FEATURE: EBAY: No Fakes. No Fraud. No Doubt? (Part Two)

Way back in March I wrote a post about eBay and their drive to convince us all that it was safe to buy through their platform without worrying about fake watches, at least for watches that cost more than £1500 (the price point where eBay actually offer hands-on checks), though even then there is some debate on the effectiveness of that. 

Since then I've reported two or three watches that have caught my eye and all three were branded totally fine by eBay. Now these weren't super-fakes where you need to closely inspect the lume pip in the bezel and see the bracelet pins... these were watches that anyone with a reasonable knowledge of the brand would spot as wrong-uns or at least raise suspicions. But no, eBay got a 'service agent' to look at them and decided that each one was not fraudulent.

Well clearly eBay's 'service agents' are ill equipped to do this job, because they are still clueless about even pretty obvious fakes. Like this one for example.

This supposed Cawelon x TAG Heuer collaboration was one of the watches I reported twice, only to be told both times it was legit. I mean, Christ on a bike. Look at it! There's no way on Earth that TAG Heuer had anything to do with this, and to add insult to injury the bloody thing sold for £150. It should have been chucked in a hole and covered with cement!

And then I noticed over on the THF Forum that YG Rulz had posted another doozy, again verified by eBay as being totally legit. Admittedly this one is less obvious than the piece of utter garbage above, at least until you turn it over and you realise it's trying to pass itself off as one of the 2019 Calibre 11 limited edition watches... and yet the crown is on the right hand side. 🤣

It's also being sold in a 90/00s style drum case and box (both of which also look fake to me)... but okay, I wouldn't expect an eBay 'service manager' to notice that...

I can't tell you how frustrating it is to inform eBay that a watch is obviously fake, only to be told repeatedly that 'we've looked at it and decided that it isn't'. I mean, okay, if they were too jumpy with it the system could be open to abuse, but if the 'service agent' doesn't even bother to look at the pictures and compare it with an official photo/render then what the hell is the point?

Again, I'm not expecting eBay staff to inspect lume pips and bracelet pins, I can't even keep up with those finer details, but I'm not even talking about the scarily good fakes that even a watchmaker would probably struggle to identify 100%. It just seems to me that when eBay says someone has looked at a listing, what they really mean is someone (or possibly a computer, I don't know) looked at the watch and checked it said TAG Heuer on it. I mean that literally seems like the extent of their 'checks'.

As I was writing this post someone posted another watch in the 'Is My Watch Authentic' thread over at THF Forums, again I reported it and yet again eBay told me that they had looked at it and decided they had no problem with it. I mean, what is the point of reporting anything? This is is so bloody obvious that it's not even funny. At least this one will have to go through eBay's hands on 'authenticity checks' if someone's actually daft enough to part with £2000 for it! 

So, once again, all I can say is please, please, please be careful when buying watches on eBay, particularly 'new' watches at too good to be true prices*. And I would say report anything you see that is obviously fake, but you'll probably just end up annoyed and frustrated like me. The truth is eBay wants to make lots of money, but they don't want to take responsibility for anything they allow to be sold on their platform and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

*Maybe ask yourself how someone can be selling a new Aquaracer with a starting bid of £500.

Also, it's long been the case that you could send a watch to TAG Heuer for authentication, but it seems this service is no longer being offered. Probably because they have been overwhelmed with Chinese fakes... now the only way to get your watch authenticated is to send it for a service or a battery change. Presumably most watches that need servicing will be over the £1500 threshold, but otherwise it might be worth considering spending £80 for a new battery to put your mind at rest...

VIDEO: Which TAG Heuer 36mm Carrera by Brent Miller Time

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Porsche Panamericana' Glassbox Tourbillon L/E Chronograph

 

I've now lost count of all the Porsche branded TAG Heuer watches we've seen over the last few years, I want to say it was 10 or 11 prior to this, but I'm not 100% sure. Seems like the time is ripe for a 'Feature' post detailing them all, don't you think? Well, I'll get on it, but for now we have a new (and perhaps slightly controversial) new steel cased tourbillon co-branded with both Porsche and Panamericana; after the famous rally held in the early 1950s.

