OWNED: TAG Heuer 4000 Series Quartz Watch

 

I last wrote about my white dial, quartz powered 4000 Series way back in 2023 so I guess it's high time for an update. Back then I had two almost identical 4000s in my collection, this WF1112 and the WF1111 which I had owned for several years before and which wasn't really in the greatest condition one way and another. Last time around I had just bought my green dial Calibre 5 Aquaracer and when I collected that I also picked up a brand new bracelet to replace the rather stretched one that the WF1112 came with (and which I had previously sold on eBay, wrongly thinking I could utilise the bracelet from the WF1111).

OWNED: TAG Heuer Microtimer

 

The TAG Heuer Microtimer. It's an oddity isn't it? And one that's not to everyone's taste I'm sure... but oddly it was one of the first watches I bought after setting up this blog back in October 2016. Indeed it was all the way back in February 2017 that I bought my Microtimer off eBay for the princely sum of £681.97. Unfortunately once it arrived I realised it was a little bit too beaten up for my liking and so I immediately took it to a local AD who sent it off to be repolished for me (which added another £100 to the overall cost). To be fair to them, it came back looking almost like new, save for a couple of small scratches and I was very pleased with my decision to have it refinished. 

Since then I've worn it 'sparingly' I would say, although in my 2018 'Owned' post I said I wore it more than any of my other watches, which I find it hard to believe - or remember! That said, over the last two or three years I've made more of an effort to wear it regularly, because for some years it did rather languish in the cabinet; a typical scenario following a polishing job for me, the same thing happened with my Grand Carrera Calibre 6 albeit to a lesser extent. 

OWNED: TAG Heuer 1500 GMT Quartz Watch

 

As I've mentioned recently, I'm still in the process of trying to reduce my TAG Heuer collection to something approaching a 'sensible' size (20 would be perfect, really) and that obviously means selling more watches. That's fine, but obviously the further I go with that the harder it's going to get to convince myself to let go of watches that I've collected, especially watches that have been with me for some time and which (to me at least) represent the 'best' of a particular model line. 

And that's exactly how I feel about this GMT variant of the 1500 Series, at 40mm it is the perfect size for me and much better than the vast majority of 1500 Series models which are 37mm in diameter. As such, me selling this is basically ruling the 1500 Series out of my future collection because I'm not going to buy an inferior piece or buy another one of these again, so unless I win the lottery and money no longer matters, this is it. 

OWNED: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Green Dial

It's been a few months over a year since I picked up my WBP2115 from the TAG Heuer boutique in Sheffield and in typical fashion it's been a journey of mixed emotions. When I found out there was going to be a new green dial Aquaracer I was right on it, desperate to avoid a repeat of the WAY2015 debacle. Actually there was no need to rush as even now it's perfectly possible to walk into an AD and pick up a WBP2115, but I didn't know that at the time.

Truth be told, when I went to buy it I was less than sure about it. It certainly wasn't love at first sight... but I'd made such a fuss about getting it, badgering Maxine at TH Sheffield regularly until it arrived that I felt rather obligated to buy it. Not that I actively disliked it, but it certainly wasn't a Chronotimer or Grand Carrera Caliper situation where I gazed lovingly at it all the way home... maybe it was just that I'd wanted the WAY2015 for so long and this didn't look quite the same - because, well it isn't!

OWNED: TAG Heuer Kirium Quartz Chronograph

 

CL1113.BA0701

Aside from a few photos (back when I was regularly posting photos here on the blog) I've only written one post about my beautiful plum-dial Kirium that I bought all the way back in December 2020. As is so often the way with me, I buy a watch and then it sits in the box for a 'long time' before I become comfortable with the idea of wearing it. I don't know why that is, but it's a common recurring theme, particularly with new watches or old watches that are in 'as-new' condition, which this certainly was.

I think I am getting a little better as it only took me about six months to start wearing my green dial Aquaracer regularly, even though it annoys me that the clasp is already marked and the polished centre links are already showing signs of desk rash. If only I could be more like our Swedish friend Jim Dollares who lives for today and to hell with tomorrow... and who loves to taunt me by sending photos of his scratched up clasps (as if it's something to be proud of).

OWNED: TAG Heuer 3000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 
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Yet again I am writing an 'Owned' post as a formerly cherished watch heads out the door to its new keeper, and yet again I am surprisingly unmoved by the latest defection from my collection. Which surprises me in a way because I was so excited when this one arrived two and a half years ago from the USA. But over the last year or so my attitude to collecting watches has changed considerably and right now I'm sitting at 31 pieces, which means I've almost (but not quite) halved the number of watches I own with still probably more to face the door.

