OWNED: TAG Heuer Microtimer

 

The TAG Heuer Microtimer. It's an oddity isn't it? And one that's not to everyone's taste I'm sure... but oddly it was one of the first watches I bought after setting up this blog back in October 2016. Indeed it was all the way back in February 2017 that I bought my Microtimer off eBay for the princely sum of £681.97. Unfortunately once it arrived I realised it was a little bit too beaten up for my liking and so I immediately took it to a local AD who sent it off to be repolished for me (which added another £100 to the overall cost). To be fair to them, it came back looking almost like new, save for a couple of small scratches and I was very pleased with my decision to have it refinished. 

Since then I've worn it 'sparingly' I would say, although in my 2018 'Owned' post I said I wore it more than any of my other watches, which I find it hard to believe - or remember! That said, over the last two or three years I've made more of an effort to wear it regularly, because for some years it did rather languish in the cabinet; a typical scenario following a polishing job for me, the same thing happened with my Grand Carrera Calibre 6 albeit to a lesser extent. 

The problem with the Microtimer you see, is it looks amazing... until it doesn't. I mean, who in their right mind would make a square case like that, with all that metal on the face and then decide the best thing to do would be to give it a polished finish? I mean I get why they did it, because the watch looks kind of futuristic and it highlights the curved profile of the watch and let's not forget that at this time the Kirium was still around and that followed a similar concept. 

The problem with that though is that, like the Kiriums, it looked amazing when it was minty but after a short time on the wrist it started to pick up scratches, and in this regard the Microtimer is much worse than any Kirium because there's just so much metal to scratch! Of course I could have it polished again, but is there really any point? All that would happen is that it will sit in the cabinet unworn because I'm scared to scratch up the pristine surface again. So no, I won't be doing that unless it gets a really nasty scratch on it. Besides I'm not sure how many times you can polish a watch before it starts to look a bit 'melty' and I have to say whoever polished it for me last time did a great job of getting rid of the majority of the scratches without compromising the sharpness of the case. 

As you can see from the photos it's certainly showing signs of wear again, but nothing like when I first got it so I still think it was money well spent. Speaking of money well spent, a couple of years back the battery warning icon came on and I returned the watch to TAG Heuer for a replacement. I think it cost £85 or thereabouts and when it came back it was clear that they had replaced the gaskets in addition to the battery, so next time I might try and replace the battery myself... though those tiny screws that hold the caseback on fill me with dread (probably no worse than the Golf to be fair, and I managed to do that okay).

The Microtimer has a battery saving mode though, which I have been using since I got it back. You simply depress the upper right pusher and this turns the screen off completely, which obviously reduces the amount of power the watch is consuming while it sits in the cabinet waiting for its next outing.

As you can see in the photograph above, the back light still works perfectly, indeed all the functions of the watch operate as they should and it's surprisingly comfortable on the wrist due to the curved shape of the case (back and front - though more pronounced on the front) and also the massively wide strap that keeps the watch from twisting on the wrist.

It's certainly a statement, nothing else looks or feels like it and I still like it a lot, but there's no getting away from the fact that it's a big chunk of watch and again that's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. I really can't see anyone having this as their only watch, that would be very strange... unless they were a bit eccentric. It's just too much for every day use, 

I distinctly remember the editor of the now sadly now closed (but still fondly remembered) 'Calibre 11' website David Chalmers telling me that he had owned the Microtimer four times, because every time he sold one he wanted it back again but then once he had it he never wore it because it was so easy to scratch. I totally understand where he was coming from and it is such a shame because truthfully once it does start to get marked it doesn't look as 'special' as when it's pristine. But what can you do but try and ignore it and enjoy the watch as best you can.

Oddly even though it's an 'occasional wear' kind of watch for me I've never really considered selling. Because, like David I think if I did I would want to get another one. It's just such a unique and special piece and it really does live up to TAG Heuer's mantra of avant garde. And, actually at the time of release it was quite a big deal. Supposedly it was the first wristwatch with a 1/1000 second chronograph, not that that is particularly useful to me of course, but even so that makes it quite horologically important.

Well at least that was the story... however this article from Watch Report seems to amend itself with a post-script correcting the main article with the news that actually Casio had several wristwatches capable of measuring 1000ths of a second before 2003 (when the Microtimer was launched). But I bet none of them looked this cool!

If you fancy a Microtimer at best you can probably pick one up for about what I paid back in 2017, but prices do seem very fluid. And there are quite a few variations too, you can get them with diamonds set into the case edges, and also on several different straps (white leather, black textile, even a rare crystal encrusted one made of denim). The other main variation is that you can get them with a 'positive' display, so more like a conventional digital watch... I must say though that doesn't look anything like as cool.

Incidentally, while we're on the subject of the Microtimer, I recently came across some pictures of the 'Paddock Club' version of the 'Micrograph' (which was the forerunner of the Microtimer, aesthetically identical but with a 1/100th of a second stopwatch function instead of 1/1000th). Allegedly this was only sold in the Paddock Club at races during the 2001 F1 season, though I'm not sure of the veracity of that statement.

