SPOTLIGHT ON: Carrera Calibre S Abu Dhabi Limited Edition

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Helpfully dated on the bezel, this watch was issued in 2010 to celebrate the Grand Prix during which Sebastian Vettel won his first F1 World Championship. Limited to just 200 pieces (which I imagine didn't take very long to shift) this particular watch carries the hybrid electro Calibre-S movement paired with a red stitched alligator strap.

I must say this is one of the best special editions I've seen, I'm not even going to suggest putting it on a tyre-tread rubber strap because I think it looks just fine as it is. I'm slightly inclined to suggest a black case, although the steel lugs look quite cool anyway. 

I found one on eBay (which finished just over a year ago - Jan 2016) which was listed at just under £3000, but it's unclear whether or not the watch was sold or not. I think that's a reasonable price, although having said that you can pick up a later 'Monaco Grand Prix' Carrera for a bit less. I guess it depends on how you feel about the Calibre S versus the Calibre 16 and whether or not you have an affinity to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Which I doubt many people outside the Middle-East do really.

I certainly think this one looks a bit nicer and a bit more exciting, although having not seen one other than in pictures I guess I'd have to reserve judgement on that a little bit. I do think the white text on the upper part of the dial looks great though, with the TAG logo slap bang in the middle of the 'Carrera' and the 'Calibre S'. Very smart indeed. And the red and black detailing on the crown and pusher finishes this off rather nicely.

VIDEO: Monaco Sixty Nine Review by Watchuwant

FEATURE: My Next Purchase... A Big Decision to be Made

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Since I bought my Microtimer a couple of weeks ago I’ve barely given the Monaco 24 a moment’s thought. Which is probably just as well, since even at £6000+ (TAG outlet NOS price) it was always a bit of a stretch and now that my TAG fund has been depleted by about £800 by the Microtimer (purchase and polishing costs) it’s even further away than it was before.

But that doesn’t mean that I’m not hankering after a sixth piece for my collection… and I think I know what it’s going to be.

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I’ve never really clicked with any of the normal Monacos, the 24 range aside they all seem a bit too retro for me. I like them to look at, but on the wrist they just don’t seem to suit me that well. I guess I’m not used to wearing a square watch and they seem kind of awkward somehow. Strangely the Microtimer doesn’t have the same issues, I don’t know if it’s because the strap is so much wider or because the front of the case is curved or because it’s so obviously ‘modernist’ in its design, but whatever it is I love it way more than any non 24 Monaco I’ve tried on.

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The Monza 40^th Anniversary was in the frame at one point, but recent acquaintance has dampened that particular ardour… in pictures it looks great, but in the flesh the white markings seem to disappear and all I can seem to see is a lot of beige lume and some red. Again, it’s a bit too retro for me and I absolutely loathe that leather strap.

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I’ve also tried on the Senna Carrera, which was quite nice, but at £4000 with no display back it just feels a bit overpriced, especially for a Calibre 16 movement which is available in lots of more affordable watches. I really didn’t take to the red markings on the uppermost sub dial either… the strap was nice though, a lovely tyre-tread rubber band which looked great and felt very comfortable.

Speaking of which, another possibility was the Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition Carrera (again with the tyre tread rubber strap). I found a couple of different versions of these in the TAG outlet at Cheshire Oaks and contemplated purchase, but wasn’t quite convinced enough. I have to say, in the last few months I’ve rather gone of the classic-style Carreras in general, I don’t know why really, but when I finally got to see the Carrera with the perforated rubber strap I’d been looking for for ages I was deeply underwhelmed and recently the whole range is looking a bit too retro for my liking as well.

So if we’re talking upmarket TAGs there’s not too much left to go at, and I would like to get one more ‘upmarket’ piece into my collection while I have the cash available. I haven’t really seen any automatic Aquaracers that I’ve really fallen in love with and I’m still unconvinced by the Calibre 16 Formula One range (though a part of me would still like to see an example of the CAU2012.FT6038, if only to fully discount it).

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I’m sure regular readers will probably see where this is heading, after all it’s only a week or so since I wrote about my recent trip to a local jewellers to get my Microtimer polished and about the Grand Carrera CAV511A.BA0902 I tried on while I was there.

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Truth be told I wasn’t all that interested in it initially, I only really tried it on because it was there and it would give me something to write about on the blog. But on the wrist it looked so much better than in the window and it made me immediately re-evaluate my feelings about the steel Grand Carrera range. This in turn has made me look again at the black PVD Grand Carreras as well, and I think it’s safe to say that as it stands I am very much looking to get some kind of Grand Carrera into my collection as soon as the right one presents itself.

