My Top 10 Formula 1s by Matt P

Today we have another TOP 10 Formula 1 selection for you, again from a C.O.C.O. member and THF forum regular. Please welcome to the T.H.E. blog Matt P.

MATT: Hi Rob. Here is my top 10. It was fun to make. I’m happy to be one of those 3.5 million visitors and that I can be part of it. Cheers!

Reissue, modern range or the originals? It has become a nice bunch of those F1 models. All the more fun to get a top 10 out of it!

I myself had a false start with the F1s. I fell, 35 years ago, for a series 3000. This was on the advice of a friend who was also a diver. He owned a 980.113.  My best mate bought an F1. (370.513)  Nice but my 3000 was much tougher! Over the years that followed, I got more sympathy for the F1s. Partly because of the association with Formula 1 that I followed. Oddly enough never bought one. I was faithful to my 3000 I think.

At the beginning of the LMVH era, I didn’t look back at the F1s. Of course, occasionally something nice came on the market, but it didn’t appeal to me. In my opinion, they should have put the original F1 in a newer look much earlier.

Now many years later I own two F1s. My 372.513 will always remain. NOS bought a few years ago. The solar WBY1112  is a nod to the 370.513 my friend once had. I think I was a little jealous of his watch at the time..😉

For the younger readers among us, I don’t want to come across as an old TH collector with his nonsense, but my advice, keep an eye on those old ones. Someday you’re going to like them! 

So, TAG Heuer, keep those F1s coming please. On to another 40 years!

FEATURE: My Top Ten Formula 1's

In all honesty, these days I'm not a massive fan of the Formula 1 range... I don't have a problem with quartz pieces, so it's not that... and while I have to admit that the new Formula 1's are probably the best they've ever been, now that I've moved up to wearing my Aquaracer's on a daily basis I don't really have as much interest in them anymore.

Which is fair enough, because after all the quartz pieces are essentially TAG's entry level pieces and they are built to a budget. They also give the opportunity for some fun pieces which can be a little more colourful and creative while not breaking the bank. After all, you might think you like that orange dial now, but do you really want to invest £3000 in one? Probably not.

In the last few months I've sold both my Formula 1's, my WAH1110 went on eBay and my CAU2012 was traded at Watchfinder for my Grand Carrera GMT, and even though the decisions to sell were made pretty quickly I honestly don't have a hint of regret. The best thing about the WAH1110 was the fantastic lume, but it was a touch small and didn't have enough wrist presence for me. My rollercoaster of a relationship with the CAU2012 has been well documented on this blog, and considering how long it took me to track one down I am still rather shocked myself that I only kept it about 12 months...

But while I doubt I'll be adding any Formula 1's to my collection in the short term, there are some that I kinda like and potentially might fall catch my interest at some point, so let's have a look at what they are...

10. Formula 1 Chronotimer (CAC111D.BA0850)

As anyone who reads my blog regularly will know, I am a sucker for those quirky semi-digital TAGs, and so this one is a no brainer. I must say I don't like the black insert on the left and the crown guards are far too big, the dial also looks a bit small, but even so I've looked at these on eBay many a time and been very tempted for the £400 they seem to go for. Maybe one day...

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/04/spotlight-on-tag-heuer-formula-one.html

9. Singapore Grand Prix Limited Edition (CAU1118.FT6024)

I'm not too sure about this one, I have a feeling (hope) that this would look better in person than it does in pictures. It's got the same dreadful clasp as my WAH1110 no doubt so that would need changing out, but green/black watches are unusual and I think it perhaps suits the F1 range better than the Grand Carrera GMT. Never yet seen one for sale, probably because only 300 were made.

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2016/12/spotlight-on-formula-one-chronograph.html

8. Classic Formula 1Chronograph (CA1213)

I've picked the yellow model, but I could just as easily have picked the blue, red or white versions. These classic F1 chronographs are much loved and good condition pieces will cost you more than you might expect, particularly as the chrono versions are decent sizes for people with big wrists like me. Always nice ones available on eBay, and I'll probably pick one up on a bracelet at some point.

7. Calibre S (CAH7011.BA0860)

This one is all about the dial and movement for me, both of which I really like. However, the case is the same case as the CAU2012 I sold a few months ago, and having owned that I know I will almost certainly never own one of these* because the lumpy pushers/crown guard arrangement really bugs me. Which is a shame because otherwise I really like this. There was one of these on Watchfinder a while back for about £1000 I think, but it had some scratches on it so I passed. I'd like to see one and at least figure out if I can live with the pushers because it's a really cool looking watch in my opinion.

*I said the same about the Grand Carrera GMT and the 500M Aquaracer though, so make of that what you will!

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2016/12/spotlight-on-formula-one-24-calibre-s.html

6. Ayrton Senna Special Edition (WAZ1014.FT8027)

When the Manchester United Formula 1 watch came out, the only thing I really liked about it was the rubber strap, so it's cool that TAG have used it on the Aryton Senna Special Edition (some might wonder why it's on the Man Utd watch seeing as the design echoes the famous S/EL bracelet design, forever connected to the great Brazilian driver) for those of us who aren't into the supposed 'beautiful game' and/or Manchester United.