The front of the watch looks just like any other Microtimer or Micrograph, but the back features this cool 'Paddock Club' engraving. Not sure how many of these were made, but I can't imagine it was that many.

If you'd like to know more about the Microtimer please visit my HISTORY OF THE MICROTIMER post.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Polychrome Tourbillon by SwissWatchExpo

 

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre TH20-00 'Harrods' Limited Edition Chronograph

Okay, let's get this out of the way right off the bat.... why is this a 'Spotlight On' post and not a 'First Impressions' post? The answer is simply that 'First Impressions' posts are for watches that have just been released, and somehow it seems this watch was released last year without anyone in my circle knowing about it. Nobody told me, nobody posted it on the THF forum, literally did not have a clue and as such it was not included in last years 'Watch of the Year' voting procedure. In fact the only reason I found about this one at all is because I spotted it on Watchfinder and thought 'what the hell is that!' 

And that's a bit of a shame if you ask me because I feel like this one could have garnered a vote or two. First off it's that crowd pleasing 42mm size (well, crowd pleasing is maybe a touch generous, but it's not 44mm so... a few more people will like it) and crucially it isn't yet another bloody glassbox, and that immediately kicks it up a notch in my opinion. 

Secondly, I really like the combination of silver dial, green rehaut and subdials with the gold highlights. It really looks rather nice and somehow it really captures the spirit of Harrods, you can just imagine wearing this on a visit to the venerable London department store, pottering around the food stores in the basement, perhaps picking up some hand made chocolates, heading upstairs to buy your wife a £900 Fendi handbag accessory then heading off for a small coffee and carrot cake, before eventually spending a shiny pound to spend a penny (not sure on that, haven't been to Harrods 'facilities' for many a year)... 

 

Okay, I'm being flippant, but there isn't really much to say about this one as it's just a variation on an already established model. I believe there are 50 of these, but strangely when I Google the part number they mostly seem to be listed on Japanese websites. Perhaps 'Harrods' is a strong brand out in the far East, I can imagine that it would appeal to tourists from the Pacific region, despite being on the larger size.

Where does this sit in the pantheon of Harrods themed TAG Heuer watches though? I'd say it's probably the best of the three, with the white dial Autavia coming second and the green dialed, solid gold 2023 model coming third.

Okay, well as we won't be including this in the end of year scoring, I've nonetheless asked the esteemed Council to give their opinion and obviously this score will be taken as final and added to the ongoing list.

Before I go, I have to tell you there is something coming that is so... remarkable that I can't even believe it. I don't think anyone will be able to believe it actually... so look out for that soon.

8/10: "It's really smart. The green and gold really does say Harrods and looks lovely on the silver dial. Simple but elegantly done."

7.5/10: "Beautiful dial, I like the green and silver combination better than the Harrods colours used for a previous model."

5/10: "Like the green accents and silver dial, but still only."

4/10: "Something really off putting about these Elegant Carreras indeed."

6/10: "The gold markets contrasts nicely against the heavenly silver dial."

3/10: "Yet another colour scheme. This one is decidedly uninspiring."

8/10: "Like this simple but effective, and it doesn’t say Harrods’ on it too obviously."

6.5/10: "It is certainly not my favourite edition of the Carrera Elegant… perhaps with a perforated green leather strap matching the subdials I would like it much more, but with the steel bracelet I am not enthusiastic about the combination (silver, gold, green) chosen."

6.5/10: "Nice watch, but the green just doesn't do anything for me."

6/10: "I agree, I'd rather see black than green."

5/10: "I can’t stand green and gold, even accents of it. It looks like something you’d have to fight a leprechaun for. I know it’s the Harrods thing, but not for me. Other than that it looks like any other Carrera to me."

4/10: "Not cool."

5.5/10: "This is not a watch I would pay a premium for, as Harrods holds no special meaning for me and green/gold is not my thing. Without knowing the price, I'll give it a 6/10. But if the price is higher than the Goodwood FoS (£6,450.00), I would score it lower at 5.5/10."

6/10: "It’s just an ok watch to me..."

7/10: "Not so bad. But would have to see it in the metal. The golden accents seem a bit lost."

8/10: "I like it, but maybe with a white dial might have been more striking?"

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper by The Mad Watch Collector

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre TH20-00 'French' Limited Edition Chronograph

 

A couple of years ago TAG Heuer released one of the nicest watches in their recent history, the blue dial 'French' limited edition 42mm Carrera (part number CBN201B). There were 200 of these made (one of which is currently available via Watchfinder I notice) and if I remember correctly it was in my top three watches of 2023. Ultimately it placed fifth in the COCO Watch of the Year poll, but oddly was the only watch besides that year's winner to score an 8/10 (voting was massively affected in 2023 by the all conquering Panda Glassbox it must be remembered). Big shoes to follow then, and while this is another pretty nice 42mm Carrera, I don't think it's quite as good as it's predecessor. 

