GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Quartz Watch

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch

OWNED: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Blue Dial Quartz

WH1115-K1

It's just over a year since I snagged my first 6000 Series off eBay, and having worn it to work today I'm happy to say that I still really like it a lot. It looks great in the sunshine, the hour markers really shine (greenish lume) although their performance in the dark leaves a little to be desired - but then this is quite an old watch now so it's to be expected.

This was the first watch I bought that had a cyclops, I still only have two (the other being my grey dial 500M Aquaracer) and while I don't hate them like I used to, I still would prefer not to have one at all. But it's okay, it doesn't bother me and on this one I don't really notice it, it seems to fit in quite well really and I can't imagine the watch not having a magnifier now.

It's funny, in my 'Buying Experience' post I noted how these were quite expensive and how at the time £349 seemed like a bargain, but recently I've seen 3 handed 6000s going for less than £300. The average price definitely seems to have dropped on this series, which is a little annoying, but on the plus side I wouldn't mind adding a few more to my collection so I shan't grumble too much.

The 6000 Series is a bit of an odd one, it has a slightly ostentatious air about it and doesn't really seem to represent what most people would think of as being 'classic' TAG Heuer. I think the design is fantastic and I love how obvious it is when you see someone wearing one, I mean you only need to see the bracelet to know what's what.

Photo from the original eBay listing.

Ah the bracelet, so cool, but so delicate and prone to issues. I've written about the 6000 bracelet before and I shall include a link to that at the bottom of this post - well worth reading if you are thinking about buying a 6000... and I hope you are because I doubt you'd be disappointed. These feel special on the wrist, they really do. It's hard to think of another watch that offers so much bang for buck really, and there's plenty out there as well.

Mine keeps pretty good time for an old watch, I set it to my radio controlled clock last week when I moved the hour forward and it's still within a couple of seconds, which is good enough for me. Mine does have a somewhat patinated minute hand, which is a shame, but I don't really notice it so much now.

I wear this one pretty regularly, and it's one that never falls out of favour. It's funny but, I find the cheaper TAGs I've bought are (generally) the ones I have the strongest bond with, maybe that's because there's not so much money tied up in them and selling them wouldn't really bring in a whole lot of cash? Obviously my F1 Kirium and my Carrera are beyond reproach, but I find quite a lot of my watches go through phases where they are my 'favourites' one week and potential 'sellers' another. My two tone 3000 is another watch that really didn't cost that much and I can't imagine ever selling, I love that watch - even though the gold on the bezel is worn around the edges, conversely I have watches that cost 3 or 4 times as much which fall in and out of favour.

I added a second 6000 to my stable at the end of last year, a silver dial chronograph in superb condition. On paper it's better in every way, it's bigger, thicker, no cyclops... it's a chronograph, and yet, if push came to shove I think I'd keep the blue dial three hander, I really do like this one that much.

I definitely want to add a couple more 6000s to my collection, there's a very nice green dial version with some gold elements on the case that I like, and I wouldn't mind one on one of the leather straps too, but it's got to be one of the weird leather straps that the McLaren watch came on, not the plain ones as they don't look as if they ever matched well at all.

That's one of the things about the 6000, the case is so unusual that if you take it off the bracelet and put it on a normal leather strap it looks a bit odd. It's so obvious that the case was designed to work with the bracelet, the logo part at the bottom really doesn't look right without one. Speaking of which, as you'll see in the photos when I got my 6000 the black had almost completely disappeared from the logo, there was just a few traces left in there, but I restored it and it really does look fantastic.

The watch is 38mm in diameter and if I remember correctly it's about 9mm thick, but it really doesn't look small on the wrist somehow. I wear it for work quite a lot and even though the design is quite bold I feel like it doesn't look too much. By contrast the silver dial chronograph with it's bigger, chunkier size does feel a little OTT for the office... but I still wear it sometimes.

