SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Alter Ego Ladies Quartz Watch

WP1413.BA0754

The Alter Ego was introduced into the TAG Heuer catalogue in the 2000 catalogue, but there is a lack of clarity about when that catalogue was actually released, so either the Alter Ego was the first new watch after the takeover by the new owners 'LVMH' (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey) or it was last watch released before the takeover. Either way, the watch was clearly designed before LVMH came on the scene. 

Aimed solely at the ladies market, the Alter Ego was unapologetically feminine and glamorous, with it's integrated bracelet and exotic design. There were many variations available, including two case sizes and a choice of brushed or polished finishes and several with gold centre links. There were also plenty of options when it came to diamonds, ranging from six simple hour markers, through diamond bezels, bezels and lugs right up to the full 'River of Diamonds' setting which features diamonds on the centre links and outer links of the bracelet as well as around the bezel and dial. 

But even in it's most basic form the Alter Ego is still an alluring piece, take this simple black dial version for example. Stripped of everything bar black 'block' hour markers which are barely visible in these photographs, the watch has an elegant simplicity which focuses attention on the Alter Ego's biggest selling points; the bracelet and case.

This one looks to be in fantastic condition, but if you are buying used it's worth noting that the bracelets can become stretched and when they do they look a bit of a mess. Not too sure how repairable they are either, and even sizing them is a bit of a nightmare due to some extremely tiny screws holding the links together.

The size you opt for will depend on personal taste and (no doubt) the size of your wrist, but the biggest compromise with these watches will probably be do you go for the polished finish (which looks stunning) or the brushed finish, which looks a little bit dull in comparison, but will certainly be a lot easier to keep looking good.

The other route is to go for the leather strap versions, but these are much harder to find and for me the strap always looks like an after-thought. Sadly TAG Heuer didn't do anything unique with the leather straps (unlike say the quilted edges of the 6000 Series straps) although you can get them in a variety of colours.

My wife owns a pale pink dial version which she managed to find in a 'Cash Converters' a couple of years ago, but for me the standout go-to model in this range is the blue dial WP1313.BA0751, of which there are usually several on eBay at any one time (often in need of a new battery for some bizarre reason).

My least favourite thing about the Alter Ego is easy to pinpoint though, it's the crown. I don't know why they put it where they put it, but it's very difficult to access and while giving it a smooth polished finish might be a first class design choice, on a practical level it's nothing less than an epic fail! 

Click the link below to visit the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Gallery and see the full range of Alter Ego watches for yourself.

http://tagheuerenthusiastgallery.blogspot.com/search/label/Alter%20Ego?view=snapshot