So which one is the right one? I guess that is the $64,000 question isn’t it…

Well, let’s talk about budget, because that is a limiting factor here. My current TAG fund stands at around £1800, and I think I would have to set the absolute upper limit at £4000 (preferably more like £3000 though if possible). So that counts out some of the more expensive models, like the rose gold and PVD model below. It’s very cool (and I say that as someone not usually given to admiring gold watches) but there’s no way I’m going to pick up a £7000+ watch in the condition I would require for £4000 or less, at least I very much doubt it.

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Similarly the Calibre 36 Caliper models are pretty much out of the question too. I think I’ve seen them in the outlets for about £5000-5500, but while I like the colour schemes I’m not overly taken with the large metal sections on the face. True, all Grand Carreras have decorated metal elements on the faces but I find the Caliper versions the least appealing. Also while technically clever, the caliper system is hilariously impractical and I can’t imagine anyone ever really using it. Not that that in itself is a deal-breaker, but it’s not exactly adding much weight to justifying the high price of these pieces.

I’m not really taken with the non-chronograph versions of the Grand Carrera either to be honest. I really like the symmetry of the chrono with its 3 and 9 position sub-dials, somehow when you take that away the dial looks a little bottom heavy. Speaking of which, it’s a curious thing, but the sub-dials on the three hand and chrono versions of the Grand Carrera both seem to create optical illusions that change the dial shape. On the chrono version the curve of the subdials contrive to make the dial appear oval (portrait style) while on the three hander the same effect is evident but in the opposite axis (landscape).

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You may not agree, but I know it’s not just me because a friend of mine said exactly the same thing when we were browsing pictures of various Grand Carrera models.

So we’ve narrowed it down to a non caliper chronograph then, in either PVD or stainless steel. I mean I really like the PVD versions, but again cost is a factor and the steel ones are available in large numbers at reasonable prices.

Realistically, since I’m not an expert, I’m less than completely inclined to spend several thousand pounds on a Grand Carrera on eBay. It seems the Grand Carreras are one of the most faked TAG Heuer models and I really don’t want to end up with something worthless for my trouble. However, I did scour eBay for GC’s the other day and one which definitely caught my eye was this Limited Edition Calibre 17RS.

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 Only 150 pieces were made with the blue second hand and matching strap, and if I could find one in excellent condition then my search could well be over. Unfortunately the ones I’ve seen for sale have been more than a little rough around the edges. I did find one on Watchfinder which looked pretty good, but sadly the strap has been replaced with a red stitched version and it ruins the unique look of the watch. It’s a shame, because at £3150 I would have been very interested…

Watchfinder's CAV518H with replacement strap

Despite this minor disappointment, most likely my Grand Carrera will either come from Watchfinder (or a similar jeweller) or from one of the TAG outlets I frequent. On my last visit to Bicester I noticed quite a few Grand Carreras, but I didn’t pay them enough attention, save that I recall seeing this PVD/Orange model and think it was within my price range. If it is, then the hunt could well be over because this is a seriously cool looking watch. I guess I need to get back there sooner rather than later and see how the land lies!

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Failing that I am definitely open to the idea of an all steel Grand Carrera. The one I tried on in my local jeweller was on offer for £2700 and was in pretty good all round condition. The all steel ones do look pretty cool, but I can’t help thinking for a bit more money I’d probably rather have a PVD one with some colourful highlights… and the more I look at the CAV518K, the more I'm convinced it will be the one for me*.

EDIT: *That said, I just looked back and I did indeed try this watch on a few weeks ago and though I really liked it, I did note that the strap was slightly worn. I'm a little bothered that these GC straps may be a bit delicate and think I will have to find out about the availability of replacements before making a decision.

VIDEO: Grand Carrera Calibre 36 Caliper Review by Watchuwant

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 43mm Carrera Heuer 01 Skeleton

Today TAG have announced three new skeleton watches, this time in a smaller '43mm' case dia, and with the choice of either black, blue or brown dials. The black model is available with either a bracelet or a rubber strap, but I'm not sure if the other two have any strap options, in the picture above they are shown on colour co-ordinated aligator straps.

As an owner of the original 45mm skeleton I admit I was slightly non-plussed for a second... but, on closer inspection I have to say I think I'm happy with my choice. Yes, perhaps a slightly smaller case would be a good thing, but I've noticed that the 43mm doesn't have the full black case and it also doesn't have the red ring around the case which is one of the coolest design elements of the original and I'm sure side by side I would still have chosen the 45mm.