The watch itself is hardly 'retro' in its styling, but it does take 'inspiration' from the Porsche 550 which competed in said rally; mainly the yellow of the racing numerals used on the car for the hands, the wheels which are the basis of the unique-to-this-watch open dial design and the paint finish which has inspired the speckled look found on both the subdials and the main dial - a unique touch for sure. 

Aside from that there's a nice 'Spyder' engraving on the left hand side of the case and a sparkle effect on the subdials and dial which is supposed to recall the paint on the original car. I'm not sure about that... to be honest it looks more like stars in the sky, but I must admit it is quite appealing all the same. The 42mm glassbox also features Porsche branding on the inner bezel and a unique yellow backed racing strap finished with a steel deployant clasp.

My first glimpse of the watch came on TAG Heuer's Instagram page, and I must say I do wish they would stop presenting their watches in this moody way that makes it look as if they are DLC coated. I get that it looks sexy, but the problem is when I saw the actual watch I was like 'Oh, it's NOT black! Damn.' Or maybe it's just a clever marketing ploy and next year they bring out a black one and everyone has to buy all over again, hahaha.

To be honest I'm not a fan of the glassbox design (though I think it works better in the 42mm variant than the 39mm) and I'm not that keen on tourbillons either, so this is a hard sell for me. I like the colour scheme though, and real world photos suggest a decent looking addition to the Porsche collection, even if it's not one I will personally be losing sleep over.

Like with the stunning Orange Lava Racing model that I swooned over a couple of years ago (my Watch of the Year 2023 if I remember correctly), I have major reservations about owning a 'Porsche' branded watch if one doesn't actually own one of the cars, but even if I did really love this one I'm afraid there's one massive reason why I wouldn't be buying one.

There are times, we must admit, when TAG Heuer do things that we cannot understand. Sometimes it's design, sometimes it's collaborations, and sometimes it's their pricing. Actually, it's mostly their pricing. Now, I'm not stupid and I understand how the luxury market works and I get that sometimes luxury brands price goods higher to make them more desirable to the target audience. 

And this works. It's a proven fact. 

But even if we accept this, it's hard to understand how it can possibly cost over £30,000 for this steel cased tourbillon. I mean, yes it has a unique (sort of skeleton) dial, along with 'Porsche' and 'Panamericana' branding, and for that I accept there will be some additional cost. But when you can buy what is basically the same watch in its standard configuration for a little over £20,000, well honestly it feels a little bit like they are taking the p*ss.

Even if this particular TH20-09 tourbillon is COSC certified. 

But then a wise man (Ariel Adams of 'A Blog to Watch' fame) once said 'If the price of a watch doesn't make sense to you, then it's probably not aimed at you'... and I'm reminded of this as I look at this new piece. Because for sure, it's not aimed at me. I wouldn't pretend I would buy it at £20,000 (or even £10,000), so my opinion is of little value to TAG Heuer. But if I know one thing about rich people it's that they really like to feel that they get value for their money and they really, really don't like feeling that they are being ripped off. 

So potentially TAG Heuer are walking a dangerous line here, especially when this is priced higher than a (mostly) solid rose gold Carrera Extreme Sports tourbillon. But the one thing they do have on their side is 'exclusivity', and I imagine that's going to be how these are presented. After all, the person who decides the prices of each new watch, does so on the basis of 'how much can we achieve given that we have this many to sell'. If there's 300+ people (perhaps primarily Porsche enthusiasts) out there in the big wide world who are going to want one (and are in a position to buy) then maybe the price is essentially 'right'?

Yeah, you can see why I thought this was DLC, eh!

But for us watch nerds, who are perhaps more aware of what a steel tourbillon usually costs, it's hard to overlook the fact that for £30,000 you could buy a pre-owned Porsche instead...