In my naivety I thought I could just keep collecting forever, amassing more and more pieces until either the money ran out or the wife left me... but then one day I realised that these things break, especially the older ones I was collecting - and when they break they cost money. Sometimes more than they are worth. Now that wouldn't be a problem if I had one or two cheaper watches that I really, really loved but when you have sixteen plastic F1s that are 30 years old you start to wonder if it wouldn't just be better to sell up. 

OWNED: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Orange Dial' Quartz Watch

 

WAZ101A.FC8305

TAG Heuer's relentless release schedule has really put pressure on my ability to post about things other than the latest releases (I'm posting this to give me some breathing space, expect 'First Impression's posts thick and fast from here on out), so with that in mind I am making a conscious effort to make time to write about older watches, especially the ones that I own. So with that said, today I'd like to focus on my orange dial Formula 1 quartz WAZ101A, which I bought in April 2021 (which I've just realised means that it's now out of warranty). 

Like all current Formula 1 models though, it is quite a big watch at 43mm, so it's not for everyone - but I think the logic goes that the generic Formula 1 customer is young and probably wants the world to know they have an expensive watch. I don't have a problem wearing larger watches, but I can see why people with smaller wrists might wish for a 40/41mm alternative. And while I can't really see why TAG Heuer couldn't offer a choice of identical watches in two (or even three sizes), my guess would be that if we could ask TAG Heuer they would tell us that of course they could make them, but the 43mm would outsell the smaller sizes to the point that it's not worth bothering. 

OWNED: TAG Heuer Link Searacer

 

CT1113.BA0550

It's a strange thing, but I haven't written a single post about my Link Searacer since my 'Buying Experience' post back in May 2019. Hard to believe, actually, that I've had this watch for over four years already. It's one I haven't worn that much, and recently even less because I needed a link for the bracelet and never got around to getting one, thinking that sooner or later it would fit me again (to be honest it's always been a bit tight), which of course it didn't. So I did finally get round to it, but to my surprise it turned out that despite the clasp having no micro adjustment there were only full links available. NOT COOL TAG HEUER!!!

So I ended up getting a full link from the TAG Heuer boutique in Sheffield (thanks Maxine) and it promptly sat in the packet for a full five weeks before I bothered my arse to fit it. 

OWNED: TAG Heuer 4000 Series Quartz Watches

 

WF1112.BA0511                                            WF1111.BA0511

I'm pretty sure no one will remember but I did write an 'Owned' post about the 4000 Series back in 2019, but since then I have sold my original grey dial WF1111 and acquired a white dial WF1112. This wasn't intended to be a swap situation, but once I started culling my oversized collection it was never going to be long before the WF1111 came under the sword. Generally speaking the 4000 isn't the most exciting model TAG Heuer ever made and combine that with the glued down bezel, missing green and red paint on the case logo and deteriorating hands... well there just wasn't a compelling case for keeping it.

OWNED: TAG Heuer Kirium Quartz Watch

WL1116.FC6113

These days it seems like I only get around to writing 'Owned' posts about watches as they are heading out of the door to their new owners, and sadly this one is no different. Yes, the WL1116.FC6113 is the latest watch to get its marching orders from my collection, lasting only just over two years since I bought it in September 2020.

When it arrived it looked fantastic, but the blue leather strap had clearly seen better days and I ordered one from TAG Heuer direct (via Bicester Village). I can't remember the exact price but I think it was roundabout £90, maybe £115... something like that anyway. 

OWNED: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Baby Blue' Quartz Watch

 

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Slowly but surely I am divesting myself of my excess of watches and unfortunately this classic F1 quartz is the latest to bite the eBay bullet. I can't deny it's one of the cooler looking colour schemes for the old Formula 1 range and mine was in lovely condition - but the truth is I never really felt that comfortable wearing it. For one thing, you just know that light blue strap isn't going to stay pristine-looking forever (unless you're very careful with how you wear the watch and indeed what you wear on your sleeve next to it as the plastic strap can take pigment from clothes).

