VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Calibre 6 Overview by Watch_General

Review starts at 2:59!

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 2000 Series WK2115 Automatic Watch

WK2115

This is an unusual one, and one that's very difficult to obtain any information on. Going through the very few pages I can find, one seller claims it is limited to 500 pieces, but the back plate doesn't confirm this. The watch is automatic (containing an ETA 2824-2), which explains the silver TAG Heuer logo on the dial (back in the day quartz watches usually had the red/green logo, although that got a bit confused later on), just as well really as the green of the logo would probably have clashed with that green centre dial!

I've managed to find three sellers offering this model currently, albeit one has been listed for three years so I'm not sure if it is still 'active', but judging by the asking price of $1200 I'm guessing it won't have sold. The other two sellers are asking more reasonable prices (£400-500) and both are based in Japan (not sure where the first seller is based) which leads me to believe that this was a Japan only release (note the Japanese characters on the instruction booklet), although any more information than that I have been unable to source.

It would be interesting to know more about this one, especially that unusual dial. Is it supposed to represent something specific? We've seen green dial Japan editions before (like the 'Men's Club' Monaco), the colour green in Japan is supposed to represent fertility and growth, so a very 'positive' colour; on the other hand black is a colour of 'formality', so... does that mean anything at all or is just a complete red herring?

To be honest I can't decide if I genuinely like it, or I just like it because it's unusual and strange... I think it may be just the oddness of it that appeals. I think in truth I'd take a nice blue dial quartz over this for the same money, although obviously from a collectors point of view I would love to own this.

On the whole it seems that the 2000 Series watches hold their money surprisingly well, especially considering how many there are when compared to some less 'popular' models like the 3000 and 4000s, all of which makes this hard to price. I think $1200 is too much, but then £4-500 seems relatively cheap considering it's an automatic and it's limited, and it's this unusual. But then again, is it a 'good' kind of unusual? I'm not 100% sure...

WK2112

WK2113

Since I wrote this post I've discovered that this watch was also available in a green/red and red/green dial variations. Very little detail about them, but I assume they were both limited editions as well, possibly for a different country or maybe also Japan.

VIDEO: Classy Watch Finds for Under $5000 (featuring TAG Heuer Carrera) by Roman Sharf

INTERVIEW: Jim Dollares (Calibre 11 Forum Member)

Our guest today is someone who has been a supporter of my blog right from the very beginning, and someone who really tells it like it is (as you will see below!). So, without further ado, please welcome the man, the legend, Jim Dollares! :)


Hi Jim, for the benefit of my readers can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am 30 years old, a proud dad of a 4 year old son and living in Sweden. Passionate about traveling, watches, F1 and my job. Work as a data privacy specialist and running a team of lawyers, business developers and IT security analysts in a IT company operating in five countries.


So, how did you get interested in the wonderful world of watches?

I would say that it is thanks to my father. When I was in school, about 16-17 years old I usually wore his blue dial steel & gold two tone Submariner that I was allowed to borrow (until I eventually messed up the lock on the bracelet while swimming drunk and hitting it pretty bad, after that I was not allowed to borrow anything for a long time, hehe). Anyhow, growing up with him being interested is what first got me interested.


I see, so then given you were banned from your father's Submariner, what was your first, or first good watch?

I would say the Breitling Steelfish, one of the best watches ever made.

I must admit I've never heard of the 'Steelfish', I shall have a look at that. Do you have a favourite piece in your current collection?

Oh yes, that is an easy one! The Breitling Skyracer is my all time favorite, have never fallen so hard for a watch as with this one, even though I have tried on many pieces costing a lot more. I have owned it for almost two years now and if I have not worn it for a while I still go to the watch box to pick it up and admire it. Another awesome thing with the "Breitlight" material is that it shows no signs of wear what so ever and this one has been on quite a few adventures and worn at least once per week since I got it.


I know from your comments on my blog and from your posts on the Calibre 11 forum that you are very much pro-quartz (like me), what would you like to say about the whole quartz versus mechanical thing?

It bothers me a bit this whole thing with "mechanical being exclusive" or that some people online even argue that a watch has a soul because it is mechanical. I can only say bravo to the marketing departments of Swiss watch brands, they sure have brainwashed a lot of people. Don’t get me wrong though, I love mechanical watches but for me it only makes sense when there is craftmanship, attention to detail and exclusivity on a higher level. For example I totally understand it when looking at Glashütte Original, a brand that I am aiming towards owning sometime in the future, perhaps when turning 40, who knows.


Yes, I agree, that whole 'soul' thing is a lot of marketing whooey, but they have to justify the price hike I guess, haha. So do you already know what your next piece will be?

It will most likely be either an Aquaracer quartz, the white dial 41mm with orange details. I am having naughty dreams about that one on an orange rubber strap! Or it could be a Breitling Superocean 2, 42 mm with blue sunburst dial, which has been in my dreams since release a couple of years ago.