Interestingly, I wonder are they going to continue making both models...? If the 43mm sells in significantly greater numbers, which I think it will if only because I think stores will be more inclined to stock the newer, smaller and cheaper model, then what does that mean for the original? The 45mm isn't even a year old yet, could TAG Heuer's first 'in house' movement watch be headed for the retirement home already? After all, 45 and 43mm aren't hugely different, so it seems an odd choice to have both in the range indefinitely... 

Not entirely sure what I think of the brown and blue models to be honest. The brown looks less 'different' and seems to match well to the brown strap. But brown watches are probably not everybody's thing...

The blue is definitely much more of a new look and I think would probably look quite attractive on a steel bracelet. I'm sure a steel bracelet will be along fairly soon as it seems a bit of a no-brainer*, but I hope they don't slap the blue rubber strap on this - unless they match the blue very carefully (which TAG don't seem very good at). I doubt if the brown version would be as versatile and will probably sell in limited numbers compared to the other models.

One other thing to note (and thanks to David at Calibre 11 for pointing this out to me) is that the new 43mm version is steel rather than titanium, which means it will be heavier than the 45mm.

*Turns out I was right, these three watches are all available with the steel bracelet!

READ MORE ABOUT THE NEW 43MM CARRERAS ON CALIBRE11

https://www.calibre11.com/first-look-2017-carrera-heuer-01-43mm-skeleton/

READ MORE ABOUT THE NEW 43MM CARRERAS ON ABLOGTOWATCH

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag-heuer-carrera-heuer-01-43mm-watches-2017/

FEATURE: The Microtimer is Back from the Polisher

Beautiful isn't it? Except mine wasn't quite this beautiful...

I bought my Microtimer last week for £680, which was a considerable saving on the one Watch Finder are selling at the moment... and by considerable, I mean over £500 cheaper. But the Watch Finder one was probably in better condition, to be fair.

Mine was not terrible, but it was scratched. Definitely scratched, a well used watch, which unfortunately because of the design, was a little too apparent for me. I thought I could accept it as it was, it wasn't so bad unless the light was really on it... but then I spotted that a local jeweller (Michael Jones in Northampton) is an authorised refinisher for Rolex and thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

The quote was for £100, which I thought was very reasonable, and so just a few days after getting my Microtimer it was gone again. Of course I was worried, the biggest question mark was over the logo on the face, they assured me it would still be there albeit it might look a little less sharp through an eyeglass but I was still concerned.

Similarly the clasp has an even shallower logo and the back was scratched even worse than the front. So it was a (slightly) stressful couple of days... yes, a couple of days, despite being quoted a return date of the middle of next week, I took it in on Monday and collected it today - brilliant service I thought.

They really have done a fantastic job, there was a chip on the left front (near the glass) which is now much less visible, in fact it's now more of a slight dint that you can only really see when you look closely at the reflection in the highly polished finish. The back is so much better too, with most of the scratches gone, but the engraving still perfectly legible.

I think they've done a great job of striking the balance between taking too much metal away and removing most of the scratches. There are still some fine scratches, but I think that's better than taking it too far. I'm sure those very fine scratches would soon return anyway, just with normal use. And most importantly of course, the TAG logos are all there, perfectly readable and really you wouldn't even know it's been polished at all.

So all in all, I'm incredibly happy (not to mention relieved) with the work they've done. Frankly for £780 all in, I've got myself a Microtimer that is a match for any out there I should think. The only problem is they've put the strap on upside down so I'm going to have to go and see them again on Monday to get it put right, and while I'm there I might have another gander at that Grand Carrera!

ON THE WRIST: Grand Carrera Calibre 17 Chronograph

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Michael Jones / Northampton, 17th February 2017

I've seen this in the window of my local TAG stockist the past couple of times I've been there, but never really took much notice. It's a pre-owned model, offered for sale at £2700 and looks in very good condition. Strangely, when I looked at it in the window it appeared to have an oval dial, I mean I know it hasn't, but there was something odd about the case which made it appear oval.

I thought I would try it on while I was in there, because it was the most interesting TAG they had to be honest, and even though I wasn't particularly interested in it, I can always use some wrist time for new material for the blog.

So I was pretty surprised when I got it on my wrist to find that I really, really liked it. I've always thought that if I ever owned a Grand Carrera it would be one of those black PVD models with splashes of bright colours all over them, but this has really made me think again. It looks incredibly classy in the steel finish and the dial is simple, but stylish.

Most importantly it doesn't clash with anything else in my collection, by that I mean it's not too similar to any of my other watches and fulfills my desire for another 'higher end' piece. And with screw down pushers, a nicely detailed dial and it's unusual chronograph function it ticks a lot of boxes.

