Monday, 18 August 2025

FEATURE: Beating the Price Rises

 


Come rain or shine there's one thing of which you can be sure, the Swiss will raise the prices of watches, and probably faster than inflation or wages. But you want the latest watches on your wrist... so what can you do? Well, if you can wait a few months, the truth is you can save yourself a lot of money. No you won't get the full 'boutique' experience, but honestly is a glass of champagne and a free hat worth a thousand pounds to you? If so then maybe you don't need to read the rest of this post... for everyone else, please read on!

So look, of course it's easy to find 'deals' online and we all know what an absolute cess-pit the internet is... so for the purposes of this post I'm going to restrict myself to looking at what Watchfinder can offer. Now I have no special 'relationship' with Watchfinder to declare, the only thing I've had from them was a complimentary service and polish one time, which I'm still a little confused about... but anyway, the reason I'm looking at Watchfinder particularly is simply that they aren't renowned as being the cheapest of the cheap, but I've always had good service from them and they offer a two year warranty on everything they sell, so it's as good as buying new as you're going to get. 

And to be honest, if you're buying a current 'in-house' movement TAG Heuer you will still get their five year warranty anyway, so happy days!

Regardless, the point of this post is really not to plug Watchfinder specifically, but just to point out that there are deals to be had and you don't have to fall back on models from five years ago to get a nice watch at a decent price (though personally I probably still would, if only because the watches of 2020 beat the watches of 2025, but that's just my opinion, naturally).

Yes indeed, the idea of 'watches as investments' is dead in the water (thankfully), unless you're looking at Rolex and possibly some of the more sought after pieces from other higher end manufacturers. Hopefull no one is buying a Carrera (or a Monaco) in 2025 with the idea that they'll be able to sell it for more than they paid in the future. It just ain't happening. And that. my friends, is a good thing.

Wednesday, 13 August 2025

THANK YOU: Two Million Views!

About a year ago I celebrated the blog hitting 1,000,000 page views by buying my Grand Carrera Calibre 36 Caliper... actually I can't believe that was a year ago, but it was! In fact I posted my Buying Experience post for that watch exactly one year ago today. 

Incredible....and what better way than to celebrate hitting 2,000,000 views just twelve months later than by buying the watch I've been hankering after for the last four or five years? It actually wasn't planned that way but it's worked out pretty sweet hasn't it?

So thanks to everyone who visits the blog, I'm sure you're not all bots, though judging by some of the comments some of you might be. 🤣

Let's hope TAG Heuer have something genuinely exciting for us in the last quarter of the year, because I feel like this year has been a little flat for me. Major purchase aside of course...

Aquagraph 


Tuesday, 12 August 2025

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Carrera Dato '160th Anniversary' Heuer 02 Limited Edition

 


Before I start this post, I just want to mention something... you may have noticed that I removed my Instagram address from the blog header, and that's because I've removed Instagram from my phone. Honestly I detest Instagram, it is truly a brain-rotting waste of everyone's time and I want no more part of it. I only ever went on it to promote this blog and since the blog is doing quite nicely now I feel like I no longer need to give it my attention. 

I do still have it on my computer, and I may post once in a blue moon, but trying to contact me through Instagram is a pointless exercise I'm afraid and I really don't want to 'collaborate' on any posts. Sorry.

'So with that out of the way, let's turn our attention to the matter in hand, namely the coolest TAG Heuer watch of the last five years and the one and only watch I truly desire to add to my collection....'

That's how this post WAS going to start, because originally this was supposed to be a 'Spotlight On' post. But there's been a development. A major development. Because it's no longer the 'only watch on my wish list', it's on my wrist! And I can hardly believe it...

Wednesday, 6 August 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre TH20-00 'Osaka Expo 2025' Limited Edition Chronograph


Let's be frank, I've been fairly withering about TAG Heuer's 2025 releases, haven't I? I mean there are a few I like a bit, but generally speaking I've been left decidedly underwhelmed. And now we have this... mess of a Carrera to look at and I simply don't know where to begin.

Okay, look. Let's back up a bit. First of all, this is clearly not aimed at me, as until today I had never heard of Myaku-Myaku (which is the character logo for the Osaka Expo 2025). If you Google it you will see it's clearly popular, you can get all sorts of merchandise for it, including some bonkers looking trainers... so maybe all 125 pieces will be snapped up and flipped at a profit? I really don't know..

Thursday, 31 July 2025

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. 