I much prefer the three handed version of this over the chronograph as it's much cleaner and there's more room on the dial for the stripes. The silver bezel looks great against the black case and even better with the black around the edge. My one gripe is the hands, in person that red does not look great, indeed the hands look like plastic. If this watch had silver hands I would probably buy one, even so I might still buy one... maybe.

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2017/08/first-impressions-formula-one-quartz.html

5. 'Black Bull' Chronograph (CAZ101E.BA0842) 

It's not actually called the Black Bull at all, but I always think of it as the black 'Red Bull' so, fairly logical - to me at any rate. When this was announced I thought I might prefer it to the Red Bull Special Edition, but a try on in London told me otherwise. I still think it's a smart watch, but that blue version is just a better in my opinion. Would still make somebody a nice (only) watch they could be proud of and will probably come down in price quicker than the Red Bull I think... and easier to find on a bracelet too.

4. Aston Martin Special Edition (CAZ101P.FC8245)

As I said in my review a few days ago, this one really appealed to me and I do like it, but do I like it enough to splash the full cash? I don't think so, at least not at the moment. Things can change of course, but at the moment I'm in that 'saving' phase while I try to work out where I want to go next and this would be a pleasant distraction, but a fund killer, so for now I'll admire it from afar - plus the strap is too short for my wrist so I'd be wanting a steel bracelet to go with it, so - more expense!

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/06/on-wrist-tag-heuer-formula-1-aston.html

3. Formula 1 Classic (385.513/085) 

This one could be controversial for some people, but for the real TAG Heuer enthusiast this is a collection must have really... this particular colour scheme wasn't one of the original selection, but was added into the 1989 catalogue, and I think it's by far the nicest of all. Unfortunately these are rather small and not really suitable for my 7.3/4" wrist, but I still want one and eventually I will hopefully add one to my collection.

There's a really interesting article on Calibre11 about one guy's quest to restore his beloved 385.513/085 and I thoroughly recommend giving it a read.

https://www.calibre11.com/mytag-tag-heuer-formula-1-1989/

2. Alec Monopoly Limited Edition (WAZ1117.FT8023)

It's fair to say that no one saw this one coming, and when it was announced it was rather a shock. Probably the most divisive TAG Heuer yet, and given more time to think about it I think I would have pulled the trigger on this one. But with only 200 pieces made they were all gone within a couple of days and the chance was missed. Within days of release they were appearing on eBay for multiples of their £1000 list price, which was as predictable as it was annoying - and makes me rue the missed opportunity to buy all the more. I mean, all credit to TAG, they put out a 200 piece limited edition with a special box for barely any more than the standard watch... I just wonder how many of these have ever actually seen any wrist time? I'm sure a lot of them are being sat on as investments, which is largely dependent on Alec Monopoly's career curve...

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/01/feature-alec-monopoly-tag-heuer-formula.html

1. Red Bull Special Edition (CAZ1018.BA0842)

And so we come to my number one pick, and if you've been paying attention then this probably hasn't come as a complete surprise. Available on either a steel bracelet or a blue NATO, these pretty much flew out of the stores and I've only ever actually seen a bracelet version once (the NATO is much easier to find - probably because it's utter tut). Some say this is now discontinued, but it's still showing on TAG's website, so I don't know about that... but either way, they're definitely holding up value wise as I can't find one for sale for less than £1100 anywhere.

As I said earlier, the black version is nice enough, but this blue (with red accents) is something quite exceptional and I really, really love that there is no Red Bull logo on the dial. I genuinely think that would have ruined this watch, and for those of us who aren't completely on board the 'Red Bull' train having a tacky logo on the dial would have been a killer blow I think. I don't have anything against Red Bull (although Helmut Marko looks like a Bond villain) and I'm quite happy to have a branded back plate but that's as far as it goes. I must admit when it was announced that TAG were moving over to Red Bull after many, many years partnering with McLaren I did fear a terribly tacky watch coming out of it. How wrong I was. If I do take ownership of another F1 at some point, there's a very good chance it will be this one.

https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2016/10/first-impressions-formula-one-quartz.html

https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2016/10/on-wrist-formula-one-quartz-chronograph.html


So there you have it, my top ten Formula 1 TAG Heuers, and not a single automatic amongst them. To be honest, from my own experience I don't really see that buying an automatic F1 makes a lot of sense, especially since you can get a Carrera Calibre 16 for not much more. Personal taste of course, but for me, I was disappointed with my CAU2012 because it was a £2500 watch that didn't feel like a £2500 watch. I'd have much rather had the same watch in quartz for £1500, and if that was the case I probably wouldn't have sold it.

Leave me a comment and let me know what YOUR favourite F1 is...