Let's get the obvious out of the way straight away shall we. That right hand subdial screams 'Seafarer' doesn't it? And as such I can't help thinking this was perhaps envisioned as a follow up for those who either couldn't get hold of the limited edition Seafarer, or those like me who don't really like the glassbox Carreras all that much. Unfortunately, despite the Hodinkee connection (oddly I haven't heard anyone mention the name Hodinkee since the Seafarer's launch, I assume it's still going?) the Seafarer is still available nearly a year down the line... and as such I understand the proposed grey dial follow up model has now been delayed or possibly canned altogether. Given that, I'm slightly surprised to see that this one is not limited to 200 pieces but 500, so TAG Heuer must be fairly confident that this one will sell well. 

Like the Seafarer this one also looks to have those blingy subdial rings, which I could live without and while the yellow certainly pops against the blue dial it feels like a dive watch vibe that doesn't sit as well with the elegant overall design as it could. The blue stitched strap is a nice touch, but I can't help thinking this is a nice but inferior rework of a previous winner (much in the same way that every Red Bull F1 has been inferior to the original) and I can't reasonably score it any higher than a 7.25/10.

As usual with the (formerly 'Elegant') Carreras, this one is powered by the calibre TH20-00 (formerly the Heuer 02) and costs €7350, and perhaps not surprisingly given the number produced it is probably available in your country and not just in France - apparently the United States have been allocated 6, so what makes it for 'France' I'm not really sure.

Anyway, let's see how the Council feel about this one...

8.5/10: "I think its a great looking watch. They did a good job with the colour choices and details. A fun summer watch - good time to release it."

7.5/10: "I don't quite know what it is but there's something quite attractive about this watch. The navy blue dial with the pops of colour in the sub dials looks great and with those orange hands it really pops."

8/10: "Very nice watch, but the coloured sectors in the right sub-dial don't really match the rest of the watch."

8/10: "Beautiful watch. The slightly faded orange color looks nice."

 

9/10: "Recently I am drawn to blue watches."

7/10: "Nice, simple style, colours effective.7/10 as price unknown."

8/10: "I rate this higher than the Goodwood FoS based on looks. But I'm not into Nautical themed watches, so have no real interest in buying one. Whereas I might on a Goodwood if one were to come my way."

8/10: "Nice strap, nice -Carrera Elegant- case, a properly numbered LE… I like this one more than the Hodinkee Seafarer new glassbox (7/10), but less than the Goodwood FoS version (9/10), so it’s a 8/10 for me."

8/10: "This watch is both fresh and retro. The bezel ring is my favourite. I also prefer it to the Hodinkee seafarer.

9/10: "Oh this is gorgeous. I really admire the dial on this one. Great colour choices, too. Too big for me, though."

9/10: "Yes, quite nice indeed! 🔥🔥🔥"

7/10: "I like the skipper vibes but without the weird glassbox and absurdly large tide pusher, looses a point for the running seconds."

6/10: "It looks nice in general, but I am not sure I like the Seafarer inspired subdial. Scored it an extra half point just for being properly numbered (not a lazy "one of" LE)."

7/10: "I like it a lot but I will forever hate the moronic decision to put that cross hair ugly ass running seconds on the dial. Extremely solid 7 of 10. Just imagine how sexy and perfect it would be with a proper sub dial at 6!"

8.5/10: "I rather like this one. It’s like the Skipper but for those with taste. That is, not a glassbox sh*tter. I particularly like the cross hairs as it gives the appearance of having just two subdials, which is preferable for me." 

6.5/10: "It's nice, big fan of dark blue, but I guess it's yet another combination of similar 41/42mm Carreras, just with the addition of a nicely coloured subdial."

6/10: "Not bad, not overly exciting. My score is 6."

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

 

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer's 2025 Releases (Jan/Jun)

Once again we've reached the mid-point of the year and presumably passed the halfway point of TAG Heuer's 2025 release schedule. So it's time to refresh your memory and give you an insight as to what could be in the running for the COCO Watch of the Year award come December.

It's amazing, everywhere you look you hear 'TAG is back', indeed it's become a slogan for TAG Heuer themselves since they took over from Rolex as the official timekeeper of Formula 1. As an aside, if you are an F1 fan, don't you absolutely hate it when people say 'The F1'? Isn't that the dumbest thing you've ever heard? Or am I just an angry old man who hates change and gets upset about the stupidest things?

Well, maybe!

Which is kind of funny because, how can I put this.... everyone loves TAG Heuer's new direction, the endless glassbox Carreras, the new 38mm F1s and.... and.... I just don't! Initially I really wanted to like the new F1s, in fact I was even mentally setting aside the money to buy the red 'Italian' GP one, but having tried on a few of them now, I just find them slightly odd. 

