Ever since I started this blog way back in October 2016 my watch collection has been expanding year on year, some years at a genuinely frightening pace. In fact by the end of 2021 I had in excess of 50 TAG Heuer watches.... which is quite a lot by anyone's reckoning!
However, 2022 was the first year when this trend was not only halted but reversed, and for the first time I finished the year with a MUCH smaller collection than I started it with.
The year began slow but steady, right up until I bought my long sought after blue dial Japanese limited edition Grand Carrera... which turned out to be something of a pivotal purchase as far as my TAG Heuer collecting goes.
DECEMBER 2021
As I mentioned in my 'Another Crazy Year of Watch Buying Post' published in Dec 2021, I already had two pieces that were purchased around Christmas time last year and thus missed the deadline for that post. First of all came this gold dial 2000 Series
2000 Series Two-Tone Quartz Watch (974.006)
Re-reading my Buying Experience post for this one I seemed super happy when I got it, but unfortunately it didn't last. The bracelet had definitely seen better days and it was well worn all round, though it still worked perfectly. I think this was definitely a case of me getting carried away with my buying and judging by what I was able to realise when I sold it in July I think it's safe to say I overpaid for it too!
974.006 Buying Experience post:
Formula 1 Quartz Watch (372.513)
Unfortunately when it arrived the hands on this one weren't aligned properly and I had to get that fixed, which was a pain in the backside and added to the 'more than I really wanted to pay' cost! The seller offered to take the watch back, but I could see they were correct in his photos so can only assume they got knocked about in the post.
CK111R.BA0328 Buying Experience Post:
372.513 Buying Experience post:
https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2022/04/buying-experience-tag-heuer-formula-1.html
FEBRUARY 2022
2000 Series Searacer Quartz Regatta Chronograph (CK111R.BA0328)
In February I finally managed to obtain a watch that I'd been looking for for a very long time. There had been a slightly rough looking one on eBay for quite a while for a very optimistic £750, but I held out and eventually my favourite Japanese eBay seller put this one up and I pounced on it. Very quirky in both style and function, it's an oddity that's probably not to everyone's taste, but I kinda like it. Not the most legible of watches if I'm honest - can you tell it reads 10:10 in the pic? Didn't think so... those regatta chronograph hands (and outer markings) are definitely distracting, but it's a cool function - if only I had a yacht I wanted to race!
https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2022/03/buying-experience-tag-heuer-2000-series.html
WAE1111.FT6004 Buying Experience Post:
Formula 1 Quartz Ladies Watch (380.508)
This one of two watches I bought this year that were for other people, the other being the Pagani Root Beer GMT I bought for my friend Rich. This was for my wife's birthday, which was probably one watch more than she really wanted. She likes it right enough, but as we know those light coloured plastic straps are not wearable with sleeves (they take colour from clothes like crazy) so it hasn't exactl seen regular rotation.
Ah well, never mind. It seems that I didn't actually write a 'Buying Post' for this one, I can't find one anyway... but I did find on eBay where I bought it (for an outrageous £299) and I also remember having to get the glass replaced (again) before her birthday (which cost another bloody £100!). I went back to the eBay listing but the photos were quite blurry, so I couldn't really complain that it wasn't as described and I didn't really want to send it back either. Oh well, just another lesson learned I suppose.
S/EL Quartz Watch (WG111D.BA0423)
I think this is probably about the point I hit 'diminishing returns'. Seeing that I already had four S/ELs, this was bought mainly on the strength that I didn't have any copper/salmon dial watches in my collection and it was kinda cheap. And from that perspective it was cool... but at the same time it didn't really hit the spot for me. It started off as a prospective birthday present and lived in a drawer for a few months before I decided that actually I didn't really want it and it went back on eBay too. Tellingly, I haven't given it a second thought since... ho hum.
WG111D.BA0423 Buying Experience Post:
MARCH 2022
2000 Series Quartz Watch (WM1112.BA0317)
This was another watch that I'd been after forever but had never been able to find one in the right condition at the right price. It's a curious little thing and those numerals are downright odd, but I like it. Not sure I like it as much as I thought I was going to but it's not on the chopping block for the time being. Condition is great on this one, it came all the way from the USA too.
WM1112 Buying Experience Post:
http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2022/05/buying-experience-tag-heuer-2000-sports.htmlMAY 2022
TAG Heuer Kirium Toolkit
This was something I should probably just have left where it was (on eBay). It is cool and everything, but ultimately it's not something I'm ever going to use. But I couldn't resist and it wasn't a lot of money. I keep thinking of listing it myself but so far I haven't. It is basically clutter though, and I think I've turned the corner when it comes to collecting stuff like this. I'm sure it will be back on eBay sooner or later, just not yet.