Thursday, 24 July 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre TH20-00 'Harrods' Limited Edition Chronograph


Okay, let's get this out of the way right off the bat.... why is this a 'Spotlight On' post and not a 'First Impressions' post? The answer is simply that 'First Impressions' posts are for watches that have just been released, and somehow it seems this watch was released last year without anyone in my circle knowing about it. Nobody told me, nobody posted it on the THF forum, literally did not have a clue and as such it was not included in last years 'Watch of the Year' voting procedure. In fact the only reason I found about this one at all is because I spotted it on Watchfinder and thought 'what the hell is that!' 

And that's a bit of a shame if you ask me because I feel like this one could have garnered a vote or two. First off it's that crowd pleasing 42mm size (well, crowd pleasing is maybe a touch generous, but it's not 44mm so... a few more people will like it) and crucially it isn't yet another bloody glassbox, and that immediately kicks it up a notch in my opinion. 

Thursday, 17 July 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre TH20-00 'French' Limited Edition Chronograph

 

A couple of years ago TAG Heuer released one of the nicest watches in their recent history, the blue dial 'French' limited edition 42mm Carrera (part number CBN201B). There were 200 of these made (one of which is currently available via Watchfinder I notice) and if I remember correctly it was in my top three watches of 2023. Ultimately it placed fifth in the COCO Watch of the Year poll, but oddly was the only watch besides that year's winner to score an 8/10 (voting was massively affected in 2023 by the all conquering Panda Glassbox it must be remembered). Big shoes to follow then, and while this is another pretty nice 42mm Carrera, I don't think it's quite as good as it's predecessor. 

Friday, 11 July 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer's 2025 Releases (Jan/Jun)



Once again we've reached the mid-point of the year and presumably passed the halfway point of TAG Heuer's 2025 release schedule. So it's time to refresh your memory and give you an insight as to what could be in the running for the COCO Watch of the Year award come December.

It's amazing, everywhere you look you hear 'TAG is back', indeed it's become a slogan for TAG Heuer themselves since they took over from Rolex as the official timekeeper of Formula 1. As an aside, if you are an F1 fan, don't you absolutely hate it when people say 'The F1'? Isn't that the dumbest thing you've ever heard? Or am I just an angry old man who hates change and gets upset about the stupidest things?

Well, maybe!

Which is kind of funny because, how can I put this.... everyone loves TAG Heuer's new direction, the endless glassbox Carreras, the new 38mm F1s and.... and.... I just don't! Initially I really wanted to like the new F1s, in fact I was even mentally setting aside the money to buy the red 'Italian' GP one, but having tried on a few of them now, I just find them slightly odd. 

Maybe it's because I've owned a ton of the original models and I'm still hung up on how they 'used to be', but while making them larger seemed like a great idea, it just doesn't seem to have translated somehow. The lume pots are too chunky, the hands are too small and thin, the case around the lugs is just weird and, well, I could go on... the rubber straps are extremely cool, I'll give them that, but I'm not buying a watch just for a cool strap (...again).

So yes, my excitement level this year is pretty low, in fact I'd say right now I'm struggling to think of a watch release this year that I'd actually want to own, save perhaps for the Monaco Gulf. I must admit I do quite like the black/lime Calibre 16 Formula 1, but in person it's not quite as exciting as I'd hoped. I'd rather get an old 500M Aquaracer in the same colour scheme for less than half the money.

Ah yes, money. It always comes back to money doesn't it? But how can it not. Prices are still rising at ridiculous levels and contributors to the THF Forums are one by one switching brands or simply stating that they've bought their last 'new' TAG Heuer. I have to agree. I can't honestly see myself buying anything else at 'full price', unless my circumstances change drastically, not when you see the 'real' market value of the current watches when they appear pre-owned on Watchfinder, etc within a few months. Now that's depressing!  

But, you know, when I got into this hobby I couldn't afford to buy new watches, and then for a while I could (just about) and now thanks to my stagnant wages and TAG Heuer's price rises I can't again. Whatever. Maybe in five years I will be buying a pre-owned 2025 watch at a fraction of the price it cost new? Or maybe thanks to the lunatics in Silicon Valley I'll be looking for food in the bottom of a dumpster while trying to avoid getting shot by security drones... 

Anyway, let's have a look back at what TAG Heuer have presented so far this year:

Saturday, 5 July 2025

PRICE LIST: TAG Heuer Price List - June 2025

 

It's now been 5 years since I compiled my first price list (during the early days of the pandemic, oh how time flies) and just for giggles I wondered what would appear in both that one and this latest price list and what the difference would be. Well, truth be told there's almost nothing, but the obvious candidate would be the stalwart CAW211P Monaco (colloquially known as the 'Steve McQueen'). So, shockingly (or maybe not that shockingly really) the price in July 2020 was £5050... and after the latest price increase it's now a bowel-loosening £7500!