Maybe it's because I've owned a ton of the original models and I'm still hung up on how they 'used to be', but while making them larger seemed like a great idea, it just doesn't seem to have translated somehow. The lume pots are too chunky, the hands are too small and thin, the case around the lugs is just weird and, well, I could go on... the rubber straps are extremely cool, I'll give them that, but I'm not buying a watch just for a cool strap (...again).

So yes, my excitement level this year is pretty low, in fact I'd say right now I'm struggling to think of a watch release this year that I'd actually want to own, save perhaps for the Monaco Gulf. I must admit I do quite like the black/lime Calibre 16 Formula 1, but in person it's not quite as exciting as I'd hoped. I'd rather get an old 500M Aquaracer in the same colour scheme for less than half the money.

Ah yes, money. It always comes back to money doesn't it? But how can it not. Prices are still rising at ridiculous levels and contributors to the THF Forums are one by one switching brands or simply stating that they've bought their last 'new' TAG Heuer. I have to agree. I can't honestly see myself buying anything else at 'full price', unless my circumstances change drastically, not when you see the 'real' market value of the current watches when they appear pre-owned on Watchfinder, etc within a few months. Now that's depressing!  

But, you know, when I got into this hobby I couldn't afford to buy new watches, and then for a while I could (just about) and now thanks to my stagnant wages and TAG Heuer's price rises I can't again. Whatever. Maybe in five years I will be buying a pre-owned 2025 watch at a fraction of the price it cost new? Or maybe thanks to the lunatics in Silicon Valley I'll be looking for food in the bottom of a dumpster while trying to avoid getting shot by security drones... 

Anyway, let's have a look back at what TAG Heuer have presented so far this year:

FORMULA 1

While I agree it's a good thing that TAG Heuer have taken the Formula 1 back to it's roots, for me there's just something not quite right. The Solargraph movement is a welcome improvement and the watches are definitely better quality then the originals but somehow the charm isn't there for me. Maybe in time I will grow to love them, but right now it ain't working. Meanwhile the new Calibre 16 chronographs are cool, but again they don't make me want to spend £4000+ to own them... and finally we have two (very) old watches that have been given a new lease of life with a blue rubber strap (for the UK market only).

WBY111A.FT8106 - 38mm, Solar quartz, Steel and TH Polylight, Rubber  £1550

WBY1111.BA0042 - 38mm, Solar quartz, Steel and TH Polylight  £1650

WBY1112.BA0042 - 38mm, Solar quartz, Steel and TH Polylight  £1650

WBY1113.BA0042 - 38mm, Solar quartz, Steel and TH Polylight  £1650

WBY1114.FT8084 - 38mm, Solar quartz, DLC Steel and TH Polylight, Rubber  £1650

WBY1117.FT8087 - 38mm, Solar quartz, DLC Steel and TH Polylight, Rubber  £1650

WBY1160.FT8085 - 38mm, Solar quartz, TH Polylight, Rubber  £1550

WBY1161.FT8086 - 38mm, Solar quartz, TH Polylight, Rubber  £1550

WBY1162.FT8105 - 38mm, Solar quartz, TH Polylight, Rubber  £ 1550

CBZ2084.FT8097 - 44mm, Calibre 16, DLC Titanium, Rubber  £4350

CBZ2085.FT8093 - 44mm, Calibre 16, DLC Titanium, Rubber  £4350

CBZ2086.FT8098 - 44mm, Calibre 16, DLC Titanium, Rubber  £4350

CBZ2082.FT8096 - 44mm, Calibre 16, Titanium, Rubber  £4150

CBZ2080.FT8091 - 44mm, Calibre 16, Titanium, Rubber  £4800

CAZ1014.FT8099 - 43mm, Quartz chrono, Steel, Rubber  £1850

WAZ1010.FT8099 - 43mm, Quartz chrono, Steel, Rubber  £1500

AQUARACER

2024 was a good year for the Aquaracer, which ultimately concluded with the model finally breaking the stranglehold of the 'old-man' Carreras on the much coveted 'Council of Considered Opinion Watch of the Year Award' via the solar quartz powered 'Time & Tide' limited edition. But 2025 has been a bit flat, honestly. So far we've seen twelve new Aquaracers, four of which are old automatic models with gold bezel inserts that have finally been given steel bracelets. Truth be told they look a bit odd, like they forgot to plate the centre links on the bracelet... but as we saw with the recent day/date Carreras, a two tone bracelet is no longer a viable option as nobody with a brain is going to pay £8000 for a Calibre 5 powered Aquaracer! 

