Years ago I managed to get hold of a leaflet for the 2000 Searacer, which showed that the watch could be purchased either on a bracelet or on a black sailcloth strap, but also that there was a red velcro strap available which came in a pouch with a strap changing tool. I remember a long time ago I enquired about the black sailcloth strap and being told that it had been discontinued. I don't think I ever asked about the red velcro strap as I thought that there was zero chance of that still being available...
But then a few weeks ago a new forum member at TH Forums contacted me and told me that she had ordered a 2000 Searacer from Japan and that she had already got hold of the red velcro strap for it directly from TAG Heuer. Interesting!
This piqued my interest and the next day I contacted my favourite boutique (Meadowhall, Sheffield) and asked if it really was still available. To my surprise they came back and said that both the red velcro and the black sailcloth straps were available (though there was no mention of a pouch and strap changing tool) and I decided to order both since they were not overly expensive. A couple of weeks later the boutique contacted me to say that TAG Heuer had cancelled the order for the black sailcloth strap as it had been discontinued, but that the red velcro strap was on its way.
So a few days later it arrived and I chuckled to myself as I looked at it in the packet. What have I bought now? I mean, I thought it might at least have had a TAG Heuer logo on it somewhere (well it does have 'TAG Heuer' embossed into the leather back, to be fair) but no, to all intents and purposes it's a plain red velcro strap. But still, it was only £65 so what can you expect (ho ho ho).
If I'm honest, as soon as I ordered it I kinda wished I hadn't. I honestly thought I would get it, put it on the watch, take a few pictures and quickly put it back on the bracelet. But to my absolute surprise I really like it. I really like the look, and it's pretty comfortable on the wrist too. Sure, it does sit a little bit higher as the strap goes under the watch twice, but it's really not that noticeable somehow.
Certain friends of mine have taken great delight in pointing out that 'you detest NATOs' and that's true, but this isn't a NATO at all. For a start, my biggest gripe with NATOs is that big roll of pointless spare strap that ends up flapping about near the head of the watch, and the other thing I hate about them is the clunky, oversized keepers. This is also a problem with TAG Heuer's 'fabric' straps, like the one that came with my orange Formula 1 and also the camouflage Aquaracer that I always wanted to buy; horrible things, and sharp to boot!
But this doesn't have either. Funnily enough I had a Gull watch in my younger days (which was a bit of a classic F1 clone) and that came on a red and yellow velcro strap and I don't think I've owned one since. Granted, it's hardly the height of Swiss luxury, but it's a welcome splash of colour in my watch box and it really brings out the red on the dial. Plus it's a rather cool bit of history and worth every penny I reckon!
No comments:
Post a Comment