HISTORY: TAG Heuer Airline

Quite a short 'History' post for the Heuer/TAG Heuer Airline as there are only six watches in total. The Airline first appears in the 1985 (and penultimate) Heuer catalogue, with four models displayed. These appear again in the 1985-1986 catalogue and finally all six appear in the 1987-1988 catalogue (with TAG Heuer branded dials). 

I always liked the look of these, especially the cool black and gold version but once I realised that they were only available in mid-size (35mm) I reluctantly accepted that I was never going to own one. One thing I love about these is the wacky printed bracelets with the major cities and the time difference, I mean... talk about avant garde! 

Confusingly, only two of the original four Heuer models have 'GMT' bezels even though they all have GMT hands. So in the 1987-1988 catalogue TAG Heuer introduce 'GMT' versions of the watches that didn't have them before. These are then given a suffix 'GMT' which suggests all the others aren't... even though they are. 

All models are quartz powered.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera Part Six - Other Chronographs (1996-)

Such was my excitement at completing the main body of the 'HISTORY OF THE CARRERA' that I kind of forget there were still two more posts to come collecting together all the watches which I couldn't pin down to a year. So first up we have the 'misc' chronographs and coming soon will be the 'misc' three handers.

For links to the rest of the 'HISTORY OF THE CARRERA' and to the main 'HISTORY OF' menu, please see at the bottom of the page.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera Part Five (2022-2024)

 

At the tail end of 2023 TAG Heuer announced that Julien Tornare would move from Zenith (also in the LVMH group) to take over as CEO. Previous CEO Frédéric Arnault meanwhile would become 'Head of Watches' for the LVMH group with his remit covering brands such as TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot, Louis Vuitton and Bulgari.

2022 WATCHES

2022 was a strange year, as we were still living with the aftershocks of the pandemic. The watch industry was bubbling though, fuelled by people working from home for the first time (and thus saving commuting fees) and unable to go on holiday. This fuelled a luxury watch bubble which wouldn't burst until the beginning of 2024 when prices for super desirable pieces like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Rolex Daytona fell sharply.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera Part Four (2019-2021)

 

Due to serious health issues, the legendary Jean Claude Biver stepped down as CEO of TAG Heuer making way for Stephane Bianchi, although he in turn would make way for Frederic Arnault less than two years later. Frederic would stay in the position for four years, eventually being promoted to CEO of LVMH Watches. 

2019-2020 CATALOGUE & DEALER CATALOGUE

2019 saw the introduction of the Heuer 02 movement in a big way, including a limited edition 'Nanograph' which featured a silicon hairspring.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Titanium (1983-1988)

The 'Titanium' was a very short lived and very '1980s' watch (both literally and figuratively). It was introduced in 1983 (first appearing in the 1984 Heuer catalogue) and had its last appearance in the 1987/88 TAG Heuer catalogue. As such it is another one of those odd watches that can be had with either a 'Heuer' or 'TAG Heuer' branded dial and there's a good chance that even if you get a TAG Heuer dial the backplate and clasp might well still be stamped with the old 'Heuer' logo... that's just how it was in the 1980s kids!

I find some of the 'Titanium' designs appealing, but others markedly less so. I actually remember looking longingly at a 220.206 on eBay for quite some time, to the point where I went to the trouble of enquiring if TAG Heuer had any spare links should I need to extend the bracelet. Unfortunately the response I got was that they wouldn't sell links for watches of that age and it would have to be returned to them to be 'worked on'. As you might imagine, hearing that I thought better of it and turned my attention to something else. A shame really as the 220.206 is a cool looking watch and would have been a nice addition to my collection... but no way was I putting myself in that position. 

Okay, well clearly this isn't going to be another super-long 'History of' post because there are only eight models in total (and only eleven variants of those). Needless to say I'm still working on the rest of the Carrera posts and they will be along in good time. 

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera Part Three (2017-2019)

 

With Jean Claude Biver now in charge TAG Heuer continued to re-invent itself and to reposition itself as an 'affordable luxury' brand. This era coincides with my growing interest in watches and the start of this blog (in October 2016), so as you can imagine this era is quite a big deal for me as it marks the time when I was first visiting watch stores locally (and in London) to get first hand experience of as much as I possibly could. 

I know a lot of people disliked the 'Biver' era of TAG Heuer and especially the skeletons, fearing that Jean Claude was trying to turn TAG Heuer into a poor man's Hublot; but I am emphatically not one of them. Apart from anything else, I miss the days when a skeleton dial Carrera cost £4000 - I recall at the time Jean Claude promoting the Heuer 01 and telling us all that the new watch was an £8000 watch selling at £4000, and given the price of the more elevated Grand Carreras it kind of replaced he wasn't far off the mark. 

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera Part Two (2013-2016)

 

Welcome to the second part of this huge seven part series. In this post we take a look at the period between 2013 and 2016, which for TAG Heuer included the arrival of Swiss watchmaking legend Jean Claude Biver, the skeleton dial Carrera and the first affordable tourbillon Carreras. This era coincided with my full on entry into the watchmaking universe and as such does kind of hold a special place in my heart. Plus, somehow being into watches back then seemed a lot more 'fun' and a lot less... like a business opportunity. Hey ho, I guess we have Covid to thank for that huh.

Links to the other parts of the series are found at the bottom of each post.

All watches are mechanical unless otherwise noted.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera - Part One (1996-2012)

 

When you think of 'TAG Heuer' it's hard not to follow that thought with 'Carrera'. Though the model has morphed (some might say 'mutated') into products that the Heuer purists decry as 'not a Carrera', the fact is the range is now so vast and varied that the word Carrera brings to mind many different things to many different people. 

But this is nothing new, look back through the history books and you might be surprised to find that not all Heuer Carreras featured long elegant lugs, and with the sizes of watches increasing over the years there came a point where it was no longer practical to maintain what some consider the range's defining feature.

I can agree that the Connected Smartwatch should never really have been called a Carrera though, but I think this was more because of the the modular nature of the early models which could be used with Carrera 'modules' containing Calibre 5, 16 and H02T movements. I'm not that au fait with the Connected range since I'm not really into smart watches but I presume they are no longer using the Carrera branding, I don't suppose there's any reason for them to now since the 'Connected' name has established itself pretty firmly and there are no more mechanical 'modules'. 

And so we come to the long delayed/anticipated/expected (delete as appropriate) 'History of the TAG Heuer Carrera' which I feel like I've been promising forever and honestly has become a bit of a millstone round my neck. This has been the biggest single project I have ever undertaken for the blog and one which I commenced about two years ago if I'm not mistaken. Not that I've been working on it non-stop of course, truthfully there was a six month break in the middle when I just got so bogged down in the endlessness of it all. But, I came back to it, determined to finish it and so the first part at least is ready.

Originally the idea was to post all seven parts together in one week, but I actually thought this would be quite boring for you guys and since the posts will be linked to each other and also accessible from the 'History' menu, it doesn't actually matter if they are posted consecutively or not. 

So, okay, here we go... finally

NB - All watches are mechanical unless otherwise noted.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Microtimer (2002-2008)

 

The story of the Microtimer really begins in 2002, with the release of its almost identical predecessor the Micrograph F1. I must admit I had never heard of the Micrograph being referred to as the 'Micrograph F1' until I looked in the 2004 TAG Heuer catalogue, but it kinda makes sense. At the time the Formula One range had been discontinued and the company were utilising their branding relationship with Bernie Ecclestone's 'Formula One' in different ways, here and also with the partly digital 'F1 Kirium' (both watches having 'Official Timekeeper of the FIA F1 World Championship' engravings on the backplate).

The main difference between the Micrograph and the Microtimer is that the Micrograph was only accurate to two decimal places or 1/100th of second, whereas the Microtimer is a 1/1000th of a second chronograph, and also the Micrograph was a numbered limited edition of 999 pieces whereas the Microtimer was a regular part of the line up.

There is little point in consulting the catalogues here as I usually do, as only one version of the Microtimer appears throughout the lifespan, the negative dial CS111C. However, there were a few variations (very few), with a positive display version also available and then both with diamond edges.

Finally, it seems there was one other version, though whether it was an actual 'production' model or a watch modified at a customer's request is unclear. This is the CS111E-0 which features additional diamonds on the watch case. Funky!

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Monza (2000-2016)

 

The history of the TAG Heuer Monza is relatively short and simple (certainly compared to our last two trips down memory lane!), and begins in the year 2000. New TAG Heuer owners LVMH, clearly pleased with the success of the Carrera and Monaco re-issues in the late 1990s, decided their next revival piece would be the Monza... and so began six years of watches, before the model once again returned to obscurity, returning only for one solitary 35th Anniversary piece in 2011).

Then in 2016, under the helm of Jean Claude Biver, and celebrating its 40th Anniversary the Monza returned once more in a 42mm titanium and PVD case, but if you thought that was radical, think again, the Monza isn't finished yet... 

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Part 4 (Other Watches)

The fourth and final part of the Aquaracer odyssey. 

OTHER WATCHES (Non Catalogue Pieces - Specific Years Unknown)

These are the watches that did not feature in any official TAG Heuer catalogue and for which I have been unable to pin down the specific year of manufacture. If it had been just a few models I might have been willing to make educated guesses but there are just too many and I would rather not litter these posts with inaccuracies unnecessarily. Better to show the pieces and give you the range of years those model lines were produced.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Part 3 (2019-)

 

The third part of our in depth look at the history of the Aquaracer.

2019 CATALOGUE

Some interesting new pieces could be found in this catalogue, not least the stunning green dial Aquaracer available in both ladies and men's sizes. 

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Aquaracer - Part 2 (2013/2018)

 

We continue our look at the long and voluminous history of the Aquaracer, this time focusing on the years 2013-2018.

To visit part one of this post, please click the link below:

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2022/08/history-tag-heuer-aquaracer-part-1.html

2013/2014 CATALOGUE

In 2013 TAG Heuer launched the CAK range of Aquaracers, including a 'Regatta' chronograph available on either a bracelet or a rubber strap in either standard or Team USA limited edition format. These watches only appeared in this one catalogue (and for several years were readily available at TAG Heuer's Bicester Village outlet). 

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Aquaracer - Part 1 (2004/2013)

 

While the Aquaracer was technically born in 2004, in truth the model was a continuation of the 2000 Series that had been in the catalogue for the previous 22 years - indeed, were it not for the name change, the 2000 Series would actually be celebrating an impressive 40 years of continuous production in 2022 (something neither the Monaco nor Carrera can lay claim to). If ever proof were needed of this fact, look no further than the 2005 Catalogue, which features no less than ten 2000 Series and 2000 Exclusive models being sold as Aquaracers! 

In addition, the (WAB style) Aquaracer appears in the 2004/2005 Catalogue as the 2000 Aquaracer, so it seems that originally it was intended to be another variation on the 2000 theme (2000 Sports, 2000 Exclusive, 2000 Tristar, etc) but then they dropped the 2000 name and just let the model continue as the Aquaracer. Maybe they just figured the 2000 name had had it's day and the Aquaracer sounded a lot cooler and a lot more 21st Century? Or maybe LVMH wanted to cut the ties to the pre-LVMH days and getting rid of the 2000 nomenclature was one more way of doing so.

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Link - Part 2 (2012-)

 

As we discovered yesterday the TAG Heuer Link has a long history, too long for one post in fact! So here we go again, with yet more watches... and , it has to be said, an awful lot of Link Lady pieces!

For Part 1 of the History of the TAG Heuer Link, click the link below

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2022/07/history-tag-heuer-link-part-1-1999-2012.html

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Link - Part 1 (1999-2012)

 

The TAG Heuer Link has had a rather up and down history, at one point in the early 00s, it was almost the 'go-to' TAG Heuer. As time went on the Link became less sporty and more dressy, but tastes have changed and the Link has sadly fallen out of favour. Indeed, the current Link line-up is pretty much the remnants of what was new five or six years ago. Where does the Link go from here?

As in previous 'History' posts all watches are quartz powered except as indicated:

(A) Automatic 

(C) Chronometer 

(S) Calibre S

HISTORY: TAG Heuer Autavia (2003 / 2017-)

 

The modern Autavia has had a bit of a troubled life, being resurrected in 2003 but failing to find traction and disappearing almost immediately. It wasn't until 2017 until the Autavia name was seen again, and this time (with a bit of Mr Biver magic) it managed to stick around a little longer. Even then, once the world had got used to the Autavia TAG Heuer decided (once again) to use the name on a watch that bore no resemblance to anything that had gone before and rather predictably it didn't go down all that well with the 'enthusiasts', which is a shame because the three handed pilot Autavia is actually quite a nice watch. Now, as I'm writing this in January 2022 we've just seen a further expansion of the Autavia line with two flyback chronographs and a GMT, once again resurrecting the Autavia as a chronograph... what's next? I have no idea... probably a 50mm carbon Autavia on a calfskin Bund!

Right, brief history lesson over, let's have a look at what's gone on...

Note, all Autavia watches are automatic (no quartz pieces)

HISTORY: The TAG Heuer SLR (2004-2012)

 

The TAG Heuer SLR started life in 2004 with the release of the CAD5110; probably the most curious looking watch the company have ever released. Following on from the McLaren F1 idea, this watch was only available to people looking to purchase the Mercedes Benz SLR super car and of course, at this particular moment in time TAG Heuer and Mercedes were still very much connected through their associations with the McLaren Formula 1 team and former TAG Heuer owners Ron Dennis and Mansour Ojjeh. 

The back of this first piece is numbered, but unfortunately it doesn't say of how many. A quick Google reveals that Mercedes made 2157 SLRs, so it must be less than that. The watch wasn't cheap by any means and given the scarcity of them on the pre-owned market perhaps we can assume that the take up rate wasn't too high? Or maybe the owners just aren't selling, or they sold them on with the car...

A notable feature of the watch is that it is a 'regulator' the only example that TAG Heuer have ever made, at least since the company was taken over in 1985.

HISTORY: The Timeline of TAG Heuer Production

CHART UPDATED IN JUNE 2024

This is something I've been thinking about creating for a long, long time (ever since someone told me that the Carrera and Monaco had been in constant production since their release in the 1960s). But every time I started it seemed like quite a difficult chart to achieve. But now, finally, I've done it and I think it's turned out quite well.

Admittedly you will probably need to open the image in a new tab to see everything properly, and the most important thing to note is that the numbers at the bottom of the chart represent the years from 1986 to 2024.

As you can see, there is not one single watch model that has survived from 1986 to now without falling out of production for a while, but the one that has been around the longest is the Formula 1 with just four years out of the range.

Obviously this is not really an exact science since watches can be 'available' even after they have been removed from catalogues and websites, but this is a good 'guide' to which models were available through the years from 1986 to date. 

Some models have a longer history of course; in fact every watch bar the Formula 1 which was available in 1986 was a carry over from the Heuer era and can also be found with a Heuer logo on the dial. 

Finally, in case you are wondering, the colours have no deep meaning, they are just there to make it easier to read.

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.