Wednesday 31 March 2021
Tuesday 30 March 2021
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Watch
WAZ101A.FC8305
A few weeks ago, you may remember, TAG Heuer launched a pair of models which attracted the amusing nicknames 'Tango' and 'Sprite'; these were brightly coloured Formula 1s with orange and lime highlights which I really wanted to like but ultimately knew deep down that I would never own. Something about them seemed a little 'gimmicky' and not necessarily in a good way (unlike for example the camouflage Calibre 5 Aquaracer which is also 'gimmicky' but very cool and memorable).
The recently released WAZ101A 43mm quartz Formula 1 we have here however is a completely different kettle of fish. Clearly drawing on the orange dial Calibre 5 Aquaracer 500M (and the much older 1000 Series Heuer Diver) for influence, the orange and black colour combination is as effective as it is surprisingly underused: indeed, I have had my 'Top 5 Orange Dial TAG Heuer's' post ready for several weeks pending the release of this watch and it was slim pickings I can tell you!
Not only is the dial orange, but it is also textured - which is both good and bad. Good because it adds an extra dimension of interest to the watch face, but bad because it reminds me of that atrociously terrible Bamford basketball Carrera... but hey, let's not dwell on that monstrosity for a moment longer than is absolutely necessary!
Also this watch eschews the perennially underwhelming BA0842 strap, replacing it instead with a bespoke textile strap (which no doubt will be put on the CAZ101AH 'Fanta' at some point) with orange and grey stitching. I think maybe TAG Heuer have done something quite smart here in that they have made the first two stitches orange and then done the rest of the strap in grey, which should avoid the 'desk facing' stitching turning 'grubby' after a time. They've also given this textile strap a proper brushed steel buckle; thank goodness for that - although I do have some concerns about the steel strap retainers... and it would also look pretty cool on a black rubber Isofrane strap.
The TAG Heuer website tells me that the bezel insert is ceramic, which I am pleasantly surprised by since I rather expected an aluminium bezel here, especially at this price point. I really like the pop of orange in the bezel too, but I'm glad they resisted the temptation to do all the bezel markings in orange, sometimes less is more even when we're trying to be colourful and fun.
The price for this one is £1200, which seems to me to be rather good. When you look at the lower end of the TAG Heuer range the pieces are often a bit, umm... dull. I mean, fine... but, nothing to get really excited about. And okay so this is a quartz three hander, but one that really stands out and I'm sure this is going to sell very well indeed. It really taps into the original Formula 1 concept of being fun and also reasonably affordable. So while I am a little bit on the fence on those strap retainers, overall I'm already quite invested in this one and seriously considering taking the plunge.
The TAG Heuer website has this one down as an 'Online Exclusive', which I thought meant it wasn't available in the shops and only on the TAG Heuer website, but it seems like that may not be right since Beaverbrooks have it on their website, but you can't actually buy it there (you have to ring them) so does it mean the only place you can buy it online is direct from TAG Heuer (and from AD stores but not AD's websites)? I assume it does... though exactly what the point of that restriction is I'm not too sure?
Seems to be some uncertainty about the numbers of these available, it seems like it was supposed to be limited to 4000 pieces, but whether that is still the case I have not been able to iron out. It certainly doesn't have 1/4000 on the backplate.
Anyway, let's turn it over to the 'Council Of Considered Opinion' and see if they agree with me?
WAZ101A.FC8305 - 7.1/10
The dial reminds me of a London bus lane (coloured asphalt). But, I really like it!
5.5 = Same score that I gave the yellow CAZ101AG.FC8304 with fabric strap. While I think the watch is refreshing and cool, the texture of the dial & color reminds me of a basketball.
I’ll give it an 8/10. I also like the strap that comes with it. Feels very sporty with a new vibe.
6 out of 10. I dislike a this fabric strap. I want to change to a rubber strap. But if the watch has a rubber strap, the price must be lower.
It seems to remind me the orange diver.
I like it! Although the asphalt texture in orange colour reminds of a basketball...
It doesn't excite me (the F1s rarely do) but nor does it offend. The strap gives it a bit of a different look so it's a 6 out of 10 from me.
9 for me....and I've ordered mine already.
Don’t know that much of the F1, not my favourite collection. I like the case design, hate that it’s 43mm. Dial, hands and tension ring are nice. The numerals in the bezel are a bit much. The crown won’t win design awards and those guards aren’t really protecting anything. How about a meca quartz? I will give this a 6,5.
I like orange, but it's a little bit too much of it for my taste to actually wear it. From the actual collection with orange accents the Bamford AR implemented it in the most elegant way. But it's a cool and fun watch with plenty of roots in the TH lineup.
