Today we welcome back to the blog our favourite Belgian chocolatier and mechanical watch enthusiast: Yago! (If you would like to read our last interview with Yago from 2019 there is a link at the bottom of the page...)
ROB: Hello again Yago. So your last interview was way back in 2019 and at that time you were planning to get married, did you manage to get hitched with all the craziness that's happened in the meantime?
YAGO: Thanks for having me again! Craziness indeed, but yes we did manage to get married. It was a cosy ceremony and celebration with family and a few friends. Blue BB36 for my wife and I wore my Carrera 1153s on its GF BoR. We also had some smart clothes on but I don’t really remember those...
ROB: Well I hope the whole Covid situation didn't impact on your special day too much. I must admit we don't get much 'Belgian' news here in the UK so I am rather ill informed as to how bad it has been in your lovely country. Fun that you remember your wedding watch, my wedding was so long ago I don't even know if I was wearing a watch... and if I was it was nothing worth remembering!
So, a lot has happened in the last eighteen months (can you believe it's been eighteen months since our last interview)... not least the 160th Anniversary of TAG Heuer and the ensuing celebrations. Looking back on 2020, were you impressed with the limited edition Carreras TAG Heuer issued and were you tempted to purchase one?
YAGO: I had hoped that TAG Heuer would someday combine the perfectly proportioned dial configuration of the H02 with a classic Carrera case. This came to fruition for the first time with the Fragment Carrera. A watch I wasn't particularly fond of at the time mostly because of the oversized subdials. In hindsight the Fragment is a great watch and one I'd love to have in the collection. I just really wanted that '60s Carrera look & feel I suppose, which is exactly what we got with the limited editions of 2020.
Both the 'Montreal-inspired' and the silver dial model are great releases and I debated about buying either one (with the Montreal a slight favourite). As these were rather large releases I wasn't in a hurry and kept hoping for a black dial edition. When the Dato was rumoured I set my hopes on that one. With a little help from a forum buddy I was able to secure one. The '60s Dato is one of my all-round favourite Heuer watches so this was too good to pass up. I realize this is technically a 2021 edition but rumour has it it was supposed to launch in 2020 and got delayed because of Covid (it has the 160 years rotor).
Having the Dato I don't believe I'll be swayed by another black dial Carrera in the glassbox case. A 2447sn panda re-edition might get me though.
ROB: Congratulations on your purchase; you did really well to get such a rare watch, especially one associated with Hodinkee (which is almost guaranteed sell out on day one). I noticed it had the 160th rotor in it too, I'm guessing you're right about it being delayed - it would be a bit odd to use that rotor after the fact. The Dato 45 has grown on me quite a bit since it was released, the date window still irks me slightly but I guess it is what it is and the flip side is that you get the in-house movement with the decorated rotor. Dare I ask what you think of the (ahem) 44mm Carrera 'Datos'?
YAGO: The Dato was a quirky watch then and still is. Not a watch TAG Heuer would have released today if there hadn't been an iconic precedent. The asymmetrical dial with the date at 9 o'clock really gets me, don't know why.
Overall the new case design of the Carreras is a winner. I was hesitant about the redesigned lugs but I think they did a great job. Head on the lugs look almost as striking as the original Carrera which is a feat considering the larger case and lug to lug limits. The 42mm elegant chronographs would be my choice. These are lovely watches. I'm not the biggest fan of external bezel Carreras. 44mm might as well be 50mm for me as it's unwearable. I do appreciate that a sizeable chunk of the TAG Heuer target audience wants these watches. The 44mm Datos are therefore too big. The dial lay-outs are interesting.
ROB: Those 44mm Datos seem to have fallen off the radar really quickly, I do wonder how long it's going to take to sell them. No such problem for the recently released green dial Monaco it seems, as it's showing out of stock all over (and now showing up at huge premiums on sites like Chrono24). I wonder if you liked that one and also how you feel about these limited edition pieces that sell out in double quick time? I must admit I find it a bit frustrating that TAG Heuer keep releasing these cool pieces which you have to make a snap decision on (if you can afford to)... but I guess it generates a buzz for the brand?
YAGO: I didn't expect the green Monacos to sell out so quickly. I understand the appeal though as it's very on trend and superbly executed. Probably the nicest green dial out there together with the green AP. I sometimes forget how iconic the Monaco is and it seems its appeal keeps growing. For me the Monaco is a racing chronograph with ditto strap, but I appreciate a lot of people wear it as a statement piece dress watch. I would definitely pass on the croc strap though. I own a vintage hand wound G and haven't seen a modern Monaco that can top that. But who knows what's coming...
