INTERVIEW: Journey of a Watch Collector with Ben Smith

 

Long term readers might remember that way back in 2021 I conducted a series of interviews with various chums from the TH Forums. Well today we are reviving that series as we are joined by a relatively new member of our group and it's someone who seems to have a slightly different approach to watch collecting than most of us over there. 

Rather than looking into the Swiss abyss and plunging headfirst into the maelstrom, his wallet flailing behind him... Ben has instead skirted round the edges, dipping his toes in the water a few times but steadfastly hanging on to the handrail (in the process maintaining his sanity and more importantly his bank balance) before finally coming to the conclusion that while he enjoys watches for what they are he doesn't want to be Switzerland's next 'victim'.

What started out as an 'interview' quickly dissolved into a chat since Ben just wouldn't shut up and take direction! But all the same I hope you enjoy this one and maybe we will revisit our previous guests and perhaps even some new ones in the future... to be honest I feel like Ben interviewed me as much as I interviewed him which is probably why this one is so ridiculously long! 

Oh, and before we start, Ben would like me to point out that his comments are not meant to be inflammatory or provoking, but merely his honest opinions and that you really shouldn't care about his opinions aside from hearing an alternative take on things.

Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, let's begin... 

ROB: Hello Ben and welcome to the 'T.H.E.' blog. Before we continue, I'd just like to thank you for sharing your top ten Aquaracers earlier in the year. Was it hard to pick your top ten, or did you just dash 'em off in a trice? 

BEN: Hi Rob, well... I felt special when you asked to interview me, now it turns out I am just one of many! 🤣 All jokes aside though, it’s always great to chat with a fellow Aquaracer fan, which was exactly how this all started. One of the first conversations we had was when I turned up on the 'THF Forum' looking for advice on buying my first proper watch. 

Where it was certain I was buying a diver, but wasn’t certain whether it was going to be a Breitling or a TAG Heuer. You gave loads of helpful info on the forum and knew more than most about Aquaracer’s, with others chiming in with other snippets of advice which supported everything you had said. Having been a regular on the forum since, I am now well aware that had it been a Glassbox Carrera or a Monaco, then I might have perked interest from a wider range of members.

I have to apologise at this stage though as, whilst I didn’t buy that Breitling that you correctly said wasn’t the watch for me, I didn't end up taking your wisdom on the Aquaracer either and bought a Seamaster instead!

ROB: Ah yes, you were young and foolish, but you saw sense in the end.... didn't you?

BEN: Well I stuck with the one watch, to spend the rest of my days with, for all but a few weeks before I was back looking for what might be next. Glad to say that the WBP201F was the next purchase (in all its orange glory) just over a year later. That was definitely down to being smitten with the Aquaracer from the start, which was seriously bolstered by your enthusiasm*.

(*TAG Heuer please take note, here is cast iron proof that my blog helps sell watches! Please send free gifts immediately.)

BEN: At this point in my watch journey I had probably doubted my purchases every other day; I put this down to over-thinking things to start with and expecting something 'perfect'. I have since realised that it really boils down to the guilt of having spent such a wedge of cash…twice…after only dreaming of owning such watches and having grown up on a council estate and struggling to get where I found myself, having focussed on what others needed all my life.

Have you ever questioned your purchases and felt such guilt?

ROB: Not exactly 'guilt' no, but I certainly struggled with my first major purchase - I had never spent more than £3000 on something that didn't have wheels or a front door before. Like you I suspect money is hard to save so letting it go is difficult. For me it wasn't until I paid off my mortgage that I started to be able to save money in any meaningful way, and I still find it hard to buy watches that cost more than a couple of thousand. Though having said that I did just spend nearly three grand on my latest purchase so I must be getting 'better' at it - hahaha.

But I feel like perhaps we have got ahead of ourselves a little bit... so how did you get started on the watch owning hobby? I hesitate to describe you as a watch 'collector' because you keep telling me you're not one... at least not yet, anyway. Haha

BEN: Not the most ideal start but, as a child, we went to Turkey and TAG Heuer was everywhere. In reality they were nowhere, as these were clearly not the real deal. But they drew my attention to hunt down the real thing in the jewellers window when I got home. One day I would have a real one I dreamt. The model of choice for the fakers was the S/EL btw.