On further reflection, I am quite amused that the release I have liked the most in the last year is an orange quartz f1.
Look out for my 'Top 5 Orange Dial TAG Heuers' post coming soon.
WAZ101A.FC8305 on the TAG Heuer website:
Monday 29 March 2021
Sunday 28 March 2021
INTERVIEW: ASW (Calibre 11 Forum Member)
Today we have another new face to the TAG Heuer Enthusiast blog, from the Calibre 11 forum please welcome 'ASW'.
Welcome ASW, as this is your first time I wonder if you could tell us a little bit about yourself
Hi Rob. Al, I’m a director and producer working in the advertising industry, UK based.
So the obvious first question would have to be how did you get into luxury watches and what was your first 'good' piece?
I’ve been obsessed with watches (and Porsches) for as long as I can remember.
My first watch was when I was about 4, a digital pop up one - where you push a little red button and the display appeared. It started the whole ball rolling (and probably also my love of square cases).
Next was a calculator watch and then followed an obsession with waterproof watches. “Is it waterproof?” “How deep can you go?” “Can it go in swimming pool?”. I drove dad mad!
The first good piece was when I was around 14 - a 100m waterproof Casio with a great set of digital features. Looking back, it wasn’t that great - but I still own it to this day.
In traditional terms, my first good watch was in 2005 - a Tag Heuer 2000 Series. SS, Black dial, alu bezel, fully automatic - and, most importantly waterproof to 300m.
Ah good, I always like to welcome a quartz owner to the blog! Do you have any other quartz pieces or is it just the Casio?
I have a G Shock - iconic model and very comfortable, plus super accurate with its multiband and solar tech.
I had a feeling you were going to have a G-Shock. I wanted one years ago but never got around to it, I always thought they were 'expensive' which seems kinda funny now!
Bit cliche aren’t they? But there’s a reason a cliche is a cliche!
So could you tell us a bit about the rest of your current collection?
The rest of the collection are all mechanical (something so calming about a series of gears creating so effortlessly one of the oldest inventions of civilisation - time) and a variety of styles and brands - but the central focus has always been Tag Heuer. Its the brand I always aspired to and continue to resonate with the most out of all others. The collection is always thought out and considered (I rarely sell anything) and always along a theme of blue.
Ah yes, the blue theme, we had kinda noticed that on the Calibre 11 forum. It's quite a novel concept to my mind, whereas I tend to want to get things in as many different colours as possible you (and Jim to a lesser extent) seem to be exploring this idea of a 'theme', I quite like it, though I doubt I would be able to make a decision and stick to it. Was it something that started accidentally or was it a conscious decision from the start?
It was a conscious decision from the start. My job involves a lot of making something out of a lot of very varied parts so I use that same logic for a lot of things. The ad has to work as a shoot and an edit when all these parts are put together - same applies to the watches.
That's an interesting way of looking at a collection, I doubt many people would consider their overall collection when they start buying watches. Take Jim for example, he is on his silver dial trip now, but he's already got the blue dial Red Bull F1. So what does he do with that? :)
It’s blue as a central theme but I have black, red, silvers and greys in there also. The Monacos cover all of these. Some are classic monotone like the 2000 or the Submariner.
So I'm wondering, since your collection is obviously quite 'designed' whether you have allowed any gold or two-tone pieces to creep in, or would that disrupt the overall 'feng shui' of the whole do you think?
No TT for me at this stage, not my palette. I do like a bit of carbon though, like the 02. And even fake carbon, like the Aquaracer. Got to be good for at least 3bhp extra.... on no wait, that’s cars....
Ah yes, cars... I guess we might as well talk about cars since you've brought it up. I'm guessing you must be feeling pretty excited about the new partnership between Porsche and TAG Heuer, right?
Yes I am - two favourite brands coming together, what could be better! As soon as the Formula E partnership was announced I contacted the AD. And then patiently waited until now. I like what they’ve done - understated, modern - and a lot like the 992 - quite large. I look forward to further launches in the future; a nice heritage inspired piece to compliment the modern would be great.
I was really surprised by the reaction to the new Carrera on the Calibre11 forum, I really don't know what people expected, but they clearly didn't 'appreciate' the model that was launched. It's interesting to me that you as a proper Porsche-owning 'enthusiast' like the watch when so many seemed to have some really negative things to say about it. To me it almost seemed like it wasn't what people were hoping for so they bashed it for that more than because they didn't like what was produced. I can't help but think that come the end of the year and when the heat has gone out of the situation it will score better with the COCO council.
I agree, you can never please everyone all the time. Personally I like it and as much as I respect other opinions, it doesn’t change how I feel. I’m wearing it now as I write this.
King Hubert (Calibre11 mod) has suggested he'd like to see a 'Porsche' Monaco, would that be something of interest to you?
