BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Classic' Quartz Watch

380.513

Following the purchase of my 385.513/81 (soon to be 385.513/85) last week and after my intense immersion into the subject of classic Formula 1 models the other day, it didn't take long for me to return to eBay in search of more 'affordable' F1s to feed my newly found habit. The black and yellow version had already been on my radar for some time since my wife had been looking at them over the last few weeks, indeed my wife had been looking at this same piece a couple of weeks ago, completely unaware that it was actually 34mm in diameter.

This was because the watch was erroneously listed as a 'ladies' model on the auction page and it wasn't until I noticed the part number ended in 513 that I realised the mistake. Of course 34mm is pretty small by modern standards, but back in the late 80s and early 90s it was considered a perfectly reasonable size and over the last week or so I've got very used to it and have barely worn anything else.

In fact I recall owning a 'GUL' watch as a teenager in the late eighties or early nineties that looked not unlike this and which I think was about the same size. That one came on a red and yellow velcro strap (see below), which I loved to bits at the time. That was probably the first time I spent any 'significant' money on a watch - or rather the first time I wanted to spend more to get something I found 'special'. That watch wasn't exactly expensive, but it was definitely more than I'd ever spent before (probably about £125 in today's money I guess).

This F1 had been listed at £199 previously and had failed to sell, but then it was relisted at £180 and recalling what happened with the red model last week I decided to try my luck again. I put in an offer of £160, then £168 and on my third and final try I secured the watch for £172. I was quite happy with that, despite the fact that the glass does have some scratches to it. They look worse in the photos than they do when it's on the wrist, but I might try getting some of those mineral glass crystals at some point. Not sure how good they are, but it's worth a try I guess...?

The strap has been cut, but it still fits my 7.3/4" wrist (and actually there's still 4 holes to spare), I have ordered a genuine TH yellow strap for it though as this is the incorrect strap for this model. I can understand that it's more practical and that a yellow one will probably end up looking grubby in time, but they are only £32 and I'd much rather have it on the correct strap, even though I have to say the black one does look great also and I can always switch it back if necessary.

I think the watch may have had a new dial at some point, as the lume is surprisingly good for a watch of this age (the hands, by contrast are completely dead) and the bezel is in reasonable condition too. It looked a lot worse in the macro photos on eBay, largely because the lume pip looked a right mess, but in reality the lume pip is about 1mm across and is barely visible. That's the danger with looking at pictures on eBay, they can flatter, but they can also make things look much worse at high magnification.

The watch came quickly, two days from purchase to delivery and this one was very well packaged. It came in a service box, which was then wrapped in about 5ft of that soft, white, plastic sheeting and placed inside a very sturdy cardboard box wrapped in what looked like a whole roll of brown parcel tape! Full marks for packaging, there was no way this was getting damaged in transit.

So that makes three classic F1s in my collection now, and I'm already eyeing up a fourth. Not sure if it will happen, might be pushing my luck to buy three watches back to back, but we'll see.

If you are interested in picking up a classic F1 then opening up the search to include listings from Japan certainly gives a lot more options, there seems to be a wealth of classic TAG Heuers on offer over there (and not just F1s). You do have to be conscious of the potential difference in wrist sizes though, especially if you are buying something on a bracelet and check for any import duties as well; taxes to the UK for items between £135 and £630 are 2.5%.

I can't tell you how many times I've tried searching for my old watch and now I've finally found it! Well, sort of... mine was steel and had a matt silver finish to it with black printing rather than this black and red colour scheme, but it had that yellow dial, and that velcro strap at the bottom is the exact one I had. Incredible how much it looks like a classic Formula 1 though. 

I notice that GUL watches started in 1986, which can't be a coincidence! I believe I paid about £40 for that watch, which was about a quarter of what a TAG Heuer F1 would have been at the time. The only difference is that the TAG Heuer is still worth at least what it cost new... I'm guessing the GUL wouldn't be, but I'd kind of like to pick one up for sentimental reasons, if I could find one exactly like mine...