a new version of the Aquaracer and time was running out to get the one I truly wanted: the previous generation has always been the absolute best Aquaracer in my opinion and the thought of buying a pre-owned version with all the super fakes around now gives me nightmares! 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 2000 Series Quartz Watch

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T by Black Tag Watches

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Blue Tortoiseshell Bezel' Calibre 5 Watch

WAY201P.FT6178

Harrods / London, 15th September 2021

As I'm sure I said when this came out and I wrote my 'First Impressions' post, the tortoiseshell bezel Aquaracer first emerged at Bazelworld 2019 with a brown/red bezel and a blue dial; back then it was shown on a blue NATO strap and was even given a part number WAY101K.FC8264 but it never actually arrived. But then last year TAG Heuer announced two new tortoiseshell models, one with a brown/red bezel and a black dial and one with a blue bezel/blue dial combo.

The initial renders were promising for both, very promising in fact and they both scored well in last year's end of year C.O.C.O. Council ratings, but then we started to see actual photos and it became clear that they looked a little bit odd. And now having seen them in the flesh I'm afraid that they don't look any better in real life either...

GALLERY: Heuer Carrera 160th Anniversary Heuer 02 Limited Edition Chronograph by Jim Dollares

 

Instagram @ JimDollares

VIDEO: Heuer Autavia Heuer 02 Chronograph JH85 by Brent L Miller Time

 

FOR SMARTPHONE USERS: Click Here to See the Latest from Bicester Village

Click on the image above to access all the latest delivery news from TAG Heuer Bicester Village.

Call the store on 01869 249008



***NB: THIS POST IS NECESSARY BECAUSE SMARTPHONE USERS CANNOT SEE THE BANNER YOU SEE WHEN USING A WEB BROWSER ON A LAPTOP OR PC***

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Classic 'Lume Dial' & 'Steel/Pink' Quartz Watches

 

371.513                                                               WA1217

If you're getting a sense of deja vu from this post, you're probably not alone. Back in June I posted a (double) Buying Experience for a steel/pink F1 but it was a ladies model for my wife, whereas this is the 'full size' 35mm men's model for me. I was never quite sure about the pink version to be honest, and when they came up on eBay they always seemed to be in terrible condition with the hands nigh on white in some cases, presumably bleached by the sun...

But then I managed to find one for my wife and when I saw it I actually quite liked it and I started my own quest to find one. In truth it didn't take long and as ever my go to Japanese eBayer (spirit*age) came up trumps within a few weeks. Well, it surely was a sign that it was meant to be and so it was that I sent my $245 (£178) off and waited for the usual parcel to arrive.

GALLERY: TAG Heuer Aquagraph Calibre 60 Chronograph