I’d love a Porsche Monaco with a little Gulf twist. Would go nicely with the 90s one. The asphalt effect on the Carrera is great - very different.
Since you are ideally placed to comment as you have it on your wrist (and the first person I know that owns it) how is it? When I tried on the 44mm 'Sports' Carrera last year it was big and chunky but to dismiss it as 'too big' because of it's nominal size fails to take into account the short lugs...
I really like it. Its 44 but wears smaller than my 43, largely helped by the lugs and slimmer profile and also by the dial and bezel combination. Dial is great and very different to anything in my collection. Reminds me completely of the dash and Sports Chrono dial in the Porsche. Steering wheel rota is very cool too!
I agree, it definitely wears like a 43mm or even a chunky 42mm to me. It seems like this flies in the face of your previous comment that your purchases are 'considered', was it just too much to resist having 'Porsche' on the bezel?
Haha not quite, although I do have a Porsche mug so maybe you’re right... It definitely fits in the collection as it’s within my theme holistically - SS, black, red, different - just no blue on this one.
I see.. sometimes you just gotta have it, I was like that with the original Heuer 01. Thank God it was only £4000 not £8000 (as Mr Biver suggested it should have been), hahaha!
So, while we're on the subject of 'collaborations', I wonder what you made of Mr Bamford's Aquaracer that came out at the tail end of last year, were you tempted?
I liked it, was different, arched back to a few decades past with a contemporary twist. My favourite Bamford is the carbon Monaco.
Yes, that was pretty cool too. For all the grief Mr Bamford gets for his creations (which admittedly are rather hit and miss) his 'official' TAG Heuer collaborations are hitting the spot so far.
Speaking (as we briefly were a second ago) about money, is there a 'money no object' watch that you would like to own? And is there a 'real-life' limit on what you would feel comfortable wearing?
I don’t really have an 'end' watch. I’d like a 02T (or whatever this years rumour is). I came 90% to getting a Tete de Vipere a few years ago. That said, the reason I didn’t get it is because I wouldn’t want that much capital on my wrist. Maybe in the future but for now I’m more than happy and fortunate enough to have some amazing pieces.
So, since you have just purchased the new Porsche Carrera SE I guess it's a little early to ask you what your next purchase might be?
I think I need to shuffle the deck next. I recently got a Panerai too (long term dream) so should probably realign what’s what. That said I’m very interested in the new Aquaracer 2021. Being my first ever luxury watch, the Aquaracer pieces in my collection are close to me.
Oh yes, many of us are eager to see what TAG Heuer have done to the Aquaracer, do you think we are going to see a Heuer 02 Aquaracer? It seems like a nice idea but it would push the Aquaracer way up in price, probably too much...
I think we will but it doesn’t interest me - my love of Aquaracers are 3-handers so I’m excited to see what the 010 or whatever it will be movement is. Or Tag just continue with Selita, which makes sense from price perspective.
Talking movements, that’s another thing I like to also vary in my collection. Calibre 5, 7, 11, 17, 01, 02 makes for a nice variety plus I like to do the same for the other brands.
Ah, speaking of movements, is the Heuer 02 rotor in the Porsche Carrera as loud as it is in the CBK221B Silver 160th Carrera?
I can’t compare it to the 160th not having held one, but it’s certainly very audible - same as the carbon 02. Quietest movement I have by far is the P.900.
Does it bother you? Jim said he didn't think he would buy another Heuer 02 watch because of the rotor noise, I guess not since you knew what you were getting into?
It doesn’t bother me, no. I like each of the movements have character. Mechanical watches are predominantly an emotional thing so it’s great they have their own heartbeat.
I agree. So aside from more Porsche related pieces and the new Aquaracer, what are you hoping to see from TAG Heuer this year?
I’m hoping they update the 02T to a smaller wear (the 45mm wears very large). Movement wise, I’m hoping there’s news on the Isograph - the dream would be an in house carbon spring 3 hander but that’s probably too much wishful thinking.
Yes, I think we'd settle for an in-house three hander with a reliable crown stem and winding action... ;)
Haha the 2 I have have worked faultlessly. One Calibre 5 is one of the most accurate watches I own....
Looking back to last year, I wonder what your thoughts were on the 160th Anniversary pieces, the Silver Carrera, the Montreal and the two Carrera Datos?
I think the 160th and Montreal are great looking watches... but I don’t do yellow. Plus I love my LE Carrera and to me the difference wouldn’t be enough.
You don't do yellow.... okay, I'm shocked! Hahaha. What's wrong with yellow?
Absolutely nothing wrong with yellow, it just doesn’t fit in my holistic collection. True story, I sold the Heuer Chronometer 6 because of its yellow, cream dial. Beautiful watch, just never wore it.
