FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraphs

As the more observant of you might have noticed when you perused the June 2026 price list I posted a week or so ago, TAG Heuer have deleted from the catalogue a bunch of Aquaracer Solargraphs (most notably the original titanium version, but NOT yet the super cool black DLC / carbon bezel one). But fear not, TAG Heuer isn't giving up on the Aquaracer Solargraph, it's just time for a refresh. And by refresh, I mean lets slap a weird new bezel on it that makes it look like a Breitling... or something.

Truth be told I wasn't actually going to bother writing about these but a member of the Council told me he hadn't seen any press about them anywhere (since proved wrong, as it happens) and as such it was my 'duty' as the TAG Heuer Enthusiast to cover them. 

Which is all well and good, but... there's so many more interesting things I could be writing about right now, like the Monaco Speed 12, or the 'Sand' Glassox Carrera L/E, or the red dial 'Horobox' limited edition Aquaracer. But no, I invited scores and comments from the Council so I guess I'm locked in. Bah!

I bet this green dial still looks like an actual garage door.

Honestly there isn't much to say, and you won't get much out of the Council either. But while at first glance it looks like all that's changed is the aforementioned bezel, which... I'm really not sure about. I said earlier it gives me Breitling vibes, but actually perhaps it's the Rolex Yachtmaster that it really brings to mind? 

But look closer and you'll also notice that there's a new bracelet and case. Most notably, that left hand side protrusion has increased in size to the point that it looks a little too big. But then some might say it balances out the crown and crownguards... and it's not the first time TAG Heuer have done this, just look back at the Kirium or 4000 Series.

There are eight new models altogether, however I only asked the Council to score the four 40mm models. Word on the street is that the ladies models are now full-on 'fashion' watches, as not only do these so called 'AQUARACERS' no longer have a lume pip, but they now lack second hands, screw down crowns and worst of all the bezel doesn't even turn! Worse still, now I hear that they have 'butterfly' clasps! What the hell happened to TAG Heuer's legendary 'Six Features', eh?

F.F.S.

I am keen to see if that bezel looks better in real life, but going off the 34mm Solargraphs I'm not particularly hopeful. Okay, gun to my head I'd take the titanium model with the light blue highlights, if only because I think the bezel probably looks less blingy on that one. 

Let's see if the Council agree with me?

Ti Black 7/10, Blue 7.5/10, Blk/Gold 7/10, Green 7/10: "Nice tidy release, nothing screams good or bad really, just perfectly decent."

Ti Black 8/10, Blue 8/10, Blk/Gold 8/10, Green 8/10: "I love these Aquaracer, although i think it could be better with just with solid steel bezel matt finish IMHO."

Ti Black 5/10, Blue 5/10, Blk/Gold 6.5/10, Green 6/10: "Slightly different but nothing outstanding. Price is ok but for me too the bezel is meh."

Ti Black 6/10, Blue 6/10, Blk/Gold 6/10, Green 6/10: "Same basic Solargraph design that I like, but with some unwelcome tweaks -- the enlarged bump on the left side of the case just adds unneeded width, and the new bezel looks like a misguided attempt to modernize the 90's 2000 series bezel."

Ti Black 8.5/10, Blue 8/10, Blk/Gold 8/10, Green 8/10: "These are all very nice, I like the added aqua details on the Ti model."

Ti Black 8/10, Blue 7/10, Blk/Gold 6/10, Green 4/10: "These are proper sweet!"

Ti Black 6/10, Blue 6/10, Blk/Gold 4/10, Green 5/10: "I appreciate the fence post hands and 'garage door' dial still being released, but I’m not a fan of the bead blasting on the bezel and polished rider tabs."

VIDEO: Every TAG Heuer Monaco in the Current Line-Up by Time & Tide

 

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!

#10. WAZ1121.BB0879 Quartz

MATT: Always a two-tone in a top10! 😘  

 #9. WAZ101A.FC8305 Quartz

 MATT: As I write this I find out that I will definitely buy this one sometime. 

 #8.  CAZ1014.FC8196 Quartz Chronograph

MATT: A proper sport watch. TAG Heuer all over.