That aside, we've seen a couple of two-tone solar powered 34mm Aquaracers, a powder pink dial 34mm Solargraph, a pale blue 40mm Solargraph and a trio of brightly coloured 36mm Calibre 5s. And that's it really... it seems 2025 is truly the year of the 'Formula 1', which is fair enough given it is the 39th anniversary and everything. 🤣

WBP231N.BA0618 - 36mm, Calibre 7, Ceramic/Steel  £3650

WBP1182.BF0000 - 40mm, Solargraph, Titanium  £3000

WBP2450.BA0622 - 30mm, Calibre 9, Gold, Diamonds and Steel  £4400

WBP2451.BA0622 - 30mm, Calibre 9, Gold, Diamonds and Steel  £4400

WBP2150.BA0627 - 40mm, Calibre 5, Yellow Gold, Steel  £4800

WBP2151.BA0627 - 40mm, Calibre 5, Rose Gold, Steel  £4800

WBP231L.BA0618 - 36mm, Ceramic, Diamonds and Steel  £3650

WBP231N.FT6234 - 36mm, Ceramic, Diamonds and Steel  £3500

WBP231M.BA0618 - 36mm, Ceramic, Diamonds and Steel  £3650

WBP1323.BB0004 - 34mm, Solargraph, Diamonds, Gold Plating and Steel  £3800

WBP1324.BB0005 - 34mm, Solargraph, Diamonds, Gold Plating and Steel  £3800

WBP1318.BA0005 - 34mm, Solargraph, Diamonds and Steel  £2700

MONACO

I guess we could say it's been a slightly better year for the Monaco so far, with just two regular (albeit limited edition) models launched, alongside two 41mm Rattrapante Monacos (one of which is also limited). The 'Gulf' and 'Stopwatch' models launched at the Monaco GP back in May received a lot of positive comments and both could be in with a shout when it comes to the 'WOTY' award. For my money the Gulf is the better of the two, but these are both definitely at the 'top end' of TAG Heuer's 2025 releases so far. 

As for the rattrapantes, well... they're both insanely expensive and putting 'Lights Out and Away We Go' on the dial of the white ceramic one was truly a crime against not just horology, but basic good taste. Thank Christ they only made ten of these. The other one is just a colour revamp on the ones released last year; I quite like the colour, but unfortunately the watch is still missing the mark for me when it comes to looks (and I like modern looking watches!).

CBW2190.FC8356: 41mm, Rattrapante, Ceramic/textile  £POA

CAW218F.FC6356: 39mm, Calibre 11, DLC titanium/leather  £8600

CAW218G.EB0393: 39mm, Calibre 11, titanium/textile/leather  £8300

CBW2185.FC8350: 41mm, Rattrapante, textured titanium  £POA

CARRERA

Since the Autavia has been consigned to the bin once again... and since literally nothing has happened with the Link for about five years, we come to the Carrera. And sadly if you're expecting my excitement to peak here, well... think again. Like with the Aquaracer we have a bunch of models being re-released with a new (7 link) bracelet, which, honestly I couldn't care less about... but it looks okay I suppose.

As for the new 'day/date' Carreras... well I always used to want a 41mm Day/Date Carrera, but these new ones just look weird to me, and not remotely exciting (despite the red fumé dial and funky strap options.) The two tone model looks the best of the bunch, but the price is just hilarious - are we really paying a £3500 premium for a two-tone bracelet? 🤣

Will be interesting to see what the pre-owned price is for that one!

As for the GMT they seem to have turned what was one of the best looking 41mm Carreras ever into one of the worst, and of course it's green. Seriously, can we just stop with the bloody green now? It's not even a nice green! Ugggh.

Anyway... given that I'm not a fan of the 39mm glassbox, I actually think the purple dial model is quite nice. It's pretty dark, obviously and it's a pity the 42mm version has a dirty great hole in the dial and a £30k tourbillon filling it, since that one actually fits my wrist, but I probably wouldn't have bought one anyway if I'm honest. 

Elsewhere the Porsche Rallye glassbox is sure to feature strongly at the end of the year, but it still confuses me that they made a watch celebrating a race where the car in question finished second in its class and fifth overall! I still think the gold is the better of the two, but there were only 11 of them.. because 911. Of course. 🤣

Other than that we've seen a couple of 36mm Carreras in pink (meh) and lilac (cool), a couple of odd diamond bezelled 39mm glassboxes (nice blue and 'Michael Kors' pink) and most recently the limited edition Carrera for the 'Goodwood Festival of Speed'. That one is interesting, but I'm keen to see what it looks like in real life/videos before making my mind up as I still haven't seen anything other than renders.