Fast forward a few years to getting my first job selling PC’s, when they were new on the market, and I was immediately drawn to the Breitling that the business manager was rocking. Again, I told myself that one day I might be fortunate enough to consider one.

I spent almost three decades being drawn to watches in the window before I finally decided I was in a position to take the plunge. I had no idea about what to look for and was overwhelmed by the experience of trying my first expensive watch on. Luckily the sales guy had plenty of patience and didn’t rush me in the slightest. He played it perfectly, as I ended up buying from him, but I genuinely feel that he was trying to make sure that I bought the right one. Have had many a conversation since, which has shown me that this guy just loves talking watches and isn’t doing a job selling a.n.other box in a shop which happens to contain a watch.

It’s a shame that this guy switched AD’s to another city, as I enjoyed the interaction over time, but he’s moving up the ranks so good luck to him.

ROB: Wow, so it started very young for you then... and no mention of motor racing which seems quite unusual, especially in the TAG Heuer forum.

BEN: Absolutely no link to motor racing whatsoever. I did used to watch F1 as a teenager, but I soon moved on to MotoGP as it was more exciting to watch as F1 stagnated. Sorry guys.

As for not being a watch collector, I disagree, as I do now have a small collection going. I have been told that I am not a proper watch enthusiast though, as I don’t buy the back stories, but rather just buy over-priced luxury watches.

ROB: Yes I was coming to that... there's certainly a distinction between being an obsessive collector/enthusiast and someone who just likes expensive watches. Not that there's anything wrong with either, but you seem to fall slightly between two stools - since you're interested enough to join the THF Forum and latterly the C.O.C.O. but you keep telling me you're done and then five minutes later you want something else. Maybe you're a watch collector but you just haven't admitted it to yourself yet?

And yes, the backstories.... OH MY GOD the Swiss love a bullshit backstory don't they. Whether it's the Moon landings (which Ben maintains never happened), supplying the pilots on the wrong side in WW2 (IWC; although come to think of it they don't actually shout about that too much) or that bloke who once wore a square watch while filming a film and never after, they just can't leave it alone can they?

BEN: There’s no doubt I am a collector, as that’s my natural inclination with most things in life. For example, I love cycling and now have 7 bikes (if I include the latest bit of fun folding Brompton that I use with my wife). I don’t need more than say 2, but still nice to have.

I am just not as deeply invested in the nostalgia side of things. Don’t know why that is though. Maybe it’s because I have always been an early adopter and so let go of the past to make way for the future? Maybe it’s because I only properly joined this hobby recently and the nostalgia hasn’t yet hit, as I need like 20 years to pass before revisiting pieces that I toyed with buying in the past? Who knows?

What I do know is that these back stories are a real turn-off for me. A bit of blurb and pomp is part of the whole luxury world, I get that, but it’s just gone way too far now. I mean why would someone buy a watch because someone in a movie was once paid to wear one on and off screen, despite them actually wanting to wear a different brand but told otherwise? Why does the fact that a watch was worn on an alleged moon landing have any sway with me purchasing in 2024? I could go on forever here...

I don’t know why it bothers me, but I get annoyed when I see people getting sucked in by this, where they think everything that is shown on the websites of these brands is absolute gospel. As if it has to be factually correct if it’s shown on a website... and resulting in purchasing of said piece just to fill a spot in a collection because the watch world says you should.

My stance is that you should buy what YOU like and not get conned into doing so because some brand / journalist / ambassador sells you a fake or exaggerated story. If you like something then you just like it. I mean, if you think something is ugly, would the fact that it was in a movie or an older different version was worn on the moon sway you to buy something you actually don’t like? I would hope not.

Enthusiasts then perpetuate this by trying to be purists.

An example being the new White Speedmaster. As a person not into vintage, I was surprised to find myself loving this new release. It’s clearly vintage inspired, but then what isn’t I guess, although it has a very crisp modern edge to it. It’s not trying to replace the classic one, but people are already spouting off about the new 'Speedie' not being a true 'Speedie' as it’s not the original. They miss the fact that the current classic 'Speedie' has been updated and improved over the years too. They also miss the fact that THE 'Speedie' is what was actually worn on the moon and that everything else is just a 'Speedie', be it with a Black or White dial. With or without a Snoopy or Rocket on the subdial. 