Aha, the Aquaracer 'Polar Explorer'. I must admit I like that one too, although I prefer the 43mm Calibre 5, not because of the movement though, but because the 41mm quartz doesn't have the slatted dial. I was 'sort of' saving for that one when I came across the WAY208C Aquaracer and couldn't pass it up. If only money was unlimited then I'm sure I would have one, speaking of which, do you have a ‘money no object’ grail in mind?

For me that would be the Glashütte Original Pano Reserve (£8800) with a white dial, really showcasing the blued hands, however, I am very responsible when it comes to money so even though I could afford spending say... 5000 Euro on a watch, I won't do it, because that money is to me better spent on so many other things. For example experiencing life, not having to think about money, house improvements, travelling, having fun with my son, saving for his future, buying nice clothes, owning a nice car and so on.


Fair enough, I'm in a slightly different boat as I'm a lot older than you, don't have any kids and I don't like travelling all that much if I'm honest, which is probably why I have as many watches as I do, hahaha! So with that in mind... how many watches would you say is too many?

There is no such thing as too many. As long as you don’t spend money on watches instead of paying bills and taking care of your family.


Is the correct answer! We seem to be on the same page a lot Jim, and I think that will continue with my next question: A lot of people on the Calibre 11 forum are all about the Monacos, Silverstones and Monzas, but what about you, are you more excited by the re-issues or the new, modern pieces?

New pieces for sure! This question just makes me a bit upset thinking about TAG Heuer's way of releasing new 'fake' Heuer watches pretending that they are something they are not! To me it is silly that they produce 'TAG Heuer' watches and brand them as something they are not. A bit harsh to call them fake perhaps but to me they are not 'Heuer' watches, they are 'TAG Heuer' watches. I don't understand why people would pretend anything else. If I would own a "heritage" piece and someone says "oh cool you have a Heuer" I need to say "no it is not actually a Heuer it is a TAG Heuer with a Heuer logo on it" 

Mmm, I have a feeling if the company could go back in time and change any one thing about their history it would be to avoid the name change, in retrospect it seems like a terrible, terrible idea - but then the 1980s were all about the 'now', heritage and history was irrelevant. While we're on the subject of heritage models, I have to ask, fake aged lume: ingenious or travesty?

Whoa those words are too fancy for a simple Swede like myself but I can say at least that I hate it.


Again, nice segue... so why is it do you think that TAG Heuer attracts more than its fair share of negativity and hate from the 'self proclaimed' watch gurus?

My theory is that it is too popular, kind of like when a musical artist becomes way too known across the world, that also creates a group of haters and some people just stop listening because it has become “mainstream”. Another problem is that people are way too affected by “experts” online. You see it all the time, people asking in forums “should I buy this or that?”. Man, talk about issues in life if you need to choose based on other people’s opinions instead of what you like yourself.


I think in any area of interest, 'entry level' is always a difficult place to be, on the one hand you have a big market and opportunity, but on the other hand you instantly become a target for 'snobs'. Actually I despise the term 'entry level' because it just creates this idea that your first watch should be a TAG Heuer but then you should 'grow' beyond it... but the jump to Zenith (for example) is huge, and to be honest I like TAG Heuer for what they are, I don't really want to 'progress' to something that costs more than my car because I'll be scared to wear it. I mean I hardly wear my Carrera as it is.

While we're on the subject of negativity, what are your thoughts on the collaboration with Bamford?

Makes no sense to me actually and I think most of their creations look like dogshit.


I wouldn't go quite that far, some of them look okay to me (they did a rather nice black and green Monaco), although that basketball watch is probably the worst thing I've ever seen. For the sake of balance, is there a 'non-Bamford' TAG Heuer / Heuer you really don’t like?

Can’t think of one no, I mean of course I don’t love everything but I respect and understand why people have different tastes and I like that TAG Heuer is a brand pushing for new things and not always choosing the safe way of doing things. Sometimes it feels though that I like what the community usually hates, hehe, Alec Monopoly watches being the best example.

So leaving Bamford aside, are you swayed by regular ‘limited editions’ and associated packaging?

In a way I guess but it has to be for something I am into in the first place. Best example is probably the Red Bull racing collaborations which I love.


How do you feel about the Hodinkee limited edition phenomenon, and leading off of that, would you like to see TAG instigate some sort of ‘VIP’ club for people who buy regularly with special editions offered first/or possibly exclusively to members?

Have not paid much attention to the Hodinkee phenomenon more than that they are way more in price than I would ever consider paying. Their business model obviously works so I fully understand why they do it, brilliant to have people going crazy for paying extra right? Regarding a VIP club I would not like to see anything like that and as a person I am very skeptical to loyalty programs of any kind and how they use profiling for all sorts of shady things (you also see now why I spend my days working with data privacy matters).