OWNED: TAG Heuer 2000 Exclusive Quartz Chronograph

CN1110.BA0337

For some peculiar reason, the TAG Heuer 2000 Exclusive range is one that is very overlooked and as a consequence rather undervalued in my opinion. I bought this immaculate CN1110 from Watchfinder back in January 2019 for the princely sum of £675 (or thereabouts: it was a three watch trade in deal, but that was the starting price) and even now you can still find these on Watchfinder (with a two year warranty no less) for about £750. 

If you are prepared to forego the chorongraph you can pick them up even cheaper: I saw a gorgeous blue dial WN1112 (another watch I own) recently in a sale on EST1897 for under £300 - which is insane value! I absolutely love that watch and would never sell it. Okay, the bezel was a bit scratched up (bit of a design flaw having a polished raised section) but at that price you could afford to replace the bezel and you would have a cracking Swiss made watch for very little money.

OWNED: TAG Heuer 2000 Series Multigraph Quartz Chronograph

WK111A.BA0331

As you probably know if you are a regular reader, my first ever TAG Heuer watch was the F1 Kirium. Bizarrely what really appealed to me way back in 2004 was not that the watch contained a multitude of digital functions, but the simplicity and modern style of the dial when the digital display was turned off altogether. So naturally this watch held a similar allure for me, but for a long time I couldn't find one at a 'sensible price'. And by a 'sensible price', I mean kinda cheap.

Y'see, I was always conflicted about pumping hard earned cash into one of these because I already had the F1 Kirium. Did I really need another watch that was basically 'the same', albeit aesthetically different? Probably not. But I still wanted one and every so often I would find one for sale and start weighing up the pro's and cons, with one of the cons being that I wasn't sure if I would get on with the clasp on the BA0331 bracelet.

OWNED: TAG Heuer Aquaracer WAB1112 Quartz Watch

WAB1112.BA0801

When TAG Heuer say that the Aquaracer's roots lie in the classic 1000 Series, I can only assume they are referring to this watch, the original Aquaracer released in 2005, or as it was called back then the '2000 Aquaracer'. Because for sure pretty much every Aquaracer that followed has much more in common with the 2000 Series it evolved from and indeed the unbelievably cool 3000 Series. But hey, let's not let facts get in the way of a good story, they are both dive watches made by the same company and that's surely enough, right?

But to be honest, to me this one has always reminded me of the Rolex Submariner. Yes it shares a lot of similarities with the 1000, most notably those round hour markers and the 'triangle' at the 12 position, but where did they come from originally? Well, who knows, probably someone more educated in vintage watches will inform me that actually those details were 'inspired' by another (older) watch, but let's be completely honest - rightly or wrongly, most people equate round hour markers, a triangle at the 12 and this kind of bezel with the Rolex Submariner.

OWNED: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Watch 'Senna Edition'

WAZ1014.FT8027

I distinctly remember the first time I clapped eyes on the WAZ1014 (and its chronograph cousin the CAZ1019) in the window of Steffans Jewellers in Northampton way back in late 2017. My first impression was that I loved the contrast between the aluminium bezel and black surround and case, but I found the red hands a bit glossy for my liking. To be completely honest at the time the dial itself didn't make too much of an impression on me (other than the fact that it annoyed me how cluttered the chronograph looked with the stripes all but annihilated by the subdials), but the strap certainly did...

The strap is an odd one. When it first arrived on the Manchester United Formula 1 in early 2017 I struggled to understand the design concept since I was looking at it all wrong. I foolishly assumed that it was somehow connected to Manchester United (it being red and black) and so I was focusing on the red design and wondering if it was supposed to represent the devil's pitchfork or something. Of course eventually I realised that the red is merely representing the 'gaps' between the 'links' and that it is supposed to represent the 'Link' watch bracelet, but at the time I couldn't see it. I mean, quite why that is relevant to Manchester United I don't understand - here with the Senna connection it makes a whole lot more sense. I can only conclude the idea was formulated for use with this watch and then somebody decided it would work well on the Manchester United model too... because, dur - red and black!

OWNED: TAG Heuer S/EL 'Two-Tone' Quartz Chronograph

 

CG1120.BB0424

Believe it or not, one of the highlights of my visit to the TAG Heuer museum in La Chaux de Fonds in September 2018, was clapping eyes on an 'S/EL' for the first time. That may sound a bit silly given the other amazing things they have in their collection, but up until then I'd never seen one in real life and leaving Switzerland I was determined to get one into my collection. Fast forward two and a half years and I now have four... but this two-tone quartz chronograph was my first.

