FEATURE: Keeping Track of Wrist Time 2022

 

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to 2023. We start the year with everybody's favourite post... 'Keeping Track of Wrist Time' (I jest of course, it doesn't get any more self-indulgent than this!), in which I reveal which watches I wore the most (and least) during the year of our Lord Jean Claude Biver 2022. 

I know, it's a LOT, just keep calm and we'll get through this together! Haha.

Now if you've already read my 'Another Crazy Year of Watch Buying' post that went up a few days ago, you'll know that there's been a fair bit of coming and going this year. Actually a lot more going than coming... which is a good thing, because looking back it's clear that I had (and still have, truthfully) far too many watches to actually wear them all. In fact I'd be somewhat surprised if I'd worn my Microtimer more than 25 times since I bought it back in 2017. And given it cost me £85 for a new battery last year, that isn't a good ratio!

FEATURE: Another Crazy Year of Watch Buying!

 

Ever since I started this blog way back in October 2016 my watch collection has been expanding year on year, some years at a genuinely frightening pace. In fact by the end of 2021 I had in excess of 50 TAG Heuer watches.... which is quite a lot by anyone's reckoning! 

However, 2022 was the first year when this trend was not only halted but reversed, and for the first time I finished the year with a MUCH smaller collection than I started it with. 

The year began slow but steady, right up until I bought my long sought after blue dial Japanese limited edition Grand Carrera... which turned out to be something of a pivotal purchase as far as my TAG Heuer collecting goes. 

BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 2000 'Sports' Quartz Watch

 

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This is a watch that has been on my wants list for an extremely long time, but for one reason and another I didn't pick one up until now... or actually March this year. I'm not entirely sure why it's taken me this long to write about buying this one, but... ever since I discovered TAG Heuer's 2000 Sports range I have been intrigued by the difference an aluminium bezel and some unusual Arabic numerals could make to a watch. 

If you're not aware, the 2000 Sports came in four flavours: all blue, red/black, black/gold and white/black. It was also available in three different sizes; men's, midsize and ladies. I'm not too sure what sizes the midsize and ladies are but this one is your bog standard 37mm. I would imagine the midsize would be about 34mm and the ladies probably 28mm or something close to that.

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 2000 Sports 'Disney Dial' Quartz Watch

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A few weeks ago I got very excited when I found a really nice 'Coke' bezel 2000 Sports on eBay at a great price for sale on eBay in the UK. However my excitement was short lived as I quickly realised the watch was a WM1212 (midsize) rather than a WM1112 (mens) - truth be told I didn't even know they made the Sports 2000s in midsize, so that lead to more items being added to the TAG Heuer Enthusiast Gallery Blog (ladies sizes too!). Slightly dejected I posted a note on the Calibre 11 forum asking should anyone come across a WM1112 for sale, would they please let me know. 

Well it didn't take all that long for me to get a message (thank you HoltzPlatz) linking to one for sale on eBay (US) for a reasonable price... albeit the listing said the seller 'may not post to the UK'. And of course the watch had one 'extra' feature that I wasn't expecting, nor did I have previous knowledge of!

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 2000 Series Sports Quartz Watch

 

WM1212

You may remember a few weeks ago I posted a 'Spotlight On' the blue version of this watch which was for sale on 'Est 1897' (and has since been sold). At the time I believe I commented on how unusual it was to see a 2000 'Sports' for sale on a 'pre-owned' website and they were usually to be found instead on eBay, lurking between £350-500 depending on condition and colour scheme desirability.

This is undoubtedly the most desirable colour scheme variation, but finding a 'quarter' Coke bezel 2000 Sports in good condition is a tricky business. Bizarrely, Watchfinder have not one, but two available at the moment. The first is dated 1997 and is selling for £500, while the second is 2003 and is selling for £625.

NOT BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 2000 Sports 'Coke' Quartz Watch

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A few weeks ago I noticed a blue dial / blue bezel 2000 Sports on FineTime Watches, in fact I think I even wrote a post about it. As is all too often the case with these though, the bezel had some damage, and I believe I mentioned that while it was a nice looking watch I would much prefer the red / black 'Coke' variant. 

Well yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks (since I bought my last two watches, basically... I've been trying to stay off the site!) I had a browse on eBay and of course the first thing I noticed was this WM1112 2000 Sports bidding at £224 with just a few hours to go

Leaving aside whether buying another watch so soon is a good idea... (of course it is!), critically the bezel and crystal on this one look in good condition and what at first glance looks like a scratch is actually a hair that's been caught in the bezel, so... so far so good. But, what I don't like is that the original bracelet is missing. Yes the watch comes with five straps, a leather one, a rubber one, the shark mesh and two NATO straps. Not crazy about any of them personally but I'd probably have used the rubber one (and chucked the rest of them back on eBay) until I'd sorted ought the proper bracelet...