#7. CAZ101AN.BA0842 Quartz Chronograph

MATT: You don’t see them often. I quite like it. Maybe soon in the Solargraph? With Mercedes hands please.  

#6. CA1213 Quartz Chronograph

MATT:  When I come across it and it is in good condition, I buy it immediately. Nice tough thing! 

#5. WAZ1118.BA.BA0875 Quartz

MATT: Steel and blue and simpleness. Nothing to do with F1 but a nice execution. 

#4. WBY1112.BA 0042 Solargraph

 MATT: I like the new Solargraphs. Hope there will be a chronograph soon. (Gift from my girlfriend btw 😘). 

#3. 372.513 Quartz (Lume Dial)

MATT: Green and lume looks magnificent on this one. 

#2. 371.513 Quartz (Lume Dial)

MATT: This is for me the ultimate lume watch. Unfortunately a bit too small now a days.  

#1. 472.513 Quartz Chronograph

MATT: For me this is the OG F1. Colors+chrono+Senna! (...and its terrible movement. Mine still works🙏🏼). 

Thanks Matt, another great selection you've put together there: it's going to be really interesting when it comes time to combine all these lists into one mega-list to see what comes out on top!

Don't forget, you can find all this year's FORMULA1@40 posts by clicking on the banner below. 

 

FEATURE: The Watch I Will Never Sell (Part 1)

A few weeks ago I saw a post on the 'WatchUWant' forum on this very topic. I didn't actually read the post but it sparked an idea in my head and by the end of the day I had fired off a message to several members of the THF Forum. Here we have the first nine replies to those messages, with more to follow...

Tudor Black Bay 58 Blue

What's the watch I'd never sell? To be honest, I've had many of them over the years I've been interested in watches. Each time I thought I had a "keeper", time passes, a new tempting release comes along, and suddenly I find I'm not as attached to it as I thought I was. Actually, since then my collection has become much more stable and nearly all the nice watches I own (now trimmed to a smaller, sensible number) have been kept for many years. I seldom get tempted to splash cash on a new one. Even so, my past experience tells me never to call any of them a keeper - there isn't one that wouldn't get put on the chopping block if something amazing came along to replace it (I operate a strict one-in, one-out policy to keep the number sensible).

But I can't write about nothing, hence I'm going to choose the one watch that is probably the "safest" in my collection. Not because it's the most special - the Abel Court "Monacourt" Monaco probably takes that crown. Or the most shiny and expensive - the Rolex wins that round. Or the one I lusted after the most - the "panda" Carrera still remains special to me. The safest is actually the Black Bay 58 Blue. It was cheap comparatively to my other watches, hence less worth selling. But I've owned it the longest and I keep coming back to it for it's pure versatility and perfection. I can wear it anywear - on the beach, in the office, out to dinner, at the pub. Why would I ever want to sell?

Imagwai

Carrera CBK221G Glassbox Limited Edition 

Sometimes you get the thought of stopping the collecting fury. Just wear one watch that you like. Nice and easy and it saves a lot of time and money! But no, this is not going to happen. I love them all. Now Rob's question, which one never leaves the door? Thanks Rob, I can’t sleep for a few nights..

It won't be my first TH. Will hurt a lot but still think I can let my little 3000 go. Ditto for my Senna S/el. Only when I'm financially on the ground maybe.. So I can name a few more. Red 1000, 3000 chronos, my 844, 1153s  ‘Rob, help! Can I get a dispensation?’

Think of the (CBK221G) red Carrera. With the mix of heritage and modern movement and the colour, I see myself wearing it with satisfaction for the last +/- 30 years of my life. And make me   of the elderly home! 

MattP

Rolex Explorer / Rolex Submariner

The two watches I would never sell are my Submariner and my Explorer.

For a large part of my life, I played guitar and built a nice collection that I intended to pass down to my two sons. Life happened, and neither of them became interested in playing. I realized that, while the guitars were great conversation pieces, they would ultimately end up packed away and forgotten.

One day, I came across a YouTube video of someone talking about their father's watch and how wearing it made them feel as though their father was still with them. I instantly connected with that. I can still remember being gifted my first watch as a child and how special it felt to own and wear it.

