An overview of TAG Heuer by arch f*ckwit Archie Luxury, who thinks that TAG have no horological value whatsoever...
No value whatsoever...
Sunday, 29 January 2017
Saturday, 28 January 2017
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Autavia Heuer 02 Chronograph
CBE2110.FC8226 CBE2110.BA0867
Before I begin, apologies for the lack of posts this week, I've been working on something with a friend and it's taking a little while to come together. Hopefully we can get it done and it will be posted here soon. Anyway, without further ado...
This is a re-written review of the new Autavia since I was unhappy with it (and I wasn't the only one - apparently).
--- --- --- --- ---
Without a doubt the Heuer Autavia is one of the most hotly anticipated watches of 2017 and no doubt it will garner lavish praise from all corners for it's retro looks, 60's style and general awesomeness. But you know what, I think it's a huge disappointment.
When the Autavia was first announced I imagined a modern interpretation of the watch, along the lines of the Monza 40th Anniversary. At the time I didn't actually know that the Autavia had resurfaced about a decade ago (very briefly) and when I saw it I loved the dial (but hated the case), so when I learned that the new Autavia would come in a round case I was quite intrigued.
One of the three '2006' Autavia Models
Sadly the new Autavia dial shares little with the 2006 re-issue, which from my point of view is a shame, although I believe there are some special versions coming out later on which might be a little more alluring.
Admittedly I haven't actually seen one in the flesh, but that watch looks all kind of dull to me. The bezel just looks really wrong somehow, I don't know if it's because the numbers are too big and basic looking, or whether it's missing the Submariner style markings between the twelve and three... but whatever it is it doesn't work for me. The dial is unexciting, but not actively irritating. It's a black 3-6-9 dial with silver sub dials, fairly standard stuff... but that bezel.
Maybe the 42mm dia is too big for a watch of this style, after all if everything was a bit smaller the bezel would be thinner and the numbers smaller. Maybe it would help, maybe not, but as it is it's really rubbing me up the wrong way.
While the Autavia comes with a black aluminium (not modern ceramic as was expected) bezel, the watch does come fitted with the latest in-house Heuer 02 movement (and a glass caseback to show it off), which I'm not sure anyone really expected.
I know there's great excitement about the grains of rice bracelet on the forums, but again, it does nothing for me. The tan strap is almost as ghastly as the bezel, maybe a retro-style rubber strap would work (one of those with the big oblong holes in, I don't know what they are called)... obviously a modern rubber strap would look a bit silly, or maybe just a perforated black leather strap would look better?
Retro Rubber Strap
Okay, let's stop for a minute and take stock. This watch plainly isn't for me, but there are plenty of other retro TAGs and Heuers that aren't for me either that I can still appreciate for their aesthetics. For example the CV5111.FC6335 below.
Even though its not aimed at me and even though I'm never going to buy one, I can still look at this and appreciate it's class and beautiful dial.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the Autavia doesn't seem to bring anything exciting to the table. It's not a cheap watch and yet it doesn't look like a luxury item. Price is expected to be £4000 or thereabouts... which I guess is fair considering the movement inside the watch. Even so, at that price I'd take the Monza 40th Anniversary without a second's hesitation. And that for me is the rub, the Monza is such a cool watch that this has completely failed to match up to it and yet it costs the same money.
There may be a buzz about the Autavia but is this (launch) model going to set pulses racing enough to tempt people to part with their money? I'm not so sure it will.
That said, having just had a quick scan of eBay, original Heuer Autavias demand almost as much, so maybe if you don't want the hassle of a period watch and all the potential pitfalls and problems that it can bring (especially if you don't know what you're getting into) then maybe this will prove a hit after all?
Even so, I still think they could do with a more exciting 'Special Edition' asap.