The sub-dial on the right hand side of the face is the running seconds and the left hand sub-dial is a thirty minute counter for the chronograph, as you'd expect the large second hand is the chronograph second hand and has a lovely (but subtle) red tip to it.

A quick glance at Watch Finder suggests it's a tad overpriced at £2700, as they currently have eleven of these available with eight of those being priced at £2450. Still, I don't know how old this one is (actually I don't think the jeweller does either) but at least I would have the comfort of buying locally.

I'm pretty sure they might have had some of this in the TAG outlet at Bicester Village last time I went, maybe I need to get myself back over there and have another look. I'd be surprised if they were under £3000 given the list price of £4795, but I'm sure there were some Grand Carreras in there that started with a £2---. Really should have paid more attention shouldn't I? Obviously paying a little bit more for NOS and a TAG warranty would be a better bet, but it's nice to know there's plenty about and there's no need to rush into buying the one I saw today.

FEATURE: Brand Ambassadors and TAG's Aggressive Marketing

Bella Hadid is TAG Heuer's latest ambassador.

Some people are getting very upset about TAG Heuer announcing yet another brand ambassador, but I'm not sure why. Most of these people seem to do very little once they've been announced, and almost disappear from view within a fairly short space of time. I remember Tom Brady being announced as an ambassador not so long ago and I haven't seen much of him since, but that's not really surprising since I live in England and he's a quarterback for the New England Patriots (actually I thought he was an actor, but that's neither here nor there).

Similarly, TAG have announced another ambassador, a singer-songwriter called J Balvin. Will I ever hear another peep out of this guy? Doubtful. I don't imagine Goldsmiths will be plastering his pictures all over their walls because barely anyone in the UK knows who he is. Doubtless he is a superstar in Columbia, and doubtless that's where his efforts for TAG will be concentrated. Fair enough. They probably have a Chinese ambassador too, in fact I know they do because they made a special watch for him. I can't recall his name but he's a tennis player... (Kei Nishikori)

So why do people get so upset about it? 

Well, I think it's because it's part of TAG's perceived 'commercialisation' (as a brand selling hundreds of thousands of watches I would say it's pretty commercial already), which I understand because having grown up a Metal fan and seeing bands altering their output so they could jump on the Metallica bandwagon surely pissed me off too. 

But the difference is that I don't see much criticism of the actual watches (leaving aside the Manchester United abominations for a second), it seems to be the aggressive marketing that people don't like. 

Aside from social media, I haven't really witnessed much in the way of aggressive marketing to be honest. I've never seen a TAG Heuer TV ad and the jewellers I frequent seem to have the same pictures of Mr Hemsworth up they've had for some time. Indeed, if anything it seems that Danny Riciardo and the wonderkid Max Verstappen seem to be under-utilised if anything, but that may be because they are promoted in Australia and Holland rather than in the UK?

But why can't TAG Heuer be like Rolex?

Why indeed? Perhaps because positioning a brand, particularly a brand which is by it's own admission 'entry-level' as a 'Rolex' would take many years and besides Rolex's whole ethos is completely at odds with TAG Heuer's. TAG is about bold statements and radical thinking, Rolex is about changing the colour of the script on the dial once a decade.

It's like saying why can't Tesla be like 'Ferrari', it's impossible. No matter what Tesla do, no matter how much power they can squeeze out of a boot-full of batteries, it doesn't matter, They are not and can never be as iconic as Ferrari. 

A few years ago before I got seriously interested in watches, I assumed Rolex was 'it'. I had no comprehension of Audemars Piguet, Patek Philipe, Breguet etc... and it's all too easy to forget that for 99% of the population that's still the case. Rolex isn't the best watch ever made, but it is the best watch you'll see on the high street, so for the great unwashed it is by default 'THE' watch to have.

Omega seem to have taken the decision to push for Rolex status, and I wonder how that's working for them? The problem with doing that is that by pushing up your prices to create a higher perceived worth, you then bring yourself into direct competition with Rolex and I doubt they are going to win that fight. 

TAG on the other hand have brought their prices down (although they are a bit of a mess at the moment, as new models come out I'm sure it will become more coherent) and JCB clearly stated that TAG Heuer should operate in the £1000-5000 price bracket. TAG's margin is clearly lower than Rolex so they need volume sales to make it all work, hence the need for aggressive marketing.

