OWNED: TAG Heuer Kirium Quartz Chronograph

 

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Aside from a few photos (back when I was regularly posting photos here on the blog) I've only written one post about my beautiful plum-dial Kirium that I bought all the way back in December 2020. As is so often the way with me, I buy a watch and then it sits in the box for a 'long time' before I become comfortable with the idea of wearing it. I don't know why that is, but it's a common recurring theme, particularly with new watches or old watches that are in 'as-new' condition, which this certainly was.

I think I am getting a little better as it only took me about six months to start wearing my green dial Aquaracer regularly, even though it annoys me that the clasp is already marked and the polished centre links are already showing signs of desk rash. If only I could be more like our Swedish friend Jim Dollares who lives for today and to hell with tomorrow... and who loves to taunt me by sending photos of his scratched up clasps (as if it's something to be proud of).

But in a way, it is. I guess. At least Jim experiences his watches to the max.. and really scratches are inevitable, especially with polished surfaces, so what's the point of torturing yourself over it? Especially when you know a steel watch can be brought back to pretty much new condition for £100-200. Well, as I say I am getting a little less uptight about it, but there's still a little way to go... and I don't think I will ever truly relax when wearing a black PVD watch.

Ridiculously this watch spent at least the first two years of ownership nestled safely in the cupboard, ticking away to itself and looking pristine. I think part of it was simply that it had taken me so long to find one of these rarer plum dial models that, having found one that looked like new, I just wanted to keep it looking perfect forever. 

But eventually I snapped out of it and came to my senses, and so I finally started to wear it more than once every three months. It really is a gorgeous looking watch, albeit tremendously difficult to photograph (a common theme with Kirium chronos) and I never fail to enjoy wearing it. The Kirium is a rather overlooked part of TAG Heuer's history, arriving in 1997 (just before the LVMH takeover) and departing the catalogue ten years later. 

I understand part of the reason for the watch being discontinued was the cost of making the bracelet, because unlike most bracelets each individual link is curved rather than pins providing a pivot point for flat links. The bracelet doesn't 'collapse' like a normal bracelet either, the curved links don't move that much and it will support itself and stand up on it's back. Despite this (or perhaps because of this) the watch is amazingly comfortable on the wrist; though it often feels a little snug when you first put it on, but once the metal has warmed up you almost forget it's there.

A quick Google shows that there still aren't that many of these available, Chrono 24 doesn't even have one! I did find one for sale on Ebay in the USA for £550, but this is a very cheap price, everything else I can find is closer to or indeed over £1000. Not bad for a (not particularly popular) watch of this period. It's funny, the Kirium should have benefited from the renewed interest in integrated bracelets, but it doesn't seem to have worked out that way.

Incidentally, you may have noticed in the picture at the top of the post (from the Watchfinder listing), that the date is off centre. This is perfectly normal as it takes an age for the dates to change on these - and this watch is clearly set to 10:10PM. This is actually the same on all the watches I have with this movement, including both my S/EL chronographs.

At 38mm these Kirium chronos are right on the edge of being a little small for my 7.1/2" wrist, but somehow it works... perhaps because it looks more of a 'dressy' piece. The smoothness of the design, the curved bezel and relatively thin case ensures this will slip under a cuff nicely. I guess the only slight niggle I could point to is the bright white date oddly placed at the 4 o'clock position. It's never really bothered me too much, it's only looking at photos now that it looks a little jarring.

Overall though I'd give it an 8.5/10 I think and I certainly won't be selling anytime soon.

Next time out we'll be looking at the new 'wavy dial' Aquaracers, and believe me I have something to say about those!