READ MORE ABOUT THE HEUER AUTAVIA HERE ON CALIBRE 11
http://www.calibre11.com/first-look-2017-tag-heuer-autavia-heuer-02-chronograph/
Friday, 27 January 2017
SPOTLIGHT ON: 6000 Series Gold Automatic
WH5144.FC6065
You would be forgiven for thinking that this is a woman's watch (indeed I went to the trouble of going back and checking because I couldn't quite believe it either) but this is in fact a full size man's watch. Not even a mid-size unisex watch,,, not only that but this watch was being sold just 20 years ago!
I'm not a fan of the 6000 series watches anyway, to me it's a Kiriumish bezel with a very pretentious and rather unnecessarily ostentatious case, and in gold it looks even more OTT. But add in the 'purple/violet' strap (it's not blue, though it may appear at first to be so, it is listed in the catalogue as purple/violet') and matching face and this has got 'as worn by the Prince Regent in Blackadder III' written all over it.
It's night and day in terms of class. What I find hard to believe is that people were actually buying watches like that in the late 90s. I mean, we all know the 80s was a decade of crass decadence and if that watch came from the late 80s it would make a whole lot more sense. Perhaps it's no coincidence that the takeover of TAG by LVMH came in 1999?
Case diameter looks to be somewhere in the high 30mm range, possibly even 40mm, but I can't get a definitive reading on that. An eBay search turned up surprisingly few gold 6000 series, with prices ranging from £600 to a diamond encrusted bezel version approaching £4000. Can't help thinking that no amount of diamonds are going to persuade anybody to shell out £4000 for that when for that money they could get a very nice new TAG Heuer!
Sunday, 22 January 2017
FEATURE: My Next Purchase
As the months pass and my savings grow, I'm getting ever nearer to being in the position to buy my next TAG Heuer, but I'm still very undecided about what to get next. As those of you who have read my Personal Top Ten Tag Heuers post will know, I really love the Monaco 24s, but they are about £6-7000 in the outlets (if you can find one) and about the same price pre-owned, and that's a lot of money for me to spend on a watch. Obviously the list prices would put them completely out of the question (£9000+)... again, if you could even find one in an AD. In a way that would make my decision easier!
It's a toss up between the CAL5113 and the CAL5110 for me, the other two are probably too far behind to even contemplate justifying their price tag, I've seen and tried on all four of these watches in the TAG outlets at Bicester and Cheshire Oaks over the last few years, but common sense dictates they aren't going to keep turning up forever.
The CAL5113 seems the more available, there was one in store at Bicester Village last time I was there, but I'm not sure if there was a mark on the glass or not. If I was buying it I would want that sorting out straight away, I can imagine a new glass would probably be £150 or more...
The Monaco (standard or 24) is the obvious missing piece from my collection, but I still want one that I really love. I'm not just going to spend £3-7000 on a watch because I need it to make my collection complete. I've gotten over my music completism and I'm not about to start down the same route with watches. I really can't afford to anyway.
So, my options are one of those two Monaco 24s, a normal Monaco, a more 'classic' Carrera or Grand Carrera, or some cheaper possibilities like an Aquaracer or another Formula One. But I would like at least one more 'luxury' piece before I start buying everyday watches, and I've got a chunk of money in the bank that makes a good starting point for a higher end piece but would be pretty much wiped out if I bought something like an automatic Aquaracer right now.
And then of course there's always the worry that as soon as I buy something, TAG will announce something awesome. But then that's always a risk, so I guess all I can do is wait until Baselworld is done and dusted and see how the land lies. After all the really big change was the new style Carrera and I imagine we're going to see a lot of variations on that theme (and unless something is really incredible I don't really want another similar item when I'm on a limited budget).
So as you can imagine I've been looking at the Monacos a lot recently and to be completely honest there's not too many that are my kind of thing. The classic blue dial 'Steve McQueen' type of Monaco is a nice looking watch but it's just not my style. What I really want then is something like the Singapore Grand Prix limited edition or the Gulf limited edition, both of which are going to cost more than I'm probably willing to pay.
