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...