Wow, that is some hefty, inflation busting rise eh? But the thing is with that though is that the pre-owned price has not kept pace with that at all. In fact if you want a CAW211P today and you're not stuck on buying brand new then Chrono 24 has over 100 examples on offer right now, with prices starting at £3500... that's a hell of a saving (or a massive depreciation cliff depending on your point of view).

That aside, for the most part it's the usual bi-yearly £50-150 increases, which don't sound too bad but which of course add up to a significant sum over two or three years. There are also a few other instances where we see £200+ increases, notably the Hodinkee Seafarer, the solid gold Carrera glassbox and the Porsche 963 Carrera, but thankfully there's none of those outrageous 40% increases we saw back at the start of the year.

Hilariously though, despite raising the prices of some of the tourbillon models by up to £10,000 earlier in the year, TAG Heuer have still added another £50 on to the prices this time, presumably because they didn't go quite far enough last time 🤣. 

But it's not all bad news, if you've been hankering after a Superdiver but didn't want to pay £6100 for it you'll be pleased to know that it's now priced at £5550. And also coming down is the darker green Aquaracer 300 which for some reason had a price premium at launch. This is something we are seeing now and again actually, where one colour is more expensive than the rest of the range and then eventually they all come into line.

Quite a few new additions this time, obviously there's the new 38mm Formula 1 range and various 34 and 36mm Aquaracers, but also a few Monacos and Carreras and even previously available models now available on bracelets (in particular the two tone Aquaracers and the Glassbox Carreras).

Unsurprisingly, there are no new Links. Surely that range needs something doing with it soon?

I also notice the older CAR style tourbillons have gone now and the solid gold Aquaracers have been discontinued too (after the £2000 discounts earlier in the year), and with the release of the new Carrera Day/Dates obviously another casualty are the old WBN models, which makes sense. 


As usual, blue text is for price changes, red text is for new additions.

Sunday, 29 June 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Goodwood Festival of Speed' Calibre TH20-00 Limited Edition Chronograph

 

Way back in the dark ages I remember seeing various 'Goodwood Festival of Speed' limited edition Carreras in the TAG Heuer outlet at Bicester Village. It always struck me as slightly odd that watches that were limited to such small quantities (125 / 250 pieces) should remain unsold, and perhaps that's why we haven't seen any in recent years...? 

But with TAG Heuer doubling down on their commitment to motorsport I guess it shouldn't be a massive surprise to see this new limited edition of 100 pieces. Initially released to members of the Goodwood club, the model is now available on the TAG Heuer website for £6450, which given it has rather a unique look to it, doesn't seem too bad.

Monday, 23 June 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Heuer Monaco 'Stopwatch' Calibre 11 Limited Edition


Of course the 'Gulf' Monaco wasn't the only Monaco TAG Heuer launched at the (somewhat anachronistic) Monaco Grand Prix, in fact it was only one of three. There was also a new colour variation on the eye-wateringly expensive 41mm rattrapante that literally no one paid any attention to, and then there was this black DLC coated titanium cased Calibre 11 'Heuer' Monaco that seems to have garnered almost as much attention as the Gulf. Which kinda makes you wonder why they released them both at the same time honestly, given that they are probably aimed at a similar buyer. Oh well, I'm sure TAG Heuer know what they are doing... perhaps the cache of launching it at the Monaco GP outweighs the conflict and perhaps some well heeled harbour-dwellers will take both?

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

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. 

Wednesday, 11 June 2025

ON THE WRIST: Colourful 36mm Aquaracers & Miami/Spanish Formula 1 Solargraphs

 

TAG Heuer Boutique / Milton Keynes, 31st May 2025

My second visit to the Milton Keynes boutique this year and this time I was lucky enough to find not only a couple of the new 36mm colourful dial automatic Aquaracers but also two limited edition Formula 1 Solargraphs. Sadly there was no sign of the blue dégredé dial on the white rubber strap, and it seems like perhaps it's not actually released yet - though I notice TAG Heuer have added it to their website with the option of a steel bracelet now.

But we (my wife and I) did get to see both the purple and the pale green versions and honestly we thought they looked rather nice. I was expecting the purple dial to look a bit wishy washy in real life, but it's actually quite a strong, vibrant tone and while it's certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea I thought it was quite effective. My wife really liked it, but unfortunately (like the 'Tiffany' blue model before it) at 36mm it's just too big and chunky for her wrist. And of course a 36mm diver is far too small for me, not that I particularly want a purple dial Aquaracer anyway...  