Which brings me neatly to one of my favourite questions, namely 'How many watches is too many?'
As many as is right for the individual.
And finally, a question that always makes me smile - have you ever sneaked a watch into the house for fear of incurring the wrath of your significant other?
Haha, no I’ve never needed to.
Lucky man! Well thanks for taking the time to talk to us Al and to share (some of) your collection with the readers, as with Albert unfortunately there were more pictures than I could fit in but maybe next time we can fill in some of the blanks...
Saturday 27 March 2021
Friday 26 March 2021
SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 5 'Green Cross' Limited Edition Watch
WAJ2116.BA0871
In the late 00s TAG Heuer and Leonardo DiCaprio joined forces to champion a pair of environmental charities (Green Cross and NRDC) and this 500M Aquaracer was one of the limited edition watches that came out of that pairing. Limited to 1600 pieces the watch features a blue dial with a 'world' pattern on the dial and the Green Cross logo on the lower portion of the face. The watch also features a display caseback showing off the Calibre 5 movement and a dark blue (ribbed) bezel - often these can look black, but it should definitely be blue if it's original.
I really like the WAJ series 500M Aquaracers, I own a grey dial WAJ1111 quartz and it is probably one of my favourite watches. I've long fancied these limited edition blue dial versions and Watchfinder are currenltly selling a WAJ2116 for £1450, which seems a reasonable price but they only have one picture up (and that's not of the actual watch). It's quite hard to find any others to compare; Watches.co.uk had one but it's long been sold and one was also auctioned through Catawiki with an estimate of 1450-1600 Euros, but it failed to meet the reserve and was withdrawn (it doesn't say what the reserve was but the watch was a little bit rough around the edges judging by the photos).
These watches are 43mm in diameter but they are also very chunky and angular so wear pretty big even if you are used to watches of that size. I must admit if I go to mine from something sub 40mm it's a bit of a shock at first, but I find that I soon get used to it again. The crowns on these are quite large too and I worried that it would stab me in the back of the hand, but actually it has never caused a problem.
There are non-limited blue dial versions of these watches, but the dial is nowhere near as cool to be truthful. While I do really enjoy the vertical slats on my grey dial WAJ1111, this glossy looking blue with the world print looks really nice (assuming of course that it lives up to the pictures we see here - I've never actually seen one in real life) and makes the matt blue on the regular models look a little, well... uninspiring.
Considering there are 1600 of these out there I'm quite surprised there aren't more available for sale, which suggests either I'm looking in the wrong places or people are holding on to them. If that's true then I can't say I blame them, I don't think I'd be selling mine either... but does it wow me enough to pay £1450 for one? Probably not right now, but I definitely wouldn't rule one out in the future.
Thursday 25 March 2021
Wednesday 24 March 2021
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Chronograph
CAZ101AC.BA0843
I know what you're thinking... haven't we already had a 'First Impressions' post on this one, not to mention an 'On the Wrist' post too? Well, almost... and while I wouldn't usually feature a watch again just because TAG Heuer put it on a different bracelet, in this instance it seems totally justified.
TAG Heuer have put out some great Formula 1 quartz pieces over the last few years, but more often than not the slight 'let-down' of an otherwise enjoyable watch has been the BA0842 bracelet. There's nothing massively 'wrong' with it (other than a cheap and cheerful pressed clasp which has no place on any watch costing more than £500) but somehow it just doesn't convincingly convey 'luxury product'. Okay, the Formula 1 product range is 'entry level' but it should still feel luxurious to some degree, however our Swedish correspondent Jim Dollares reported a considerable improvement in the overall feeling of quality when he took his CAZ1018 Red Bull Formula 1 quartz chronograph off the original steel bracelet and put it on a relatively inexpensive aftermarket textile strap, and that just can't be right, can it?
TAG Heuer have a bit of a history of mixing up their bracelet choices when it comes to the Formula 1 chronograph, although until now they've usually reserved the ceramic middle link bracelets for the pricier automatic Calibre 16 pieces. I must admit I was quite surprised to see that they had given the CAZ101AC this treatment, but if these pictures are anything to go by I can't help thinking perhaps they should have gone down this route from the start.
Unfortunately, I can't say for sure, but I suspect even this new bracelet will have the same tinny, rattly clasp, but at least the overall look is a dramatic improvement. You may remember from my 'On the Wrist' post that I favoured the rubber strap option (which has an old fashioned pin and buckle fastening), but I actually got lumbered with trying it on the original bracelet instead... it certainly didn't help the watch's cause, to me full yellow dial or strongly yellow accented watches on steel bracelets always look a bit off somehow and this one was no different.