Now clearly I haven't experienced it, perhaps because I don't follow football... does it bother me that TAG Heuer sponsor the Premier League? Not particularly, I'm only really interested in the watches. I didn't much like the Manchester United Carrera, but it doesn't matter - no one's making me buy it. Some limited editions are really cool, some are really not. The forthcoming Red Bull Carrera looks a lot more interesting for example.

Going back to the ambassadors, Cara Delavigne was another one who disappeared off the radar. She was all 'fanfare of trumpets', then she had her special watch and then it all just sort of fizzled out and nobody really knows if she's definitely gone or not, although the announcement of Bella Hadid as an ambassador probably means she has, after all TAG don't need two models on their books. 

Interestingly I believe Bella is enormously popular with the Instagram types and all that (and that's what matters these days after all) but I can't help but think she's a bit 'generic model' to really make an impact. Whatever you think about Cara, she stood out with her crazy eyebrows and photobombs and must surely have been a better fit with TAG?

At the end of the day, it seems to me that TAG are simply grabbing the bull by the horns and tackling the modern world head on. They've chosen the mass appeal route, rightly or wrongly, and they seem to be making a good fist of it. I can well imagine a time in the not to distant future where a brand like Longines just disappears. I can't see any reason to buy a Longines watch, it is neither spectacular or terrible, it just is... and they are almost without exception, exceptionally dull. 

At least dull is not a word that can be used to describe TAG Heuer.

Somebody Got a Bargain on eBay Today (and it Wasn't Me!)

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I came across this eBay item today when there was just 33 mins remaining. I have to say that somebody got a fantastic deal on this watch, closing price was £340 for an automatic WN2110 that still has the bracelet and face stickers on!

I mean, it's not the most exciting TAG Heuer in the world, but it's nice enough. It's 39mm and automatic, it does have an engraved backplate (this item was a corporate gift) but it is as good as NOS.

I couldn't watch it finish because I saw it at about 4:50 and I leave work at 5:00, and by the time I got home it was well over. If I'd realised it was only going to go up to £340 I think I would definitely have stuck a bid in myself. The seller didn't help themselves by listing as a 'Kirium', which immediately tells the potential buyer you have no idea what you are talking about, and I guess a lot of people probably aren't so interested in a 2000 series this late in the day, but it still seems like a bargain to me.

The other item that caught my eye, was a Black Phantom Aquaracer which was on offer for £950. The listing had a few hours left to run when I saw it, and by the time I got home it had been taken down due to 'an error in the listing'. The seller claimed Watch Finder had offered him £950 and he was trying to get a better price. It looked genuine, but his story about no box and papers really set alarm bells ringing.

The seller has good feeback, but the watch hasn't been relisted. Maybe he decided to take Watch Finder's offer?

VIDEO: Battle of the Batmans review by Archie Luxury

Archie Luxury compares the TAG Heur Calibre 7 GMT with the Rolex GMT, with a VERY surprising outcome (considering he's never had a good word to say about TAG Heuer).

Contacting TAG Heuer about the Urban Gentry Channel

In the latest episode of TGV's 'Urban Gentry' vlog, he asked which watches people want to see reviewed. I have badgered him about reviewing TAGs before, but the store he works with doesn't stock them. During the video TGV asked people to contact the brands and make them aware of his channel, so I did. I sent an email to TAG this morning and within an hour I got an email back thanking me for contacting them and telling me they would forward the details to the USA team to contact him. So we'll see what happens now I guess?

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Digital Microtimer

Photograph from eBay listing.

When I first saw the Microtimer on eBay it was listed at a starting price of £395. No sooner had I seen it than somebody placed a bid on it and by the next morning it had gone up to £405. Great, so now there were two bidders, and it only takes two bidders to drive the price up... 

So I quickly realised I wasn't going to get this watch for £410, or probably anything near. The next nearest listing on eBay was a Buy It Now listed at £699, which was a Micrograph (limited to 999 pieces) but didn't appear in as good condition (not entirely sure, since this thing is so hard to photograph). 

I thought about making an offer on the Micrograph, but left it too late and then I couldn't because I didn't want to end up with two watches. So a short while before the end of the listing somebody placed another bid and pushed it up to £600. I was determined to place my bid at the last possible second so as not to give him a chance to gazump me, so with seven seconds left I bid £681.57. I was going to bid £660, but I wanted to be sure. Sure you could say that the Micrograph was a better price given that it was limited edition and all, but it's also an older model (which could be important on a quartz watch).

The other bidder must've bid £680 or something because I won but it went right to the top of my bid and immediately eBay flashed up a notice advising me to bid again because it was so close. Well, there was only about one or two seconds left and then it was over, I had won.