Which puts things into perspective perhaps? 

Anyway, some of the C.O.C.O. members are actual Porsche owners (and watch nerds, obviously), so I think it's time we turn this one over to them and see what they make of it.

7/10: "I've had this on the wrist. It's a nice watch but legibility I find difficult. Price I find ridiculous."

5/10: "I have gone back and forth on this one but after seeing some real life photos I have decided I don't like it. The movement finishing is embarrassing for this price point. The skeletonisation is more of an open dial than a skeleton dial. Strong 5/10."

7/10: "Great looking watch, laughable price, would buy an actual Porsche instead. Or a PD watch."

4/10: "Why is this steel watch $10k more than the other titanium and even gold tourbillons? Smacks of a FOMO cash grab. I would be shocked if anyone who actually owns a 550 Spyder would wear this."

9/10: "Wow. just wow."

7/10: "Nice looking watch, but way overpriced."

5/10: "Whilst on one hand it’s a readable skeleton watch, I find Tourbillon pointless, plus the more I see the internal tachymetre scale under the glass on these glass boxes, the more I think they look odd."

6/10: "Reminds me of Bane. As to my opinion and scoring, I like the colour scheme and it is one of the better of the new glass box models…but I am still not a fan of that design. Tourbillon cut out is horrendous yet again."

5.5/10: "It's refreshing to see a new design like this from TAG. Best part for me is the 'Spyder' script on the side of the case. The rest of it is quite interesting to look at, but not something I would buy even for $10k. So, the outrageous $35k price negates the positives of this watch for me."

5/10: "It's getting increasingly hard to keep up with all these LEs… 😵‍💫 This one looks like the bastard child between a glass box and the new Carrera Extreme. I'm not sure this is a huge success design-wise (Commercially even less)…"

7/10: "I like the name Panamericana on a Carrera, also the strap, and also that this is a properly numbered LE… but price is a joke for a steel watch, even for a Tourbillon movement, so it’s just a 7/10 for me (still not loving the bezel style of these new glassboxes)."

6/10: "Not overly keen on skeleton tourbillons, but this is definitely one of the nicest I've seen from Tag. Of course the price is a problem, but ignoring that, I like it."

5/10:"Glass box appearance is nice. The colour scheme is also okay. But still this watch is over the top. (tourbillon makes me dizzy! 🤮)"

6/10: "It's decent looking but the price is hilarious. And word is that there's a Senna watch coming that's even more expensive! With a carbon bezel FFS! TAG's current business plan seems to be 'let's go upmarket simply by doubling our prices', cos people are too stupid to realise."

5/10: "Nice combination of colours, but the tourbillon detracts from the overall aesthetics. Price is absurd. A generous score of 5/10."

5/10: "I think it's a 5/10 for me too. It's not horrible, in fact, the dial and colour scheme are good, but the glass box. FFS, TAG Heuer! Stop using the ruddy glassbox on modern watches."

2/10: "Too expensive."

8/10: "Would it match these Cars? I would say Yes! Although I don't think a tourbillon is really needed while driving!"

2/10: "Genuinely surprised Porsche signed this off. Except text nothing is Porsche related as far as I can tell. It’s just a watch with logos."

2/10: "At this price point, I wonder what's their cut? I find it overpriced, unreasonable, and unattractive."

8/10: "As with most comments-price is too steep. I think it’s a good looking watch."

6/10: "Not a fan of these ‘busy’ faces, maybe the minute/hour hands should have been yellow to be easily read, £30k? Rather buy a ‘proper Porsche for that. So…..clever time piece. But! 6/10. Think I have seen perpetual calendar faces that are clearer at a glance."

6/10: "I like it! But it’s so far out of my price range that I can’t even fathom wearing it lol. Too bad it’s a tourbillion."