That inspired me to start a family tradition. I sold my guitars and began funding a watch collection that would one day be passed down to my sons, and hopefully to future generations as well.

After extensive research, I decided on a Submariner and an Explorer. Both were purchased from the AD with my boys present so they could share in the experience. I plan to wear them until their wedding days, when I will pass them on.

Until then, whenever I am with them, I usually wear “their” watch. We are creating memories together with these watches, and there will be plenty of photos to go along with them. Hopefully, when I am no longer here, they will look down at their wrists and remember our lives together—and one day, their children will do the same.

Thingziliketoo

Heuer 283.306

Although I have only owned this particular piece for a couple of years my bond with it goes back 44 years. The first one I saw was in a Yorkshire jewellers in 1982,I was fresh out of school and had just started work. I couldn't afford it, the price was several weeks wages at the time, but I never forgot it. Later in life I became a vintage watch dealer and every fair and market I went to I hoped to find one...I never even caught a glimpse.

Casually browsing on Ebay one night a couple of years ago, I stumbled on this one. It didn't run and the plexi was cracked. It was £600 too, not cheap and the most I've ever spent on a non running project watch. I had to have it though and took a gamble that I could repair it myself. The gamble paid off !

Those 44 years have been filled with multiple careers, loves and losses, health scares and 32 different cars. This watch, or the desire for it has been a constant background hum throughout, it was always going to be “my watch” and now it is. It will never be sold, I have a lifetime attached to it.

DavetheHighwayman

Aquaracer WAB1121 Caribbean Special Edition

I collect quartz, multigraphs, and automatics.

For me on Quartz my Aquaracer WAB1121 Caribbean with my birth country, l as well as others, but this is a fan favourite watch across cultures and races as many have gotten it while on a sea cruise, so lots of memories tied into it.

Kirium CL111B as a multigraph is my favourite, lots have the CL111A, but the polished case fits my personality and style best. Not selling it luv, nope.

WS2113 Carrera Re-Edition auto is in the lead... but, if you're asking if there's a watch that I refuse to be without that would be Aquaracer WAB1121 Caribbean Special Edition.

SarahConnorT2

Seiko Marine Master 200 GMT (SPB381J1)

I wish I never sold my Heuer 01 skeleton, well I miss most of the watches I sold anyway hahaha. Can't believe I sold the two watch companies that I love in one watch (you know H01 story about how it is based on Seiko chronograph design, but at that time I wasn't in love with Seiko yet).

Okay without wasting more of your precious time. so far here is the watch I will never sell because...

"For me to purchase this Seiko watch is the culmination of my watch collecting journey. This is the sum of what I love about watch collecting in the end. I love the dive watch rotating bezel, the lume hands, the GMT on top of everything, the in-house movement (don't get me started on the movement because there is a lot of easter eggs to be found in that movement), and the finishing of the watch itself (did I mention it is coated with Diashield for anti scratch?). the green colour just my favourite colour but it could as well be another neutral colour and I will still love the watch all the same."

Otto William

Seiko A639-5029 & TAG Heuer Formula 1 382.513

I'll never sell any of my watches, because each one becomes a special part of my life's journey. The question for me is which watch is the most sentimental. It comes down to these two, a Seiko Sports and TAG Heuer Formula 1. The Seiko A639-5029 was given to me as a birthday present by my girlfriend in college. She became my wife and lifelong soul mate. It was my first "nice" watch. The TAG Heuer F1 382.513 was my first Swiss watch and marked the start of my watch collecting journey. A journey that nearly coincides with the start of the brand itself (post-Heuer).

Mspeedster

Heuer Monaco 1133b & Hodinkee Skipper

The watch is would never sell is the Monaco 1133b Transitional. It has too much historical significance. Being the second owner from the original owner also makes this a true keeper.

A very close second is the Hodinkee Skipper. That is probably my favourite watch in the collection.

Anthony.