CBS2015.EB0381 - 42mm, Calibre TH20-08, Steel  £8950

CBS2041.EB0382 - 42mm, Calibre TH20-08, Yellow gold, leather  £21500

CBS2214.FC6567 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel/Diamonds, Blue leather  £7600

CBS2215.FC6568 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel/Diamonds, Blue leather  £7500

CBS2219.FC6607 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel  £6150

CBS5017.FC6605 - 42mm, Calibre TH20-09, Steel  £30450

WBN231D.BA0001 - 36mm, Calibre 7, steel/diamonds  £3900

WBN2319.BA0001 - 36mm, Calibre 7, steel/diamonds  £3900

CBS2216.BA0048 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel  £6300

CBS2210.BA0048 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel  £6300

CBS2211.BA0048 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel  £6300

CBS2212.BA0048 - 39mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel  £6300

WDA2110.FC6614 - 41mm, Calibre TH31-02, Steel, Leather  £3500

WDA2111.BA0043 - 41mm, Calibre TH31-02, Steel  £3850

WDA2111.BD0001 - 41mm, Calibre TH31-02, Steel, Steel/Gold  £7400

WDA2112.BA0043 - 41mm, Calibre TH31-02, Steel  £3650

WDA2113.BA0043 - 41mm, Calibre TH31-02, Steel  £3650

WDA2114.BA0043 - 41mm, Calibre TH31-03, Steel  £4250

CBN2010-NS - 42mm, Calibre TH20-00, Steel, Brown leather  £6450

Well, there we have it. I honestly hope this selection gets you more animated than it does me and I truly hope TAG Heuer releases something in the second half of the year that actually excites me, because right now I would give my WOTY vote to the Gulf Monaco without a second thought... but only because there's no better option. 

Oh well, it's all part of the rich and interesting history of the brand and as such it's still interesting to observe, even if it doesn't make me want to raid my meagre savings and buy anything. In a way it's good, because I know what I actually want and I need time to save for that so I really don't need any distractions holding me back.

VIDEO: The TAG Heuer F1 Solargraph is Not Over Priced by Chisholm Hunter

 

PRICE LIST: TAG Heuer Price List - June 2025

 

It's now been 5 years since I compiled my first price list (during the early days of the pandemic, oh how time flies) and just for giggles I wondered what would appear in both that one and this latest price list and what the difference would be. Well, truth be told there's almost nothing, but the obvious candidate would be the stalwart CAW211P Monaco (colloquially known as the 'Steve McQueen'). So, shockingly (or maybe not that shockingly really) the price in July 2020 was £5050... and after the latest price increase it's now a bowel-loosening £7500!

Wow, that is some hefty, inflation busting rise eh? But the thing is with that though is that the pre-owned price has not kept pace with that at all. In fact if you want a CAW211P today and you're not stuck on buying brand new then Chrono 24 has over 100 examples on offer right now, with prices starting at £3500... that's a hell of a saving (or a massive depreciation cliff depending on your point of view).

That aside, for the most part it's the usual bi-yearly £50-150 increases, which don't sound too bad but which of course add up to a significant sum over two or three years. There are also a few other instances where we see £200+ increases, notably the Hodinkee Seafarer, the solid gold Carrera glassbox and the Porsche 963 Carrera, but thankfully there's none of those outrageous 40% increases we saw back at the start of the year.

Hilariously though, despite raising the prices of some of the tourbillon models by up to £10,000 earlier in the year, TAG Heuer have still added another £50 on to the prices this time, presumably because they didn't go quite far enough last time 🤣. 

But it's not all bad news, if you've been hankering after a Superdiver but didn't want to pay £6100 for it you'll be pleased to know that it's now priced at £5550. And also coming down is the darker green Aquaracer 300 which for some reason had a price premium at launch. This is something we are seeing now and again actually, where one colour is more expensive than the rest of the range and then eventually they all come into line.

Quite a few new additions this time, obviously there's the new 38mm Formula 1 range and various 34 and 36mm Aquaracers, but also a few Monacos and Carreras and even previously available models now available on bracelets (in particular the two tone Aquaracers and the Glassbox Carreras).

Unsurprisingly, there are no new Links. Surely that range needs something doing with it soon?

I also notice the older CAR style tourbillons have gone now and the solid gold Aquaracers have been discontinued too (after the £2000 discounts earlier in the year), and with the release of the new Carrera Day/Dates obviously another casualty are the old WBN models, which makes sense. 

As usual, blue text is for price changes, red text is for new additions.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Monaco Gulf and 'Stopwatch' Limited Editions by Time & Tide

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera 'Goodwood Festival of Speed' Calibre TH20-00 Limited Edition Chronograph

 

Way back in the dark ages I remember seeing various 'Goodwood Festival of Speed' limited edition Carreras in the TAG Heuer outlet at Bicester Village. It always struck me as slightly odd that watches that were limited to such small quantities (125 / 250 pieces) should remain unsold, and perhaps that's why we haven't seen any in recent years...? 

But with TAG Heuer doubling down on their commitment to motorsport I guess it shouldn't be a massive surprise to see this new limited edition of 100 pieces. Initially released to members of the Goodwood club, the model is now available on the TAG Heuer website for £6450, which given it has rather a unique look to it, doesn't seem too bad.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph by Mitch Lui

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Heuer Monaco 'Stopwatch' Calibre 11 Limited Edition

Of course the 'Gulf' Monaco wasn't the only Monaco TAG Heuer launched at the (somewhat anachronistic) Monaco Grand Prix, in fact it was only one of three. There was also a new colour variation on the eye-wateringly expensive 41mm rattrapante that literally no one paid any attention to, and then there was this black DLC coated titanium cased Calibre 11 'Heuer' Monaco that seems to have garnered almost as much attention as the Gulf. Which kinda makes you wonder why they released them both at the same time honestly, given that they are probably aimed at a similar buyer. Oh well, I'm sure TAG Heuer know what they are doing... perhaps the cache of launching it at the Monaco GP outweighs the conflict and perhaps some well heeled harbour-dwellers will take both?

