Sunday, 16 August 2020

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Formula 1 (Era Three: 2004-2007)


In 2004, LVMH decided to relaunch the Formula 1 range. The launch of the third generation of Formula 1s saw the return not only of the three-handers, but also the ladies watches. Unfortunately with their aspirations towards higher things (and higher price points), LVMH decided that rather than just duplicating the watches in smaller sizes for the ladies, they would offer them with diamond bezels as well. I suppose LVMH could argue that there is a 'glamorous' side to F1, after all.

You will notice that henceforth the dials of the Formula 1 models actually read 'TAG Heuer Formula 1' rather than just 'Formula 1', this was apparently a compromise worked out with Bernie Ecclestone. Normally I'm guessing he would have just slapped an injunction on the use of the branding, but since TAG Heuer had previously used it and been a big money sponsor in Formula 1 (and remain so to this day) he decided to cut them some slack.

This generation of watches were available in three sizes


2004 CATALOGUE

The 2004 catalogue is less than comprehensive, showing only four Formula 1 watches in total; 2 chronographs and two three-handers, as yet there are no women's watches displayed. Again it's unclear whether the watches were launched in stages or if this was merely supposed to represent a 'selection' from the range. Unfortunately the Formula 1 watches do look a little out of place in this catalogue next to pieces like the futuristic Microtimer and the solid gold 2000 Exclusives...


CAC1110.BA0850: 40mm, black/silver dial, black bezel on a bracelet
CAC1110.BT0705: 40mm, black/silver dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap
CAC1111.BA0850: 40mm, white/black dial, black bezel on a bracelet
CAC1111.BT0705: 40mm, white/black dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap


WAC1111.BA0850: 40mm, white dial, black bezel on a bracelet
WAC1111.BT0705: 40mm, white dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap
WAC1113.BA0850: 40mm, red dial, black bezel on a bracelet
WAC1113.BT0705: 40mm, red dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap


For the Formula 1's rebirth TAG Heuer created a brand new rubber strap - the BT0705. I've never actually held one, but in pictures it looks rather 'tacky'... perhaps it's better close up?


2005 CATALOGUE

By the time the 2005 catalogue came along, things had expanded significantly. Not only had the ladies watches been added into the mix, but also the first analog-digi Formula 1 and an Indy 500 edition as well.


CAC1112.BA0850: 40mm, red/silver dial, black bezel on a bracelet
CAC1112.BT0705: 40mm, red/silver dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap
WAC1110.BA0850: 40mm, black dial, black bezel on a bracelet
WAC1110.BT0705: 40mm, black dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap
WAC1112.BA0850: 40mm, blue dial, black bezel on a bracelet
WAC1112.BT0705: 40mm, blue dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap


CAC111B.BA0850: 40mm, black/silver dial, steel bezel on a bracelet (Indy 500 S/E)
WAC1210.BA0851: 35.5mm, black dial, black bezel on a bracelet
WAC1210:BT0707: 35.5mm, black dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap
WAC1211.BA0851: 35.5mm, white dial, black bezel on a bracelet
WAC1211.BT0707: 35.5mm, white dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap


WAC1214.BC0839: 37mm, black dial, diamond bezel on a black strap
WAC1215.BC0840: 37mm, white dial, diamond bezel on a white strap
WAC1216.BC0841: 37mm, pink dial, diamond bezel on a pink strap


CAC111D.BA0850: 40mm, ani-digi dial, black bezel on a bracelet
CAC111D.BT0705: 40mm, ani-digi dial, black bezel on a black rubber strap


2006 / 2007 CATALOGUE

Remarkably, the 2006/2007 catalogue features more ladies pieces than men's... and every single one of them has a diamond encrusted bezel. I'm not a big fan of this era of the Formula 1 and I have to say these diamond bezel are the bottom of the barrel. Where the rest of the catalogue still seems quite 'high end' these new F1s really do scream 'entry level' and it doesn't help that the Aquaracer range has started encroaching into the Formula 1's 'chronograph' territory.

