Hello, my name is Hubert and I am a
TAG Heuer enthusiast & collector. If you know me, you probably do from the Calibre11
Forums, where I serve as a Moderator. I’ve been a daily contributor since the forum
started. Professionally, I am an Engineer by training, although I’ve
been managing software development and products for a couple of decades.
Nice to finally have you on the blog Hubert, so just how did you get into watches?
Similar
to David’s story, my other passions came first. For as long as I can
remember I’ve been into cars, movies, music, and gadgets, where my obsession
with watches came later. My brain’s left hemisphere values logic, precision, and
capabilities, while the right serves as a counter balance, through creativity,
design, and artistic expression. I’d say that the bridge that unites them
both is unquestionably passion. Now, the answer to your question will become evident in a
moment.
What was your first, or first good watch?
The first watches I remember wearing as a kid were made by
Casio, Timex, and Swatch, each with their well defined identity and
purpose. When I was growing-up my mother loved watches. During my childhood she purchased several
models, some of which ended up being passed-down to me, usually when the
battery expired.
The Casio were basically gadgets; recall the famous
calculators and arcade models. Gotta love the 80s! I was aware there was a Seiko TV watch, but I
never had it. They say never meet your heroes as they will disappoint
you, maybe that applies here.
Moving on to Timex, my recollection is that these were marketed as active lifestyle watches, with deep water resistance. I still remember we all went nuts when Indiglo was introduced! No more struggles reading the digital time at night. Progress!
Moving on to Timex, my recollection is that these were marketed as active lifestyle watches, with deep water resistance. I still remember we all went nuts when Indiglo was introduced! No more struggles reading the digital time at night. Progress!
As for Swatch, I was part of the age group during peak
craze. I remember they were a real fashion statement and everyone wanted
one. The grails were the “Swiss Made”, although most of us were just glad
to be part of the club with “Quartz” models.
It was until the 90s, that I became enamoured with TAG
Heuer, although I do remember having a Heuer branded alarm clock helmet during
elementary school, which got lost over the years.
My love affair with the brand started after my best friend
from high-school purchased a 2000 chronograph, which I thought was the coolest
watch ever.
My quest to own one would not be realized unit a family trip to
At the end of the mall, stood a jeweler that carried TAG
Heuer. Like a magnet, I was drawn to their display. I examined their stock and immediately knew I
wanted. It was right then and there that my first TAG Heuer became a
black CA2111 F1 chronograph.
This became my little treasure. I remember waking up
the next day and admiring it on the hotel’s night stand. I wore this
watch daily for the next few years, until I was sent off on a long term work
assignment out of the country, so I left it home to avoid any risk of being
stolen.
Thereafter, I kept the brand within sight. The Kirium Carbon was
interesting, but not appealing enough to convince me to buy one.
Years passed, until around 2010 or 11 when I saw an
advertisement for the original 1887 Carrera in a magazine. And just like
that, my passion was reignited!
I started researching the current TAG Heuer lineup and
discovered the brand was undergoing a renaissance. Carreras, Monacos
However, it was until I had purchased 2 more Carreras (the Jack
Heuer 80 and the Anthracite
sequel), along with my first Monaco the CAW211D,
that I felt like a bonafide enthusiast and connected with David (@Calibre11)
over Instagram around 2013. Short time after the Calibre 11 Forum
started, and there I say, the rest is history!
Do you have a favourite piece in your current collection?
I can’t single one out. Most of the watches in my
collection were meticulously researched and have a strong significance.
However, if I had to put one product line over the other, it would probably be
the Monacos , because I find
more shortcomings with the modern Carreras and Autavias than with the Monacos . In the end, I am much more careful with the heritage (Heuer)
branded models than their modern counterparts. And I tend to wear the
Connected Carreras once or twice per week, so the TAG Heuer models get a lot of
mileage.
Is there a place in your collection for quartz / how do you
feel about quartz watches?
Sure, my 2
F1s and plenty of Quartz fashion watches. These are the ones that I
don’t mind getting worn out or receiving minor wear and tear. They are
typically ready to be used, don’t mind travel, and as long as the battery is
still alive, you can rely on the time being right.
Do you know what your next piece will be?
My most recent TAG Heuer is the 00s Monaco (CAW211Y).
The next will likely be one of the upcoming Carreras, or Autavia Chronographs. Unfortunately I was too late to get a Sinn
Dark Star Bund, but maybe I’ll get one second hand.
Do you have a ‘money no object’ grail in mind?
How about an original Heuer Carrera that belonged to Jack
Heuer? Or a screen-used Monaco Monza
How many watches is too many?
Easy, when you lose count of the ones you have. But
then again, who’s counting?! ;¬)
Have you ever ‘sneaked’ a watch into the house?
Have you ever bought or sold a watch and regretted it?
I have a love / hate relationship with the Telemeter
and the 39mm glassbox Carreras. I have considered letting the
Telemeter go, but I can never push myself to do so. The other one is the
bullhead Jack
Heuer 1887 Carrera as it’s a polarising piece; whenever I wear it, I find
its faults, but since Jack helped design it, it probably will be safe.
Are you more excited by re-issues or new pieces?
I think re-issues, but only when their execution is an
improvement over the originals.
In my book, if the reissue / reimagining makes the design
worse, then it becomes infuriating.
Which watch would you like to see TAG Heuer re-issue?
I would love if TAG Heuer would make ~41mm reissues of the
original Carreras, keeping the scaling and proportions intact.
These two would be at the top of my list:
Faux aged lume: Ingenious or travesty?