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 2000 Series 'Moon Dust' Restoration by The Nekkid Watchmaker

 

OWNED: TAG Heuer 1500 GMT Quartz Watch

 

As I've mentioned recently, I'm still in the process of trying to reduce my TAG Heuer collection to something approaching a 'sensible' size (20 would be perfect, really) and that obviously means selling more watches. That's fine, but obviously the further I go with that the harder it's going to get to convince myself to let go of watches that I've collected, especially watches that have been with me for some time and which (to me at least) represent the 'best' of a particular model line. 

And that's exactly how I feel about this GMT variant of the 1500 Series, at 40mm it is the perfect size for me and much better than the vast majority of 1500 Series models which are 37mm in diameter. As such, me selling this is basically ruling the 1500 Series out of my future collection because I'm not going to buy an inferior piece or buy another one of these again, so unless I win the lottery and money no longer matters, this is it. 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300M Professional by Bruce Williams

 

ON THE WRIST: Colourful 36mm Aquaracers & Miami/Spanish Formula 1 Solargraphs

 

TAG Heuer Boutique / Milton Keynes, 31st May 2025

My second visit to the Milton Keynes boutique this year and this time I was lucky enough to find not only a couple of the new 36mm colourful dial automatic Aquaracers but also two limited edition Formula 1 Solargraphs. Sadly there was no sign of the blue dégredé dial on the white rubber strap, and it seems like perhaps it's not actually released yet - though I notice TAG Heuer have added it to their website with the option of a steel bracelet now.

But we (my wife and I) did get to see both the purple and the pale green versions and honestly we thought they looked rather nice. I was expecting the purple dial to look a bit wishy washy in real life, but it's actually quite a strong, vibrant tone and while it's certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea I thought it was quite effective. My wife really liked it, but unfortunately (like the 'Tiffany' blue model before it) at 36mm it's just too big and chunky for her wrist. And of course a 36mm diver is far too small for me, not that I particularly want a purple dial Aquaracer anyway...  

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Day/Date Watches by Brent Miller Time

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco 'Gulf' Limited Edition Calibre 11 Chronograph

There's always quite a lot of excitement when TAG Heuer announce a new 'Gulf' branded Monaco and even I (someone completely untouched by the romance of Le Mans, Steve McQueen, etc) am not immune to the lure of the striped, square dial. However I did find the most recent regular 'Gulf' model a little disappointing (for me it was perhaps the least interesting of all the 'Gulf' models we've seen to date) so it's nice to see a really good one this time around, even if it is a limited edition.

For the 2025 edition we've gone right back to the start with another white dial Monaco embellished with red and blue stripes (as seen on Steve McQueen's race suit in the film Le Mans). It's funny but every time we get a new Gulf Monaco it always descends into a debate about how they never use the right shade of pale blue (with most agreeing that the 2018 limited edition of 50 pieces was the most accurate from that point of view), but thankfully here we don't have to worry about that, phew!

PRICE LIST: TAG Heuer Price List 2010

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Watches by Adrian Barker

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 36mm 'Coloured Dials' Calibre 5 Watches

 

Three new 36mm Calibre 5 Aquaracers for you today, and while I wouldn't dream of labelling them 'ladies' watches, they definitely tend to fall into that general category due to sizing, diamond hour markers and general colour choices. I must admit when I first saw them the one that caught my eye was the purple dial, but the more I look at it the more I'm unsure how successful it actually is. I applaud TAG Heuer for embracing a new colour in this range and maybe it looks fantastic in person, but as of right now I'm definitely on the fence.

VIDEO: The TAG Heuer F1 Return Has Some Problems by Britt Pearce

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: Running Out of Steam...?

Good morning my TAG Heuer enthusiast friends. As you probably know, I've been writing this blog for nearly nine years now and I have made over 3000 posts since I started back in October 2016, in the process making this the first choice resource for all things 1986-present day (as shown by the recent 1.5 million views milestone - thank you all once again for that).

Over the years I've explored pretty much every facet of the brand, with very few still to be covered (the 1000 Series is a glaring omission I know and I will get to that sooner or later) and so it gets harder and harder to think of new posts when there's a lull in the release schedule. 

On top of that, there's the issue of time. Simply finding time to write these posts week after week after week is starting to feel a bit like 'work' and it doesn't help that I'm not finding too much in the new releases to inspire me. TAG Heuer has always been a brand that refreshes itself constantly, indeed it's one of the things I really like about the brand, but the latest models are not really rocking my boat and even if they were I'm not sure I'm able to afford many of them until they become 'pre-owned'.

