Today we welcome our friend (and patient Calibre 11 Moderator) 'Hubert' back to the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Blog.
Hi Hubert, can you believe it’s been two years since we did our first interview? So much has happened… back then we didn’t know what was about to hit us. Firstly how have you been, hopefully you and your family are all healthy?
Time flies! I also can’t believe it’s been that long. This pandemic has certainly made these past two years mesh together in a prolonged hallucination. It certainly has been tragic for billions and a true test for everyone. So I truly hope your loved ones and readers are keeping well and in good health.
So an odd way to start perhaps, but reading back through your first interview I noticed that you mentioned you wear the Connected Smart Watch twice a week. I never really picked up on this at all, so how has your Connected experience been? Is it still working? Have you upgraded to the 3rd Generation? Did you get a Super Mario?
Funny you should ask about the Connected! If you remember, the current generation was launched right before the world shutdown. As I did with the past two iterations, I purchased mine the day it was announced, on March 12th, 2020. And while this model offers some nice upgrades in the form of a heart-rate monitor, programmable chrono-pushers, improved electronics, and an optional ceramic bezel; where it falls short is in its overall design, which is frankly, uninspired. Sadly the avant-garde look of its predecessors is gone and we are left with something that is hard to differentiate from the dozens of other smartwatches that can be acquired for a fraction of its price. The distinct katana lugs that symbolized the bold, unapologetic re-interpretation of the historic Carrera, have been phased-out, in favor of the softened version of the Bove design.
In the end, I’ve worn mine from time to time, but nowhere near as much as the previous two. As for Mario, I was never a gamer, so this nostalgia trip didn’t do it for me. I truly hope the next generation, which should be arriving in 2022 (given the prior 2-year cycles), brings back a bold and unique design.
Also in the last interview you mentioned that you weren’t too sure how you felt about the collaboration with George Bamford, did the Aquaracer released at the end of last year do anything to change your mind either way?
Bamford’s offerings still haven’t done it for me. No one can deny the Titanium “radar” Aquaracer was quite interesting and the carbon aqua-blue Monaco has proven to be unique (I was anticipating more carbon Monacos to follow), yet these models just haven’t been compelling enough to get.
Our last interview took place right after the Monaco 50th Anniversary celebrations came to a close, but of course only a few months later we had the release of the Silver 160th Anniversary Carrera, which heralded the beginning of another year of celebrations. What was your take on that and the other 160th Anniversary models? And do you think the celebration was ‘special’ enough or would you have liked to have seen something more imaginative, like the Grand Carrera / Mobile Phone combo that came out in 2010 for the 150th Anniversary?
My first reaction when I learned about the Monaco 50th Anniversary collection was that it would be really tough to collect them all, and that proved to be right. In the end, I ordered 3 of the 5, the 80s, 90s, & 00s. And although I didn’t get the 70s & 10s when they were new, I keep my eye out for them regularly; in fact I almost had one of the 10s earlier this year. Overall, I think this was a truly exciting campaign even if the numbers were truly low.
And who knows, maybe we’ll see a similar collection for the Carrera 60th Anniversary. It would be very hard to say no to that! In the meantime; I’ve collected a full house of the new Heuer02 glassbox Carreras; the Fragment Fujiwara (A), the Silver 160th Anniversary (B), the Montreal (C), the Dato (D), and the teal green (F). I still find it a bit strange that they skipped the 'E'. And if you are wondering, yes, the Telemeter is still with me, despite my love/hate relationship with it.
I assume that’s it now for fifteen years, since you wouldn’t really expect them to celebrate 170 years… I doubt I’ll live long enough to see the 200th Anniversary so they better make the 175th a good one!
Yes, the 175th anniversary would make more sense, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did a 170th campaign. Sales people never want to lose a marketing opportunity! You and I need to make it to the 200th anniversary my friend, so be sure to keep your health in check! The TAG Heuer enthusiast community wouldn’t be the same!
The next big anniversary I am looking forward to, will be Jack’s 90th birthday next year. I hope we get something really special!
So many watches have come out since our last interview, not least the solid gold Carrera JH88. I know you are a huge fan of Jack Heuer but maybe not so much solid gold watches, did that cause you sleepless nights or was it an easy pass?
Yes, the 88th Birthday TAG Heuer Carrera was an easy pass. To be honest, had it been a heritage edition, I would have agonized. But in the end, I used roughly the same funds to acquire the missing heritage Carreras, so I feel no regrets on this one.
Another one which was pretty favourably received on the forum was the second collaboration with ‘Fragment’, the Heuer 02 powered Formula 1. Did it ring your bell or was it a bit ‘Emperor’s new clothes’? And what about the price tag, do you think it was justifiable given the movement?
Also an easy pass for me. While I like the resemblance with the original Viceroy, it felt too much of a gimmick. Had the price been around 3.5K USD, I might have considered it.
So to change tack for a moment, I know you have started to collect Omegas too, has there been much growth on that side of your collection since our last chat?