As usual (in my limited experience) there was that feeling of 'I won.... oh crap!'. And then the worrying starts. You go back to the pictures and start scrutinizing them again and seeing every little blemish that you never noticed before, all the while wondering what the hell you've done... what if it doesn't work, what if I don't like it, what if it never arrives. Remember, I've never even seen this watch before, so I'm buying completely blind.

So this morning I headed off to the Post Office with my 'We tried to deliver a parcel' card, and got handed a plastic bag. Not a box, not even a jiffy bag, a plastic mailer bag with the unmistakable shape of a TAG Heuer barrel case inside it. I was not impressed, to say the least, I spent £681.57 on this and the seller couldn't even stretch to some bubble wrap and a cardboard box?

Seriously, a plastic bag?

Miraculously the barrel case was absolutely fine, and the moment I opened the case I knew I had made an excellent decision. I had this feeling that when I saw it I would either love it or hate it, and it was indeed love at first sight. Yes it's not perfect by any means, but a perfect example would have cost me probably £1200 or more. 

The scratches don't bother me as much as I thought they would, but I still can't help but look at promotional photos of the Microtimer and wish they weren't there. It's not hideously disfigured or anything, it's just a watch that's been worn everyday and picked up some 'character' along the way. There is a scuff on the right hand side and a shallow chip on the left and general wear marks across the steel surround, but no marks to the sapphire crystal.

I noticed the minutes changed within one second of the clock in my car changing, but didn't notice for some time that it was set to BST. Which was a bit of a bother as I haven't got a manual...

A few pushes of the buttons later I realised I had no idea what I was doing and so I punched 'TAG Heuer Microtimer manual' into the internet, and lo and behold within a few seconds I had downloaded a PDF with full instructions on how to set and use the watch. Excellent!

Just as well really because inevitably it's a case of hold down one button to enter programming mode, and if you don't know which button that is (and which mode you've got to be in before you start) then you're pretty much screwed.

The buttons are named A, B, C and D with A being top right, B being bottom right, C being top left and D being bottom left. The main function of C is that if you press it it lights up the numerals on the watch face for six seconds. This looks pretty cool with the negative display, which really makes this watch special. The white strap version of the watch (for Ladies) has the 'regular' digital watch display and it doesn't look nearly as good in my opinion.

Button D moves you through the various modes of the watch and holding it down for two seconds puts you into programming mode. Then you use buttons A and B to alter the hours (for example) up and down. The watch has a perpetual calendar, so while the face doesn't display the year it is one of the parameters in the programming mode.

I haven't had a chance to go through the manual properly and try out all the various modes yet, but I will be doing that in the next day or so*. I doubt I'll use them much to be honest, I certainly doubt I'll use some of the more complicated functions and whether I'll be able to remember the combination of buttons needed to get them up is doubtful as well.

You know, since I placed my bid on this I've barely thought about that Monaco 24, I think maybe this has satiated my desire for a square watch. This watch is 38 or 39mm I think, so comparable with the Monacos, but because the strap is almost as wide as the case it takes away some of the perceived squareness and the watch flows better as a result. This reminds me of the Carrera Heuer 01 actually which benefits from a rubber strap which hides the considerable size of the case as it flows around and fits the lugs (in a way the steel bracelet absolutely doesn't).

The vulcanised rubber strap is very cool, and is shinier than you might expect, giving the appearance more of plastic than rubber. The clasp is nice too, although since I resized it to fit my wrist it needs a little persistence to get it to lock shut properly. It works but you have to get your finger under and give it a good squeeze to make sure that both of the release buttons have popped out.

Admittedly it's early days, but I really love my Microtimer. I think it adds to my collection nicely, and I really like the fact that it's another TAG which isn't from the mainstream collection. I am definitely drawn to the 'unusual' TAGs, if you think about it... I have the Aquagraph which is a one-off mutant Aquaracer on steroids, the Formula One Kirium, again a one of a kind digital/analogue hybrid (and in my opinion by far the nicest Kirium ever made) and now this one, which is anything but run of the mill.

I know it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and in a way that makes me love it even more. And I'm already thinking of taking it along to a local jeweller who is an approved watch polisher for Rolex to see about a quote for refinishing the case. I think if it's a reasonable price it might be worth it...

*I've done this now and everything works correctly. :)

FEATURE: 10 More Interesting TAG Heuers on eBay

As last time, click the photo to visit the eBay sales, and please remember I am not advocating buying from these sellers or vouching for their honesty! 