It wasn't my first two tone TAG Heuer, that honour went to my silver dial 2000 Exclusive and in truth it wasn't really my first choice either... in fact I only really ended up buying this because I couldn't seem to secure a black dial steel CG1110 in the right condition for a sensible price - they were either minty for £850-£1000, or £400 with 'issues', indeed I remember trying to buy one from 'Birth Year Watches' but they couldn't get a replacement crystal and I didn't want to buy it with a scratch on it. Eventually I did manage to get hold of one (that seemed okay) for £400... which then cost me another £500 in servicing and repairs, so that worked out well, huh?

At the time of purchase I was still a little bit unsure about two-tone, but I reasoned that if I was going to have more two-tone pieces then what better than an S/EL? Go big or go home, right? I also figured that if I bought the two-tone model that was available to me (with a white dial) then when I was able to find a CG1110 to buy it wouldn't be too much of a 'duplication' in the collection.

I will freely admit that once I got the CG1110 my interest in this one did wane just a bit. I haven't worn it as much for sure, but then again given the rapid increase in size of my watch collection over the last couple of years that's neither particularly surprising, nor exclusive to this piece. Indeed, there are plenty of watches languishing in the cabinet which very rarely see the light of day, my Microtimer is one and my original F1 Kirium is another.

I'm quite sure, some of you are recoiling in horror from these pictures... and I get it, a two tone S/EL is definitely not everyone's cup of tea, in fact to some of you this is probably something of a 'nightmare' watch. Not only is it quartz, but it's also a 90s design with a completely rounded off case, a bizarrely integrated bracelet, not to mention that famous 'S' link bracelet which is quintessential TAG Heuer, but also the focus of much (misplaced) scorn.

I'm betting most of the people who 'despise' this bracelet have never worn one though, as it's one of the most comfortable bracelets I've ever tried on. I don't really know why that should be but it's a fact that when wearing an S/EL I often completely forget about it and have to roll up my sleeve to check it's still there, it really is that good (and definitely better than the Link bracelet that replaced it, in my not so humble opinion).

As with the CG1110, the CG1120 had a mid-life facelift and while the new dial wasn't as horrendous as the black dial variant, I still prefer the original and that's what we have here. The CG1120 re-dial was a lot more subtle than the CG1110, all they really did was pick out the subdials with a slim black line whereas on the black version they slapped some really thick silver edges on that I really found quite objectional!

As ever with these old two-tone TAG Heuers, the gold plate is pretty thin, but mine is looking pretty good. Obviously the bezel is scratched up, but that's a given - gold is not a hard material and putting it on a bezel is a bad idea generally. But it does look cool, and you can't tell it's scratched unless you look closely. 

Unlike my CG1110, this one has always worked perfectly and the chronograph resets accurately, in fact the only slight issue I've had with it is that when I have changed the battery or altered the date sometimes the watch stops and I have to set it again. I suspect it may be something to do with the watch thinking the crown is still out when it isn't, probably not a massive problem and something that will no doubt be fixed someday when it inevitably goes back for a service. 

In a way, I kinda wish that I had bought a brown leather strap for this one rather than the black one for the CG1110, but then again, if you're going to have two tone you might just as well have the bracelet as well and really bling it up... and also I was a little worried that the new gold end links (which would be necessary to fit the strap) might not quite match the gold on my watch. I do like this watch but I do tend to always reach for other S/ELs in my collection over this one which leaves me wondering if perhaps I should move it on? I doubt I will, especially as this crown issue would need fixing first which could make it a bit pointless financially. 

I think most likely I will continue to sit on it and to enjoy an occasional day with it now and again instead. Ultimately, it's a fun watch to wear, it's just not the first one that catches my eye when I'm browsing my collection of a morning...

BUYING EXPERIENCE POST: 

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/11/buying-experience-tag-heuer-sel-quartz_15.html

OWNED: TAG Heuer Pilot Quartz Chronograph

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No doubt, the TAG Heuer 'Pilot' watch is not for everyone. Reaction to it on the Calibre 11 forum is mixed to say the least, with one forumer in particular taking a real dislike to it and regularly mocking it for its 'twenty-seven' bezels. Yeah, okay... perhaps it's not traditionally beautiful, but it does have a distinct charm and for me part of that charm is simply 'Breitling Navitimer with a less retro aesthetic'. Because, as you guys know all too well by now, I do not do 'retro'.