Unfortunately for reasons best known to TAG Heuer themselves this new and improved combination is an 'online exclusive' so we won't be seeing this in the shop windows and boutiques so that we can get a proper look at it, which is a shame as I feel this bracelet might re-invigorate my interest in this watch that slightly let me down on our first acquaintance.
I don't own any watches with ceramic links myself, but my wife has one of the original 2014 ladies ceramic F1s and every time I pick that up I am super impressed with the feeling of luxury it conveys and I reckon it would work equally well here too. I think the black ceramic also complements the black/grey 'carbon pattern' dial in a similar way to the black rubber strap on the 2020 release and plays off the yellow highlights too (you may remember that I have my yellow dial Aquaracer Calibre S on a black rubber strap for this very reason, even though I originally purchased it on the steel bracelet).
So it's a big thumbs up from me, based on these photographs at least, but.... before you rush to the TAG Heuer website to place your orders, there is just one little fly in the ointment and that, unfortunately, is the price. The standard CAZ101AC on the original steel BA0842 bracelet (still available incidentally) comes in at £1650, whereas this one ups that to £1900. Is it worth an extra £250 for those ceramic midlinks? I'm not sure, but I know I definitely wouldn't buy it on the steel bracelet and for me this looks like a massive improvement, so on that basis maybe in this instance it is...?
TAG Heuer CAZ101AC.BA0843 Ceramic Bracelet Online Exclusive (£1900)
TAG Heuer CAZ101AC.BA0842 Steel Bracelet (£1650)
TAG Heuer CAZ101AC.FT8024 Black Rubber Strap (£1550)
Tuesday 23 March 2021
Monday 22 March 2021
BOOK REVIEW: Jack Heuer - The Times of My Life
To be honest, I knew very little about Jack before I read this since my interest in the brand really starts in 1985 when the company was bought by Techniques d'Avant Garde. Obviously Jack has been involved with the company since and there have been several special editions created to honour his birthdays etc... but even so, I'll be the first to admit my pre-1985 knowledge is (or perhaps was) rather limited.
So it was interesting to pick this up, and I have to say 'Mr Jack' has a great writing style which is easy to read and get invested in. He has also paced the book well; there's nothing more tedious than an autobiography which spends waaaay too long on the author's childhood but Jack gives us the salient details without droning on and I never once wanted to skip a bit to get to the good stuff.
Jack has certainly had an interesting life, from his skiing exploits, to flying on private jets with JFK's mother Ethel, to taking over the company at quite a young age (when Uncle Hubert wanted to sell out to Bulova) and then on through the trials and tribulations of running the company through the 60s and 70s until the quartz crisis and his departure from the firm in the early years of the 1980s.
Along the way Jack discusses the origins of such important pieces as the Monaco, Carrera and Autavia, the takeover of Heuer by TAG and later the sale to LVMH (which led to him being invited to become 'honorary chairman' of the company and also the re-release of the Autavia in 2003). Interestingly along the way he also busts the often repeated 'myth' that the crown of the Calibre 11 was placed on the left of the case as an aide-memoire to the user that the watch didn't need winding every day... it turns out it was simply a piece of marketing 'spin' to explain the weird looking design which was done for ease of construction.
Also, Mr Jack reveals that Steve McQueen chose to go with the Heuer Monaco in the Le Mans film primarily because he liked Jo Siffert's white overalls, and (amusingly) because he was worried that Omega would exploit his fame - if only he knew!
This was a fantastic book which I'm sure I will read again. I couldn't bear read it on a PDF though so I printed it out on A4 paper, which while somewhat bulky was still preferable to spending £300+ to get a copy!
Thanks must go to Calibre 11 and TAG Heuer for making this available for free.
PDF Download link:
Sunday 21 March 2021
GALLERY: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Watch
It wasn't until I received this classic Formula 1 from Japan that I realised that someone had replaced the bezel with an incorrect 'white' printed one. To my eyes it looked rather dull, so I started thinking about addressing the issue myself. To that end I found a good permanent green marker and this is the result. The green rubs off the black but not the white - despite me trying quite hard as I initially thought it looked too dark, however looking in the 1991 catalogue it's actually pretty close to what it should have been in the first place!
Saturday 20 March 2021
SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Kirium Automatic Chronometer
WL5112.BA0701
As you probably know by now, one of these days I would love to get a green dial TAG Heuer watch into the collection, but as we've discussed before there isn't really all that much choice no matter how far back through the catalogue you go. However, I noticed this superb looking Kirium on the Watchfinder website a few weeks ago at a rather reasonable £695 and seriously considered it, but ultimately something stopped me.