I believe LEs are a necessity. Yes it creates buzz, paid or not, but it mostly allows the watch brands to issue pieces that wouldn't receive mass appeal and probably wouldn't make it to market otherwise. I'm convinced the Dato wouldn't have sold well enough to be part of the standard range. But for enthusiasts and collectors this watch was a homerun. The Hodinkee effect probably helped but TAG Heuer would have done well with this one on their own as well. It did create more buzz this way of course. I believe the green Monaco should have been part of the standard line-up though. Perhaps they will correct that.
ROB: Yes, your point is definitely valid viz the Dato 45; like all the 39mm Carreras it seems like they don't command enough market share to be standard products and making these pieces limited editions definitely focusses the mind of the potential customer and nudges them into buying. I do find it frustrating with the green Monaco though, it feels like it should have been something a little more accessible...
I wonder how a watch company feels when they make something like that and it sells out in a day or two? Are they chuffed that they've just pocketed £2.75m or are they kicking themselves that there was more demand out there that they haven't fulfilled (although in this case maybe they are banking on their next release to pick up the slack...)
I wish they had made the green Monaco a 'Special Edition' with a production of 1000-1500 and then made a black PVD version that was limited to say 300-500 pieces. Ah well.... if only they'd asked me!
So as I mentioned earlier it has been a good eighteen months since our last interview and I was wondering what changes there have been to your collection, quite a bit I would imagine?
YAGO: 18 months is an eternity for a watch collection :)
I've sold and bought a few but ended up with more watches. My most notable purchases were a Monaco 73633G and the Hodinkee Dato but there was also that impulse buy of the Viceroy. I like to pick up a vintage or vintage inspired skin diver every now then and I'm always on the look-out for vintage Heuer stopwatches. I managed to find a few of those, the 1/100 mikrograph and flyback being my favourites.
I'm also very pleased with my recent TAG Heuer 2000 and I'll probably dive a bit deeper in '90s TAG Heuer. Although I'll stay clear of the more acquired tastes of the era.
As you know I like to change straps and bracelets on my watches a lot so I keep track of releases of quite a few strapmakers. It's also hard to resist available original Heuer bracelets, end links and buckles I come across from collectors I know. Such items are getting so hard to find in good condition and at a decent price.
ROB: Is it too awful of me to say... I love that 2000 Series? Hahahahaa... what a philistine I am. And what on earth does 'acquired' tastes of the 1990s mean?
YAGO: Well there is that one forum member sporting a Soviet general's Tristar. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
ROB: You don't like the Tristar with it's spindly hands and not really round two tone bezel? What other watch can you name that has actual gold stars on it?
YAGO: None I would like to think about. Vostok comes to mind but they usually only have a red star. I guess TAG Heuer outdid the actual Soviet watch.
ROB: Come to think of it my wife's Omega Constellation has a ton of stars on the dial, they could be white gold...? I'm not sure. It would certainly explain why it cost so damn much!
YAGO: You mean the one with the diamonds in the bezel? You could probably buy 20 Tristars for that money. Although I'd be surprised they ever made that many. Omega seem to charge an extra 2k just for the co-axial mambo jambo
ROB: No diamonds no.... I don't think. Let me check. Oh yes, you're right - it does have diamonds in the bezel, well.... maybe that is why it was so expensive. Actually I'm pretty sure the stars are white gold also...
Okay but leaving aside the Tristar (which is actually 80s TAG Heuer as it happens), the 1990s is actually a hotbed of irresistible bargains once you start looking; is there a model you favour, perhaps a nice 6000 Series with a ruffled edge leather strap?
YAGO: Not too sure about the 6000. Once I start seeing applied TAG Heuer logos on bezels I'm out! I'm currently looking at the blue 2000 with angled bezel as I already have the previous model with the round bezel in black. The 1500 series has a few nice pieces, perhaps the granite dial of those. I might even go for gold or two tone. These '90s models are rabbit holes and who knows what I might end up liking when I return from Wonderland. Maybe a 3000 with those quirky bezel grips? I'm pretty sure the S/EL won't be it.
ROB: So definitely not a 4000 then... granite dial 1500s are quite interesting, but I can't imagine you going for a 3000 given your 'Aqua-phobia'. What about the S/EL Leather? It does away with the marmite bracelet and gives the option of eight different coloured straps, including turquoise!