Actually, I'm not 100% sure but I believe there is a correct, complete bracelet on eBay for £100 O.N.O., which was good, but obviously meant that this needed to be picked up for not much more than the £224 it was going for to make it viable.

I watched the item for the rest of the day (not constantly, I do have better things to do... honest) and when it got to about 30 minutes to go it suddenly jumped up to £249. I did a bit of Googling and came up blank as far as alternative options go, but oddly for a watch that's pretty hard to find, when it has been sold it hasn't exactly set the world on fire. One was sold on eBay for something less than it's £330 asking price a few months back and one sold on MyTAG for £335, so £249 plus £100 for the bracelet less a few quid recouped for the straps... it wasn't leaving much headroom.

But all that said of course, I wanted it. So I crossed my fingers that I'd be able to get the bracelet a bit cheaper and made a bid in the dying seconds of £272.27, but the watch jumped up to £280 and I wasn't inclined (or able) to bid again and so this WM1112 was lost. 

At 37.5mm the watch is a little on the small side, but I still definitely want to add one of these to my collection sooner or later. Of course it would make things a lot easier if I could find it on the original bracelet though (as those other examples I mentioned were). I actually think the seller has been quite smart selling this with a collection of straps, because while they did nothing for me in lieu of the proper bracelet, I'm sure these contributed to the price paid at the end of the auction by whoever won it. I mean, it's entirely possible the buyer doesn't even realise that the original bracelet is missing...

I seem to remember these on eBay a year or two ago for £450 or more, but I'm not quite sure if the prices are actually falling or whether I'm just remembering lots that were overpriced and never would have sold in the first place. I must say I think I'd struggle to pay much over £400, as much as I like the bezel. But make no mistake, it's definitely on my 'list'. 

The 2000 Sports range (made up of three watches: a white dial/black bezel, a blue dial/blue bezel and this black/black-red version) is instantly recognizable, and I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be possible for TAG Heuer to re-invent this particular version using the quartz Aquaracer as a base and providing the option of either a bracelet or a fitted rubber strap? Could be a good seller for those not willing to stump up for the Calibre 5 Pepsi Aquaracer... or maybe just an interesting limited edition? Maybe I should talk to them about making a T.H.E. Limited Edition? I probably need a few more readers first mind... :)

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 2000 Sports Quartz Watch

WM1113

This is a watch that doesn't get much attention, and yet I've seen quite a few of these floating around eBay over the years, often in less than stellar condition it must be said. The 2000 'Sports' was available in three colour schemes, this blue dial/blue bezel model, a white dial/black bezel variant and most popular of all the 'Coke' bezel version which features a black dial and a black bezel with the first quarter section coloured red. I've always fancied the 'Coke' but every time I've found one that looked good it was always about an inch of bracelet short, and I've never wanted it 'enough' to go to the trouble of locating extra links, maybe one day I will...

This one though, is available from Fine Time Watches for the very reasonable sum of £349 with a nigh on 8" bracelet. I have bought from Fine Time myself and had mixed experiences, the first time was great and I was very happy with the purchase of my WAH1110, but the second time I sent the watch back because it was a lot more scratched than it looked in the photos and it was advertised as being 41mm when it was actually 2-3mm smaller. To be fair, I didn't have any problems sending it back and I would buy from them again - just make sure you do your own research as I don't think they ever corrected their sizing mistake when they relisted the watch. Tsk, tsk. While we're on the subject of size this one is a little on the small side at 37.5mm, so if you're like me and have a bigger wrist you might want to bear that in mind.

All three designs featured the same slightly unusual Arabic numerals, which look okay on the black/blue dials, but look a bit OTT on the white dial. To be honest, I've never understood the 'sports' label this watch has, the numerals don't really scream 'sports' to me and the aluminium bezel isn't the most hard-wearing of materials, I guess they'd already used the 'Exclusive' branding and they needed something else to distinguish it from the 'classic' 2000 range.

Apart from the mark on the bezel at the 5 position, this looks in very good condition, and the price seems very reasonable, although it's worth bearing in mind that unlike some other 'online shops' like Watchfinder no warranty is offered with this purchase. Still, for £349 you can't really grumble, it's significantly less than I'd expect to find it on eBay in this condition to be honest. If I hadn't just bought my CA1212-1 I might have been tempted to buy this, but I'm kind of glad in a way because while I would like a 2000 Sports in my collection at some point, I'd really rather wait for a 'Coke' bezel to turn up instead.

CATALOGUES: TAG Heuer 2000 Series Catalogue (1998)