I can't remember what the Watchfinder site claimed (maybe I didn't even look at the details) but I was pretty convinced that this watch was 36mm, which to be honest is one of the main reasons why I hesitated; I do have a 36mm Kirium already and while (on a leather strap) it isn't 'too' small, it's certainly about as small as I would care to go. Well, it seems like I was wrong. It appears that this watch is actually 38mm in diameter and looking on the Watchfinder site again last night of course it has been sold.
Which is super annoying because It really does look in fabulous condition and I know from past experience that everything I have bought from Watchfinder has arrived looking 'top notch', particularly my plum/wine Kirium that I bought in December which looked like it had come directly from the TAG Heuer factory!
The bracelet looks a very decent length too, I believe my Kiriums have eight links on one side and seven on the other (my wrist is about 7.5/8") and this one has nine links on one side and six on the other, so it adds up to the same number of links and could have been switched around to match mine...
How annoying. Still, one doesn't have bottomless pockets and I'm sure the opportunity will come around again. I was going to point to 'Birth Year Watches' who also have a green dial chronometer Kirium, but a quick visit to their website reveals that it is they who have the 36mm version (part no WL5212, the two after the five indicating mid-size). They are asking £599 for their piece which is probably not totally unreasonable (although the condition is not that great to be honest - it has a mark on the glass and quite a short bracelet), but for me it just shows what a superb price the Watchfinder model was.
People love to criticise Watchfinder's pricing and on some occasions they are totally justified (I have seen some hilarious prices on their site in the past) but I tend to find that at the cheaper end of the market they can be very competitive (when you take condition into account) and they also give a two year warranty on every purchase which is not to be sniffed at.
Ah well, the hunt continues... in the meantime here's a link to the Birth Year Watches model, which also includes a video. Actually the video is rather interesting as it makes me question whether this is the right green dial for me anyway to be honest, it looks rather austere and not at all the 'jewel' green I was really hoping for... but then again there's nothing to say for sure that the green on the WL5212 is exactly the same as the WL5112... you can never assume things like that with TAG Heuer.
Friday 19 March 2021
Thursday 18 March 2021
BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Classic Ladies Quartz Watch
376.508
My wife has long been drawn to the yellow and black 380.508 ladies quartz Formula 1, but finding one in good condition at a reasonable price has been a bit of a challenge. She's also a bit dubious about the yellow plastic strap, a) because she has extremely pale skin and b) because she feels like it will probably get grubby quite quickly. As I own a 380.513 I can only agree with the second point, all the light coloured straps are a bit prone to 'grubbiness' unfortunately... indeed mine arrived on a black strap (which I changed back), which is definitely more 'practical' but it does lessen the impact of the watch's colour scheme somewhat.
An alternative is the black and yellow 376.508, which unlike the 380.508 comes with an uncoated steel case and on a black plastic strap as standard. While the scheme as a whole isn't as 'in your face' the yellow on the bezel and the hands is particularly acidic and looks fantastic against the black background. My wife was looking at this one on eBay with a view to buying it (from Japan) and since her birthday wasn't too far in the future I offered to buy it for her as a birthday present.
As the auction finished at 5AM GMT, I left a bid of approximately £200 or maybe slightly more (I can't actually remember the exact figure) but come the morning I had won the auction for the starting price of £122 plus £24 postage and packaging (with the potential for another £25 in import taxes, although in actual fact this did not arise).
The watch arrived in about 7 days I think, once again well packaged by the seller (Spirit*Age) and looked fantastic on arrival but for one small detail; the glass had a noticeable scratch to it at around the ten position. This we were aware of from the detailed pictures on the auction listing, but we were hoping that it would be a lot less noticeable than it turned out to be. It didn't really help that otherwise the watch looked pretty immaculate, which only served to make the scratch more incongruous to the eye.
Clearly I couldn't give it to her like this, so... with time being of the essence I took it to a local watch repair store called Timpsons. I had previously not had a happy time with them when I sent my black SEL chrono for servicing, but I figured that changing the crystal was a simple job that I could trust them with. To be fair, I was told I would get a quote within two weeks and I actually received it within three days! The price was £125, which seemed a little steep to me, but probably isn't really - it's just that relative to the price of the watch itself... well, ha, it cost more than the watch didn't it!
Still, fair play to them, within two weeks I had the watch back in my hand and it looked superb and came with a test certificate stating it had passed its pressure test. I also noticed that the old crystal came back in a TAG Heuer branded blister pack, so they clearly used the genuine replacement glass too. This is making me want to send them my orange/grey and yellow/black F1s for crystals too, both of them are scratched and annoying me more each time I wear them. I may have to get my Pilot crown attended to first though, since it is barely even catching now...