Another great example is the watch, I forget which one (Senna maybe), where the blurb says it’s made using carbon from the brake pads that were once in stock for use on an F1 car with a famous driver. Let’s just put that into context, these are made with very small elements of material from brake pads that were never anywhere near that famous driver, let alone on their car or part of any race win. 🤣

ROB: I hear you Ben, I really do... but for me this is marketing and it's just a way to help someone justify to themselves why they want to spend thousands of pounds on a watch that by all logical measures is unjustifiable. I mean, yes of course if you have something in your history you are going to use it, but whether we need an Apollo 17 anniversary watch is debatable - does anyone actually know who the pilots were on Apollo 17? No one cared in 1971 or whenever it was, the moon had been landed on 5 times and the public couldn't have cared less anymore, so why should we really care now. Well, let's be honest we don't.

No, what really annoys me is not so much the 'historical' bullshit, but the 'we just had to make up something' marketing that we get nowadays. Like when the orange dial Formula 1 came out, they said it was inspired by the old 80s Formula 1 that had a grey dial and an orange resin BEZEL. But strangely not by the orange DIAL Formula 1 of the 2000s. I don't understand why it has to be 'inspired' by anything, it's cool as f*ck - just say 'Look we made an orange F1, it's cool, buy it'.

More recently we've seen the Monaco with the yellow seconds hand, which supposedly is 'reminiscent of sparks made by racing cars hitting the track'. I mean, are they taking the piss? I think they might be taking the piss now. I honestly think the marketing guys are getting drunk and having a blast making up absolute bollocks and feeding it to us.

BEN: I get it, if it really means something to you then I have no issue with that, I genuinely don’t. If you want to collect every iteration of a given model, that’s cool too. If you just want an excuse to buy something new, so be it. This isn’t about other people’s choices, just our own. I just get wound up by comments from others sometimes, when it’s solely based on the brainwashed blurb being put out there.

I totally agree with you on the BS for minor elements of a new piece, as exampled above, with this sometimes being beyond belief. It does make life interesting for people with our sense of humour though, as we have endless opportunity to make stories up on the forum, the less plausible the better.

ROB: Okay, now that you've got all that off your chest, let's talk about your watches. So you went to buy an Aquaracer and came back with an Omega Seamaster. Explain yourself!

BEN: I started off looking at TAG Heuer and Breitling, and soon worked out that it was a 'Diver' that I wanted. I then literally tried on every nice looking diver they had in the shop. This is where I narrowed it down to the Breitling Superocean Heritage II, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer, the Omega Seamaster and  the Tudor Pelagos.

The Breitling dropped off reasonably quickly as it was just too vintage looking in the end, which should have been obvious from it being called Heritage. The other three were pretty close contenders but I just keep getting drawn back to the Seamaster as the finishing and bracelet just looked and felt nicer on the wrist, plus the open caseback was something I really wanted*. That’s no reflection on the Aquaracer and Pelagos, as they are tool watches at the end of the day, so were deliberately designed they way they are.

(* Actually I would now prefer to see a detailed caseback over an open caseback. An example being that of the Aquaracer and/or the Seamaster Summer Blue vs my Seamaster. Change of taste as a result of experience over time.)

It’s ironic that I wanted a Diver, but then bought what I see as a more dressy version, when others don’t see the Seamaster as dressy at all. You have to remember that this was to be my one luxury watch to wear daily forever, naive as that sounds now!

I did end up going back to buy the Aquaracer though, which allowed me to buy the Orange one, when I would have probably played safe with Blue or Black if was my first purchase. I have also since bought a Pelagos FXD, which again I would not have bought if was to be my only watch.

Having just written that, I just realised how well that worked out tbh.

ROB: Yes, a dismal failure, hahahahaha. But I agree, if you'd bought the Aquaracer first no way you would have bought an orange watch as your 'one luxury watch for ever'. So it worked out for the best, although you had a major wobble when your Aquaracer succumbed to Calibre 5 fatigue didn't you?