I guess the problem is that I want a cool looking Monaco, but if I'm not buying a 24 then I don't want to pay anywhere near what one costs, because say I could get the CW211A for £4000, well to me that's not a good compromise, I might as well save the other £2000 and get what I really want (whereas if it was say £2800, then that's a good compromise I think), the trouble is that comes back to spending £6000 on a watch, which is pretty crazy for me (my last car cost £4300!)
So then I think maybe a Grand Carrera, but again the ones I really like are £5000+ even in the outlets, so again I might as well get a Monaco 24 for not that much more. So as you can see I'm pretty much going around in circles here.
These two are also possible purchases, indeed I could pretty much pick these up now, but I haven't actually seen either of them, and I think I would regret blowing my fund on two everyday watches when I could have built on it for a greater goal.
The other thing I had my eye on which is only slightly more than where my fund currently stands is a Carrera Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition. I've seen this in Cheshire Oaks a few months ago for less than £3000, and I was tempted at the time, but didn't pull the trigger. I think if it's still there next time I go I will probably buy, that strap really has got my name all over it! But then again...
CAL5113.FC6329 CAL5111.FC6299 CAL5112.FC6298 CAL5110.FC6265
It's a toss up between the CAL5113 and the CAL5110 for me, the other two are probably too far behind to even contemplate justifying their price tag, I've seen and tried on all four of these watches in the TAG outlets at Bicester and Cheshire Oaks over the last few years, but common sense dictates they aren't going to keep turning up forever.
The CAL5113 seems the more available, there was one in store at Bicester Village last time I was there, but I'm not sure if there was a mark on the glass or not. If I was buying it I would want that sorting out straight away, I can imagine a new glass would probably be £150 or more...
The Monaco (standard or 24) is the obvious missing piece from my collection, but I still want one that I really love. I'm not just going to spend £3-7000 on a watch because I need it to make my collection complete. I've gotten over my music completism and I'm not about to start down the same route with watches. I really can't afford to anyway.
So, my options are one of those two Monaco 24s, a normal Monaco, a more 'classic' Carrera or Grand Carrera, or some cheaper possibilities like an Aquaracer or another Formula One. But I would like at least one more 'luxury' piece before I start buying everyday watches, and I've got a chunk of money in the bank that makes a good starting point for a higher end piece but would be pretty much wiped out if I bought something like an automatic Aquaracer right now.
And then of course there's always the worry that as soon as I buy something, TAG will announce something awesome. But then that's always a risk, so I guess all I can do is wait until Baselworld is done and dusted and see how the land lies. After all the really big change was the new style Carrera and I imagine we're going to see a lot of variations on that theme (and unless something is really incredible I don't really want another similar item when I'm on a limited budget).
So as you can imagine I've been looking at the Monacos a lot recently and to be completely honest there's not too many that are my kind of thing. The classic blue dial 'Steve McQueen' type of Monaco is a nice looking watch but it's just not my style. What I really want then is something like the Singapore Grand Prix limited edition or the Gulf limited edition, both of which are going to cost more than I'm probably willing to pay.
CAW2117.FC6271 CW211A.FC6228
I guess the problem is that I want a cool looking Monaco, but if I'm not buying a 24 then I don't want to pay anywhere near what one costs, because say I could get the CW211A for £4000, well to me that's not a good compromise, I might as well save the other £2000 and get what I really want (whereas if it was say £2800, then that's a good compromise I think), the trouble is that comes back to spending £6000 on a watch, which is pretty crazy for me (my last car cost £4300!)
So then I think maybe a Grand Carrera, but again the ones I really like are £5000+ even in the outlets, so again I might as well get a Monaco 24 for not that much more. So as you can see I'm pretty much going around in circles here.
CAF7013.FT8011 CAH7011.BA0860
These two are also possible purchases, indeed I could pretty much pick these up now, but I haven't actually seen either of them, and I think I would regret blowing my fund on two everyday watches when I could have built on it for a greater goal.