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuers on eBay

My forays onto eBay usually end in disappointment, after all there's only so many pages of Formula One's that look like they've been involved in a motorbike accident you can look at before you give it up as a bad job. But I have bought three TAG's from eBay, and so far so good. One of them was too small for me (but that wasn't the seller's fault) one of them I kept for a good while before deciding that it too was too small and sold it on, and one I didn't actually buy from eBay, because I found the seller's own website and saved myself £50 in the process!

So I was pleasantly surprised yesterday to find loads of interesting items being offered for sale on the world's favourite auction site... obviously I can't say if they are good deals or not, that's up to you to decide, neither can I vouch for any of the sellers, but it is interesting to see what's about. So here's a selection of items for your perusal (with links to sales in-case you are interested).

WAK2181.FT6027 Click picture to visit eBay sale.

#1. First up is a real treasure, with only 100 pieces made and sold exclusively through TAG's own boutiques this is a real rarity at a reasonable price. This one is offered for $1699, but the seller is open to offers. If you are in the market for a nice blue Aquaracer and you'd like something a bit 'special' you could do a lot worse than this one.

S99.306C Click picture to vist eBay sale

#2. Offered at a very reasonable £449 and described as mint NOS condition, this S/EL will surely find a bidder. Not too keen on the leather strap myself, but the watch itself is beautiful. I do like the S/ELs but the bracelet is a bit of a stumbling block for me as I can't quite decide if I like them or not. The Link is an option of course, but they look rather dull in comparison... 

WM1112 Click the picture to visit the eBay sale

#3. The WM112 is not a watch I know anything about, but it's certainly a looker. This one is currently offered for the princely sum of £450. Not sure if that's good or not, but it certainly looks stylish. Comes complete with box and papers and a new battery.

WK111A-0 Click picture to visit the eBay sale

#4. Here's a watch I would love to own, and I seriously thought about it at one point, but this one is exactly the same size as the 2000 I sold (and indeed that is the rubber strap I bought for mine) and therefore a little bit too small for me. Such a shame as this is a gorgeous watch, and very reminiscent of my Formula One Kirium. These don't come cheap compared to most 2000s, but even so with box and papers and in seemingly excellent condition this looks a good buy at £550.

A Calibre 11 forumite has also let me know that he is selling one of these too... CLICK HERE

WA1211 Click the picture to visit the eBay sale

#5. I would dearly love a classic Formula One, but again these are just too small for me. When I see examples like this it guts me all over again, because for £350 I would buy this in a heartbeat. But a 34mm watch would look pathetic on me, such a pity. This is being offered by a seller who obviously sells a lot of TAGs and this one has had a lot or replacement parts, including the glass, bezel, dial and strap. Nice!

CL1110.BA0700 Click the picture to visit eBay sale

#6. This watch (or maybe one similar) is one that I nearly bought many years ago, but never went through with it. I fancied this is as an everyday option so that I could save my F1 Kirium for best, but it was still the thick end of £1000 (this was in the mid 00's) and so I never pulled the trigger. 

This particular piece is being offered by Watchfinder, which should give some level of reassurance. I think Watchfinder are basically using eBay to offload watches that aren't really up to their very high standards, and indeed this one needs a replacement clasp and hasn't been cleaned since last use. At £300 it could be a bit of a bargain, but I would wonder why Watchfinder haven't restored it and sold it as normal...?

CA1213 Click the picture to visit the eBay sale

#7. What a beauty, and for once this is one classic Formula One that isn't completely out of the question. This one measures 39mm which makes it just about acceptable for those of us with a thicker wrist. However, this one is being offered at £645, and for that sort of money a critical eye is necessary. Two things immediately raise an eyebrow, firstly what is going on with the date window, and secondly, how is the case and bracelet in such good condition when the bezel looks like it's been through the wars? I don't think I would be buying this one somehow...

974.006 Click on the picture to visit the eBay sale

#8. Just to be clear, this isn't listed as a 974.006, but I've had a look through the 1991 catalogue and that's what it appears to be. Not much info available (but several pictures) but is described as being in 'great working condition'. This comes in a TAG box (certainly not the original one though) and is offered at £350 (open to offers). I rather like this one, but I suspect the bracelet/clasp might not agree with me.

WG1120-0 Click the picture to visit the eBay sale

#9. Another S/EL, with a full bracelet this time. I think this two-tone look isn't going to appeal to everyone, but if it does this appears to be a nice example, if somewhat small at 34mm...

Described as "excellant" (sic) with a few small scratches on the caseback, this one is £420 (open to offers) and the seller has 100% feedback (on 353 transactions). One thing though, the seller has kept their feedback private which to me is worthy of some degree of suspicion.

TAG Heuer Link phone Click the picture to visit the eBay sale

#10. I thought I'd finish with something a little different and off the wall. This mobile phone cost somewhere between £4,300 and £16,350 (according to this article in the Telegraph in 2011) and is being offered for sale for £400. Absolutely zero information offered, except that it's 'immaculate'. It may well be, but will anybody actually buy it? I doubt it somehow.

Well I hoped you enjoyed this article, and please remember I cannot vouch for any of these sellers. Be careful and if you are in any doubt you can always request help in the Calibre11 forum.