#1. Grand Carrera Calibre 17 UK Limited Edition

I really like this model and if I hadn't just depleted my TAG fund rather drastically by buying the Microtimer I might have bought this for £2600. However, on closer inspection the seller isn't being entirely straight and honest. It raised an eyebrow when it said there was the balance of a 12 month warranty remaining, which suggests the watch is less than a year old... but with the TAG outlets selling 'new old stock' this was a possibility.

Not so. In the photo there is a receipt which if you zoom in on it shows a watch repair costing £420 dated 13.01.2014. The receipt also mentions two previous repairs... so I think it's clear that the seller is being rather disengenuous to say the least. Also, when you zoom in on the pictures it's clear that the watch has had a bit of a hard life. The bezel seems quite worn around the edges and there appears to be a scratch on the glass near the 12.

All this is rather odd when you consider that the seller has 100% positive feedback on 278 transactions.

#2. KIRIUM QUARTZ WL111G

Offered by a professional seller, this watch looks in decent condition with good close up photographs available. Some scratching to the very shiny bezel, but the price is a very attractive £395 (offers accepted) which would give someone a very nice daily wear for not too much investment.

Size is listed as 43mm including crown so it's probably comparable with my own Formula One Kirium. If the bezel was brushed rather than polished I might have been tempted by this myself.

#3. FORMULA ONE CALIBRE S QUARTZ CAH7010

I am intrigued by the Calibre S movement, despite my recent experience with a recalcitrant Aquaracer at Bicester Village, and I also rather like the looks of the F1 with the white skeletonized hands, so this ticks a lot of boxes for me. On the other hand, it looks a bit too much like my WAH1110-0, which is a pity.

Still, for £650 this looks like a good buy for somebody, and the seller has good feeback.

#4. SLR CALIBRE 17 CAG2111

Offered by Watch Finder Co through eBay, this SLR looks pretty tidy and has a Buy It Now price of £1850, with offers invited. I believe I saw one of these in the TAG outlet in Bicester Village last week, but I can't remember how much it was. I think it was about £2500, but don't quote me on that. Again, I'm not entirely sure why Watch Finder are selling through eBay, maybe it's a way to promote their business and pull people who aren't aware of them to their website?

I have tried on of these on before and I do like the strap but found the watch itself a bit ugly. They are a bit misleading on the sizes because the diameter includes the case behind the pushers, so they aren't as big as you might think.

#5. PROFESSIONAL PILOT 1/10 CHRONOGRAPH

A beautiful looking piece from the very earliest days of TAG Heuer, this appears to be in immaculate condition and is priced accordingly at £1200 (open to offers). Seller has good feedback, although it is 'Private' which I find annoying...

This watch is 44mm which makes it big even by today's standards, but it looks much more attractive (in my opinion) than a Breitling Navitimer. Comes with an old style barrel case and outer box. The one thing I would say is that the bracelet looks in unfeasibly good condition, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to find it has been polished. Still, what a beauty!

#6. 2000 Series 'Professional' White Dial Chronograph CK1111

Listed as 'mint condition', this looks like a nice piece, and at £645 not too expensive a way to pick up a good looking chronograph of a late 90s vintage. The strap will fit up to an 8" wrist, although I can't help thinking that someone with an 8" wrist probably needs a watch bigger than 38mm. I must admit I quite like this one, but again it's probably a bit too small for me. Case looks a bit battered though... but those barrel cases aren't very hardy at the best of times.

#7. F1 QUARTZ CHRONO CARBON FIBRE DIAL CA1211

Funnily enough I have seen this watch in real life, since someone I know through work has one. His has had a hard life though and looks pretty knackered. This one looks much, much better and I would be interested to know how big the case is as this is a very cool looking watch indeed.

My beef, as always, is that buckle. I just know it's not going to sit well with me, and I will end up buying a rubber strap for it. The seller has plenty of good feedback and has sold several TAGs before - whether you think that is a good or bad thing is up to you I guess. He's asking £520 for this one, which doesn't seem too bad given the condition.

#8. 6000 Series Hakkinen Limited Edition CH1114

If I was going to buy a 6000 Series TAG Heuer, then this would probably be the one I'd pick. Limited to 2000 pieces (of which this is number 1655), this one seems to be in great condition and come complete with box and papers, including a warranty card stamped by Ernest Jones and dated 09.04.2000. This one is listed as being 40mm in dia, and is offered at £950 (open to offers).

The seller does seem to have some negative feedback though, so tread extra carefully with this one.

#9. Super Professional 1000M Automatic Diver 840.006

This is kind of cool, I rather like the brutalist design and at 42mm it's right up to date size wise. Apparently the bezel lume has been re-applied, but other than that it's all in very good shape and running well. It sounds like the seller knows what he's talking about and offers lots of information, which is always reassuring. 