CV2A1F.FT6033
The other thing I had my eye on which is only slightly more than where my fund currently stands is a Carrera Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition. I've seen this in Cheshire Oaks a few months ago for less than £3000, and I was tempted at the time, but didn't pull the trigger. I think if it's still there next time I go I will probably buy, that strap really has got my name all over it! But then again...
Friday, 20 January 2017
FEATURE: TAG Heuer and the Affordable Tourbillon
It's a year since TAG Heuer launched their 'low-priced' tourbillon range and now there are several versions of the Carrera Heuer 02T available including a phantom and also a couple of rose gold pieces. Prices range from about £12,000 for the titanium model to about £18,000 for the rose gold/gold bezel version, which is a lot of money for a TAG Heuer, but not for a tourbillon. Considering that the cheapest model available before the Carrera Heuer 02T was a Raymond Weil costing nearly £30,000... you can see that TAG have really shocked the market and stolen huge market share in the process.
Indeed, TAG Heuer are now intending to increase production from 700 in 2016 up to 2000 in 2017, which is a statement of intent if nothing else. But this poses a couple of questions, a) what are they going to do with them all, and b) why have TAG done this in the first place?
Let's take the second question first...
Jean Claude Biver shocked the watch world when he announced that TAG would make a (relatively) affordable tourbillon, drawing outrage from some manufacturers who were appalled that their golden egg was being 'prostituted' by a high street brand. Of course no one is trying to suggest that a machine made TAG Heuer tourbillon is of the same quality as a hand crafted Patek Philippe, but if nothing else it has proven that there is a market for tourbillons among people who either don't want to or can't afford to pay the prices charged by the more rarefied manufactures.
But it is interesting that JCB chose to go this route only briefly after cancelling a lot of TAG Heuer's 'haute horlogerie' pieces, claiming that TAG Heuer should operate in the £1-5000 price bracket. Indeed, he gave the impression of a tiered system throughout the LVMH with TAG operating in the lower bands, Zenith taking the £9000+ price range and Hublot taking the higher end price bands.
So why not give the affordable tourbillon to Zenith, after all the TAG Heuer tourbillon is selling right in their price bracket?
I can see two reasons for this, firstly Zenith is not a well known brand. Sure people know the El Primero movement (as used in the TAG Heuer Monaco 24) but Zenith is not a brand at the forefront of most peoples mind. True the affordable tourbillon could have been used as a springboard to relaunch Zenith to the high street, but it was a gamble that could have backfired (and besides, Zenith already had a tourbillon in their range).
Secondly, as with any industrial process there must be an economy of scale at work and it's safe to assume that a TAG Heuer tourbillon would sell more pieces than a Zenith, simply because it's much more likely to get into the stores in the first place. Think how many shops stock TAG Heuer watches and think how many stock Zenith... so it's safe to assume that if the numbers had to be scaled back to what they thought Zenith could shift it would probably put the price up. Also you have to take into account that the 'affordable' tourbillon would still have to fit into Zenith's pricing structure, for instance it would be ridiculous to price a Zenith tourbillon less than £20,000 and besides, that wouldn't have had nearly the market impact of a £12,000 TAG Heuer tourbillon.
TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon
As to why, well I guess JCB saw the affordable tourbillon as a better option than TAG making high end pieces (like the Monaco V4 and V4T) that would sell in very small quantities and really do very little to promote TAG's abilities except among serious watch fanatics. The beauty of the affordable tourbillon is that not only does it stick two fingers up at all those who question TAG Heuer's horological capabilities (and given their achievement over the years we really should be beyond this nonsense by now, but old habits die hard I suppose!) but it also produces a product that can actually be seen, touched and sold in significant numbers out in the marketplace. I mean have you ever actually seen a Monaco V4 or a Mikrograph?
So what will TAG Heuer do with all these additional tourbillons they are intending to certify? Well I suppose it's safe to assume TAG intend to ramp up production of their current range and perhaps add a few more variations on the familiar theme, but wouldn't it be nice to see some new ranges being announced?
I'm not sure of the technical challenges it would pose, but I would love to see TAG launch a tourbillon Monaco 24, like the one I've mocked up below.