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Sports Extreme Chronographs by Monochrome Watches

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 7s - Baby Pink and Ice Blue

 

TAG Heuer Boutique / 28th September 2024, Meadowhall, Sheffield

It's always a pleasure for me to visit the TAG Heuer boutique in the Meadowhall shopping centre, the staff are lovely people and they always have time for you. If you are in that part of the world I heartily recommend stopping by. I tried on quite a few watches on my most recent visit there and there are still more 'On the Wrist' posts to come, including the carbon Monza (finally) and the latest 'Racing Green' Monaco (meh).

But today we shall focus on two.... I was going to say ladies watches, but really only one of these is truly a ladies watch, and that, quite obviously is the baby pink strapped WBN2315. As you can see I didn't actually try it on, in fact I'm not at all sure the strap was big enough to go around my 7.1/2" wrist, but my wife did and she quite liked it.

The watch is 36mm in diameter which is definitely on the large side for my wife's wrist, but it didn't look ridiculously oversized and she could wear it. Neither of us really like white mother of pearl dials that much so that wasn't a good starting point and the pink gradient track around the dial is a little polarizing (not to mention, limiting when it comes to changing the strap).

I also have my reservations about the strap, it probably helps to make this wear smaller though, which is probably a good thing given the feminine design choices, but I could imagine this quickly looking grubby if it was worn day in day out. 

I don't know, there's something about it that looks a little 'cheap' to me, maybe just the shade of pink. It doesn't scream £2850 to me if I'm honest, and ultimately my wife much preferred the diamond dial version that came out last year - well she would, eh, and it's 50% more expensive! 

The other watch we looked at was this 'Ice Blue' WBN2316, which is another recent addition to the 36mm Carrera family and to my eyes much more appealing. When I saw the render I thought the pure blue dial looked very exciting, but unfortunately in the flesh it doesn't look quite the same. In fact there's a touch of teal about this one that I wasn't expecting and that I could very well live without.

It's a shame, but I feel like my end of year WOTY rating is going to have to come down now because my 'First Impression' score was largely dictated by the cool looking dial shown in that render and while this colour is pleasant enough on it's own terms it simply isn't what I was 'hoping' to see.

Otherwise the watch is quite nice on the wrist, albeit a little small for me and I don't really like the butterfly clasp or the complete lack of micro adjustment, which I personally couldn't live with - I sold my Link Searacer for that very reason. 

I thought my wife would be more excited by this one, but I guess the lack of diamonds and the 36mm size failed to spark her imagination. 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer GMT Calibre TH31-03 COSC Watches by Brent Miller Time

 

FEATURE: My Top Ten Aquaracers by DTF

And so we come to our eleventh 'Top 10 Aquaracers', this time featuring the choices of THF Forum and C.O.C.O. member 'DTF'. This time our guest has provided his own commentary which means this is a nice easy post for me, thanks for that 'DTF'. 😊

I hope you enjoy his selections as much as I have and finally next month it will be my turn! I guess I need to make some tough decisions of my own between now and then, hey?

#10 - 'Aquasub' WAN2110.BA0822

DTF: This stands out as a subtle departure from the standard AR look, the round markers hint of 1000 series (if I’m being charitable to THs heritage) or generic Sub clone (if I’m not), it maintains the AR DNA but really jumped out from the display when I saw one in a boutique.

#9 - Yellow Calibre S - CAF7103.FT8011

DTF: Aquaracer with a bonkers Calibre S movement, plus the yellow dial makes it jump out on the wrist. This stands out from the crowd and its going to be a long time before TAG make anything this strange again.

#8 - Solargraph (Bead Blasted Ti) - WBP1180.BF0000

DTF: The Solargraph is the most exciting aquaracer TH have released in years, creating a genuinely useful adventure/tool watch, and theres a lot more chance the movement will still be working in a decades time than a calibre 5. It’s a tough choice between the PVD with its amazing carbon lume bezel and the raw titanium, but I have a LOT of PVD watches.