TAG Heuer Connected SAR8A80.BF0605

I once sold a TAG Heuer watch in order to buy another TAG Heuer watch, - at this time it was an absolute upgrade in my view. At the time, I thought it was a very good deal. But the watch I sold can no longer be found on the second-hand market, at least not with its original box. The watch I bought later, on the other hand, is still readily available. The watch I sold was very special, and when I bought it, I was so happy, that I was able to get one. And that's how I learned about sellers remorse. Although I am very happy with the 'upgrade' too.

I must admit that I somehow miss every watch I have ever sold. There haven't been many, but each one left its mark. 

I still often consider selling watches—whether to finance other watches or to invest in Bitcoin or other assets. One of the most important pieces of wisdom among investors is: don't marry your investments.

The problem is that watches are more than investments. They grow on you. They become part of your story. Selling a watch is almost like ending a relationship, and everyone knows that is rarely an easy thing to do. At the moment, I'm not sure I will ever sell another watch. Because watches are more than investments.

As for the watch I would never sell, you might be surprised... but it was my first TAG Heuer. My entry into a whole universe. I will never sell it. It still works. The photo is from today.

Remo

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this post, we will return to this subject soon.

Aqua-G

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Indy 500 Limited Edition

For a long. long time I've been meaning to write a post about all the 'Indy 500' watches that TAG Heuer have released over the years, but I've still never quite gotten around to it... and here we are again with the latest addition to that particular collection. 

So, the obvious question is where does this one sit in the pantheon of TAG Heuer Indy 500 watches? I'd say it's one of the better ones, but there have been some real mingers over the years so let's not get too excited just yet. The overriding problem any Indy 500 watch has to overcome is the distinctive (but distinctly awkward) shape of the Indy 500 logo itself. Over the years it's been squashed into various subdials with limited success, so it's nice to see it here with plenty of space to breath and printed at a size where it's easy to see the details. 

The 2026 Indy 500 Solargraph is limited to 1110 pieces

Oddly enough there were some 'Indy 500' F1s back in the 90s which looked similar (albeit with the logo printed even bigger - perhaps a bit too big actually), which is perhaps why this one recalls the classic Formula 1s of old more than most of these solargraphs; even more so when you see the watch presented on a black rubber strap (how this is not an option I do not know... why not charge a bit more and add the rubber strap as a bonus?).

Picture courtesy of Mspeedster

On release this one caused quite a bit of excitement on the THF forum, with several members putting their hands in their pockets to acquire one of the 1100 made. Personally I have zero attachment to the Brickyard or the Indy 500, so it's pretty meaningless to me. But viewing it objectively I think this is one of the best looking Indy 500 watches TAG Heuer have made, but my favourite is still the Heuer 01 Carrera made for the 101st running back in 2017. 

That said, I haven't seen it in person and the gold markings often look unappealingly brown in some pictures (which I definitely don't like) and again I have to question issuing this on a bracelet without the option of a black rubber strap. As we can see above, it really improves the overall aesthetic and makes it feel much more authentic to the originals. Still, I guess you should be able to order the black rubber strap... or can you?

Okay, let's see what the Council have to say about this one.

8.5/10: "I like this one, it's the first Solargraph I'd actually seriously consider buying.They nailed the retro feel and colourway, I expect these will sell out fairly quickly."

2/10: "One of the nastiest, cheapest looking TAG Heuers ever made. This is a 150 dolla watch priced at like 2k?"

8/10: "Not bad, if I needed something in this size or style it’d be in the running, colours great."

9/10: "I love it! It’s a 9/10 for me, and I would rate it even 0.5 points higher if it came on the black rubber strap (FT8084) from the Miami GP LE."

7/10: "Great colours. I like it, but I don’t £2000 like it..."

9/10: "This one kind of snuck up on me. I wasn't instantly wowed by the release pictures, but it made quite the impact in person. I love the clean look of the dial and placement of the Indy 500 logo, it's not overly busy like some previous Indy's. The polished silver indices and hands bring the dial to life, making it very easy to read. As I bought one, I obviously think it's great."

6.5/10: "Difficult. It's an attractive watch, but the Indy 500 logo bothers me too much. Too bad."

3/10: "Not keen on the logo or the colours."

5/10: "I think it's OK but the Indy logo itself is a bit crap. The steel case and bracelet are a good choice for any F1.".