In the original eBay listing the watch was described as having a black dial (two of the pictures here are from that listing) and so I was surprised when I received it to realise it was actually dark blue. Looking at the photos it seems obvious, but then my F1 Kirium has a black dial, which looks purple from some angles due to the anti-reflective coating on the crystal. I was slightly disappointed when I opened the box, but now I'm glad it's blue, it gives it a little something extra, while maintaining a certain elegance.

Some people rag on TAG Heuer about the watches they made in the 80s and 90s (and 00s!), but I have nothing bad to say about this watch at all. Sure you have to take care of the bracelet (you definitely don't want to have to buy a replacement) but it's worth it to have such a unique and interesting design on your wrist. Go on, buy yourself a 6000, I bet you'll fall in love with it!

https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2018/12/feature-something-to-be-aware-of-when.html

FEATURE: Size Definitely Matters... (Part One)

Left-Right: F1 Kirium / Aquagraph / Carrera Heuer 01 Skeleton 45mm / Microtimer

Aquarcer Chronotimer / 6000 Series Blue Dial / Aquaracer Calibre S / Grand Carrera GMT

Aquaracer 500M Grey Dial / Kirium Quartz Chronograph / 2000 Exclusive Two-Tone

You know, back before I got really into watches, it never occurred to me that the size of a watch was important, or that it even mattered. I literally wouldn't have given it a second thought unless it was comically oversized, or ridiculously petite. I bet my old yellow dial, red Velcro strap 'Gull' watch was in the mid 30s range and it didn't bother me in the slightest, but now that I have become 'aware', I am a man obsessed!

F1 Kirium CL111A (37mm)

My first TAG was the F1 Kirium, this never struck me as small until I bought my Aquagraph, which is not just bigger, but very chunky and very heavy. But even then I still never thought the Kirium was 'small' as such, just smaller than the Aquagraph, which is obviously very uncompromising in it's design.

Aquagraph CN211A (41mm)

Even so, I was rather shocked when I saw this photograph because I never felt it looked THIS big on my wrist (and by the way, just to say I have a 7.3/4" wrist, which is definitely on the larger side - and a bit of a pain when I'm trying to buy pre-owned as most watches seem to be sized to 7-7.1/2" and people rarely keep the extra links!). 

Despite this 'size' still wasn't something that was in my mind, so when I bought my first '2000 Series' from eBay I was more than a little disappointed when it arrived and was a tiny 35mm. I bought extra links for the bracelet and got it to fit my wrist, but it didn't really fit at all. It looked silly and worse still the clasp dug into my wrist. I tried moving the clasp so the curve moulded around the edge of my wrist better but it just didn't work and I ended up selling it.

I replaced this with another '2000 Series', which was slightly bigger (37mm) but still had issues with the bracelet and ended up buying a rubber strap for it (at an outrageous cost of £140!). I wore this for a year, but eventually became dissatisfied with the size and sold that too. I ended up replacing it with a 40mm quartz Formula 1 that I wore for 18 months, before again becoming dissatisfied with the size.

Carrera Heuer01 CAR2A1Z (45mm)

Conversely, I agonized over the Heuer 01 for months, worried that it was too big... but eventually I went for it and although it is a big piece, the design of the strap makes it seem just right. I love my Heuer 01, it is a gorgeous watch, but if I'd known there was going to be a 43mm would I have bought that instead? Well, perhaps not, because the 43mm doesn't have the titanium case and the red line around the edge, or the black pushers and I don't think it looks as nice. I'f I'd known they were going to make the 'Drive Timer' versions though, that might have been a tougher choice...

My next purchase was off the wall, and one my wife didn't initially approve of, but she's come around now and actually quite likes it. The Microtimer fits so well on the wrist, not only is the strap very wide but the case is curved and wears great with a shirt, indeed I don't really wear it in the Summer as I think it looks much better under a cuff.

Microtimer CS111C (38mm)

I know it's not for everyone (and that only adds to it's appeal in my eyes) but ergonomically it wears so much better than a classic Monaco, which I really struggle with. I just don't like the square shape on the wrist, which is why I really like the Monaco 24 with it's bevelled edges and indeed the Microtimer with it's full width rubber strap. Admittedly, it is a bit sweaty in the Summer, which is another reason why I tend to keep it for the cooler months.