So yes, another winner from Japan - I can't really complain about the scratch as I knew about it, it just turned out to be a lot more visible than I'd hoped. And at least I got the watch back in plenty of time for my wife's birthday in April. She hasn't seen the watch yet, but I'm sure she's going to be more than happy with it, it really is in incredible condition for its age (approximately 25-30 years).
Wednesday 17 March 2021
GALLERY: Citizen Automatic Watch
Something different today... this was my maternal grandfather's watch, which was passed on to my father when he died. Today would have been my father's 87th birthday, but unfortunately he died a few years ago, hence I now have his watch. My father was quite a clumsy person and as you can see the crystal is broken and the day wheel is busted too! I did send it back for a quote to repair, but it was more than the watch is worth and since I'll probably never wear it I decided to keep it as it was.
The box came from eBay, probably nothing like the box it came in, but at least it gives is somewhere appropriate to rest. I have had this watch 4 years I think, and I don't know if I've ever wound it, it seems like all you need to do is pick it up and it's starts going all on it's own... quite astonishing really.
Tuesday 16 March 2021
HISTORY: TAG Heuer 3000 Series (1984-1989)
Without a doubt, one of my favourite of all TAG Heuer's model lines, the 3000 Series has it's roots in the twilight years of the Heuer watch company. First appearing in the 1984 catalogue, just one year before the company was sold to Techniques d'Avant Garde, the range was introduced in several variations including pure steel, two tone, black and gold, gold and black, gold and also chronographs and three handers in quartz and automatic variations (chronographs only, there were never any automatic 3 hander 3000 Series).
As a rule I don't usually delve back beyond the 1985/6 watershed since this is a TAG Heuer blog not a Heuer one, but then the blogs and websites that are more Heuer focussed probably don't spend an awful lot of time on the later, quartz pieces and since these models were essentially carried forward for several years I will start at the beginning.
1984 CATALOGUE
So the model is introduced with four fully fleshed out model lines, each available in four (yes four) different sizes: these are signified by the numbers 06 (Full size) 13 (Mid size) 15 (Smaller mid size) and 08 (Ladies). It seems crazy to think that watches were available in so many sizes, especially when the 'full size' was a rather modest 37mm!
In addition to this we had a fifth page showing a selection of four aesthetically different quartz chronographs (all full size) underneath which there is a panel explaining that each is available with an automatic movement. However, someone dropped the ball when writing this panel as the numbering is wrong.
Clearly 134.206 cannot be the automatic version of both the 234.206 and the 236.006, the latter half of the bottom line should have read 136.006.
For the purposes of this post I am initially going to use the photographs direct from the catalogue, because a) it will save a lot of time and b) because it also illustrates something that I wasn't previously aware of, or had perhaps more likely forgotten - that the 3000 Series was in fact available on a waterproof strap of some kind. I always believed it was only ever available on a bracelet, perhaps because I only recently looked back to the Heuer catalogues and the TAG Heuer catalogues always show it with a bracelet*.
(*Looking back at the 1987/88 catalogue it does indicate on one of the text pages that the 3000 Series are still available with the 'specifically waterproofed' leather straps, however these are not illustrated anywhere post 1986)
932.206: 37mm, grey dial, stainless steel on a waterproof strap (also available on bracelet)
932.208: 25mm, grey dial, stainless steel on a bracelet
932.215: 32mm, grey dial, stainless steel on a bracelet
932.213: 35mm, grey dial, stainless steel on a bracelet
These were also available later with a red/green logo on the dial but they maintained the same part numbers.
934.206: 37mm, grey dial, gold bezel/steel case on a two-tone bracelet
934.208: 25mm, grey dial, gold bezel/steel case on a two-tone bracelet
934.215: 32mm, grey dial, gold bezel/steel case on a two-tone bracelet
934.213: 35mm, grey dial, two-tone, on a waterproof strap (also available on bracelet)
937.413: 32mm, gold dial, black bezel/gold case on a gold bracelet
937.415: 35mm, gold dial, black bezel/gold case on a gold bracelet
937.408: 25mm, gold dial. black bezel/gold case on a waterproof strap (also on a bracelet)
936.015: 32mm, black dial, gold bezel/black case on a black bracelet
936.006: 37mm, black dial, gold bezel/black case on a waterproof strap (also on a bracelet)
936.013: 35mm, black dial, gold bezel/black case on a black bracelet
232.206: 38mm, grey dial, steel bezel/case on a steel bracelet
237.406: 38mm, gold dial, black bezel/gold case on a gold bracelet
236.006: 38mm, black/gold dial, gold bezel/black case on a black bracelet
1985 CATALOGUE
The 1985 catalogue displays largely the same line-up of watches, with the addition of some black/gold bracelet variations.