Doesn't that look fantastic? It would certainly tick two of my boxes in one hit: Monaco and a Tourbillon, all in one watch. Also I can imagine they might eventually incorporate a tourbillon into a traditional Carrera watch, assuming they can make it fit with the sizing.
Well I guess we shall have to wait and see, for the moment I guess I'll just have to dream of a tourbillon Monaco and hope Mr Biver is on the same page...
READ MORE ABOUT THE HEUER O2T ON CALIBRE 11
http://www.calibre11.com/in-depth-review-tag-heuer-carrera-heuer-02t-tourbillon/
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Manchester United Special Editions
A couple of photos have appeared from Geneva showing Manchester United special editions, firstly we have a Carrera Heuer 01, which if I'm being entirely honest, would be okay if it wasn't for the devil on the 9 O'Clock sub dial....I mean the red hands and markers would be enough surely? I guess tasteful doesn't cut it. Still, the strap looks great. I would certainly consider getting that strap for my own Heuer 01. The strap is also available in red, which is not so good...
Then we have a new Formula One, which is.... well, not exactly gorgeous.
Maybe it looks better in the flesh? It would need to... then again it has a cool strap. I do wonder if we should be seeing these yet. These two and the Red Bull Carrera Drive Timer have all 'leaked' but with no official announcement from TAG Heuer themselves.
Ariel Adams (of A Blog to Watch) said he had seen lots of TAGs which he's not allowed to talk about yet, so I wonder if someone is going to be getting their privileges cut off sometime soon?
THE RUBBER STRAP PROJECT: #3 (WAY208B.FT6068)
WAY208B + FT6068
Leaving aside the cyclops, the thing I don't like about this watch is the blue nylon strap. This look so much better, although unfortunately this strap has a yellow back which is visible from the side, which would rather spoil the look. Still it looks great head-on.
Thursday, 19 January 2017
SPOTLIGHT ON: 6000 Series McLaren F1 Quartz
WH5214.FC6031
In the early 90's McLaren launched the ultimate supercar, the revolutionary 'F1'. Built without engineering or financial compromise, the finished car was the fastest road car available (top speed somewhere between 230-245mph depending on who you believe!) and cost upwards of £500,000. The car was produced in very small numbers, in total there were 106 of which only 64 were road cars (the others being prototypes and racing versions).
At the time, TAG Heuer were a sponsor of McLaren Formula One and the boss of McLaren (Ron Dennis) was also a shareholder in TAG Heuer, so it made sense for TAG to manufacture a special 'personalized' watch, given to the owners of the supercar (along with a set of specially made golfclubs).
However, the watch at the top of this page is not this watch. For some reason, possibly lack of demand for the brilliant but hugely expensive McLaren F1, TAG made and issued (but seemingly did not sell) some 'non-personalized' pieces of the same watch. In the picture below you can see the 'owners' watch which has printed on the dial the chassis number of the car to which it belongs, obviously this is missing on the non-owner watches. Actually, not only that but the 'McLaren Cars' text is replaced by 'Chronometer - Officially Certified'.
Additionally, if this photo below is correct there is no mention of McLaren on the back plate of the watch either, meaning the only reference left to the McLaren F1 is the 'F1 V12' text on the bottom edge of the front of the case.
Seemingly none of the car owners have decided to sell their personalized watches, possibly because if you have a car that is now worth several million pounds, then selling a watch for a couple of thousand pounds doesn't really interest you, especially as I suppose it might fetch less than it might devalue the car not having it...?
A few non-owner watches have been sold, I've found one that sold on eBay for £1176 in 2011, which doesn't seem that much really considering it was unworn and is one of the rarest TAG Heuers out there. Perhaps the somewhat dated styling and not terribly attractive strap worked against it? Personally I'm not that taken with this watch, or the 6000 series in general, that case is very ostentatious and just seems at odds with what a TAG Heuer ought really to be.