BEN: Oh yeah, had forgotten about that. I was well aware of this potential issue, thanks to the chat on  the THF Forum, however…I read something that suggested the WBP’s had the revised version with the issue with the winding resolved. Needless to say, this is not the case and mine had to go back to TAG Heuer for service, after less than 6 months of ownership!

I was adamant that I would sell it when I got it back looking perfect. My AD sent it back for me and it was fixed and back with me quicker than expected, despite them being busy. No complaints with the AD. TAG Heuer didn’t do any refinishing though, which was fine as it wasn’t promised, but it did come back with some small dings in the clasp which were not there before. They are only small, but look like a tool was maybe dropped on it maybe. Not the biggest issue in the world, and I didn’t go back to them on it, but seemed just a touch careless to be honest.

ROB: Hmm, yes... I remember getting my Microtimer back and like you I wasn't 100% sure and I didn't take any photos but I'm sure there were some scratches on there that weren't there when it went back. That annoyed me a bit, but that watch gets scratched if you look at it wrong so unless they were going to lay it on a bed of silk while they worked on it I can well imagine how it happened. Annoying though since I spent £100 having it polished when I bought it!

BEN: I didn’t sell the WBP in the end, which I am so glad for not doing so as it does make me smile when I put it on.

How do you feel about the Calibre 5 these days?

ROB: Well, I never wind it now, I don't even put it in the winder, I simply wear it until it starts moving (usually a few minutes) and then I very carefully undo the crown and set the time and date - if I can find the date that is - even after going back the crown still has all he precision of a bowl of porridge).

BEN: Mine has been fine on the winder for an hour or so prior to wanting to wear it. Mine is very positive in finding date and time positions, although the crown doesn’t ever pop out to winding position until I very carefully start turning it.

ROB: Yeah I really don't know what it is with the Calibre 5, seems like a very temperamental movement. But others seem to have no problems. I think to be honest it largely depends on how you wear it, if it's your everyday watch and it just runs and runs then that's probably fine.

So you had your 'one luxury watch for everyday forever' in the Seamaster and the fun weekend Aquaracer, what on Earth made you go and buy a Tudor FXD Red Bull Mission to Yachts?

BEN: I just liked the Pelagos, especially the original 'Marine Nationale' FXD, and this was a natural next purchase being as though I love carbon as a material for watches. It started with the Zenith Defy carbon with the full carbon bracelet, but at £10k with a major sale on, I just can't justify that. This fits the bill nicely, albeit that the pattern in the finish is a lot more subtle. My plan was to buy loads of different NATO straps to switch around regularly, due to the fixed bars, but the standard strap is just so nice so haven’t done that yet.

I also scratched the itch by getting a limited edition full carbon G-Shock Square. Case and bracelet being fully forged carbon with a superb random pattern throughout. Way more than I thought I would ever spend on a G-Shock, but I did sneak their 30% off code through before they turned voucher codes off on the website. 😉 They sold out very quickly indeed, so pleased with that purchase.

Have you not been tempted by something carbon, given you have a number of black PVD pieces yourself? Mine has been bombproof in fairness. Even my Labrador getting his teeth around it a few times has proven futile in scratching it.

ROB: Well I do have a carbon bezel on my Solargraph.... I don't know. I quite like it but I'm wary of a full carbon watch since I'd probably break it the first time I wore it... I have a tendency to do that unfortunately. 

Now I'm glad you brought up your G-Shock because... well, how can I put this politely. You know that it lacks a 'soul' don't you?

BEN: This is the problem with some enthusiasts. They think anything digital is soulless, as if a mechanical movement and hands are epically better. I like both. What can I say!?! Perhaps you’re right though. That dodgy Calibre 5 is maybe proof that they are a living entity and are just as flawed as we are? 🤣

ROB: But you see, the mechanical watch has a sweeping second hand, which indicates beyond a doubt the presence of a soul. Which is why I find it amusing that so many people want two register chronographs without a running seconds... what is that all about? I guess they are for people who have moved beyond the reassuring sweep of the second hand and know in their heart that their mechanical timepiece has a soul (and a heartbeat) and no longer need it displayed for all the world to see. 