#7 - Calibre 72 Countdown Chrono - CAK211A.FT8019

DTF: The Calibre 72 is arguably the only legitimate Aquaracer chronograph – it’s a chrono designed for racing boats. This is a great looking watch (that might be useful if you sail dinghy’s or something) with a unique movement (for TH). I saw them when they were available in the outlets, but never quite pulled the trigger, maybe if one turns up NOS I’ll buy it.

#6 - 500m Orange Calibre 5 - WAJ1113.BA0870

DTF: I've always liked the 3-handler 500m Aquaracers, but none grabbed me and said ‘this one’…until Rob posted his orange dialled WAJ. This is clearly peak 500m - the left-hand date and chunky case scream ‘look at me’, so why not make it bright orange too?

#5 - Black Ceramic/Gold 35mm - WAY1355.BH0716

DTF: Rob recently shared a photo of his wife’s ceramic/gold WAY and it looked amazing! I’m not sure if I missed it entirely, or dismissed it because of some crazy pricing back when it was current*, but I had no idea it existed. I'm fairly sure this is going to be my wife’s next watch.

(*Quite possibly, this was 3450CHF back in 2018 and the TH website shows it still at £4350!)

#4 - 38mm Steel Quartz - WAF1110.BA0800

DTF: This was my first Aquaracer and the one that epitomises what an Aquaracer is to me: a tool watch. Equally at home in the ocean as a board room, you can dress it down with boardies, dress it up with a suit or use it to open beer bottles. It’s slim enough that it comfortably hides under a wetsuit sleeve (unlike any of my other watches) and I’m fairly sure its indestructible. It does seem a touch small today but arguably is the only watch I need.

#3 - 500m Full Black Chrono - CAJ2180.FT6023

DTF: The watch that got me into this absurd hobby, I wandered into a TAG outlet to ask about a battery change on my 300m quartz Aquaracer and spotted this while I was waiting. I really liked how it was the inverse of my WAF - big, attention grabbing, impractical. The overdone lume is a great contrast to the black case and bezel, and the dial detail adds depth that keeps you looking.

#2 - 41mm Calibre 5 'Beater' – WAY211A.FC6362

DTF: TAG describe this as ‘a high-performance diving instrument’. I am fairly sure this is incorrect, but it is a great daily beater. The 41mm steel case which feels a touch heavy compared to the titanium watches I often wear, but it is a good size on the wrist and is very comfortable on the nylon strap. The winding action is like trying to start a budget chainsaw, and I'm certain the stem is going to snap one day soon, but somehow it keeps on chugging.

#1 - 'Night Diver' Quartz – WAY108A.FT6141

DTF: The quartz 'Night Diver' is the Aquaracer that’s taken most of wrist time over the last few years; it’s got a strong monochromatic look and is a great summer watch, but dresses up surprisingly well with a shirt and jacket. It wears very well because its super-slim and lightweight and the PVD shrinks the 43mm case down a little. It’s tough to say a PVD watch is my favourite Aquaracer, because it’s unsuitable for most tool watch and dive watch activities…but it just looks so good.

Another great list! And thanks again to 'DTF' for his choices (and his entertaining comments), it's going to be interesting to see what comes out on top when I combine all these selections in December... and of course if you would like to check out the other posts made to celebrate this twentieth anniversary year for the Aquaracer, click on the banner below.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Watch by Soundsoserious

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - 2024' Limited Editions

 

We've already seen limited edition Carreras for both Kuwait and Qatar this year and now it's time for an update to last years 'Kingdom of Saudi Arabia' Carrera. Last year's model featured a silver dial with a green outline and the KSA emblem in green on the dial. Only 100 were produced and the watch came in a special green presentation box with both a bracelet and a green alligator strap.