THE RUBBER STRAP PROJECT: #1 (CR2080.FT6042)
CR2080 + FT6042
The Rubber Strap Project is an ongoing series where I will manipulate pictures of existing watches so that you can see how they look with rubber straps from other TAG models. These watches are not for sale, but potentially they could be put together if you buy the watch and the strap separately.
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
SPOTLIGHT ON: Monaco 69 Quartz / Mechanical Watch
CW9110.FC6177
One of the things I really like about TAG Heuer is their willingness to try some crazy ideas, and it doesn't get much nuttier than this. Can't decide between a good old Monaco and the Microtimer... why not have both?
Yes, it was the watch that literally no one was crying out for, but they made it anyway. I mean good on them and everything, but this wasn't ever really going to fly was it? Not sure how many they made, probably not too many I would imagine...
One thing that does confuse is how the watch turns over but the crown still ends up on the right hand side. Well it turns out it doesn't as you can see below, someone obviously made a boo-boo when they were doing the artwork.
A bit of Googling has pulled up pics of the watch on a rubber strap, but I'm not sure if that was ever available or if someone just put it on one. Especially odd is that the strap has TAG Heuer marked on it but the buckle only says 'Heuer', that seems very suspect to me!
There was also a limited edition version called the CW9111 which is a model for the Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan.
CW9111.FC6177
There's a Monaco 69 on eBay at the moment which is listed as 'new' with light scratches, and they are asking $5865 (£4735) for it. I guess it's a bit of a marmite piece and if someone really loves it then they would probably pay it. After all, it's not that much more than a standard Monaco you can get in any AD tomorrow.
I kinda like the craziness of it, and I'm glad it exists, but for me I don't think I would buy one.
READ MORE ABOUT THE MONACO 69 ON A BLOG TO WATCH
http://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag-heuer-monaco-automatic-sixty-nine-watch-available-on-james-list/
SPOTLIGHT ON: The 2017 Aquaracer Line Up
WAY101B.BA0746 WAY101A.BA0746 WAY101C.BA0746
Following on from my post about the WAY101B the other day, pictures have now emerged of the other two pieces in the new Aquaracer range. I thought from what was said previously that the blue bezel watch would have a black dial, but sadly it seems that is not the case as the picture above shows it has a blue dial. That seems a bit of a shame, especially as the limited edition blue/black Formula One looks rather smart.
One positive thing about the new Aquaracers is that they definitely do not have cyclops, though I can imagine this is probably to keep the costs down it's still a great thing as far as I'm concerned.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NEW AQUARACERS ON A BLOG TO WATCH
http://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag-heuer-aquaracer-300m-quartz-watch-in-43mm-case/
Tuesday, 17 January 2017
FEATURE: TAG Heuer Straps
Watch companies spend a lot of time and money refining their designs and getting the look just right, but one element of watch design that is perhaps slightly overlooked is that of getting the right strap. True some straps are interchangeable, but some are not and say you like a watch but don't like the strap, it might be worth checking your options before you put down your hard earned cash. The casual observer might think that watch companies just design their watches and then stick them on whatever strap they have lying around, but that is clearly wide of the mark.
WAY211A.FT6068
Some straps are specifically designed to suit certain models and may be unsuitable for use with other watches. The Aquaracer above is a perfect example, as the rubber strap is specially designed to leave no gaps around the spring bars. Sure you probably can fit any old black rubber strap, but it will never look this good. The choice of strap for your watch can have a huge difference on the overall look as well, compare the image below with the earlier photo of the WAY211A Aquaracer.
WAY211A.BA0928
The bracelet gives the watch a completely different feel. Aside from making it more dressy, the bracelet seems to subdue the yellow highlights on the dial, whereas the yellow edging on the rubber strap compliments and brings out the colour detail on the dial.
The right strap can transform a watch. I really like the Monza 40th Anniversary watch, but I loathe the strap it comes on. I know it's a 'retro' piece (although with it's black coating and red and white markings it looks thoroughly modern to me) but that 'racing' strap with the holes in is just hideous, I'd much prefer to buy it on a rubber tyre-tread strap (or even a plain rubber).