But anyway, let's not forget that the G-Shock is not the only quartz watch you have cos you also have that quirky thing that looks like it came of the set of the original Star Trek!

BEN: Nope. Live and Let Die actually. It’s not THE Pulsar though, There’s only a couple of those which were the actual ones in the film though. This is the Hamilton PSR, but it's a faithful re-edition, albeit I chose the green version. Very clever though, with its low consumption low brightness LCD on at all times, but a bright OLED taking over once the button is pressed. Absolutely great piece.

Nicely finished for its price, with the links being truly symmetrical. Single links, once removed, even fold over into what appears to be a single oval piece. Very tactile. I didn’t buy because of the Bond link, naturally, but just because I think they’re cool. Did toy with picking up one of each version, but the Gold PVD one is rather pricey due to their popularity.

It was only after buying the PSR, as my third watch purchase, that revealed that all three purchases had a Bond link albeit not THE Bond editions

ROB: Oh yes, I forgot that you LOVE James Bond...

BEN: I need the “Daniel Cregg” next then. (Said in an American accent.)

ROB: See that's another thing I don't get.... the James Bond thing. I mean, okay... moon landings, military diving, racing drivers, all that makes sense as something to align yourself with. But James Bond is a fictional character... like Lara Croft or Bridget Jones. Why are people so obsessed with what watch he wears, or rather which watch Jean Claude Biver arranged for him to wear?

BEN: Just to clarify, I DID NOT buy any of my watches based on a link to “Bond, James Bond”. I don’t get it either to be honest...

I guess it’s no better or worse than Steve McQueen being forced to wear TAG Heuer for a Movie and there being a Monaco in his name for ever more?

I get the point that Bond is fictional though. Almost like the 'Moon Landing' being fictional to some people (that’s a joke by the way!)

I guess the only semi acceptable scenario is where there is a link to sport perhaps? Examples being the Red Bull TAG Heuer F1’s, IWC’s link to Petronas, Tudor Pink Chrono with Inter Miami CF.

ROB: I think it's acceptable for Panerai to blart about their links to the use of their watches in the military, since that is their original intended purpose. I don't think F1 drivers actually wear their watches when they are driving (although I think Felippe Massa used to) probably because they spend millions of dollars trying to save weight and strapping 100grams of watch to your wrist is negating that.

BEN: I was thinking more about die hard fans maybe wanting the watch that links to their team perhaps.

ROB: But okay, let's turn our attention to TAG Heuer specifically. What's been your favourite TAG release this year?

BEN: That’s a tough one, based on the sheer number that TAG Heuer have released this year. I hate to say it but there haven’t been many for my taste so far unfortunately.

Do you happen to know of a good resource where I could go and check out every new release this year?

ROB: Nicely done Ben. well yes as a matter of fact you could follow this link to the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Gallery...

Click on the pic to visit the gallery... when you've finished reading the interview!

BEN: TAG Heuer specifically you say? Well, thankfully, we can therefore ignore the Kith Heuer releases as they’re not TAG Heuer. What a disappointment in my opinion. I like the new F1 Calibre 16 chronos and the blue dial F1 quartz chrono, also the new Aquaracer GMTs and the limited edition 'ThreeC' Carrera... and also the recent diamond-bezel Carrera and the Porsche 963, but not owning a Porsche puts me off owning that. I'm not really fussed about the Monacos, but if I had to choose I'd go for the CBL2188.

ROB: So which is your Watch of the Year so far?

BEN: I want to say Porsche 963 for many reasons, but I would probably say the WBP5114 on Rubber. How about you? I am guessing it won’t be the same?

ROB: Well. up until now it was rather up in the air, but on first sight I'd say it might well be the new diamond-bezel Carrera! Of course the Aquaracer 'Sprite' is interesting and I'm far more likely to buy that, but at the end of the day it's a blatant Rolex rip-off so I can't really give it my vote. 