I am a much more casual Omega fan. In the past year I acquired one of the last FOIS before they were discontinued and I finally took the plunge on the NTTD edition. The delay of the movie really made a killing for all partner brands. The excitement kept building and I got all sorts of memorabilia, clothing and accessories. I also used this opportunity to collect several mementos to go with my Spectre. God willing, one day I would love to create a display room for all of this stuff.
Are you excited by the Moonwatch anniversaries? As a non Omega fan, I find it a bit hilarious how much they bang on about it all and how many different ways they find to turn anything moon related into a special edition. That said, I do like the ‘Apollo 8 Ceramic Dark Side of the Moon’ much more than any ‘standard’ Speedmaster so maybe it’s not all bad?
I was truly hoping for something much more exciting for the Apollo XI. Not a fan of what they did. The one that I would love to have is the Ed White re-issue and the new Snoopy is very fun, but Omega is making it almost impossible to get these two. A bit of a Daytona déjà vu.
So, bit of a left field question this one… it’s clear from the forum that like me you buy quite a lot of watches. Albeit, I buy a lot of older quartz pieces and you tend to collect watches that are considerably more ‘expensive’. Obviously it’s not for anyone else to judge how either of us spend our own money and if we can ‘afford’ it then all well and good; but there’s always this argument isn’t there that applies equally to both of us just the same regardless of the price point – why would you buy multiple watches a year when you could buy one or two ‘better’ ones? Is it just that you prefer variety, is it that you like what you like and the cost is essentially irrelevant or is it something else?
I say get what makes you happy. In the end, our time on Earth is short, so make the best of it while you can. This hobby has really become quite a passion for the two of us, something that I would have not have expected when my love for the brand rekindled with the 1887 Carrera several years ago. I insist that most of this can be directly attributed to the C11 Forum, which without it, probably many of us would be much more casual about the brand. So huge props to David, for creating a home where our passions can thrive.
Going back to your first interview for a moment, one of the questions I asked was what would you like to see more of in watch design and your answer was that you’d like to see more emerald green dials. So I’m curious to know your opinion of the green dial Monaco we’ve had this year and also the ‘teal’ dial Carrera (officially called the ‘Green’ Carrera). I could be mistaken, but from the forum I’m reasonably certain you bought the Carrera but I’m not 100% sure if you picked up the Monaco as well?
Yes, I got the teal Carrera and was on the waiting list for the green Monaco. In the end, when the Monaco inventory sold-out, those funds went to the Montreal. So it was a happy ending after all.
We also had the titanium ‘Titan’ Monaco earlier this year, that one seemed very popular among the Calibre 11 forumites and again seemed like something you would want to add to your impressive stable…
Indeed, I did a pre-order for the titanium Monaco; one of my favourite Monacos. And although I never liked the ‘Titan’ nickname, it certainly seems to suit Max Verstappen! This model has it all; a clean design, exotic materials, and an exquisite silver panda dial. What’s not to love!?
So I think we should talk about the 2021 Aquaracer. When it was released it got some pretty harsh criticism from the watch community and to be honest I could see why. Having now been able to try one on for myself I have to say I feel a lot more positive about it than I first thought, so I was wondering if you have had the chance to see one in person and if so has it changed your perspective?
You might remember that I originally had one of the 844 on pre-order. However, in the end, the post about the poor reliability of the Calibre 5 made me very uneasy. So I ended-up cancelling my order and used those funds towards the Omega NTTD. No regrets. The one Aquaracer that I am always tempted to get is the Batman GMT.
Following on from that, how do you feel TAG Heuer is doing lately; do you think they are heading in the right direction with the Carrera Sports and Elegance, new Aquaracer etc?
This has brought us back where we started! To be perfectly honest, I think the Carrera line needs some work. And I say this with great respect, I think the current designs are not as polished as its predecessors. To be specific, I strongly dislike cluttered design and have a strong aversion to shortened bevelled lugs. Overall many of the current designs look bloated and they lose the elegance and presence of the originals. Let’s see what time will bring, but in my humble opinion, TAG Heuer’s designs are not at their full potential.
Other companies are putting a lot of effort; to give three examples; Omega of course, and I admire what Breitling did with their heritage Aviator models. Lastly, the revival of Zenith El Primeros is just fantastic.
And finally do you think TAG Heuer still represents good value for money (in as much as any Swiss luxury watch can be considered ‘value for money’)? Prices seem to be going up quite substantially every year and with the Monacos and Carreras now in the mid £5000 range it seems like the idea of TAG Heuer as ‘affordable’ luxury is getting a bit stretched now…?
Yes, the whole ‘affordable luxury’ concept is becoming less and less attainable for most. In my opinion, the brand needs to do big, daring things to attract new clientele, while being faithful to the past, in order to cater to the enthusiast community. Both of them can coexist quite well and if there’s one watch company that can do it, it’s TAG Heuer!
I am excited for what 2022 will bring us. And I am sure both you and I will be there to talk about it. Thank you for the opportunity to chat. Wishing everyone a fantastic holiday season!
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview Hubert, it's always a pleasure to talk to you and I hope you and your family have a great Christmas.
In case you missed it here is a link to our previous interview with Hubert:
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