CR2080.FC6375 CR2080.FT6042*
Unfortunately the CR2080.FT6042 isn't available (at least not yet...maybe if Mr Biver reads my blog?) but it just shows how important the right strap is for a watch and how much it can change the overall aesthetic.
Currently the TAG Heuer range generally includes four types of straps: Steel, leather/aligator, rubber and nylon. The last is the newest addition to the range and I have to say I am not a fan. I've tried a watch on with the new straps and not only do they look a bit odd but they look kind of cheap as well, which is not what I want when I'm spending thousands of pounds on a watch.
Here's a few examples...
WAY208C.FC6383 WAY208A.FC6381 WAY208B.FC6382
Wow, so much wrongness in this picture it's hard to know where to start. Actually, having said that, the WAY208C is another perfect example of a watch which looks much better on a different strap, and the blue one is so wrong, that part of me actually likes it. I mean that nylon strap has to go, but the crazy blue markings bring to mind those Christmas lights that everyone has these days which make your eyes go funny if you look at them for more then three seconds. Honestly, if that watch wasn't so expensive I think I'd buy one, but for £2100 it's just too much for such a crazy looking piece.
See, doesn't that look sooo much better? I mean I personally don't like the holes in that black rubber strap, but the potential is obvious. Suddenly the actual watch looks killer and the beige markings look great. It's a similar story here too, where I've manipulated the image of this brand new Carrera model to show you what it looks like with the original distressed leather strap and again the tyre-tread rubber strap from the Senna Carrera.
CV2A84.FC6394 CV2A84.FT6042*
I really like that, and I think I would seriously consider buying that if TAG were to make it, and failing that, since they are both Carreras, it's a safe bet to assume that the FT6042 strap would fit if you were to purchase it separately.
Which brings us to a slightly perilous area of TAG Heuer ownership, replacement straps. I've now bought two official TAG rubber straps from ADs, first the BT0702 for the 2000 Series WK1110, and secondly the BT0704 strap for my WAH1110-0. The BT0704 was a very reasonable £45, but the BT0702 was a somewhat eye watering £140... I still can't for the life of me figure out the justification for the difference in price. Both are essentially rubber straps with a steel buckle, if anything the cheaper strap has more detailing and looks better quality.
What you mustn't do, under any circumstances is buy your TAG strap from eBay (or even other internet sites) without checking the prices first with your AD. When I was looking to get the BT0702 I Googled it and found prices anywhere from £200 - £350, which was probably why when my AD told me it was £140 I thought it was actually quite reasonable!
Similarly, when I was after the BT0704 I found it from about £85 - £150. So it's clear that there's a lot of scoundrels out there looking to fleece the unwary buyer. And of course, buying from eBay can you be 100% sure that what you're buying is the real deal? Faking watches is one thing, faking straps must be a lot easier, and the potential earnings must be huge. Not to mention if you buy a rubber strap from eBay it could contain all sorts of noxious ingredients.
Though it was undoubtedly expensive, the BT0704 transformed the look of my WK1110 and was well worth the money, but my next potential strap purpose is not about aesthetics, but comfort and practicality.
CN211A.BA0353 CN211A.FT8001
I do love my Aquagraph, but if there's one thing about it that annoys me it's the lack of adjustment on the bracelet. Simply put, there isn't any at all. All you can do is remove links (there is a half link), which is not very practical and makes life difficult in the summer or if your weight fluctuates a lot. So I'm seriously thinking about purchasing a rubber strap for it, I haven't tried my AD yet, but a quick Google suggests a price of £220, which is fairly horrendous and hopefully inflated!
BT0701 Strap for the TAG Heuer Aquagraph
Seeing as the Aquagraph is a proper hardcore diving watch with a 500M rating and rubber covered chrono pushers, the rubber strap comes with a diving extension which is a bit of a waste because it will never be used and adds to the cost...but I suppose if that's how it comes then that's how it comes. I really need to get a proper price on this and see how it stacks up.