It seems like TAG Heuer and I haven't been quite on the same page recently, but that's okay. One of the great things about the brand and one of the things that keeps me interested in them is that they don't stand still. I know a lot of people in the watch community don't like that, they think there should be three new watches a year and they should be new dial variations or incremental improvements, but I say f*ck that. And, to be honest maybe in a few years I will be lusting after the watches that came out in 2024, because it took me a long time to really fall for the Grand Carreras but now they are one of my favourites.

So we joke about you not being a real 'enthusiast', are you interested in the history of TAG Heuer at all or do you just look at what's current and recent?

BEN: Here’s the thing, I respect history and brand origins, but, the fact that a brand has been around for x number of years or did this or that in the past, has zero effect on whether I want to purchase a new watch from them. If I like what I see, then great, if I don’t then it matters nothing that they have been around since 1860. Where it gets muddy is, where I do like something, would I risk spending the same amount of money on that from a brand created yesterday vs one from 30 years ago vs one from 160 years ago. Does that make sense?

ROB: Of course, while watches are not 'investments' as such, they represent an 'investment' of cash into something and the brand history and cache is part of the value and reassurance that you can sell the watch again if you need to. It can also be seen as a guarantee of 'quality' although given the various scandals over the years (I'm looking at you Panerai) that's debatable...

BEN: It’s mainly to gauge if I am spending over the odds and will the warranty cover me long term. Smaller brands are more likely to not be around in the near to mid term, but larger brands are more likely to be. There’s always exceptions obviously. I know I will be labelled as soulless, but I just can’t help looking forward and not hanging onto the past as if the past is more important than the current or future.

I totally understand people wanting to buy vintage, but the proper classic looking older stuff does nothing for me. Again, muddying the waters a little, I do like a lot of the stuff you seem naturally drawn to, which dates back 10 or 20 years perhaps. I guess this is due to them being those pieces which helped form the Aquaracer over the years.

ROB: Yeah I don't care for the vintage-vintage stuff either. I mean some of it's okay, but it seems like everything 'vintage' is somehow wonderful, and that seems a bit of a nonsense to me because like anything some of it is good, some of it is average and some of it is crap. Or are you seriously telling me that Heuer hit the mark 100% of the time every time? 

BEN: Agree with all that. To me, there are less than a handful of hits from many brands, if they are lucky. They are only hits to the person that sees them that way though. I take zero notice of someone trying to convince me otherwise, if it doesn’t float my boat. There’s too many people who end up buying and regretting because they were told it was THE must buy piece for any new collector / enthusiast / purchaser of expensive watches.

Vintage doesn’t mean a thing to me unless it captures my attention. It’s often just a way of making more money from something old.

ROB: So you don't subscribe to the view that all watch enthusiasts MUST own a Speedy then?

BEN: Hmmm, you won’t like this, I 100% agree with your statement and definitely don’t subscribe to the view that you MUST own a Speedmaster., but, I tried one on with the sailcloth strap and it looked and felt amazing on. I am also very taken with the new white one, far more than THE Speedie. I would like that one on bracelet, leather and rubber! As before, people should buy what floats their boat, not what they’re told should float their boat. If that’s a Speedie, then so be it.

ROB: Hey, I like some Speedmasters, just not the one I'm 'supposed' to like. I like the original Apollo 8 (before they ruined it with that ridiculous rocket hand!), but the original black one is sooo unbelievably dull.

BEN: I agree, so much so that I didn’t look twice at it for my first one and I literally tried on three quarters of the shop! But on the wrist was very different in fairness. It is dull but it had something I can’t explain. The white dial version is a million times nicer though, that’s for sure, so I get your point. I am also turned off by the whole 'Moon' thing though. I couldn’t care less in the real world.

ROB: Oh I had it on my wrist. I nearly fell asleep. 

BEN: I guess it’s an age thing too. I have no doubt that I will still enjoy my Aquaracer for decades, assuming the Calibre 5 lasts that long, so it will become vintage at some point. I guess I will be somewhat contradictory at that point, but I will probably have lost the will to care about that by then. 🤣

I just wanna say that whilst I don’t do vintage, when I have bought something I expect it to last…like forever! Sometimes unreasonably so,  I must admit. But watches of this price should be built to last in my book. I don’t want to give the impression that I am a throwaway type of guy. I am the opposite in fact.