7.5/10: "As with all Solargraphs, the price is too high. However, I love the cohesive look of this watch and the winged wheel Indy 500 logo."

7/10: "Would look better with a rubber strap."

6/10: "I’m going to give it a 6/10 but I bet it looks better in person."

7/10: "Definitely interesting compared to the others in the same series. But I still prefer it if it has s steel bezel."

5/10: "Not very F1 for me, too dull."

9/10: "I dig it. I like the colours and would order a black rubber strap if picking one up. I edited my score after seeing the live posts by owners. A great release."

6/10: "This had so much potential, but the "gold" markings on the bezel and dial just look like dull brown, really diminishing the appearance."

5.5/10: "When I first saw it, I did not like it at all! Having looked at it a few time it has grown on me a bit. Still think it looks dirty brown and not gold but understand its the logo colour. The logo itself actually looks good on this model and works well."

7/10: "Saw this in Geneva and it’s pretty nice, the Indy 500 doesn’t sell that well in Europe though."

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph by Brent Miller Time

FEATURE: TAG Heuer Carrera Miami Grand Prix 2026 Limited Edition Tourbillon

Trying to find out information about new models, especially limited edition / regionally released models can be a real pain. But now with access to AI it should be a doddle right? Well I couldn't find out much about the limited edition Carrera that was released for the Miami Grand Prix, so I asked Meta AI and it told me it couldn't find any reference to it from official channels. It didn't tell me it didn't exist, it just told me it couldn't find it, which is a fair answer. Google AI on the other hand had a complete meltdown, which was just too good not to share...

TLDR: Google AI tells me the watch doesn't exist, then it does, then it doesn't and it made it up, then tells me my photograph is an AI fake, then backtracks on that. Then it tells me I shouldn't pay to use AI because it's useless and that SpaceX is overvalued (I guess it got that right). Then it backtracks and tells me the IPO hasn't happened yet, and that it's hallucinating it's own hallucinations and finally that yes the Carrera CBU5088 does exist in a limited edition of 30 pieces that was only sold to VIPs in the paddock at the race. F.F.S.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Pastels' Limited Edtiion Solargraphs by Brent Miller Time

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph

In the real world, by which I mean not in the 'luxury' world, if someone came up with a way to revolutionise and simplify a complex, expensive machine one might presume that it would turn out 'cheaper'. Otherwise... what's the point? I mean, yeah, okay you might save a few quid on servicing, but why would I pay more than twice as much in the first place? Well, if that's your thought process then the luxury watch world probably isn't for you...

Don't get me wrong, I've marvelled at the ingenuity of the V4 Monaco of old, with it's tiny rubber belts and linear 'rotor', I can see that it must have taken hours and hours of painstaking work to perfect (well, kinda - I gather it was still not exactly 100% even when they stopped making it) and for something like that I'd probably gladly drop £50k on one (if I had £50k to spend) but for some reason this new Evergraph movement just doesn't give me the same sense of awe and wonder.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Indy 500' Limited Edition Solargraph by Brent Miller Time

 

My Top 10 Formula 1s by Jim Dollare$

We are blessed with an abundance of guests here at the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Blogspot of course, but only one contributor gets his own LABEL! I speak of course about our absolute favourite (some might even say 'special') Swedish person, Mr Jim Dollare$. 

JIM: What up bromigos? What a lovely thing that Rob is acknowledging and celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Formula 1. This is yet another example of why the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Blog is the one and only site where honest opinions and true watch journalism happens. 

As all TAG Heuer fans know, the Formula 1 started out as a tiny, colourful children's watch in a plastic like material making it look like it was sold for $35 at the local petrol station. Luckily it has matured and developed a lot since then and transformed into a proper watch but still super affordable with attractive designs, often becoming the first TAG Heuer for new collectors. 