I'm not too sure when I first became aware of the Pilot, but I do remember being very excited when I saw it in the TAG Heuer museum in September 2018. Like several other watches I saw that day, it was mentally added to my list of 'must own' watches, but it was one that seemed hard to find in good condition at a reasonable price.

There was one for sale for a long time at Watches of Lancashire, a company that sells beautifully refurbished watches... at beautifully refurbished prices. Their Pilot was up for a headache inducing £1500, but it looked incredible. So much so that on more than one occasion I almost decided 'screw the expense', but (thankfully) never quite followed through.

Eventually, in October 2019 I came across one for sale on eBay in great condition and selling at a reasonable price. I knew it would climb up from where it started but even so, when I won the watch for £570 I was more than happy (my bid had been waaay over that!).

The watch didn't have a box, but it did have the original instruction leaflet - though annoyingly it tells you all the things you probably already know (like how to use the chronograph), but omits to explain how to make use of the aforementioned 'twenty-seven' bezels...

Overall the condition was really nice, with only the aluminium bezel insert betraying its age a little bit. But even that is pretty good and nothing to really make a fuss about.

Some watches wear bigger on the wrist than they are and some wear smaller, this one definitely wears BIG. It's actually 42mm, but perhaps because of the overhanging bezel and the way it stands up on the wrist, it definitely feels bigger than that. Also, because the blue bezel kind of merges with the chapter ring underneath the crystal, it gives the impression of a huge dial with no bezel at all or a small dial with a colossal bezel. 

The bezel is bi-directional and despite its age it stays where it's put. Not that it matters, since it looks fine wherever you put it... unlike, for instance, a dive watch that always looks wrong if it slips out of its natural positioning. 

The bracelet is okay too, in fact it is surprisingly comfortable, but it tapers quite a bit and is a little bit slender for the size of the watch head. I mean it does the job, but if anything it kind of makes the watch look bigger than it actually is and that was one of the reasons I decided to purchase the original blue leather strap for it.

I was pleasantly surprised when I was told that the strap was still available and that it was a relatively reasonable £87 including the steel buckle. Considering I'd paid well over a hundred for a rubber strap before I didn't think that was bad at all and when the strap arrived I was more than chuffed with how it looked.

I actually think it looks good on both the strap and the bracelet, and I can possibly see me switching back at some point, but for now I really like it as it is. Unfortunately I haven't worn it enough to really soften up the leather yet and it is still remarkably stiff, but I do think it's getting better. It's also only just long enough on my 7.5/8" wrist, but better that than two inches of spare tail flapping about in the breeze!

For sure, the crown looks huge, and it does stick out - indeed that was a major concern of mine before I bought the Pilot, but to my surprise and perhaps because of its rounded shape, even if it does jab the back of my hand, I never feel it like I feel the crown on my 500M Aquaracer sometimes. 

And yeah it wears kinda big and it sits up on the wrist, which is kind of annoying, but still... it works perfectly (which is more than can be said for a few of my 1/10 second quartz chronos), it looks equally good on a bracelet or a strap and the blue subdials catch the light just right and give that fantastic 'sunburst' effect we all love so much.

Obviously the lume is pretty shot, but you wouldn't expect anything else from a watch of this age. The tritium is still in fantastic condition though and looking at the dial you would never think this watch was 30 years old.

Overall, the Pilot is one of my favourite pieces and one that I can't see myself parting with. Yes, it's not a 'beautiful' watch, but I kinda like how 'ugly' it is, and I really like how different it looks from everything else in my collection. I think when you have a certain size of collection that becomes quite important, unless you're one of those people who like to collect the same watch over and over again with minor differences.... which I am not. 

(Well some might argue about that, obviously...)

And while the 'Watches of Lancashire' watch did look incredible, I'm glad I held out for this merely 'excellent' condition piece for 2/5ths of the price!

OWNED: TAG Heuer S/EL Quartz WG111C Watch

WG111C

It took me a while to get hold of this one, I'd seen one on eBay a long time ago but I absolutely was not prepared to spend £800 for a three handed S/EL just because it had a red dial. Okay, it's a lot harder to find than the black dial but still, that's still at least £300 over the top.

So I waited and watched and then my wife managed to get hold of her red dial S/EL at an extremely good price and once I'd seen that I knew I really wanted one. And so the search began again and then one day last November I got lucky too.

This watch was on eBay with a starting bid of £350 and since I was the only person to place a bid that's exactly what I paid for it.