What’s your thoughts on vintage? Do you see any of your stuff as vintage yet…or would you prefer retro as the description?

ROB: Well, my Pilot for example is pre 1992 so that makes it technically 'vintage' but I just think of it as 'old'. I wasn't really talking about the Heuer days specifically, I just meant are you interested in the 'history' as in 'how we got here' including things like the S/EL and, often overlooked it has to be said - the 3000 Series, something that clearly informed the design path of the Aquaracer.

The point I'm trying to make is an enthusiast like myself is interested in all TAG Heuer watches, even the ones I'm not especially keen on, whereas if you are just looking at watches you might like to buy there's not necessarily the desire to look at anything not current, especially if you aren't interested in buying pre-owned.

BEN: Perhaps I look at it from a different angle. I don’t go looking for all things TAG Heuer, or any other brand to be honest, but if I see something interesting in passing then I do take a look with a bit more interest. Does that make me an enthusiast? I really don’t know?  You and Jim rib me, I know, but whilst that is in jest there is a fair point to that.

ROB: Well that is a crucial difference between you and I... or perhaps everyone else in the COCO and I because I really pay no attention to the wider watch world other than what I see on the forum and the odd You Tube video. I appreciate I am rather strange in that regard, but generally speaking there's very little that's not TAG Heuer that's ever appealed to me, maybe a few Breitlings, a Bell & Ross or two and some watches that are way out of my price range (Royal Oak Offshore being the main one). And that is probably at least in part because I don't like 'vintage' inspired watches and all the main brands seem to want to serve up mostly just that. Like the Black Bay 58... everyone loves it but I just see a watch that looks kinda old fashioned. Admittedly the blue one looks a bit more modern to me, but even so... but people tend towards 'classic' designs and I'm just not into that. Give me a Grand Carrera anyday.

But yes, if you are not tied to one brand then I guess you are far less likely to invest your time in the history of that brand. I mean I don't know anything more than surface level about the history of Breitling, Rolex or Omega... you know, basically what they tell you every time someone starts a review of a new watch. In 1905 Hans Wilsdorf started a watch company and blah blah blah...

So we're mid way through the year, and so far you've managed to stick to your plan of not buying a watch this year. But now Tudor have brought out the pink dial chronograph and you're wavering...

BEN: I am still determined to stick to that plan, if only to slow myself down and to not continue the cycle just for the sake of it. I love what I have, but none of them have given the buzz I expected for the cash. Maybe expecting too much, or maybe I bought too quickly perhaps? My 2024 idea was to not buy any new watches, just to see if I felt better for doing so and whether I had more of a buzz when I did eventually purchase in 2025.

Then a couple of pink watches appear on the scene and I know for sure that I want something pink at some point. I’m talking about the Ladies 36mm Aquaracer and the Ladies 36mm Carrera. I say 'Ladies', because TAG Heuer are still not bold enough to make a larger watch in this colour, despite believing they are avant garde. Now I don’t care whether it’s labelled or viewed as 'Ladies', but I just can’t wear a small watch, as just doesn’t look or feel right.

Then along comes Tudor with the Pink Chrono. Ok, they did play it very safe with an alleged 200 piece release and the hype was built massively. I didn’t even bother putting my name on any list as it's not my style and appeared futile anyway. A couple of months pass and suddenly it’s on the Tudor website and on many AD websites too. I suspect there is now a full production run going, but they won’t confirm until they drip feed them through and get guaranteed sales. I might be wrong but that’s my take.

Ironically, I rang my AD a few days back and they just had one in but it was being collected that afternoon. I couldn’t even get to sneak a look in real life. I have gone against my usual approach and have now got my name on two lists. My hope is that they call me very late in the year or early next year, when these are in everyone’s window. I can then prove to myself that I really want it.

Funny thing is I would already own a pink dial Carrera if TAG Heuer had made the Aquaracer or the Carrera in a proper size and not 36mm!

Is there anything you would really like TAG Heuer to release?