My next purchase was my CAU2012 Calibre 16 Formula 1, which was 44mm in diameter and looked it. Unusually the black PVD coating didn't really make any difference. I was fine with the overall size, but ended up hating the way the pushers and crown stuck out so obnoxiously, so I ended up trading it in after a year, having barely worn it.

Aquaracer Chronotimer CAF1010 (43mm)

The 43mm Chronotimer was my first Aquaracer and again this photo makes it look bigger than it feels and looks to me generally. It feels chunky, right enough, and it has a lot of reflective surfaces which make it a bit marmite for me. I go through periods where I wonder if I should sell it, and then I wear it and decide that I like it again. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if I did end up selling it at some point though...

6000 Series WH1115-K1 (38mm) 

From one extreme to the other, this is my 38mm blue dial 6000 Series, which is only just big enough for my wrist. It looks worse than it feels to be honest, I don't think I need to buy another link, I think I just need to lose some 'pork' and it will be fine, but I certainly can't afford to get any fatter if I want to keep wearing this one in it's current form! This one is pretty thin, which makes it seem smaller, plus the case is bigger than the bezel which means the glass is smaller than you'd expect and again gives the impression of a smaller size watch. I love it though, actually, I'd like a few more 6000s, maybe the green or red dial versions...

Aquaracer Calibre S CAF7013 (43mm)

Again this one is 43mm and again this picture gives the impression of a BIG watch when it looks and feels just fine in person. I'm still not too sure about the rubber strap, I might switch it back to the bracelet at some point, but it's comfortable for the Summer, and does actually make it appear a little smaller (believe it or not). Especially when you consider that this shares the same case as the Chronotimer CAF1010 above!

Grand Carrera Calibre 8 GMT WAV5111 (43mm)

Next up we have the Grand Carrera GMT, which again is 43mm but appears larger. This is mainly due to the very thin bezel which leaves the dial filling much of that 43mm and without a chronograph to fill the space, it definitely creates the illusion of a bigger watch. I don't know if you've noticed or not but this shot clearly shows the irritating way watches seem to face away from me, I think it must be the way my wrist bone is placed - not much I can do about that I suppose!

Aquaracer 500M WAJ1111 (43mm)

Another chunky 43mm Aquaracer, but somehow it looks a touch smaller in this photo. I really love this watch, it's such a nice watch to wear and looks so different to all the black dial watches out there. The crown does appear to stick out and I did worry about that, but it's never bothered me in the slightest in actual fact. This watch looks the perfect size in this photo, it's funny to me that this is the same size as the Chronotimer, which appears much bigger, and 2mm bigger than than the Aquagraph, which looks HUGE in comparison! This one also seems to sit better on my wrist than some...

Kirium Chronograph CL1112 (37mm)

Now we come full circle back to a Kirium and this one is 37mm. I think it looks fine on the wrist, although I was very hesitant to buy it. Day to day it appears larger and smaller than my F1 Kirium, which is strange, but also part of my watch size craziness I think! On any given day I could think this was just right, or too small, but I'm trying to come to terms with this, and indeed now I find that I am having a similar problem with my larger watches, which is not helpful or enjoyable when I've invested so much money in them!

2000 Exclusive WN1153 (37mm)

Lastly we have my most recent purchase, the two-tone 2000 Exclusive I picked up from my local pawnbrokers last week. This one is 37mm, and while it's definitely on the smaller side, I think it looks fine on my wrist. It's odd how a few weeks ago I totally discounted this due to it's size, even though I really liked it's design. It worked out for me on the price, but it seems silly now that I thought it was too small for me. 

Just looking at these pictures I find it absolutely astonishing that the Aquagraph is only 41mm (and I've measured it myself, so that is not a mistake!). It just goes to show the importance of getting a watch on your wrist and seeing how it would look. My friend Rich has a Tudor Pelagos, which is 42mm, and he reckons that's his absolute maximum, but he's said before he couldn't wear the Aquagraph, even though he really likes it. I think he will be shocked to learn that it's actually smaller than his own watch - although it is a bit thicker to be fair. 