I love the styling of the S/EL (which is just as well since I have three of them in total) but the red dial really makes this one stand out from the crowd - I guess it catches my eye when I'm choosing a watch to wear too as since it arrived it's quietly become one of my most worn watches, something that slightly surprised me when I did my post about wrist time at the end of March.

The watch is in pretty good condition for it's age, although there is a slight patination to the lume and hands, which is a shame as my wife's red S/EL is pretty much perfect in that regard. Both watches have some light scratches to the highly polished bezel though, something which is pretty much impossible to avoid unless you really baby your watch.

With its bold red dial I'm sure the WG111C isn't going to be one that has 'universal' appeal; even now sometimes I still look at it and wonder if it doesn't look slightly odd, something I've never felt about a black or blue dial watch, or even my yellow dial Aquaracer Calibre S come to that. But then, when you have a large number of watches it's good to have some that stand out since you don't really want a watch box full of black dial stainless steel pieces, do you? I think part of that is because the red of the TAG Heuer logo doesn't mesh well (or perhaps it meshes too well) with the red of the dial.

As ever the S/EL bracelet is super comfortable and fortunately when the watch arrived it fitted my wrist perfectly. I say fortunately because my wife's S/EL had to be sent away to be altered - even though it came with the instruction booklet which made it all sound so easy! It proved not to be the case at all...

In the wrist-shot above it looks quite substantial, but this picture is very misleading. It's quite slender and it measures just 37/38mm so it's definitely on the smaller side for a modern watch (current Aquaracers are 41 or 43mm in diameter for comparison). I've found that I can wear anything from a 35mm to a 45mm though, you just get used to these things and the truth is you have to if you want to wear watches from the 1980s and 90s. I believe there might be a 40mm case S/EL chronograph, but I've never actually seen one close up so I can't be 100% sure about that, it could just be eBay sellers including the crown in the measurements (always something to be wary of!).

While the dial is quite simple, there is one small detail you might not have noticed which elevates it somewhat. The dial is actual on two levels, with the central section lower than the outer section where the hour batons sit. To separate the two parts of the dial TAG Heuer have added a very delicate silver line that you only really notice when it catches the light. I'm not sure whether this is an applied metal ring or whether it's 'painted' on to the dial, but it's a nice touch and adds a touch of class to an otherwise 'sporty' dial. Which is just what it was designed to do I'm sure, after all 'S/EL' stands for 'sport elegance'. 

A few days ago the watch started to indicate that its battery needed changing (jumping four seconds at a time) and so I procured a Renata 371 from eBay and took the back off to make the switch. I was pleased to see the movement looked in good condition with no obvious signs of water incursion and also it was nice to see 'TAG Heuer' printed prominently on the movement too.

There's not much to go wrong with this watch as its only complication is a date function; that works perfectly and the crown screws down nicely, so the only minor niggle is the ageing of the lume. Maybe one day I'll send it back to TAG Heuer for an overhaul and a re-lume, after all it's probably due a service by now even though it keeps excellent time.

OWNED: TAG Heuer Aquaracer WAY208C

WAY208C.FC6383

It sure took a long time for me to find a WAY208C to try on, and it wasn't for want of trying. I looked everywhere and I even manged to find one in a jewellers in Derby one time, but by the time I got there it had been sold. This was also the time when I realised that when websites (with shops) say they have an item 'in stock' they often mean 'we can order it in'. In fact I lost count of the times I was told 'we can order it in', even though I knew they couldn't because TAG Heuer simply didn't have any left...

The WAY208C was launched way back in 2016, alongside the WAY208A and the WAY208B. I was never really sold on the WAY208A (though to this day I've still never actually seen one), I quite liked the WAY208B, but when I did finally get to try one on I realised it wasn't for me. The WAY208C was always an instant winner though, from the moment I saw it on 'A Blog to Watch' on an Isofrane rubber strap. See, I really wasn't sure about that textile strap, which is why I wanted to see it before committing to purchase. After all, if I didn't like it what were my options?

Yeah there was the Isofrane solution, but I'm a bit of stickler for sticking to official straps and I couldn't work out for sure if there was a rubber strap that fitted this particular Aquaracer properly that didn't have a yellow backing. You see, it's a very dangerous (and expensive) game assuming that different watch straps will fit different watches... indeed there's a post coming about that which will make you shake your head in disbelief! Watch this space...