Okay, putting our positive head back on, is there something you’d like to see more of in watch design, for example a dial colour that’s under used?

Two tone is coming back and that is a good thing.


How do you feel about gold and two-tone watches, would you / do you wear them and do you feel comfortable wearing them?

Haha, well that was good timing based on previous question. I would love to own a solid gold watch as well but I cant motivate myself to spend that much money on a watch.

We've touched on the re-issue subject earlier so I'm almost hesitant to ask this, but which watch would you like to see TAG Heuer re-issue?

I think it would be cool if they brought back the Silverstone! But before that they could make Monza a regular production model.


We keep hearing that there's more to come beyond the five limited editions announced so far, but if you were in charge of TAG Heuer, how would you have marked the 50th anniversary of the Monaco.

Oooh that is a good question! I would expand the Monaco line actually. I think the market would appreciate smaller sizes, more color combinations and quartz versions with the true Monaco look. I do enjoy the current quartz model but it would be perfect with a blue dial and contrasting sub dial in white.


You've mentioned a couple of other brands already, but which other brands do you appreciate / own?

For me there are two brands I am passionate about, TAG Heuer and Breitling. In the future when I am ready for it, I will probably dive into and go full nerd on a third brand and if I am guessing that will be either IWC, Bell & Ross or Glashütte Original.


Do you see your collection growing, if so how?

Yes my collection is growing but in a slow pace. I am purchasing 1-2 watches per year and each purchase comes from many many hours of reading, watching videos, reading again, discussing in the forums and drooling to pictures.


Well, thanks again for all your support with my blog Jim, I think you've left more comments than anyone and thank you also for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to continuing chatting with you on the Calibre 11 Forum and maybe we could do another interview in the future?

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Autavia Heuer 02 Review by The Kavalier

OWNED: TAG Heuer 3000 Series Quartz Two Tone

934.206

Flicking through the old TAG Heuer catalogues, the 3000 Series was one which always caught my eye; it was bold and different, but in a good way, unlike some of it's contemporaries. I looked for one many times, but it wasn't until I visited the TAG Heuer factory last September that I finally saw a 3000 in the metal and considering what else I saw that day, the fact that it made such an impression on me says a lot.

I returned home determined to add a 3000 of some description to my collection and once again turned to eBay, but almost everything I found was from Japan. The problem with buying from Japan, apart from the potential customs charges, is... wrist sizes. Japanese people on the whole tend to have smaller wrists and as such their watch straps tend to max out at 7", a full 3/4" too small for me (which in this case equates to about 3 links).

TAG Heuer 3000 Chronograph in the TAG Heuer Museum (La Chaux de Fonds)

Not wanting to put my 3000 on a replacement strap, and reluctant to get involved in trying to find spare links for a watch that's over thirty years old, I kept looking and hoping, until one day I came across a watch being sold in the UK and seemingly with an 8" bracelet. This one was up for £475, but open to offers.. so I offered £275 and to my amazement, they accepted!

In the end, the strap probably fell a little short of the promised 8", but I did have to use the fine adjustment on the clasp to make it smaller, which was good enough for me! Right from the moment I unpacked it I totally fell in love with this watch, yes I wish it was bigger, but once I got used to how thin it was and how dainty it seemed coming from my Aquaracers, I really began to appreciate it.

It's not perfect, obviously. The Heuer branded clasp is a little hard to get undone (not the fold over part, the actual clasp) and it hurts my fingers every time. I'm sure I could adjust it if I could be bothered. The bracelet does show some slight stretching on the links near the clasp, but nothing bad... it's just apparent that the gap is slightly larger than higher up the band.

The gold plating has also worn on the edges of the bezel (as you can see clearly below) but it's surprisingly good on the bracelet actually, I expected it to be worse than it is from the pictures on eBay. Likewise the bezel, which looked very scratched in the pictures, but again is not bad at all really.

Did I really want a two-tone 3000? No, I can't say that I did. There was (and maybe still is) a NOS 3000 just like this one but in steel on eBay and I can't pretend I wouldn't have preferred to buy that one, but the price was £800+ and while I know it's rare in that condition I just didn't feel comfortable paying that sort of money for it. Besides, NOS it may be, but it still had a scratch on the bezel!

That said, while I would like a steel 3000, even if I could find one I wouldn't sell this one. I've grown to like the two-tone scheme, it kinda complements the odd bezel and the crazy case design somehow. I just wish it didn't wear around the edges, but 80s TAG's were not well plated unfortunately.

The bezel action is very good, no problems there at all, but I'm sure the bezel is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Let's face it those black ball bearings are a bit... odd, but I really like how strange and different it is. It's an odd design as well in that the bezel sits well inside the case, and this creates an illusion of the watch being thinner than it really is. It measures 9mm thick, but it wears much thinner than that, and this in turn kind of helps make the watch not feel 'small' on the diameter.