My first TAG was my Red Bull chrono, a mega sexy watch with excellent design but on a thick, sharp super-cheap bracelet and lousy clasp reminding you that this is a 'cheap' TAG. Anyway, lets get into the ultimate number one most perfect top ten Formula 1 list I have personally ever seen.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre TH20-11 by Casual Dude Reviews

 

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 2000 Series Quartz

You know, I kinda thought my days of buying cheap, quartz powered eBay bargains were over, especially since I'd gone to the trouble of cleansing my collection in order to raise to funds to buy bigger and better things. But, sometimes you just want to buy something new, and after the massive disappointment of the 'grey' dial Link Calibre S I turned to eBay for a quick fix of silver dial perfection.

Y'see, a few weeks back I caught sight of (what I'm 99% sure was) a WK1112 in the window of my local H&T and it looked jolly nice. I don't really remember the finer details, but I think it was one of the later ones with the polished '12' rather than the lumed '12', but mostly I remember the silver dial sparkling in the sunlight. In fact my first port of call was the H&T website, but the watch in question had been sold, and so I turned to eBay.

Now as we all know, Ebay buying is fraught with problems, especially if you want something newer and especially if it costs less than £1500. That price point is the threshold where eBay's authenticity service kicks in. Now whether you trust it or not is another matter, but the fact that it exists at all is enough to deter some fakers and it's funny how many £3000+ watches you can buy on eBay for under £1500.... but I wasn't anticipating spending anything like that and since older fake 2000s are pretty terrible I wasn't too worried.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 Professional by Casual Watch Reviews

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Superdiver

 

Back in 2022 TAG Heuer relaunched their hard-core dive watch in the guise of the 'Superdiver', a 45mm Aquaracer with a grade 5 titanium case, 1000M of water resistance, an integrated helium escape valve and a fancy crown mechanism. On top of all that it came complete with a Kenissi manufactured (sort of) in-house movement (the TH30-00, which is carried over into these models incidentally).

It looked pretty cool, but at 45mm it was absolutely HUGE on the wrist and also very expensive (only those short lived solid gold Aquaracers cost more IIRC) both of which negatively impacted its sales potential. First they tried giving away an orange rubber strap to stimulate interest and then it started falling in price (something practically unheard of in the Swiss watch world), but seemingly to no avail, and after a few short years in the catalogue it was sent to Bicester and deleted from the website.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Link Quartz by Birth Year Watches

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre TH20-11 & Pastel Formula 1 Solargraphs

TAG Heuer Boutique / Leicester, 4th May 2026

It's been a while since I'd visited the Leicester TAG Heuer boutique, and if I remember correctly last time it felt like a bit of a waste of time (compared to Sheffield and Milton Keynes) as it's quite small and generally doesn't seem to get the new watches very quickly. So I was quite surprised to find they had all five of the new limited edition 'pastel' Formula 1 Solargraphs and the new left-hand crown, titanium cased Monacos in stock (two out of three anyway), even if the watches I really wanted to try on (the latest versions of the Super Diver) were nowhere to be seen.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Seafarer Review by Casual Dude Review

FEATURE: My Top Ten Formula 1s by Albert AMG

Today we are joined by another 'Council of Considered Opinion' member, Albert AMG (who is currently on a high as his beloved Mercedes F1 team are crushing the WCC with Kimi Antonelli also leading the driver's championship). Albert is a moderator at the excellent THF Forum, has a splendid assemblage of TAG Heuer watches and is just one tourbillon module away from completing the entire Connected MKII collection! I'm sure he'll get there one day, but in the meantime here's Albert's TOP 10 Formula 1s...

ALBERT: Hi Rob, thanks for inviting me to take part. It was really difficult to choose just 10 models, others that I also really like didn't make the cut. Since Ayrton Senna is my all-time favourite driver, and the reason my passion for TAG Heuer started (because of his S/el), it's perhaps not surprising that the top 4 on the list are Senna Special Editions!

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph by Random Rob

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 'Pastel' Limited Editions

Some time last year I was talking to a sales rep in the Milton Keynes TAG Heuer boutique and he told me (in that way that you can pretty much tell that what he was saying is 'the official company line') that the brand just make watches in different sizes and anyone can wear them regardless of sex. That's fine, of course. But these new pastel 38mm Formula 1s are quite 'feminine' looking and historically TAG Heuer mostly made their pastel Formula 1s in the 28mm 'ladies' size... so the temptation to brand these new Formula 1s 'ladies' watches is strong.