Eventually of course the shops stopped listing it as they began to realise the stock had dried up, and then it started appearing on eBay. Only one or two to start with (this was before the fakes started showing up!), there was even one that had had the cyclops removed, which definitely appealed to me... but again it was the same problem, I really didn't want to spend well over a grand on a watch I'd never seen, with a strap I might not like.

So, I wouldn't say I 'forgot' about it, because that's not true... but I put it to the back of mind and wrote it off as something that 'might turn up one day'. Albeit, it seemed like I wasn't the only person who had a thing for this watch, so inevitably if it did turn up I felt like there would be a certain amount of urgency required to secure it.

Unbelievably, almost a year ago now, I got wind of the new stock hitting Bicester Village and there it was. I couldn't believe it and I visited the store the next day to finally get a look at it on my wrist. To my surprise, I thought the textile strap looked fantastic... my only concern was that if it got grubby it would look a mess, so I ordered a rubber strap to fit it (there is indeed one without a yellow back, the FT6142) - but as yet I haven't tried swapping them over. Incidentally if you do require a replacement textile strap, they are not cheap. I can't remember exactly how much they are but last time I asked it was over £220...

The textile strap is a funny one, in some photos I saw it looked almost golden and in some it looked very brown - which is why I think I was so undecided about it. But the truth is in different lights it looks very different, but I like it all the same. So much so that as yet I still haven't actually taken the rubber strap out of it's polythene packet. I did 'photoshop' the WAY208C onto the rubber strap once (as part of my short-lived Rubber Strap Project) and it looked fantastic, and I'm sure I will do that at some point... but for now it's staying all original.

WAY208C.FT6142                      WAY208D.FT6142

I love this Aquaracer, the black PVD looks great and the grey complements it so well.. you wouldn't necessarily think that black, grey, sand and orange would work as a colour scheme - but it really does. They seem to have got those colours in just the right proportions and in just the right places to make it work. 

In truth I haven't worn it 'that' much over the year since I bought it; I don't tend to wear my automatic watches to work so that limits the wrist time available and having four automatics and two 'going out' quartz pieces means that I was never going to get bored of this one. I guess I really do need to get over that, because it means I have six watches that really aren't getting worn as much as they should and it's not as if I work in a gravel factory or something... (I actually sit at a desk most of the day).

Moans and niggles then... well, I have two really. The first one is the cyclops, it's absolutely rubbish. I don't like cyclopes at the best of times, but this one actually makes the date harder to read. In fact most of the time I tilt the watch so I can see the date window through the main glass as it's much easier to see, which is ridiculous. You can see why that eBay one with the cyclops removed had a certain appeal to me!

The other is the movement, or rather the 'winding action' of the movement. When you pull the crown out it doesn't have the positivity of the Heuer 01 or the Calibre 16 movements, instead it feels somewhat vague... and that extends to the crown positions as well, it never really feels like it's in quite the right place when you want to quick set the date and I've visited the Calibre 11 Forum enough to know that this isn't something unique to my watch, it's just that the Calibre 5 movement really isn't all it's cracked up to be. Which is a pity because there are an awful lot of nice watches in the TAG Heuer range that carry that movement and to be honest I'm slightly wary of buying another one (I would make an exception for that green dial Aquaracer though...).

As far as accuracy of the Calibre 5 movement goes, I can't really comment on that as I don't really wear any of my automatics for more than one evening at a time. I'm sure I have tested it for basic accuracy at some point and it was okay, but if you only wear a watch for short periods of time then whether it loses 2 seconds a day or gains 10 seconds a day is irrelevant as every time I come to wear it it has run down and needs resetting anyway.

While the Calibre 5 movement is a bit of a disappointment (let's not forget the whole Swiss Watch industry is built on 'mechanical excellence' and charges a pretty penny for it into the bargain...!), I have to say this is such a good looking watch that I have no regrets about buying it. On the other hand, if this watch was available with a quartz movement I would quite happily have bought that, in fact I think even if they were the same price I would have chosen the battery powered version! 

Quite a statement sure, but it's 100% true. 

Ultimately this watch is all about those stunning looks and for me it absolutely holds its own against any other Aquaracer out there. I do wish the textile strap wasn't quite so ridiculously expensive as it would make wearing it a lot less stressful and I really can't see the justification for the cost. I really should make the effort to put it on the rubber strap, but if I'm honest the thought of waving a strap tool in the direction of a PVD coated watch gives me the willies... and actually I'm not even sure I've got a tool that would do the job. That's something I need to correct as at some point I might just want to put my Aquagraph and my Calibre S Aquaracer back on their respective bracelets.