I know this is very controversial for some, but honestly it’s
not a deal breaker for me, as long as the color doesn’t clash with the rest of
the design. For example, the Monza
has it and it goes well with the rest of the design.
Why do you think it is that TAG Heuer attracts more than its fair share of
negativity?
I would say many factors. Not being an independent
watch company and owned & operated by the world’s premier fashion group (LVMH) doesn’t help with the critics.
Then you’ll see its marketing and long list of ambassadors, many of which have
probably turned many away.
What are your thoughts on the collaboration with Bamford?
Initially I was all for it, but now I am not sure,
especially after seeing many questionable designs from customers. I find
that their online studio is not very representative of the finished
products. That said, maybe if I could
design one at their London
Are you swayed by ‘limited editions’ and associated
packaging?
It all depends on what is being offered as a “limited edition”. If it’s a well done reissue, then I am all for it. However my finances will tell you there have been too many limited editions in recent years, which makes it very difficult to keep up.
Is there a TAG Heuer / Heuer you really don’t like?
Never been a fan of the Grand
Carreras, the S/EL, of
the original
Link, although the new
ones are a step in the right direction. As for Heuer, I think these two are a bit hard to love:
Is there something you’d like to see more of in watch
design, for example a dial colour that’s under used?
Maybe a deep emerald green dial in a
Or a brighter green as in the new
way2015 Aquaracer
As for materials, I would like to see more real carbon fiber
and less marbled carbon composite.
In terms of design, better proportions, especially when
doing reissues. We need modern-sized (~41mm) heritage 3-register (3-6-9)
Carreras please!
How do you feel about gold and two-tone watches, would you /
do you wear them and do you feel comfortable wearing them?
When they are done well they can be attractive, but it’s
hard to do. I personally prefer alternating between brushed and polished
metal, as found on the Rolex daytona steel bracelets, which in a certain light,
make bracelet look like it’s two-tone.
It feels like we've come to the end of the Monaco 50th Anniversary cycle now, but if you were
in charge of TAG Heuer how would you have marked the 50th anniversary of the Monaco
Oh boy; definitely not how it came to be. Originally I
was thinking it would be like the 50th Anniversary Carrera, where we would get
a heritage model (I would have liked to see a Dark Lord reissue) and a modern
reinterpretation. Or like others have said, how about a voting
competition like the Autavia Cup? Both
would have been nice choices. In the end I can’t really complain too much, as I was lucky
enough to have purchased the 80s, 90s and 00s Anniversary Editions.
Do you have a watch horror story?
Not yet thankfully, although I remember a visible dust
particle inside my Telemeter that disintegrated within a day.
Which other brands do you appreciate / own?
I started my Omega collection fairly recently. I have
the Seamaster Diver 300 (50th Anniversary in blue and gray / Bond) and the
Seamaster 300 Spectre. I would like to get an Ed White Speedmaster (if a
reissue is made) or a First Omega in Space next. I still need to get me an El Primero Zenith. As for other brands, everytime I go to Vegas, I feel like a
kid in a candy store. I don’t like every model, but each brand has some
unique treasures. If money were no
object, I have my eye on on some specific models from Cartier, Bulgari,
Blancpain, Patek Philippe, Zenith, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne,
Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Panerai, Piaget, Bell & Ross, and Longines.
Do you see your collection growing, and if so how?
Yes, hopefully as long as possible. This hobby has
brought me enormous joy and satisfaction. A true passion indeed! Maybe one day in a few decades, my contribution could be
recognized by the brand itself. Who knows!?
Given the positive reaction to the red limited edition Monaco , would you like to see some sort of
‘Ferrari’ Monaco ?
Given that Ferrari has a deal with Hublot, I doubt this will
happen. However, I would like to see another red Limited Edition, maybe
in a Carrera next?
How do you feel about the Hodinkee limited edition
phenomenon, and leading off of that, would you like to see TAG instigate some
sort of ‘VIP’ club for people who buy regularly with special editions offered
first/or possibly exclusively to members?
I think Hodinkee have built a true business, however I have
not become one of their paying customers yet. As for TAG Heuer, I have elaborated about this on the forum
in the past. Yes, I think TAG Heuer should strongly consider a Collectors
Registry or something to that effect. Based on the purchase history, the
Collector would gain points and raise one’s status to acquire coveted pieces
and limited releases. This could also be linked to discounts and special
gifts. And they should also consider bringing the community’s voices to
help define future products.
Who (if anybody) do you think should be TAG Heuer’s next
brand ambassador?
That is an interesting question. I think TAG Heuer
should take a page from the Think
Different campaign that brought Apple back when Steve Jobs returned at the
helm. Imagine elegant black and white pictures of historical
figures and personalities
showing their connection to the brand and let that speak for itself. Of
course securing agreements and royalties is a different matter, but here are
some mockups to help illustrate this idea.
TAG Heuer if you’re reading and liking this, then you know
where to find me!
Well, once again we come to the end of another interview, and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. My thanks go to Hubert for taking the time to do this interview and also for providing lots of pictures to illustrate it, hopefully we can do this again sometime.
Next up, bizarrely... it will be my turn in the hot seat as our good friend Otto William has decided to turn the tables and interview me! I must say he thought up some very good questions and I am hoping he will help me out in future when it comes time to do the next swathe of interviews!
Next up, bizarrely... it will be my turn in the hot seat as our good friend Otto William has decided to turn the tables and interview me! I must say he thought up some very good questions and I am hoping he will help me out in future when it comes time to do the next swathe of interviews!
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