But with a diameter of 38mm, they are rather large for a lot of ladies and, by the bye, I can't help think that the fact that they've released this collection in these colours now rather puts the kybosh on any hope that maybe TAG Heuer were planning to release a smaller version of the F1 Solargraph any time soon... because if they were, you'd think they would have kept these colourways back for that wouldn't you?

  

So it's quite difficult to look at these objectively, because I'm not sure if they are supposed to appeal to me or if I should look at them as 'ladies' pieces? I mean I've covered plenty of 'ladies' pieces before and my wife has lots of beautiful watches that I can admire while knowing that they wouldn't suit me. 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph by Birth Year Watches

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre TH20-11 Chronographs

And so Watches & Wonders 2026 came around and to literally no one's great surprise it turned out that those Monaco wall clocks that we'd seen in the F1 paddocks were indeed 'leaks in plain sight' just as expected! But how would the Heueristas react to this? A new 'Calibre 11' style (read - left hand crown) movement and reshaped case but now wearing a TAG Heuer badge. 

Sacre bleu indeed! 

Not that it bothered me of course, in fact I'd always preferred the Calibre 12 Monaco because of the TAG Heuer branding and the right hand crown (yes, really), but I always wished it had the horizontal hour markers from the Calibre 11 instead of the weird (radial) batons. So now I've got two out of three, but the crown is still on the wrong side of the case. Hey ho.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 1000 Series Quartz by Birth Year Watches

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Japanese Cherry Blossom' Limited Editions

I've always rather liked black mother of pearl dials, indeed I recall seeing a Calibre 16 Carrera with a black MOP dial at Bicester Village many years ago and being rather taken with it. But it always struck me as a dial for someone with a decent sized watch collection, because I don't think I'd want one if I only had a few watches. But each to their own of course, if you only have one watch and it's got a black MOP dial and you love it then more power to you! I do remember not that long ago a lovely black MOP dial Carrera appearing on the Watchfinder website, I must admit I was rather tempted but at the time I was saving for my Carrera 160 and I think the Carrera was 39mm not 41mm too, so I let it go.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Night Diver' by The 1916 Watch Co Reviews

 

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

  

TAG Heuer Boutique / Harrods, London 19th March 2026

The TAG Heuer 'boutique' in the Harrods department store is like no other that I've ever been in. In fact it doesn't really feel like you're in a TAG Heuer boutique at all because it lacks most of the usual stylings of other TH boutiques: the Monaco wall clock, the Steve McQueen pictures, the racing helmets and books, etc. Additionally, unlike the flashy AP, Rolex, Vacheron and Hublot boutiques found nearby it shares a small room with other brands such as Zenith, Tudor and (gasp) Bremont! And oddly, even though it was redone recently, it still feels kind of temporary somehow. Which is weird; like a store cupboard that's been turned into additional retail space or something... 

Anyway, I hadn't actually planned to go to Harrods today, but I found myself with a couple of hours to kill between appointments and decided to head there as it was near where I had lunch (The Scarsdale Tavern in Edwardes Square, not bad at all and ideally situated if you happen to be visiting the Design Museum). At first I didn't really see anything very interesting, certainly nothing like the array of treats you generally find in the 'flagship' Oxford Street store, but then I caught sight of the new 'beige' Seafarer (not for me, that one) and much more interestingly the Harrods Limited Edition Carrera that I wrote about last year.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox 41mm by Bruce Williams

 

FEATURE: My Top 10 Formula 1s by Mspeedster

Today we have a visual treat in store as we once again invite a guest to share their 'TOP 10' Formula 1s. Mspeedster is a regular over at THF Forums and the fourth person to share their picks so far and we're certainly seeing some variety! Which is great, though it might make it a bit tricky to assemble an ultimate top ten (though it's early days yet, I will worry about that nearer to Christmas). 

Don't forget, if you'd like to see the other posts in this series honouring the 40th anniversary of the Formula 1 you can do so simply by clicking on the banner at the bottom of this page.

Over to you, Mspeedster: