VIDEO: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch by Birth Year Watches

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Copper Dial Chronometer by Birth Year Watches

 

FEATURE: Keeping Track of Wrist Time 2024

 

Happy New Year to all my readers! I hope you've all enjoyed the break (if you're lucky enough to get a break at Christmas of course) and you're ready to start another year of TAG Heuer enthusiasm with me?

So, obviously, it's that time again... where I reveal the REAL winners and losers of 2024. 🤣

I'm talking of course about which watches spent the most (and least) time on my wrist, and this year it's safe to say it was a bit of a walkover... 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Copper Dial Quartz Watch by Birth Year Watches

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer is Back and Better Than Ever by Theo & Harris

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch by Birth Year Watches

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph by Birth Year Watches

 

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!

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch

 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 1500 Series & 6000 Series Quartz Watches by The Time Bombardier

 

HISTORY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series (1992-2001)

The 6000 Series was launched in 1992 as the brand's new flagship model (although oddly did not appear in any catalogues until 1994). To modern eyes it can either look glamorous or ostentatious depending on one's viewpoint. I will admit that I hover between the two viewpoints at various times of the day.

As you will notice, some pictures are missing, this is because TAG Heuer show two strap options in the catalogues, but only provide pictures of one variant. If I can find pictures at a later date I will add them in. 

Straps for the 6000 Series are rather confusing, I will talk about these more at the end of the post. One contributing factor was that TAG Heuer mixed up the codes in the 1996 and 1997 catalogues, showing FC straps with BC numbers in 1996 and then swapping both pictures and codes in 1997! Thankfully by the time I'd got to 1996 I had grasped the basics and realised what had happened!

Speaking of the catalogues, I've had to use quite a lot of catalogue (drawing) shots, I always prefer actual photographs if possible but some of these were just not available in head-on shots.

GALLERY; TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 

Tomorrow we have the 'History of the 6000 Series' post... 

VIDEO: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch by Birth Year Watches

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Quartz Chronograph

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 

GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph

 

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Watch

 

WH1151

Recently I posted about the automatic, white dial 'S/EL Leather' WI2110 that I purchased from a Japanese eBay seller called 'Spirit*Age'.... while I was waiting for that piece to arrive my eye was also caught by this rather nifty looking quartz 6000 Series on a green strap. In fact so taken was I that I was weighing up how much I was prepared to bid when the auction came to an end; at least until the white WI2110 arrived and I realised that despite the gold elements there was more than a passing resemblance between the two and not only that but what was really grabbing me was the cool looking strap...

Not that I don't like the watch itself, it's a nice looking watch, but if it was on a bracelet I really don't think it would have caught my eye in quite the same way. So maybe the answer would be to get one of these straps for a 6000 Series that I already own? Well maybe...

Except, you can't. Well you can, but it won't look quite like this... believe it or not, this strap is actually blue. I know it looks green, but it isn't. Or at least it wasn't. It's green now for sure, but as you can see from the picture below, it started life a completely different colour and the green strap you can buy for the 6000 Series isn't this green, it's darker. Which may be a good thing, but it's not what caught my eye. Which is disappointing...

But then this strap looks a bit of a mess on closer inspection, with some blue patches remaining and some noticeable wear to the edges. It's a real pity because yet again this watch represents good value for money. It's a full size men's watch and the starting bid (which from my experience is most likely what this will sell for) is £337.21 (plus £25 or so carriage depending on where in the world you live).

But as much as I am tempted I really must resist, I've already bought five watches this year (admittedly not all of them were for me) and it's only early March! As it is I'm trying not to think about the minty looking blue and red classic Formula 1 that Birth Year Watches put up recently for £299... 

https://www.birthyearwatches.com/product/c1992-tag-heuer-f1/

For the prospective purchaser though there are a plethora of straps to choose from for this 6000 Series;

BC0645: Brown leather strap with a satin steel clasp/buckle

BC0649: Black leather strap with a polished plated clasp/buckle

BC0650: Brown leather strap with a polished plated clasp/buckle

BC0651: Dark green leather strap with a polished plated steel clasp/buckle

BC0652: Red leather strap with a polished plated steel clasp/buckle

BC0653: Dark blue leather strap with a polished plated steel clasp/buckle

BC0678: Light brown leather strap with a polished plated steel clasp/buckle

BC0683: Green leather strap with a satin steel clasp/buckle

BC0684: Blue leather strap with a polished plated steel clasp/buckle

BC6038: Black alligator strap with a folding clasp

BC6039: Dark brown alligator strap with a folding clasp

BC6040: Navy blue alligator strap with a folding clasp

BC6041: Green alligator strap with a folding clasp

BC6042: Black leather strap with a folding clasp

BC6043: Brown leather strap with a folding clasp

BC6044: Green leather strap with a folding clasp

BC6047: Brown leather strap with a folding clasp

BC6163: Red leather strap with a folding clasp

BC6165: Green leather strap with a folding clasp

(Thanks to Tom at Bicester Village for this information)

I don't know what the difference is between BC6165 and BC6044 mind you, maybe they are different shades of green? In the instance Google images has failed me! And it's interesting to note that there isn't actually a mid-blue strap available for the clasp that comes with the WH1151, so you'd have to go for a different colour anyway.

All these straps are so damned tempting, and all would look great on my silver dial chrono 6000 Series I'm sure. And since I know all the full size 6000 Series watches carry the same bracelet it's pretty safe to assume these straps will fit an men's 6000 you happen to own, although I am a bit perplexed as to 'how' since it appears that the straps have screw holes in the end... am I to assume that underneath my bracelet there are screws in the case or do I need some sort of end link?

Here's the link to the eBay listing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274694013127

FEATURE: My Top 5 Gold and Copper Coloured Dial TAG Heuer Watches

 

CV2A1H.BA0796

You may be surprised to learn that there have been quite a number of gold dial TAG Heuer watches over the last 35 years, including some featured on 2000 and 3000 Series pieces that were carried over from the dying days of the Heuer Watch Co. But as is now customary I've decided to open this piece with a watch that doesn't actually make it in to the top five; partly because it's not quite good enough, partly because I don't want to spoil the surprise of what is in the top five and partly because I'm not 100% sure it is actually gold coloured. 

Right enough it looks gold here, but looking at other images it appears much, much lighter, almost sand like in appearance, which would make sense since this is a watch made to commemorate the Baja 1000 (a race which takes place in the desert). I've also seen the watch dial described as 'beige' in a listing (mind you another listed it as grey so that's hardly conclusive), but either way it didn't make it, so let's take a look at what did...

Oh and before you get your hopes up, I've excluded the Ronnie Peterson solid gold Carrera on the grounds that: a) it's a piece unique so not something most of us can aspire to owning, and b) I can't be doing with that 'Milanese' bracelet.... sorry, I know - I'm absolute scum.

#5: 2000 Series (966.006) Quartz Watch

Our first entry is one of those aforementioned carry over pieces from the Heuer days, and a fine looking little watch it is too! I'm a sucker for anything black and gold, but it's harder to find a black and gold watch with a gold face than you might imagine. This one would look great on my wrist but finding one with a bracelet that hadn't lost at least some of its 'black' is bound to be a challenge.

It was a toss up between this and the copper dial S/EL (WG111D) as to which got the final place in this list, but I gave this 2000 Series the nod because it's a little more flamboyant and a little more interesting than just a rather plain S/EL with a copper dial... although I'd gratefully welcome either into my collection!

#4. Executive (915.413) Quartz Watch

Another 'transitional' piece, the Executive was available with either Heuer or TAG Heuer on the dial depending on the year of manufacture. I wrote about a blue dial Executive a few days ago and unfortunately the same problem I had with that one applies here too - namely that it was only available in two sizes: midsize (34mm) and ladies. It's a real shame as I would love a non-chronograph Executive, but unfortunately that's the only way to get a full-size piece... not that they're exactly 'abundant' you understand!

#3. Kirium (WL5113) Automatic Chronometer Certified Watch

A piece I've long had my eye on, but one I'm yet to find one in good condition at a reasonable price. Yes it's a chronometer and yes the dial is obviously harder to find than the regular blue or black pieces, but I still don't think prices north of £1000 are realistic. The chronometer Kiriums only come in 36mm as well which is a little on the small side, but since my blue dial WL1116 is also 36mm I at least know it's wearable. The problem is there are so many other Kiriums I'd like to own that I'm not sure this one will ever quite make it to the top of the list and into my collection. Nice though...

#2. 3000 Series (237.406) Quartz Chronograph

Obviously I've chosen this particular model because I've recently purchased it, but I could just as easily have picked the automatic version (137.406) or the three hander (937.406). This was another carry over from the Heuer days and this watch can be had with either logo on the dial and also (rarely) in a gold bezel variation (237.406G or 937.406SG). I prefer the black bezel version myself, I think it gives a good bit of contrast and frames the rather wonderful dial nicely. I also think if I was going to have a fully gold watch then I'd prefer it to actually be made of solid gold rather than just gold plated (as this is), which leads me rather neatly to...

#1. 6000 Series (WH5140.BG0675) Chronometer Watch

This one, which genuinely is made of solid 18k yellow gold. These can also be had in a a variety of dial colours including white, green or blue and I think if I was given a free choice I might choose green as it is absolutely stunning - but if you're going to go gold you can't really go wrong if you go all gold. I actually got to try on a white dial solid gold 6000 a couple of years ago and it was everything I'd hoped it would be (and heavy into the bargain), the gold really accentuates the intricacies of the complex bracelet and it also really suits the overall rather 'regal' design elements of the 6000 Series. 

Obviously though, you're not going to pick one of these up for a few hundred quid. Prices start at around £6-7000 for the white dial version and go up to £9000+ for the green and blue. The problem is once you get to those sort of prices you are opening up a world of attractive options, so you need to be really focused to take one of these home. 

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