I think the Kirium has been key in changing my mind about sub 40mm watches, but it very much depends on the design. I think basing your opinions solely on the diameter is a bad move as it can be terribly misleading. It's so strange seeing all these pictures of my wrist, as some of the watches look massive, but I know they look fine in the flesh, and if I can't wear 43-45mm with a 7.3/4" wrist, then who on Earth can?

Which makes me think I need to take some more photos, perhaps with my hand open and/or some where my wrist isn't resting on a desk as I think this can make my wrist look different, and maybe some full length shots so you can get a better perspective on how the watches look on me.

These will be coming up in part two of this feature, very soon.

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 6000 Series WH1115-K1

WH1115-K1

I've been tempted by these for some time now, but held back by a couple of things. The first was that I'd never seen one anywhere and thus hadn't been able to try one on, and at 38mm I knew it was right on the limit for me. The other was cost, most of these seem to start at £500 and go way up for some of the really nice special models, with some really cool dial colours and even white gold cases.

So when I spotted this one on eBay at a 'Buy it Now' price of £349, I just couldn't pass it up... as it happened it had a 14 day return option, so I thought there really wasn't anything to lose, so I took the plunge and I'm really, really glad I did. My other worry (as usual) was the bracelet, or rather the clasp. But so far, and I haven't worn it for very long admittedly, it seems okay. It's sort of off to one side a bit, but I think that makes sense because of the shape of the deployment.

I thought the watch was going to be black dialed, but when it arrived it was blue! Take another look at the picture, it's blue not black. So this is my first non black dial TAG, incredible isn't it, seven watches and not a single coloured dial until now (even the two I sold were black dial as well). Also, as someone helpfully pointed out, this is yet another watch which doesn't have the classic red and green logo, so again seven watches and not a single classic logo (and the two I'm gunning for haven't got it either!).

The seller on eBay was Tilley's Jewellers in Swansea (actually a pawnbrokers it seems) and I don't know whether the warranty card has been mixed up somewhere or whether it was just filled out wrong when it was originally sold, but the number on there is WH1113 not WH1115, which suggests a silver dial. Really I guess I should have questioned this, but since it's out of warranty and I don't have any concerns about authenticity I'm not too worried really.

It's my first cyclops too, and I'm okay with it so far, it really doesn't bother me... well who'd have thought it? I am having to get used to the thickness though, or rather the lack of thickness, it's my thinnest TAG for sure, which takes some adjustment because the way the bracelet sits on the wrist is quite different to what I'm used to. It's also quite flexible, which again I'm not accustomed to.

The watch was advertised to fit a 7.5" wrist, and I thought I had a 7" wrist (I really need to measure again) so I was surprised that the watch only just fitted, and in fact was a little tight. It had one hole of adjustment left on the clasp so I let that out and it helped a bit. A few weeks off the pies and I'm sure it will be fine.

It's really in pretty good condition, especially for a 19 year old watch, and I strongly suspect I'm the first person to ever move the bezel, it's solid as a rock (in a good way). The glass is immaculate and the (very unusual) bracelet seems to be in very good shape too, no stretching or damage that I can see. 

I've long wanted to get some older TAGs into the collection, but all too often size and practicalities around the clasps make me nervous. I'd really like an S/EL too, and a 4000 Series, and they are both possibilities for the future. I'd also really like an original plastic F1, but they really are too small so it seems a bit silly. Maybe a slightly later one on a bracelet which a chrono would be a better bet... but nice ones seem to command higher prices than you'd expect.

I'll review this in more detail when I've had a bit more time with it, but I can say this - when I opened the box again today, I already like it more than yesterday when it arrived, and I liked it yesterday. If it proves comfortable, then I don't see this one going anywhere...

Expect more 'Buying Experiences' in the near future, I'm hoping to pick up my next TAG at the weekend!