At £275, this is one of the least expensive watches in my collection, but as I said the other day, it's also one of my favourites and one that I can't ever see myself selling on. The bracelet is okay, it's not the most comfortable I've ever had, when it gets warm it can dig in a little, but not as bad as some I've tried. It does have a rudimentary diver's extension, though I have no intention of getting this even a little wet!

The TAG Heuer logo is a little bit larger on the face than seems aesthetically pleasing, but this was the 80s after all and this watch is no shrinking violet. I quite like it, I've seen this same watch with the green and red logo and honestly it doesn't look anything like as good, so I'm pleased I have this version. Not sure why they produced both, but again... it was the 80s, back then TAG Heuer were cobbling watches together from whatever they had (hence the Heuer clasp on this one) and they didn't worry too much about future authenticity!

If you're up for it, you can pick these up from Japan for less than I paid, and in some instances way less. But as I said earlier, do keep in mind that the bracelets tend to be on the smaller side and links for these might be troublesome to source (although having said that, I'm not sure if this isn't the same bracelet as the 2000). Also be aware that at 37/38mm this is quite a small watch, and I believe there's a 34mm version as well, so don't get caught out there, especially if you are buying from Japan. There is a ladies version at 28mm, which looks very similar in photographs, so check the part number before you buy.

I'm struggling to think of anything negative to say about the watch that you couldn't ascribe to it being 'old'. Bracelets and clasps have improved over the last thirty years and it definitely feels a little workmanlike in comparison to today's 'luxury' watches, but I have a feeling it's the shape of the bezel and the two-tone finish that will put a lot of you off. It's certainly not what you might call a 'mass market' crowd pleaser, but again, looking through the catalogues from back when this was around... watch design was a whole lot less conservative, and while some of those more 'way-out' designs might not have aged too well, this is definitely one of the better ones.

Oddly, it wasn't until I suggested the 3000 as a model I'd like to see TAG remake in a thread on the Calibre 11 Forum, and someone posted a picture of it next to a current Aquaracer that I noticed quite how similar they are. The Aquaracer may have started out as an evolution of the 2000, but over the years the DNA of the 3000 has seeped in there quite a bit too, and if you like the general style but would like a larger, more up-to-date alternative, then that's definitely an option, they even do it in two-tone!

I definitely want one of these new shape Aquaracers (albeit I'll take it in steel), but I'll be keeping my 3000 all the same...

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 36 Flyback Racing by WatchBox Studios

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Pilot 510.501

510.501

I came across this one on the website 'SwissWatchTrader', not a site I've ever bought from myself but one that seems to be quite good and only stocks watches that are top drawer. This one is a little hard to pin down, I've had a look through the catalogues on Calibre 11 and it last appears in the 1986 catalogue, so it's probably fair to say that this watch is rarer with a TAG Heuer logo on it than a Heuer logo. The dial is fantastic, love those orange hands, but I've never really been a fan of the Speedmaster II style case and I'm not loving it here either unfortunately.

There's definitely more than a hint of 'Porsche Design' about this one and the PVD looks to be about as good as you could possibly expect from a watch that's over 30 years old. I notice the watch still has a sticker on the back, so maybe this one has spent it's life in a drawer? Also, if you notice, the back has the Heuer logo on it rather than the TAG Heuer shield, but this isn't uncommon from this era. It seems incredible today, but back then the company obviously thought it was perfectly acceptable to use up the old parts.

Despite looking rather large in these pictures, the watch is actually only 41mm in diameter and features a tritium dial which looks like it has aged quite well. Inside there is a Lemania 5100 automatic chronograph, it's all very attractive, but as you can imagine it's not exactly cheap...

Swiss Watch Trader has this one for sale for £2950, which is definitely more than I'd want to pay, but you can't deny the quality of the piece so maybe it's not completely outrageous. Doubtless some would argue it would be more valuable with the Heuer logo on the dial, and yes it probably would, but then again, there really can't be that many of these out there, especially not in this condition.

https://www.swisswatchtrader.co.uk/watches/tagheuer/pilot-chronograph-510501/

VIDEO: 3 Eye Catching Watches Under £1000 (feat the Microtimer) by Watch Finder

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 50th Anniversary 90s Edition

CAW211X.FC6468

In the internet age, there's always a race to be first, and I must admit I did ponder writing my 'First Impressions' post on Wednesday night based on the poor quality render that's been floating about courtesy of a certain Czech website for several months... but in the end I decided against it. If these Monacos have taught us anything, it's that the renders we saw before are not entirely representative of the final product, and so it is with this particular model.

Truthfully, I thought this one was going to be the dud of the bunch, so it's interesting to see the reaction on the Calibre 11 forum this morning which seems to be overwhelmingly positive and also seeing some of the real-life photographs that have now appeared on the major websites which create quite a different impression from the picture above.

The most striking thing about this watch is surely the textured dial, which nobody was ever going to pick up on in a 250x250 jpeg render. I do quite like it, although it does slightly remind me of wet concrete. I'm not 100% sure if that's a good thing or not as yet, I think I need to mull it over a while. 

The colour scheme is certainly bold, though I'm not sure it screams the 90s to me, but then I'm not sure what would, it would be interesting to know what the exact inspiration behind it was (please let it be a duvet cover...*). The red square is an interesting design choice, it does seem to clutter the dial slightly but it works here because it echoes the shape of the case and besides, too much blank 'concrete' might not have worked quite so well.

*Apparently I wasn't wide of the mark, the dial is inspired by concrete and video games are also mentioned in the press material.

It's when you catch sight of a photo like this that you start to see the appeal of the watch, and it also shows off the synergy between the watch and the strap, which works very well indeed. While brown was probably the right choice, I didn't think the particular brown strap they chose really worked on the first (green) Monaco, and the second (red) Monaco just had a standard black strap, but this one looks like it was actually designed to be on this watch.

The blue looks lighter here than on the dial shot, which is good because the left hand subdial in particular looks almost black there (an optical illusion caused by the second markings, clearly) and that really works. This is going to be a very 'cool' Monaco, one to be worn with a T-shirt and jeans no doubt.

Another point of note is the change in the font, which is a shame as I rather liked the older font used on the first two watches and it would be nice if all five watches matched for the lucky fifty people who will be taking delivery of the full set. But still, I get that it's supposed to mark the change from the old to the more recent, and let's not get bogged down in the detail that actually the Monaco was barely produced during this particular decade... ahem!

It has to be said, with each release the general consensus on the Calibre 11 Forum has changed markedly from disappointment to excitement (which is surely the right way around!) and as each watch has emerged in real life pictures the initial and overwhelming indifference has turned to admiration and envy. There's still two more of these to go of course, but on the whole it seems like TAG Heuer have done a really good job with these limited edition Monacos.

My only gripe really is that because they are so incredibly limited, the chances of even getting to see one of these is negligible at best. So this post is not so much a 'First Impressions' post as the beginning. middle and end, since there will not be an 'On the Wrist' for this or any of the other four 50th Anniversary Monacos.

I've seen it said that TAG Heuer shouldn't dilute these LEs by making them regular models, and obviously to remake them directly would be a kick in the teeth to those who have invested their money into these pieces. But at the same time, I hope TAG Heuer continue to give us more of these exciting and interesting pieces, using unusual colours and textures across the whole range of watches.

It's a double edged sword no doubt, that the limited nature of these pieces allows the company to take more risks with colours etc, but it's so frustrating to visit a jeweller and see a sea of black dial watches on steel bracelets. The jewellers have told me before that they only stock the top 50 sellers, but it's a self-perpetuating cycle isn't it? You only stock what 'sells' but it only sells because it's all you stock. Maybe it would be better if watch companies did take the majority of their sales in house and maybe then the options available would be a little more exciting?

That's an argument for another day, for now I think we can agree that this one is another (surprise) winner, and I will be interested to see how the next Monaco pulls it out of the bag, because on the face of it, it now seems like the least interesting one...!

SPOTLIGHT ON: New Arrivals at TAG Heuer Bicester Village

CALL THE STORE ON 01869 249008

Another fresh batch of outlet stock for you to pore over, as ever stock is limited so please call the store for info before travelling.

CARRERA CALIBRE 1887 

CAR2014.BA0799

List Price - £3950

Bicester Price - £2765

FORMULA 1 CALIBRE 16

CAU2011.BA0873

List Price - £2550

Bicester Price - £1785

MONACO CALIBRE 12

CAW2110.FC6177

List Price - £4400

Bicester Price - £3080

CARRERA CALIBRE 17 (Limited Edition)

CV2119.FC6310

List Price - £4550

Bicester Price - £3185

CARRERA CALIBRE 16

CV2A80.FC6256

List Price - £4550

Bicester Price - £3185

CARRERA CALIBRE S

CV7A12.BA0795

List Price - £2550

Bicester Price - £1785

FORMULA 1 QUARTZ WITH DIAMONDS

WAH1222.BB0866

List Price - £3650

Bicester Price - £2555

LINK QUARTZ WITH DIAMONDS

WAT1410.BA094

List Price - £1950

Bicester Price - £1365

AQUARACER QUARTZ TWO TONE

WAY1351.BD0917

List Price - £4100

Bicester Price - £2870

LINK CALIBRE 5 TWO TONE

WJF2050.BB0593

List Price - £3600

Bicester Price - £2520

2000 EXCLUSIVE

WN2311.BA0360

List Price - £1750

Bicester Price - £1050

FEATURE: TAG Heuer on a Budget.