Price is a shade under a grand (£995), which looks fair considering the condition and presumable rarity. I'd much rather wear this than a Seiko 1000m diver, but as I already have the Aquagraph this would be slightly superfluous in my collection (not least because I've never dived in my life).

#10. LADIES ALTER EGO QUARTZ WP1313

Last but not least this Alter Ego from the turn of the century comes at a very affordable £241.99. The crystal is described as flawless, but the photo suggests otherwise. No mention is made of the polished case which is clearly quite scratched, but given the price this could perhaps be brought back to it's former glory? There's no denying the blue dial as absolutely stunning, and the seller has generally good feedback on a huge number of sales.

FEATURE: A trip to Bicester Village and Some Exciting News...

It's been a few months since I've been to Bicester Village, a lot has happened in the meantime (not all of it good), but things seem to be getting back on an upward swing now and it was interesting to visit again and see what's about.

There are four main watch stores at Bicester Village, first there's 'Hour Passion' - which sells Rado, Tissot, Hamilton, Longines, Mido and a lot of Swatch. Truth be told I didn't even notice the enormous Swatch stand so I didn't look at it! I really don't like Hamiltons much, in fact the only watches in that store that appealed to me on any level where some of the cooler looking Tissots.

Hour Passion

Then there's the Mont Blanc store, which as you might expect has some watches, some pens and some other things. There were some cool watches in there, but they tend to be at the higher end of the price range. I'm not so convinced by their more affordable products really, just not my style. Still worth a look though...

Mont Blanc

The next store is called l'Atelier, which sells brands such as Baume & Mercier, Maurice Lacroix, Corum, Oris and Chopard. Chopard's 'Sport Happy' watches can't fail to amaze, since they cost about £2500 yet look like they cost about £50 from Argos. Also in l'Atelier they have the outrageously expensive Porsche Design watch reduced from £125,000 to about £55,000. It's huge, it's hideous and you can't help but come to the conclusion that for £125,000 you could have a very, very nice Porsche sportscar! Still I guess someone who's going to spend that sort of money on a watch probably already has a very nice selection of cars, so I suppose it's a moot point!

l'Atelier

As I mentioned in a previous post, my wife pulled the trigger on a beautiful Oris Artelier Skeleton, and I tried on the Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme, before we moved on to our final destination. Oh, but while we were in there, one of the guys we were talking to told us that the other week in the TAG store they had been selling off all the Zenith stock at half price. Sure enough when we arrived in the TAG Heuer store there was no sign of the Zenith stock, which is fine by me since I don't really care for the Zenith range that much. 

An old photo still showing the Zenith cabinet.

There was a good selection of stock in the TAG shop today, including all the watches shown below.

Had a good chat with the sales assistant, who was a lot more informed than some of her predecessors (remember the one who told me the date on the Monaco 24 was the hours for the chronograph?), even though she couldn't make the Calibre S Fernando Alonso watch behave itself.

Also in the TAG Heuer shop we saw the Heuer leather jacket, which I can't help thinking I would feel a complete berk wearing (I didn't look at the price on that). Also some belts and wallets... the wallets look nice but even reduced they are still about £135, which seems a lot of money to me. But maybe that's me just being a tightwad?

Oh , I nearly forgot about the Heuer bag as well. Pretty cool, but no doubt it's still hundreds of pounds even discounted. Still, if you have a yen for a Heuer bag you probably won't find one cheaper anywhere else. Next time I go I will make a greater effort to remember everything and take more notice of the prices.

Unlike my wife, I left Bicester Village empty handed, but I had one eye on eBay and a particular item that was finishing on Monday. Which leads me on to my exciting news...

I am currently awaiting delivery of this TAG Heuer Microtimer, which I won for £684. This is the watch that I listed at number ten in my top ten TAGs post last month (although I might have to redo that already since I have already changed my mind about at least two of the entries!) and I'm excited to get my hands on it.

With the Microtimer, I feel like I need to get hold of one and just see how it feels. I would dearly like to have tried one on first but I've never even seen one, so I decided I'm just going to have to suck it and see. My main worries are about the case and the level of scratches it might have, but since it looks like a mint piece is going to cost another £500 or so... perhaps I will learn to live with it. Or not. Maybe I will love the watch and decide to trade up for a perfect example?

Or maybe it would be possible to get the watch refinished by TAG themselves (if necessary)? 

On the other hand, if I get it and it's a huge disappointment, the seller does accept returns... in any case it will make for an interesting subject to post about here.