936.008BG: 25mm, black dial, gold bezel/black case on a black/gold bracelet
936.013BG: 35mm, black dial, gold bezel/black case on a black/gold bracelet
936.006BG: 38mm, black/gold dial, gold bezel/black case on a black/gold bracelet
1985-1986 CATALOGUE
No new watches were shown in the 1985-1986 catalogue.
1987 CATALOGUE
The 1987 catalogue highlights parts of the overall range, only the established 'two-tone' selection (934.2XX) of the 3000 Series watches are shown here (all on bracelets)
1987-1988 CATALOGUE
No new watches were shown in the 1987-1988 catalogue.
1988 CATALOGUE
Bizarrely, the 3000 Series is not included in the 1988 catalogue!
1988 JAPANESE CATALOGUE / LEAFLET
Here we see the addition of three new ranges of 3000 watches plus two new chronographs, presumably only intended for the Japanese market? It's worth noting that two of the three (and indeed both chronographs) are shown with 'Heuer' rather than 'TAG Heuer' logos on the dial, was this a way for the company to use up leftover 'Heuer' branded dials or was there even at this stage a desire for the old logo in the Far East?
936.006SB: 37mm, black/gold 'Heuer' dial, black bezel/case on a black bracelet
936.008SB: 25mm, black/gold 'Heuer' dial, black bezel/case on a black bracelet
936.013SB: 35mm, black/gold 'Heuer' dial, black bezel/case on a black bracelet
935.406: 37mm, gold dial, gold bezel/steel case on a two tone bracelet
935.408: 25mm, gold dial, gold bezel/steel case on a two tone bracelet
935.413: 35mm, gold dial, gold bezel/steel case on a two tone bracelet
937.413SG: 32mm, gold 'Heuer' dial, gold bezel/case on a gold bracelet
937.406SG: 37mm, gold 'Heuer' dial, gold bezel/case on a gold bracelet
937.415SG: 35mm, gold 'Heuer' dial, gold bezel/case on a gold bracelet
When I first saw these I thought I had found my grail watch. I wrongly assumed 'SG' stood for solid gold, but unfortunately it does not, these like all the other 3000 Series watches are gold plated and while they are relatively easy to find on eBay and the like, they have not worn particularly well. It's a real shame as a solid gold 3000 would be something I would love to own, though I'm guessing the price would have been somewhat buttock clenching!
237.406G: 38mm, gold 'Heuer' dial, gold bezel/case on a gold bracelet
134.206: 38mm, grey/gold dial. gold bezel/steel case on a two-tone bracelet
236.006B: 38mm, black/gold 'Heuer' dial, black bezel/case on a black bracelet
935.408S: 25mm, gold dial. gold bezel/case on a gold bracelet
1988/1989 CATALOGUE
The 3000 Series returns to the general catalogue one more time, but reduced to just three ranges of three hander quartz pieces (932, 934 and 937).
1989 JAPANESE CATALOGUES
These throw some confusion into the mix as they add an S to end of existing part numbers, while also introducing new pieces - so should the S be there or not? Who can say? But I can't see any difference between a 932.206S and a 932.206... these do however introduce a couple more 'new' pieces.
935.413S: 32mm, gold dial, gold bezel/case on a gold bracelet
132.206: 38mm, grey dial, steel bezel/case on a steel bracelet
These are (as far as I can tell) essentially the same as the 937 range of gold plated watches, but branded 'TAG Heuer' instead of Heuer (which is quite funny considering the watches carried over from the Heuer days didn't get renumbered...). I don't understand why they are S and not SG either? Makes no sense to me.
NON CATALOGUE MODELS (AUTOMATIC MODELS)
The 3000 Series is a refreshingly straightforward one on the whole, but there are a few non-catalogue models, or rather models that are not shown in the catalogues, but only listed as 'automatic alternatives to the quartz models shown. Kind of ironic that they show the quartz models in the catalogue and say 'you can also have this in automatic', but there we are - this was the 80s after all.
136.006BG: 38mm, black/gold dial, gold bezel/black case on a black/gold bracelet
137.406: 38mm, gold dial, black bezel/gold case on a gold bracelet
136.006: 38mm, black/gold dial, gold bezel/black case on a black bracelet*
932.206*: 37mm, grey dial with red/green logo, steel case and bracelet**
*I cannot find a picture of this one, so I modified the 136.006BG picture by blacking out the gold bracelet centre links. If I find a picture at some point I will replace it.
** Towards the end of the 3000s life TAG Heuer replaced the printed logo dial with an applied red/green version.
So there we have it ladies and gentlemen, the 3000 Series. I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane and next up will be the 1500 Series.
Please click HERE to visit the 'History of TAG Heuer' menu page.
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