I'm actually okay with the fact that I'm not lusting after the new designs, because I know in a couple of years the line up will have changed again and maybe then the design language will have shifted back to my taste, or it could be that eventually I start to see the new watches in a different light and I move towards them, you never know. This is where TAG Heuer win over the likes of Rolex for me, because I know what Rolex do and it doesn't really change that much... I know some people argue that's Rolex's strength and that may well be true, but it's not the basis of a good blog that's for damned sure!

Back in the Jean Claude Biver days I was pumping out posts left right and centre (admittedly not always great posts, but post nonetheless...) because it was all new to me and frankly there was so much to get excited about. Currently, not so much. Despite the YouTubers insistence that 'TAG Heuer is BACK!' my initial enthusiasm for the re-released Formula 1s has waned quite dramatically since I saw one in person and I really don't think I'm going to be buying one (though I'm still keen to at least try on the red one when it comes out in September). I also really don't like the glassbox Carrera very much and while the new Calibre 16 Formula 1's are quite cool, the price tag is enough to prevent me getting too invested (and I certainly wouldn't choose one over my £1300 orange quartz three hander either!).

So I guess what I'm trying to work my way around to saying is that I just don't think I can keep this blog going at the pace it's been going any more. So with that in mind I am going to relax my posting schedule and see what happens. I'm not stopping the blog, and if five new watches come out tomorrow morning then I will write about them next week as usual. But I'm done staying up until 2am trying to write a post about some obscure 2000 Series because of some self-imposed 'deadline'. I just don't have it in me anymore. 

Perhaps a break will give me a chance to think up some new angles and I will start posting more again, but right now I want to allocate more of my time to other interests. I will still be posting, just not as often and not as regularly. I hope you all understand and will bear with me.

Rob / AquaG

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronographs by Brent Miller Time

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Kirium Chronometer Chronograph

Oh man but I'm so tired of silly people on YouTube telling us that the new TAG Heuer Formula 1s should only have cost £600... honestly, anyone that ever believed they were going to charge £600 for a 'vintage' inspired re-issue of a beloved watch with upgraded materials and a solar powered movement need to give themselves a good talking to. Have these people ever bought a watch strap from TAG Heuer? Do they know how much they charge for two small pieces of rubber? Come on, be serious. This is not a Swatch and the Moonswatch was not an Omega, just get a grip. It's fine to want them to be cheap, of course... but actually being disappointed when they aren't is just silly.

How could they possibly sell a Solargraph F1 for £600 when the Solar Aquaracers are nigh on £3000? Sure they are overpriced, but show me a Swiss watch from any of the big players that isn't. It seems the problem here is that there is an expectation that TAG Heuer were relaunching an 'affordable, entry level model to the mass market' when it's actually nothing of the sort. Most of the watches are limited to between 1000 and 3000 pieces, hardly 'mass market' and primarily they are aimed at middle aged people like me who remember them from the first time around (just about) and perhaps younger people drawn in by the Kith release last year. 

But look, there's nothing wrong with wanting to buy a decent TAG Heuer for around £600 and it can be done. In fact it's surprising what you can find if you're willing to wait and keep your eyes peeled.... and you can do it without exposing yourself to the cess pit that is Ebay. No you're not going to get a Monaco or a Carrera at this price point, but there are watches available that in their day were pretty high end, for example this minty looking Kirium chronometer chronograph which is currently on the H&T website with a discount of 20%. 

PRICE LIST: TAG Heuer Price List 2009

ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph

 

Watches of Switzerland / Canary Wharf, London

I haven't really been to any major towns since the new Formula 1 Solargraphs launched a few weeks ago, so I haven't had a chance to try one on until today's visit to Canary Wharf in the financial district of London. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and initially there was no one free so I went next door and sampled the delights of Laderach chocolate. It was pleasant enough, but it reminded me of the 'Swiss Chocolate' you get in Marks & Spencer, nice enough but not worth £10.50 per 100g! 

Sample consumed, I returned to Watches of Switzerland to find the store empty and two salesman vying for my attention. Incidentally, before we go any further regular readers will probably remember that I tried on the new black/blue Calibre 16 Formula 1 chronograph a few weeks ago and I said I wanted to see the black/green version because on the website it looked green in one picture and yellow in another.

Well, I didn't try it on, but Watches of Switzerland had it in the window and it definitely looks green. It's not as bright a green as I would like it to be though, I was kinda hoping it was going to remind me more of those glorious PVD coated Aquaracer 500M models with the green lume, but it's a little more subdued. Still nice and I'm glad it's green not yellow... and I'm not completely opposed to the idea of maybe getting one in the future (once someone else has taken the depreciation). But honestly it would be a lot cheaper to get one of those black/green Aquaracers!

But anyway, back to the WBY1111...