Watch collecting can be an expensive hobby, no doubt about it... and I cringe at the thought of my wife asking me what my watch collection actually cost, but I always look at it like this: I can always sell my watches if I need to, it's not like I've wasted thousands on holidays I can barely remember or cars that devalue like a stone. Besides, I don't smoke, I don't gamble and I barely drink... what the hell am I supposed to spend my money on?

However, one day while perusing my watch cabinet it occurred to me that actually some of the watches I enjoy the most in my collection are actually the cheaper ones (which is of course galling and rewarding in equal measure!) and it also occurred to me that if I had say £1000 to spend on watches, I could actually make myself quite a nice little three piece collection...

So here's three ideas of affordable 'collections' you could build out of my watches, using the prices I actually paid as a guide. Sure you might be able to buy better, or you might not... it depends on the market and what's available at the time, I don't get any 'special' prices so these are totally achievable if you put in the work to find the bargains.

OPTION 1 - TOTAL COST £995
Here I've teamed the blue dial 6000 Series (£349) with the original Formula 1 on a resin strap (£200) and a 2000 Exclusive two tone (£446). This combination gives you a sports watch, and two watches you could wear everyday, or as dressier pieces.

OPTION 2 - TOTAL COST £1000
This option gives you an everyday watch in the 4000 Series (£325), a sports watch in the blue Kirium chrono (£400) and a unusual two tone piece in the form of the 3000 Series (£275).

OPTION 3 - TOTAL COST £982
Here we have the perfect everyday watch in the 2000 Exclusive with a blue dial (£255), a travel watch in the GMT (£376) and sports watch in the Formula 1 chrono (£340). The blue dial 2000 Exclusive is one of my cheapest watches but also one of my favourites!


Okay so I'm not suggesting that anyone would necessarily choose these particular groups of three watches together, but the point is if you are on a limited budget for less than the cost of a new Formula 1 quartz, you could build a three piece collection you could be proud of and enjoy for many years to come. And I never even mentioned the 2000 Multigraph, which at £266 could have been substituted for almost any watch bar the original Formula 1!

But yes, okay...clearly there has to be compromise. All of these watches are pre-owned and that might not be something you're comfortable with and the other potential issue is that a lot of these watches are slightly on the smaller side. For a long time I really didn't like that myself, but honestly if you wear a watch long enough I find you get used to it. Now I flit from 45mm to 38mm and it doesn't bother me at all. The only watch that I feel looks a bit small, is the Formula 1 chrono, strangely. It's 38mm, but it sits tall and the thickness makes it look smaller than it is. Oddly, the 35mm original F1 wears much better...

So what happens if we up the budget to say... £1750? Obviously we could get four or five of the watches we've already discussed or we could move up a bit and get some slightly more expensive pieces.

OPTION 4 - TOTAL COST £1750
Now you can get the Microtimer (£650), the 2000 Exclusive Chronograph (£600) and the Link Searacer Regatta Chronograph (£500), albeit I have to make a small caveat when it comes to the Searacer as I think I was more than a little fortunate to pick it up for that price in the condition it's in (I bought it in a sale where it had been reduced twice from a starting price of £995, which seems a bit more realistic - but again, I found it so there's no reason you couldn't). We could switch that out for the 6000 Series Chronograph if you prefer, mine cost me £605 and still keeps the total price well under £2000.


So there you have it, four possible collections you could own (or mix and match) for a pretty reasonable budget. Watch collecting can definitely prove expensive, but it doesn't have to be and if you are on a budget it's much better to buy what you can afford and enjoy it rather than getting yourself into debt. Certain watch gurus will tell you it has to 'hurt', but I would caution strongly against that, unless you can afford it. This is supposed to be a fun hobby after all, and the pieces I've listed are some of the ones that I have the most fun wearing. Apart from anything else, it's a lot less stressful wearing a £250 watch than a £2500 one.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Juan Manuel Fangio Edition by Eric Slofer

INTERVIEW: Otto William (Calibre 11 Forum Member)

Our guest today is no stranger to the members of the Calibre 11 forum, and the picture above would I'm sure be enough to give away his identity all on its own. So, without further ado, please welcome our friend from Indonesia, Otto William.


Hi Otto and thank you for taking the time to take part in this little interview, I wanted to talk to you because you were one of the first people to leave a comment on my blog, which of course I very much appreciated. Any blogger will tell you that feedback is really valuable even if it just confirms that you're not wasting your time shouting into the void. So, easy first question, where did all this start for you?