ROB: Not really. Because if I knew what it was then that would imply re-issuing something from the past and I don't want that. The green Aquaracer is amazing because not only does it look stunning but it's not a re-issue of anything. If anything I'd like them to be braver and return to the design aesthetic of the Grand Carrera, but that's never going to happen because they're not here to please me they're here to make money. I'm not deriding them for that, it's a business and that's what businesses do, and again I feel like people pretend that these watch companies are doing something altruistic and keeping the past alive with their heritage this and their vintage inspired that. If TAG Heuer thought they could increase their turnover by making architectural GC type designs they'd drop all that vintage stuff like a hot potato. I mean, why wouldn't they? They dropped the GC and jumped on the vintage bandwagon when that was hot after all - in the process conveniently 'forgetting' about everything they'd made in the recent past.

BEN: Agreed. The green Aquaracer was epic. I also love an architectural/industrial style for sure. Also you're bang on with respect to their raisin d’etre. They are here for PROFIT, that’s it. That’s why I don’t delve into the history or care for back stories, as it’s literally just made up hype for more bucks.

So what is it about TAG Heuer that means you’ve never wanted to cheat and go elsewhere? Why did you just decide to buy everything you could find to build a huge collection of just the one brand?

ROB: Well to be honest it's simply that I bought my first TAG Heuer in 2004, and like most people I suspect at the time I didn't know anything about watches and I didn't know there were more brands than what you found on the high street. By the time I was 34 I had already been watching F1 for a long time and so the name TAG Heuer was burned into my brain from that. I had bought a TAG from eBay which I really liked, but it turned out to be a fake (vaguely Kiriumish, not that I knew that at the time) and so that was a disappointment... I mean, it was cheap so I should have guessed. But it was actually nice looking. I've never seen a fake like that since, it had a plane on the back of the second hand, white dial, really nice looking.

Anyway, my wife bought a lovely grey dial 2000 from eBay (a real one - she's still got it) and then I started getting interested and got a TAG Heuer catalogue from the local AD. Straight away saw the F1 Kirium and fell in love with it. There were no prices in the catalogue and I was shocked when I found out it was £1800 or something. But I saved and got it eventually (still got it, still mint - wearing it now as it happens) and wore it sparingly. Then like ten years later I got some money from somewhere and went to Bicester and picked up the Aquagraph, and then a couple of years later I really started to get into the hobby and at this point I did look around at other brands, and I also started reading watch magazines and trying to learn about everything.

But I quickly realised that most of the brands that were doing what I liked were out of my price range and then TAG Heuer released the Heuer 01 skeleton and I absolutely loved it. And, at that time, TAG Heuer were really the black sheep of the watch world and of course being a massive contrarian that endeared them to me.... then it just snowballed from there. I started collecting catalogues and then I went to Switzerland and I wanted to collect everything I saw there... so for a while I did!

Of course there have been other watches from other brands that I've flirted with, but really very few. I liked the Breitling Avenger Hurricane in 45mm with a black dial, but it was a bit expensive... I also quite liked some of the other blacksteel Avengers and I really liked the Aerospace and Exospace models. I also tried a Royal Oak Offshore 'Vampire' on in Selfridges once (when you could actually just go to the desk and try one on!) and I really liked it. But it was like a year's salary, so eventually I just let it all go and concentrated on TAG Heuer.

I guess the more my blog grew the more it reaffirmed my position and after a while it just seemed wrong to even contemplate sullying my collection with anything else. If I was starting over I'd like to think I'd be a bit less 'restrictive' and perhaps own one watch each from several brands, but I don't honestly think I would.

BEN: My plan was always just one watch from different brands. Might still end up that way.

ROB: Anyway, to go back to my original question (about six hours ago it seems), did it take you long to put together your Top 10 Aquaracers? 

BEN: So many great examples, which meant I had a long list, a short list, then final top 10. Still not sure whether I picked the right ones, but would still be agonising over it right now. 🤣 I ended up choosing a mix of ones I liked that considered buying, one I might have bought in the past had they been still available, plus ones I wouldn’t have bought but that I admire from a design point of view.

ROB: Yeah it's a fun exercise isn't it, I'm looking forward to picking mine and to collating everyone's choices into one fabulous super list, should be fun!

Okay, I think we should probably leave it there before YOU offend anyone else, hahaha. Thanks for joining us Ben, it's certainly been entertaining!