In conclusion then, it's a beautiful looking watch, but not one for those of a nervous disposition and hardly the 'rugged' dive watch you might be hoping for. But on a summer's day with shorts and a T-shirt, for the money it's hard to think of a cooler looking watch to wear.

OWNED: 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph

CH1110.BA0675

Of all my watches, this is the one that I have the flakiest connection with... someone expressed an interest in it not too long after I bought it and I was quite open to the idea of selling it for what I paid, and just after Christmas I actually put it on eBay, but took it down again an hour later. 

I've had this one about fifteen months now, and all the way along it's blown hot and cold. I guess it didn't help that as soon as I got the watch it had to go back for repair because the chronograph wasn't working properly and some of the bracelet links were worn. 

Once it came back it worked fine and the bracelet was all sorted, so kudos to the seller - he was as good as his word... although I had to wait a few weeks to get it back. I think his watchmaker was on holiday or something, I can't remember... it was around Christmas time too so that was probably a factor. Still once it came back it was 100% as described and I should have been over the moon. I don't think I was, I was relieved that the problems had been sorted - but I was a bit indifferent and it's never really recovered from that initial setback. 

So why is it that I'm still not 100% committed to the CH1110?

Well it's not the design, that's for sure. I like the 6000 Series, I have this one and a three hander with a blue dial.. and while I sometimes look at it and think 'who the hell designed this pretentious looking watch?', it's definitely not the case that puts me off because I've never had any doubts about my other piece.

On paper the chronograph should be the better of the two, it's larger (40mm v 38mm), thicker, and it looks better scaled up - the three hander is rather thin I feel, and the bracelet seems more suited to the larger version too (both watches wear the exact same bracelet). On the other hand, the smaller, thinner watch seems to sit on the wrist a lot better. I have quite a big wrist and 40mm is not a big watch size for me but sometimes the watch seems to sit off my wrist more than I'd really like it to.

I think my biggest issue with this watch though is the dial. I've never been crazy about silver dial watches, but in the eBay photographs it looked quite different..

This is one of the actual photos from when I bought the watch on eBay 

See how the dial appears darker (almost blueish) and the subdials look distinct from the main dial, well that's not really how it looks when it's on your wrist, most of the time it's much more like the picture at the top of the page where the whole dial just looks like a a wash of silver. 

I do have one other silver dial watch in my collection (my WN1153 2000 Exclusive), but that has a gold bezel and a two-tone bracelet and in that context I am okay with it. I just think steel watches with silver dials are almost always just a bit too tonal and generally seem a bit 'cheap' looking... they somehow give me this 'entry level' feel, as if you got the model you wanted, but you couldn't quite afford some paint for the dial... a bit like the old days when you'd buy a car and there would be blank switches because you didn't stump up the extra cash for the better model.

Apologies to any of my readers who love their silver dial watches, it's not you... it's me!

I sold a few watches last year and each time I sold one I realised that another one fell to the bottom of the pile. That's kind of how I felt about this one when I put it on eBay for an hour, but then I realised that while this may not be my favourite watch every day, there are days when I really like it... and if it is at (or near) the bottom of the pile, it's not like it's trailing along way behind like the CAF1112 Aquaracer was. 

Indeed when I wear it now, I often can't imagine how I came to the decision to list it, even at a rather high price (maybe I was subconsciously sabotaging the sale?). While I do wish the dial was coloured rather than silver (black, blue or even green would do... anything to give a bit of contrast), there's no denying the silver dial does look rather classy and works well with the design. But I can't help thinking how much better it looks in that eBay photo...

I don't think I will sell this one, it's been a rocky road but I do feel somewhat attached to it now... maybe if I wanted to pick up a different 6000 Chrono I would sell it then, there's some nice limited edition versions out there after all - but they seem quite pricey, so I'll probably just keep this one. At least the bracelet is in excellent condition and the chronograph functions properly. 

It's so strange how your feelings change about a watch, when I got this (before I had to send it back for repair) it seemed like a real hum-dinger... still, maybe if I can keep it long enough it will come back fully into favour. We'll see.

Incidentally, if you're in the market for a TAG Heuer 6000 on a bracelet check out this post before you commit to buy:

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/12/feature-something-to-be-aware-of-when.html