Wednesday, 4 June 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco 'Gulf' Limited Edition Calibre 11 Chronograph



There's always quite a lot of excitement when TAG Heuer announce a new 'Gulf' branded Monaco and even I (someone completely untouched by the romance of Le Mans, Steve McQueen, etc) am not immune to the lure of the striped, square dial. However I did find the most recent regular 'Gulf' model a little disappointing (for me it was perhaps the least interesting of all the 'Gulf' models we've seen to date) so it's nice to see a really good one this time around, even if it is a limited edition.

For the 2025 edition we've gone right back to the start with another white dial Monaco embellished with red and blue stripes (as seen on Steve McQueen's race suit in the film Le Mans). It's funny but every time we get a new Gulf Monaco it always descends into a debate about how they never use the right shade of pale blue (with most agreeing that the 2018 limited edition of 50 pieces was the most accurate from that point of view), but thankfully here we don't have to worry about that, phew!

Saturday, 24 May 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 36mm 'Coloured Dials' Calibre 5 Watches

 

Three new 36mm Calibre 5 Aquaracers for you today, and while I wouldn't dream of labelling them 'ladies' watches, they definitely tend to fall into that general category due to sizing, diamond hour markers and general colour choices. I must admit when I first saw them the one that caught my eye was the purple dial, but the more I look at it the more I'm unsure how successful it actually is. I applaud TAG Heuer for embracing a new colour in this range and maybe it looks fantastic in person, but as of right now I'm definitely on the fence.

Thursday, 8 May 2025

ANNOUNCEMENT: Running Out of Steam...?


Good morning my TAG Heuer enthusiast friends. As you probably know, I've been writing this blog for nearly nine years now and I have made over 3000 posts since I started back in October 2016, in the process making this the first choice resource for all things 1986-present day (as shown by the recent 1.5 million views milestone - thank you all once again for that).

Over the years I've explored pretty much every facet of the brand, with very few still to be covered (the 1000 Series is a glaring omission I know and I will get to that sooner or later) and so it gets harder and harder to think of new posts when there's a lull in the release schedule. 

On top of that, there's the issue of time. Simply finding time to write these posts week after week after week is starting to feel a bit like 'work' and it doesn't help that I'm not finding too much in the new releases to inspire me. TAG Heuer has always been a brand that refreshes itself constantly, indeed it's one of the things I really like about the brand, but the latest models are not really rocking my boat and even if they were I'm not sure I'm able to afford many of them until they become 'pre-owned'.

I'm actually okay with the fact that I'm not lusting after the new designs, because I know in a couple of years the line up will have changed again and maybe then the design language will have shifted back to my taste, or it could be that eventually I start to see the new watches in a different light and I move towards them, you never know. This is where TAG Heuer win over the likes of Rolex for me, because I know what Rolex do and it doesn't really change that much... I know some people argue that's Rolex's strength and that may well be true, but it's not the basis of a good blog that's for damned sure!

Back in the Jean Claude Biver days I was pumping out posts left right and centre (admittedly not always great posts, but post nonetheless...) because it was all new to me and frankly there was so much to get excited about. Currently, not so much. Despite the YouTubers insistence that 'TAG Heuer is BACK!' my initial enthusiasm for the re-released Formula 1s has waned quite dramatically since I saw one in person and I really don't think I'm going to be buying one (though I'm still keen to at least try on the red one when it comes out in September). I also really don't like the glassbox Carrera very much and while the new Calibre 16 Formula 1's are quite cool, the price tag is enough to prevent me getting too invested (and I certainly wouldn't choose one over my £1300 orange quartz three hander either!).

So I guess what I'm trying to work my way around to saying is that I just don't think I can keep this blog going at the pace it's been going any more. So with that in mind I am going to relax my posting schedule and see what happens. I'm not stopping the blog, and if five new watches come out tomorrow morning then I will write about them next week as usual. But I'm done staying up until 2am trying to write a post about some obscure 2000 Series because of some self-imposed 'deadline'. I just don't have it in me anymore. 

Perhaps a break will give me a chance to think up some new angles and I will start posting more again, but right now I want to allocate more of my time to other interests. I will still be posting, just not as often and not as regularly. I hope you all understand and will bear with me.