Funny story really. I was never into watches, in fact the first 17 years of my life was wrist-watchless! I didn't even get into the hype of G-Shock back in the 90's. Truth to be told, I didn't know or care that this kind of world existed. Fast forward to 2009, I was on a business trip to visit a customer whose city didn't have an airport back then. So I needed to catch a ride from the nearest city, which took about 3 hours and I shared that cab ride with a guy who is really into watches. He told me what makes watches attractive. Of course, on this journey we only talked about mechanical watches, so I got interested in watch movements and all that. The rest is history. My first good watch was a Breitling Navitimer with a white dial and a solid caseback, unfortunately I don't own that watch anymore.

So you already mentioned the Casio G-Shock and mechanical movements, so how do you feel about quartz watches?

I like the convenience aspect that you don't need to wind the watch after a long period of non use. On the other hand I am a bit of a 'purist' so I tend to favour the mechanical pieces. I really love watches, I have to be careful or my collecting can get really out of hand. So here's my limit and it doesn't have anything to do with prejudice or snobbery; I only collect mechanical watches, but quartz watches are 'convenient'.


That said, do you have any idea what your next piece might be?

Well if I had unlimited funds then there would be many: Monaco V4 Tourbillon Phantom, the Linde Werdelin Oktopus with Tattoo, the green dial H Moser Alp watch, I could go on... but in reality this year I am only buying dive watches, so it will likely be either a Longines Heritage Diver or a Longines Hydroconquest. But, if TAG Heuer put a better movement in the Aquaracer, then that could definitely change things!


In my first interview for the blog, with THJunkie, we learned that his watch collecting started with a gift from his wife, I believe you have a similar origin story?

Yes, she kinda ignited my slow-burning passion towards watches at that time into a bigger fire. She is the one who gave me my first Tag Heuer, as a wedding gift. You see, back then I was an idiot who was trapped in this stigma that nothing good came out of Tag Heuer. I even told her that I want nothing less than Breitling for my wedding gift! But she gave me Tag Heuer... she said it really suits me. So I gracefully accepted it and starting to get to know Tag Heuer a bit better. I think this is a success story of how you turn hate into love. We've been married for four years now and she's still okay with me collecting watches, but she clearly feels I have too many watches and why am I reading about them every single day? I don't think I have too many watches, I think if you have a watch in your collection that you don't even want to look at then you have too many, but the number itself is not definitive and I am definitely not a one watch kind of guy.

Nothing wrong with that Otto, I'm sure most of us read about watches every day too, I'm curious to know if you, like THJunkie, have ever sneaked a watch into the house?

Don't tell my wife but I am doing this as we speak...


Don't worry, we won't tell her. You said you don't own your first 'good' watch anymore, so you've sold at least one watch then, any regrets on that front?

So far I have sold four watches and I regret selling all of them! I have learned now that I must change the strap, if I change the strap and I still don't like it then maybe it is not the watch for me.


Given that I know you own the beautiful 40th Anniversary Monza I can probably guess what your answer is going to be to this next question, but I'm going to ask it anyway, so are you more excited by re-issues or by new watches and also what's your take on faux aged lume?

This is a tough one. I thought and I want to believe that I am excited more about new pieces, but my buying record shows I tend towards the reissues. Without wanting to sound inconclusive, I think I am a bit of a mixed bag. It all depends on the watch itself. As for fake aged lume: I don't mind at all, as long as it is synergized with the whole look of the watch. It is one of the techniques I can appreciate even though I know it goes against the heart of the purist, vintage watch enthusiast.

Given that as you say 'your record shows that you are probably more inclined to re-issues', are there some watches that you would like to see TAG Heuer re-issue?

I want all the diver watches from the pre Aquaracer period, yes ALL of them! Apart from that, I want the Camaro and I want the Silverstone to be reissued. Put the Skipper and the Regatta on the list too, and of course the Aquagraph!


Do 'limited editions' and special packaging hold much sway with you, and what about Bamford, do you appreciate what he's doing in collaboration with TAG Heuer?

Am I swayed by limited editions and special packaging? To some degree, yes it does affect my purchasing decision. But I need to be very clear here, first it has got to be the watch. It makes no sense for me to purchase a watch that I don't appreciate just because it's limited. As for Bamford, so far I have yet to own any of the Tag Heuer Bamford pieces. I like their Carbon Monaco with the blue subdials, but maybe not enough, for me to pull the trigger. The collaboration itself is not bad for both Bamford or Tag Heuer in my opinion. Maybe I am just not into it at the moment, but who knows what future might hold.

Are there any TAG Heuers that you don't like and why do you think it is that TAG attracts so much negativity in the wider watch community, or maybe you don't see it that way?

Is there a Tag Heuer/Heuer I don't like? Of course, but what I don't like might be a grail watch for somebody else. Aquaracer is perhaps my favorite Tag Heuer line at this moment, but I still could point out some Aquaracer models that I don't like. So no, I don't really have any model line from Tag Heuer or Heuer that I really hate. Actually I impulse bought a Heuer 01 45mm, then regretted it, but now I'm feeling super relieved that I didn't sell it, because now I love it!