I've had mixed experiences of steel bracelets, on the one hand my F1 Kirium bracelet is absolutely top notch, so comfortable and so well made I can't imagine ever switching that to a rubber strap even though one is available (to be honest I don't think it looks anything like as good anyway, although that orange leather strap is beyond distressing!).
CL111A.BA0700 CL111A.FT6002 WL5210.FC6119
On the other hand, the bracelet/clasp on the older models I've owned annoyed the hell out of me, hence why I replaced with rubber. The older clasps in particular aren't terribly well designed and tend to have edges which while not exactly 'sharp' are pronounced enough to annoy your wrist. Mind you this problem can also apply to rubber straps, I had to replace the rubber on my Formula One because the clasp dug into my wrist so much that I couldn't wear it at all in the end (see here for the full story).
Which leaves leather/aligator, which I don't have much experience of to be honest, apart from the odd occasions when I've tried on Carreras and Monacos. I'm not a fan of leather straps, albeit I concede that the Monaco doesn't really look right on anything else, but I'm hard pushed to decide which of these looks the worst...
CW2111.FC6172 CAW2114.FT6021 WW2110.FT6005
In contrast this Monaco looks great with it's leather strap with colour highlight stitching...
CAW2117.FC6271
In any case, if I'm to add a Monaco to my collection (as is seeming increasingly likely) then I'm going to have to get used to a leather strap of some description.
BUYING EXPERIENCE - TAG Heuer BT0702 Strap
http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/%23BT0702%20%28Strap%29BUYING EXPERIENCE - TAG Heuer BT0704 Strap
http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/%23BT0714%20%28Strap%29
Monday, 16 January 2017
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Carrera Drive Timer (Red Bull Edition)
Hot off the presses from SIHH in Geneva, this is (apparently) a new Carrera 'Drive Timer' Red Bull, and I rather like it! I'm not entirely sure about the blue strap, but assuming it's going to be available in a black strap, this looks pretty neat. I really like the addition of the 'minute' markers in white, it gives the watch a really different aesthetic to the original skeleton, and the red highlights look great too.
I'd have to see it in the flesh to check that blue bezel, but here it looks great, the only problem for me is that I just can't justify buying another Heuer 01 Carrera even if it does look quite different. One thing though, for me this looks a lot better than those 43mm solid dial Heuer 01 Carreras that TAG released last year, definitely (another) step in the right direction.
Ah well, it's early days, who knows what other variations there might be by the time it gets into the stores...
Sunday, 15 January 2017
SPOTLIGHT ON: 2000 Professional Quartz Watch
972.606
As we've just had a look at a couple of watches that are bang up to date, I thought I'd do a post about something that dates back right to the beginning of TAG Heuer. Indeed this watch is featured in the 1987 catalogue and is one of the better looking watches of the time.
Like everything (with the possible exception of the 'Retro' Chronograph range, as it doesn't state either way) in the 1987 catalogue, this is a quartz movement watch and a very handsome chap it is too. I really do like the combination of that rather refined blue bezel, the gold markings and the black dial. It has a slightly regal look about it, though I understand that over the years these bezels do fade, which is rather a shame. Retro fans rather like it because it gives it 'patina' and all but guarantess authenticity, but to me the draw is the blue and if it's faded to almost a silver colour, well, there's countless silver watches on the market I could buy.
Size is hard to pin down. I can't find a definitive answer, but I've seen it lasted as both 42mm and 40mm including the crown, which would make it something like 37/38mm I'm guessing. A little on the small size for me unfortunately. A shame, as I like a few of the watches from this era, especially some of the 1500 series and these come from an age when watches were built smaller.
From what I've seen you can expect to pay somewhere between £250-350 on the second hand market.
There you go, I managed to get through a whole post without mentioning a rubber strap!
You can view many of the TAG Heuer catalogues on Calibre 11