Rob / AquaG

Saturday, 3 May 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Kirium Chronometer Chronograph



Oh man but I'm so tired of silly people on YouTube telling us that the new TAG Heuer Formula 1s should only have cost £600... honestly, anyone that ever believed they were going to charge £600 for a 'vintage' inspired re-issue of a beloved watch with upgraded materials and a solar powered movement need to give themselves a good talking to. Have these people ever bought a watch strap from TAG Heuer? Do they know how much they charge for two small pieces of rubber? Come on, be serious. This is not a Swatch and the Moonswatch was not an Omega, just get a grip. It's fine to want them to be cheap, of course... but actually being disappointed when they aren't is just silly.

How could they possibly sell a Solargraph F1 for £600 when the Solar Aquaracers are nigh on £3000? Sure they are overpriced, but show me a Swiss watch from any of the big players that isn't. It seems the problem here is that there is an expectation that TAG Heuer were relaunching an 'affordable, entry level model to the mass market' when it's actually nothing of the sort. Most of the watches are limited to between 1000 and 3000 pieces, hardly 'mass market' and primarily they are aimed at middle aged people like me who remember them from the first time around (just about) and perhaps younger people drawn in by the Kith release last year. 

But look, there's nothing wrong with wanting to buy a decent TAG Heuer for around £600 and it can be done. In fact it's surprising what you can find if you're willing to wait and keep your eyes peeled.... and you can do it without exposing yourself to the cess pit that is Ebay. No you're not going to get a Monaco or a Carrera at this price point, but there are watches available that in their day were pretty high end, for example this minty looking Kirium chronometer chronograph which is currently on the H&T website with a discount of 20%. 

Tuesday, 29 April 2025

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph

 

Watches of Switzerland / Canary Wharf, London

I haven't really been to any major towns since the new Formula 1 Solargraphs launched a few weeks ago, so I haven't had a chance to try one on until today's visit to Canary Wharf in the financial district of London. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and initially there was no one free so I went next door and sampled the delights of Laderach chocolate. It was pleasant enough, but it reminded me of the 'Swiss Chocolate' you get in Marks & Spencer, nice enough but not worth £10.50 per 100g! 

Sample consumed, I returned to Watches of Switzerland to find the store empty and two salesman vying for my attention. Incidentally, before we go any further regular readers will probably remember that I tried on the new black/blue Calibre 16 Formula 1 chronograph a few weeks ago and I said I wanted to see the black/green version because on the website it looked green in one picture and yellow in another.

Well, I didn't try it on, but Watches of Switzerland had it in the window and it definitely looks green. It's not as bright a green as I would like it to be though, I was kinda hoping it was going to remind me more of those glorious PVD coated Aquaracer 500M models with the green lume, but it's a little more subdued. Still nice and I'm glad it's green not yellow... and I'm not completely opposed to the idea of maybe getting one in the future (once someone else has taken the depreciation). But honestly it would be a lot cheaper to get one of those black/green Aquaracers!

But anyway, back to the WBY1111...

Friday, 25 April 2025

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer 41mm Day/Date Carreras & GMT

 

Let's be honest, this year's 'Watches and Wonders' was all about the Formula 1 for TAG Heuer. Sure they released a 10 piece limited edition Monaco that barely anyone can afford, even if they actually wanted a white ceramic cased rattrapante that looks like a fight in a candy store... but all eyes were on the worst kept secret in modern watch history, and rightly so.

But while everyone was looking the other way TAG Heuer quietly released a bevy of new 41mm day/date Carreras that while honestly not inspiring that much reaction from me are, of course, still worthy of inspection by the Council. It's a funny thing, the 41mm day/date Carrera, it's kind of seen as a 'lesser' Carrera because historically a Carrera 'should be' a chronograph. Mind you, the same people that say this also generally say at 41mm it's too big and should be 39mm, but... whatever. 

Sunday, 20 April 2025

FEATURE: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraphs - Pricing


Seems like everybody has an opinion about the pricing of these new Formula 1 Solargraph models, and frankly some of it is plain unrealistic. Unfortunately for TAG Heuer the MoonSwatch set a very low bar when it came to pricing, but at the same time the quality was pretty dismal and when people actually got hands on with them even they were deemed to be 'over-priced'.

Before the new Formula 1s were announced people were talking ridiculous figures, I saw £300 banded about which was a complete joke, no way was TAG Heuer ever going to be selling a Formula 1 of any description for £300. But, said the dolts, at £300 TAG Heuer will clear up, they will sell millions... 

I'm not so sure about that, honestly. The MoonSwatch was a phenomenon, the chances of repeating its success were slim and more likely TAG Heuer would be left with egg on their face and a lot of unsold stock, meanwhile the watches they did sell would likely make very little (if any - bearing in mind selling at scale would definitely involve selling through third parties) profit and that's hardly the business model the Swiss luxury brands aspire to, is it?