This year TAG Heuer have produced two models, a 41mm day/date Carrera in steel and a 29mm version with a rose gold bezel and crown and a two tone bracelet.  The dials are inscribed with the words 'Saudi' (male) and 'Saudia' (female) on their respective dials.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer S/EL Quartz Chronograph by Birth Year Watches

 

DUEL: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Skeleton Chronograph v Carrera Calibre 16 Titanium Chronograph

CAR2A1Z.FT6044                       CV2A80.FC6256

Hello readers, hard to believe I know for one so soft of skin and lithe of body🤣, but today is in fact my 55th birthday! Yay. Cake!!! And so I thought perhaps I would take a break from all these incessant new release posts and instead do what I really like doing. So today I will be writing about two of my most luxurious watches; my original 2016 Heuer 01 Skeleton and the titanium cased Calibre 16 day date Carrera I got from the Bicester Village outlet for my 50th birthday.

Now this post has in fact been in the works since late 2021, I even had some text written and pictures taken... but as three years have passed (!) I decided it would be much better to just start from scratch. I even briefly pondered the idea of switching out the Calibre 16 Carrera for my recently purchased Grand Carrera Calibre 36 for a true 'Clash of the Titans' post... but on reflection I decided that perhaps comparing my long time 'favourite' watch with the watch I am currently 'infatuated' with was a bit unfair. I mean maybe in time the GC Caliper will emerge as my 'favourite' watch, but it's far too soon to be throwing claims like that around.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph Calibre TH50-00 Watch by A Blog to Watch

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph 'Green Dial' Quartz Watch

 

TAG Heuer Boutique / 28th September 2024, Meadowhall, Sheffield

When the green Solargraph was announced I must admit I was a teeny bit concerned that maybe I had rushed into buying the Calibre 5 version. I've always said that given the choice of two identical watches one quartz, one automatic, I would probably choose the quartz... and a solar powered quartz appeals even more. 

But generally speaking there never really is a choice of identical looking watches is there? So the question that required answering here was primarily how do the two dials compare, and secondly was the light blue second hand a deal breaker?

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Calibre 16 Chronograph by Random Rob

 

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquracer 'Sprite' Calibre TH31-03 GMT Watch

 

28th September 2024 / TAG Heuer Boutique, Meadowhall, Sheffield

It's funny, I've been waiting a while to see this one, because as seems to be the norm now when TAG Heuer release a bunch of watches together, there's always one that lags behind. Last time I got to visit the excellent Meadowhall boutique I saw all of the new three hand Aquaracers and also the 'Batman' GMT, but I was really pinning my hopes on this all new colour scheme being the one that really got me interested. 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Extreme Sports Chrongraph by Hourstriker

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Ice Blue' Calibre TH20-09 Limited Edition Tourbillon

By my reckoning this is TAG Heuer's eighth different tourbillon this year, and while technically this one is another 'limited edition'... at 250pcs it rather begs the question 'just how many £20,000 tourbillons can TAG Heuer actually hope to shift?' I mean, TAG Heuer's bread and butter business is commonly accepted to be in the £1500-6000 region, so it's surprising that the brand feel comfortable making so many pieces in this price bracket.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Sprite' GMT by Brent Miller Time

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Heuer Monaco 'Racing Green' Calibre 11 Limited Edition

When I first clapped eyes on this new 1000 piece limited edition 'Racing Green' Monaco Calibre 11 I was quite impressed, thinking it an improvement over last year's blue version. However, the more I've looked at it the more I feel like I need to see it in person to make a proper judgement.

Because to me it looks like the strap and the subdials aren't quite the same hue of green, and if that's true I would find that rather annoying... 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Monaco Special Editions by Swiss Watch Expo

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Green Dial' Solargraph

 

I guess we should have seen this coming, shouldn't we? Given the ever expanding Solargraph range and TAG Heuer's current obsession with the colour green, it was surely only a matter of time until the two were put together and voila... I give you the green dial Solargraph! Must have been a long day at work thinking that one up, eh?

Still, that doesn't really matter if the finished product works and on the face of it this one looks quite successful. I'm not entirely sure about the combination of green and pale blue, I honestly think the black and blue dials provide a better colour base for the usual 'Solargraph' highlight colour. Perhaps, as we've seen with some of the ladies 34mm Aquaracers, a polished steel hand would have been a better fit?