As for the negativity question, I think it's getting less and less nowadays to be honest. I might need a special article alone on this question but I think one of the factors is ignorance. Of course there were some misfires a couple of years back, but I'll wait for anyone, any collector, that can name one single watch company that does not have any skeletons in their closet (perhaps the analogy is too strong, but you get my point).


I agree, pretty much all watch companies have gone through bad patches but for some reason TAG Heuer still get called for watches they made twenty five years ago! Personally I just think they are in that difficult 'entry-level' market position where it's almost cool to dismiss them, like 'Oh yeah, my first watch was a TAG Heuer, but I grew out of that and got an Omega / Rolex. Moving on, is there anything you'd like to see more of in watch designs, for example I think red is an underused dial choice.

No, not really. In terms of design, I  really like Tag Heuer designs, especially the Aquaracer. I really like their dogecagon shape of the bezel. What I really want to see is improvements on the movement side without actually hurting the pricing, that's what I really want to see.

It seems to me that two-tone may be enjoying a slight resurgence, how do you feel about two-tone and/or gold watches?

Well, I can safely say that I own at least two;  one is Tag Heuer and the other one is a Rolex, so I don't hate them. But again, I need to see the watch itself. I don't think I am interested in buying the Aquaracer calibre 5 gold bezel though...


How do you think TAG Heuer have handled the 50th Anniversary of the Monaco and what do you think you would have done different if you'd been the one in charge?

Let me start by saying the expectation is way too big for this one and I think they have done a fantastic job so far. I might be biased, but I think I would just reissue the Dark Lord Monaco. That's just me being lazy and happy at the same time.


Okay, so that leads me to ask, do you think Monaco reissues should have round pushers or are you happy with them using the modern square versions?

I would prefer the Monaco to have round pushers, I don't know why. In theory the square ones will synergize better with the Monaco case... but I think it looks perfect for me with the round pushers.


Aside from regretting selling watches you wish you still owned, do you have any kind of watch related horror story?

Well I broke the second hand mechanism in my Rolex, so the watch is still ticking and keeping the time accurately but the second hand won't move at all. There was one part inside that is completely broken, snapped into two. I don't know how I did it, but I guess it wasn't so horrific after all. No, I guess I don't have and will hopefully never have. I did magnetize my former Aquaracer black PVD by putting it way too near my cellphone while trying to charge the lume too often. I just keep on learning, I guess...

Aside from TAG Heuer you've already mentioned several other brands, which brands are you favourites?

Yes, I love a lot of brands. My dad said I am a victim of marketing, but this is what makes me like watches in general; knowing about the brand and the products. I like Linde Werdelin, H Moser, Vacheron Constantin, Universal Geneve, Lemania, Frederique Constant, Zodiac, Blancpain, Oris, JLC, Zenith and many more. Top three will be Tag Heuer/Heuer, Linde Werdelin and H.Moser.


Wow, I think it's safe to assume that your collection will keep growing then?

Yes, indeed. I range my collection based on the intended use of it although not very specifically. So far I have racing chronograph, dresswatch, dive watch, daily beater. I still want one micro rotor watch (which I used to have and I sold it) and one anti-magnetic watch.


So say I gave you a £10,000 watch voucher right now, what would you buy?

Can I get a Monaco and an Autavia for £10,000? I think so.

Among the photographs you sent me I noticed a collection of Swatch watches, how did that start?

For me Swatch is one of the essential parts of my collection. Again, watch collecting can get out of hand if you are not careful, so beside the fact that for me it has to be mechanical, I also limit myself that it has to be a Swiss brand as well. I would repeat myself that it has nothing to do with prejudice or snobbery, I think Japanese made offers true value for money and so does some recent Chinese made (you'll be surprised); but I need to have clear scope of what I am collecting so I don't deviate too much. If you look closely you'll see that all the Swatches that I collect are all mechanical. I actually have more than the picture I sent you before, all mechanical. I wear them during travelling or during the weekend. I consider it as my worry-free mechanical watches, although I still take extra care with all of my watches and Swatch is no exception. Apart from that, I see the Swatch owner as a role model, I read his book and his views.


Thanks again for your time, I know you were up really late doing this interview with a plane to catch, so I really appreciate the effort on your part and thanks also for the photographs you sent of your watches. Finally, would you like to suggest the next TAG Heuer brand ambassador?

That narrative guy from Watchfinder on youtube, whoever he is. But only if he wants it....I don't know, I don't feel I am giving a great suggestion here when I should. But whoever the next Tag Heuer ambassador will be, I do really hope he or she is really into and understands watches, like almost to nerd level.