The blue dial WAC1112 appears to have been discontinued by this point and the 'mid-size' WAC1210 and WAC1211 have also disappeared from the catalogue as well. There is a new 'Alarm' model (WAC111A) but most of the changes are increased strap options for the ladies pieces (which accounts for the great number of selections available).


WAC1214.BA0852: 37mm, black dial, diamond bezel on a bracelet
WAC1214.BT0711: 37mm, black dial, diamond bezel on a black rubber strap
WAC1214.FC6218: 37mm, black dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (folding clasp)
WAC1214.BC0843: 37mm, black dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (pin buckle)


WAC1215.BA0852: 37mm, white dial, diamond bezel on a bracelet
WAC1215.BT0711: 37mm, white dial, diamond bezel on a black rubber strap
WAC1215.FC6219: 37mm, white dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (folding clasp)
WAC1215.BC0844: 37mm, white dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (pin buckle)


WAC1216.BA0852: 37mm, pink MOP dial, diamond bezel on a bracelet
WAC1216.FC6220: 37mm, pink MOP dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (folding clasp)
WAC1216.BC0845: 37mm, pink MOP dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (pin buckle)


WAC1217.BA0852: 37mm, brown MOP dial, diamond bezel on a bracelet
WAC1217.FC6221: 37mm, brown MOP dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (folding clasp)
WAC1217.BC0846: 37mm, brown MOP dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (pin buckle)


WAC1218.BA0852: 37mm, anthracite dial, diamond bezel on a bracelet
WAC1218.FC6222: 37mm, anthracite dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (folding clasp)
WAC1218.BC0847: 37mm, anthracite dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (pin buckle)


WAC1219.BA0852: 37mm, burgundy sunray dial, diamond bezel on a bracelet
WAC1219.FC6223: 37mm, burgundy sunray dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (folding clasp)
WAC1219.BC0848: 37mm, burgundy sunray dial, diamond bezel on a nizza strap (pin buckle)


WAC111A.BA0850: 41mm, black dial, silver bezel, alarm function, on a steel bracelet


WATCHES NOT FEATURED IN CATALOGUES

The watches below are from this era, but for whatever reason were not shown in the catalogues at the time.


CAC111A.BA0850: 40mm, black dial, black bezel on a steel bracelet (Indy 500 S/E)
WAC1113.BA0850: 40mm, red dial, black bezel on a steel bracelet
WAC1113.BT0706: 40mm, red dial, black bezel on a red rubber strap


WAC1212.BA0851: 35.5mm, blue dial, black bezel on a steel bracelet
WAC1213.BA0851: 35.5mm, orange dial, black bezel on a steel bracelet
WAC1213.BT0708: 35.5mm, orange dial, black bezel on an orange rubber strap


WAC1214.BA0859: 37mm, black dial, diamond bezel on a steel/ceramic bracelet
WAC1111.BA0850: 40mm, white 'Olympic' dial, black bezel, steel case/bracelet (S/E)


Visit the 'History of TAG Heuer' page HERE


2 comments:

  1. I see the series 3 came out in 2 versions, WAC/CAC111X and WAC/CAC111X-0 so here are the differences between the 2
    * metal crown guard under the poly bumper is bigger on the non 0 than the 0 model
    * casing is different, on the non 0 the casing is flat where as on the 0 the casing is rounded going towards the lugs
    * on the non 0 lug width is 18mm, strap is tapered so with width is 20mm, where as on the 0 its 20mm
    * bezel on the non 0 is coated differently than the 0 as it fades far quicker than the 0
    * casing width on the non 0 excluding the bumpers is 41mm where as its 40mm on the 0
    * poly bumpers on the 0 is marked TAG Heuer where as the non 0 is just plain
    * case back on the 0 has a bigger and more detailed TAG Heuer logo than the non 0
    * and lastly the non 0 was only made for 1 year

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