BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Keyring, Plaque & International Watch Magazines

This first little item came all the way from China (via eBay, of course) and while it's obviously not in any way, shape or form 'genuine' I simply couldn't resist. No doubt it's made of some kind of incredibly toxic rubber with phthalates up to the eyeballs, but what can you expect for £8 including postage? This one is about 1.1/2" square and undoubtedly the coolest keyring I've ever owned, in fact it's the coolest thing for £8 I've ever owned! Didn't take that long to come either, just over a week if I remember correctly.

I also picked up a couple of copies of 'International Watch' magazine recently, firstly number 49 (1998) which features the release of the Kirium Ti5 and the Kirium Quartz Chronograph.

The first article informs us that... 'Ti5 is a relatively impure alloy, composed of only 90% titanium with aluminium and vanadium. As used in the Kirium, the result is a case that is both hypo-allergenic and some 50% lighter than its steel equivalent and a bright, attractive finish that is not unlike gold or platinum and not possible with conventional titanium alloys.' The article also tells us that the price of the Ti5 on launch was $1295.

The second article is headed by a photo of the blue dial Kirium quartz chronograph (just like mine, but I wish mine was in that condition) and includes a photograph of the very hard to find burgundy dial version (both £1325 on launch, and also available in black or silver).

The second magazine (Issue #40, 1997) features the release of the 6000 Series Chronograph (which was released some time after the three-hander judging by the tone of the article). It seems slightly odd to think that the 6000 Chrono was released less than a year before the Kirium, but there we are. Interestingly the article features the solid gold 6000 Series (you may remember I tried one of these on a few months ago, but this one has diamond hour markers) and also the copper dial three-hander (£1730), a ladies automatic (£1750), an ivory dial two tone quartz chronograph (£2695) and a blue dial quartz chronograph on an crocodile strap (£1300).

Both these magazines are in excellent condition, in fact they look like new. No doubt they've barely been looked at since they came out. These old magazines are quite thin and pretty lightweight, but it's interesting to flick through and see what was going on in the world of watches just over twenty years ago...

Finally I picked up a little (45mm) 'Aquaracer' display plaque, God alone knows what possible use I will have for that, but it was less than a fiver. I'm sure it will appear in some 'Aquaracer' photographs at some point!