YAGO: The 4000 is the mullet of the bunch for sure. I actually like the 3000, for some of the same reasons I like the Aquaradar. Even without that ghastly bracelet on the S/EL I'd still end up with lugs looking like Poirot's moustache.
ROB: That's true... I hated the 'S/EL Leather' for ages, and then I bought one and decided I actually didn't mind the Poirot 'tache!
You mentioned that you also collect stopwatches, and I know you're not the only one on the forum who does this. I must admit that I have almost bought a bargain stopwatch too, but I stopped because I didn't know what I'd actually do with it. Do you actually use your stopwatches or are they just a nice thing to have?
YAGO: They are mostly nice to have and play around with but I do use the Trackstar for work-outs and the 1/100 is mounted on the steering wheel of my 911. Not that I ever drag race but it just looks cool. You often find em with boxes and sometimes even with papers and invoices. I think that's also part of the attraction as this sort of stuff is very rarely still available with Heuer watches of the same era. I suppose people kept their stopwatches in the boxes when not in use.
ROB: They are also quite affordable, I've seen TAG Heuer stopwatches on eBay for less than £100 before... which is very tempting. Don't think it would look quite so cool on the dash of my diesel Corsa though. Hahaha.
YAGO: I never buy off Ebay, so many scammers. There are a few good thrift websites here and in Holland where I occasionally pick one up. The cheapest one was 12 euro and I had to drive 20 minutes to pick it up. With box and papers. I also found the Viceroy on that website.
ROB: So, to change the subject somewhat... this year TAG Heuer got itself a new CEO in the shape of Frederic Arnault. Do you see this as a positive change and what do you think it might mean for the future direction of the company?
YAGO: I think it's a positive change indeed. There's always the fear than when an heir of a conglomerate comes in everything turns (even more) corporate and financial. However the first signs are very encouraging. Great people coming on board and a few stellar releases. There were also a few absolute fails IMO but I'm certainly not TAG Heuer's key target audience. If Arnault manages TAG Heuer the way his brother did at Rimowa I think we're in a good place.
ROB: At least he's made an impression, I can't remember the name of the guy who was in charge between Mr Biver and Mr Arnault. Can you?
YAGO: Was his name Isograph? I do remember he's still the head of LVMH so basically still calling the shots.
ROB: Ah, was it Stephane Bianchi? He is the overall head of LVMH Watches and Jewellery now, I guess he must have done a good job behind the scenes then!
I probably shouldn't reveal this, but I heard from a mole in La Chaux de Fonds that Frederic has a special pair of 'ultra-white' Louis Vuitton trainers that he wears for presentations. They are apparently stored in some sort of special box between launches that prevents 'white glow degradation', using technology developed jointly between NASA and Space-X...
YAGO: There's a lot of sh*t to clean up at TAG Heuer so that special box doesn't sound like a bad idea.
ROB: So you mentioned the Aquarader earlier, perhaps it's time we turned our attention to that and also to the brand new Aquaracers... which I just know you are itching to discuss.
YAGO: Oh man the Aquaracer, where to begin? Do I think TAG Heuer should have a dive watch? A firm yes. We have the heritage with the mareographe, skipper, Autavia 11630P and later the 1000, 1500, 2000 and all the way up to about a million.
Heuer and later TAG Heuer have always been closely linked to (motor) sports and adventure. I would like for TAG Heuer to position the AR as a watersports watch rather than an actual dive watch. That market is so crowded and most of these brands don't have the competitive sports edge the way TAG Heuer does. I'm talking sailing, jetskiing, kite, rafting, surfing, boat racing etc.
The current logo, that has just been updated, still features a deep sea divers helmet. It should be a raft or a speed boat or something like that. The design language of the watches could be very different that way. A lot less like the Seamaster and a lot more like the Aquaradar that actually looks like TAG Heuers of the '90s. They could own that category.
ROB: But, but.... I thought you'd appreciate that TAG Heuer took inspiration from the older 1000 Series with the crinkly bezel edge etc?
YAGO: Nothing wrong with the crinkles nor with the 12-facet bezel. The rest of it is quite bulky. The new flanges on the case sides aren't helping. The rehaut is massive. I mean look at this:
The hands are a questionable choice too. The Hexagonal hour markers? Come on...
I just had a look at the 1000 on my wife's wrist. That's a gorgeous watch, perfect proportions. I'd buy that in a heartbeat, maximum 41mm though. Again this AR hasn't been designed with me in mind but I think it lacks personality or maybe the right kind of personality. Bamford really got that right with their edition.