TAG Heuer Kirium Toolkit Buying Experience Post:
Golf Quartz Watch (WAE1111.FT6004)
Again, another one that's been on my list forever... this one also cost me a little more than I would have liked if I'm honest, but that said the price was probably fair given that it was complete with all its boxes etc, and unlike most pre-owned Golfs was in superb condition. Also appealing, given the number of fake Golfs on the market, was the fact that this one came with a TAG Heuer service warranty card, which gave me some peace of mind on that front!
https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2022/05/buying-experience-tag-heuer-golf-quartz.html
June 2022
Grand Carrera Calibre 6 Limited Edition Watch (WAV511J.BA0900)
Over the years I have mentioned the blue dial limited edition Grand Carreras many times. Produced for Japan in two formats (Calibre 6 and Calibre 17 Chronograph) and both limited to 300 pieces, these aren't the easiest watches to find. But I got lucky here and this watch really changed my perception of where I wanted to go with my watch collection. Luckily for me, for some reason I was offered a free service and polish by Watchfinder for any watch, I chose this one as it had been well worn by the previous owner and I took the opportunity to have the bezel replaced on this one at the same time.
WAV511J.BA0900 Buying Experience Post:
WAV511J.BA0900 Service and Polishing Post:
OCTOBER 2022
Grand Carrera Calibre 17 Chronograph (CAV511A.BA0902)
Once I had the gorgeous blue Calibre 6 Grand Carrera in my possession it only fuelled my long standing desire for a Calibre 17 Grand Carrera. Having made the decision to sell a substantial number of cheaper quartz pieces I soon found myself in the position to be able to afford one and after a search around settled on this one from Watchfinder. The two year warranty was a big factor, and the watch arrived looking absolutely brand spanking new. At least until I took a link out and put a little scratch on the highly polished side of the clasp. Gah!
CAV511A.BA0902 Buying Experience Post:
NOVEMBER 2022
SLR Calibre S Lap Timer Quartz Chronograph (CAG7010.BA0254)
My final purchase for 2022, and yet again something that's been on my wants list for a very long time, if not quite as long as the Grand Carrera Chronograph. I knew I wanted some kind of SLR and earlier in the year I spotted a very competitively priced Calibre 17 which was on Chrono 24 but shipping from Japan.
I pondered it for quite a while, but knowing how much I like my Calibre S Aquaracer this was too good to pass up when it appeared in Watchfinder's TAG Heuer sale with £300 off! I have to say though, as cool as it is, and as cool as the bracelet is, I'm looking forward to getting the rubber strap for Christmas and finally getting a decent fit (there is no adjustment on the clasp and the half-links are more like 3/4 links!
CAG7010.BA0254 Buying Experience Post:
So that was my 'Crazy Year of Watch Buying' post for 2022 and honestly I feel like it may be the last as I really can't see me buying watches in this kind of quantity in the future, and I'll tell you why.
During this year two things dawned on me, first that I only have one wrist and I really rather prefer wearing quality pieces like the Grand Carreras over the plastic Formula 1s of old. And secondly, collecting watches is great and it's super cool to have a huge collection, the problem is watches aren't like trainers or CDs or even jewellery. Watches can go wrong and need repairing even if you don't wear them and if you collect Swiss watches it can be expensive.
For instance, my Aquaracer Chronotimer has developed a fault recently and I had to send it back to TAG Heuer to get it fixed. I paid £950 for the watch about four years ago and that's probably about what it's worth now. But to have it serviced it cost £300. As my good buddy Jim Dollares said, it's looking less like a watch collection and more like a repair project!
Many a true word spoken in jest, eh!
So now my sights are firmly set on acquiring selected quality pieces, rather than masses of affordable ones and to that end I am continuing to sell watches and reducing my collection still further. I don't exactly know what those selected quality pieces are going to be as yet, and I'm in no rush to make a decision on that. For now I am in selling mode, selling and saving is the new 'buying' as far as I'm concerned.
I must admit, it's been a bit dispiriting to realise that I needed to change tack and reduce my collection for the sake of my wallet. But there we are. I had dreamed of filling all four of my twenty cushion watch cabinets, but now it looks like I will only need two, at the most! Still, I certainly don't regret the last few years as owning and wearing pretty much every style of TAG Heuer (bar a few) has been a great learning experience and for the most part I haven't lost a ton of money. Plus how else was I going to get hands on with watches like the 'Executive', 'S/EL Leather' and the '2000 Tristar'?
Nah, it's all good, and I'm still collecting, just in a different direction.
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