ROB: I have to say I'm 100% in agreement on the hands and the hour markers... I'm guessing the massive rehaut has something to do with the need to make space for the internal cyclops though, no? But I hate the 'heritage' crinkly bezel and while moving the date to the six in itself isn't actually a problem, for me the round cyclops over the square date window is a definite miss. I keep hedging and saying that hopefully when I actually get to see one it will change my mind, but I'm still not loving it yet.
The Bamford Aquaradar though, I'm keen to see that. Although I'm worried that when I do I will want one and that will mean more expense.
YAGO: Who knows maybe we’ll see an AR without those hour markers, hands and cyclops and at a more conservative size. Maybe one that will evoke the spirit of the 2000...
ROB: Maybe... who knows?
So before we get to my final question.... I wanted to ask something that you as a Belgian chocolatier are uniquely placed to answer (at least among the Calibre 11 forum members). A few years ago I visited Bruges and of course there were many, many chocolate shops there... but every single one had at least one chocolate knob on the counter. And I just wondered, a) what's up with that... and b) was your chocolate empire (and your watch collection) built on the sale of cocoa based phalluses? And also, is white chocolate jizz a step too far? I thought so... especially in a shop where children can see them!
YAGO: Oh yeah we're pretty big on those, I usually have one before breakfast. Think of em as our cream eggs. I actually believe it originated as a joke of one chocolatier but it quickly became so popular with British tourists that everybody started making them. I myself am years away from being able to join the 'Guild of Chocolate Knob Makers'. It's good to have goals in life.
ROB: I see... well, thanks for thanks for clearing that up.
And so, finally, to the real elephant in the room (the new Aquaracer was just a decoy) earlier this year TAG Heuer announced a full on collaboration with the German sportscar manufacturer Porsche; which you as a Porsche 911 owner must have been enormously excited about. However, when the watch itself arrived you were pretty vocal about how much you disliked it. Has your stance softened at all?
YAGO: I'm just glad they didn't replace the Aston Martin partnership with Honda. I know a few forum members will despise me for that comment but I love them nonetheless.
Porsche was an obvious choice and one I expressed my hopes for on the forum before it came to fruition. What seems obvious from the outside probably translated into a 1000 page contract.
I quite enjoyed the announcement video and all the footage and artworks we've seen since the start of the collaboration, including the recent green Monaco video featuring the green 911.
The first Porsche edition TAG Heuer certainly wasn't my cup of tea. They chose the larger than life Carrera with external bezel which isn't my favourite Carrera to start with. I suppose this could be TAG Heuers equivalent of a Carrera Cup 911 GT3. The design language is very loud, hardly evoking the design spirit of Jack Heuer and Butzi. I hope we'll see a co-branded Carrera that does just that. I'm pretty confident it will happen.
ROB: Well, it sounds to me like your stance has softened considerably...
YAGO: Not in the least, it still sits at the very bottom of TAG Heuers releases for me. I think the guys and girls at Porsche Design uncorked a few bottles on the day it was launched. Let's hope the sequel will be more exciting.
ROB: There's been much speculation on the Calibre11 forum about a Porsche Monaco, but when you have a 'Carrera' watch in your line-up that seems like it has to be the go to watch, don't you think?
YAGO: The Carrera is obvious but maybe even an F1 could work. Remember the TAG-Porsche engine in Mclaren during the '80s, driven by Prost and Lauda among others and winning two WCs. They might have to change the name of the watch to Formula E though...
There are a few links with Porsche and the Monaco as well. There's the iconic track where both Porsche and TAG Heuer as sponsor have enjoyed many wins. The Le Mans Mcqueen link with the Porsche 917 is perhaps most obvious. I suspect a Gulf x Porsche Monaco is the wet dream of many forum members.
ROB: I'm sure you are right about that, but from what I've heard while there is another Gulf Monaco on the (distant) horizon, it doesn't have a Porsche tie-in so I guess perhaps we'll have to wait and see what happens in the future.
Well, it's been great to talk to you again Yago, thanks for taking the time to do this interview and I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. Hopefully it won't take another 18 months for us to get round to do doing it again... and thanks again for explaining the whole chocolate knob thing.
YAGO: This was fun, thanks! Next time you make it to Belgium we'll do a tour of the chocolate shops and I'll show you all the new models
ROB: I look forward to it...
Read YAGO's 2019 interview by clicking the link below and you can find more interviews by visiting the Interviews Menu page.
No comments:
Post a Comment