Monday, 20 January 2020
Sunday, 19 January 2020
SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Malpelo Foundation' Limited Edition
WAF111T.BA0806
Limited editions are great, but they seem to slip out often without much publicity and that can mean we don't find out about them until much later when they pop up on the pre-owned market. Even now when I have my ear well and truly pressed to the floor for all and any information regarding new TAG Heuer LE's, it's often only a chance posting by someone on the Calibre 11 forum from a distant part of the world that tips me off to the existence of another piece destined only for one particular market (that and Googling seemingly 'missing' part numbers...) and of course the last 35 years of TAG Heuer special releases is still throwing up surprises now and again.
Many years ago, when I first started visiting Bicester Village, I recall seeing a Limited Edition Aquaracer with a shark on the dial. When I first joined the Calibre 11 forum I remember mentioning this and some examples being suggested of what it might have been; none of them seemed to be what I remembered, but this seems to fit the bill. Of course it's so long ago now that I can't really be sure, but I think this is the watch I saw around about 2013/14 (4-5 years after the watch was launched).
This Aquaracer was made in collaboration with the Malpelo Foundation in Columbia which works to protect sharks around the island of Malpelo (approximately 500km off the Western coast) and was limited to 250 pieces. I can't be 100% certain but my best guess on size would be 39mm since that seems to tally with other watches of a similar part number and at most it would be 40.5 or 41mm as this predates the modern 43mm three hand Aquaracer.
When I first caught sight of this I wondered how they had managed to print the shark on what appeared to be a tapisserie dial, but closer inspection shows that actually the dial background is printed and is perhaps supposed to represent a fishing net, but at the same time it does have the rather pleasing appearance of a textured dial and definitely adds to the dial's overall appeal.
In the scheme of things there aren't really that many TAG Heuer watches with this kind of novelty dial (though there are several with island formations admittedly), and while I don't have any great affinity to sharks, Colombia or indeed Malpelo, I do rather like this one. My only slight reservation about it is that it is perhaps rather tonal and that polished bezel is screaming out for scratches, but that aside it's a neat looking watch.
Finding one may prove difficult though, a Google search brought up next to nothing, so if you like it and you happen to see one I suggest you jump on it.
OWNED: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Chronograph
CA1212-1
Another 'Owned' post written on the eve of departure I'm afraid, this one was never a big hit with me and once I had dispensed with my CAF1112 Aquaracer the spotlight fell on this as being the next weakest in the pack. It's a funny thing, when you collect watches and you get to the point where you have more than is perhaps 'reasonable', you can't help but start looking at which ones should probably be let go; indeed I briefly listed another one of my watches on eBay the other day but thought better of it and took my listing down after a few hours. That one might still go back up, but if it does I will want a good price for it otherwise I will keep it.
This Formula 1 though, you may remember when I bought it I said I had compromised on the dial colour because I didn't want to pay silly money for a yellow/red/blue dial, and if so you may be thinking that that is the reason why I'm now letting it go. I really don't think it is, because I do like this white dial, what I don't like is the size and the case shape and how small it looks on my wrist. I have other watches that are the same size which I am perfectly happy to wear and even some smaller (like my 'classic' resin Formula 1) but for some reason this one didn't look right on me.
Because of that, of course I rarely wore it... especially when I have many other watches to choose from and so it had to go. But I don't regret owning it, yes I lost a bit of money on it, but I now have hands on experience of this generation of Formula 1 and besides you have to accept that watch ownership is always a journey of discovery and you never really know how you feel about a piece until you've owned it a while and worn it at your leisure.
Aside from the size and the 'button-like' case I didn't really have any issues with this watch at all. The bracelet and clasp were generally comfortable (if functional), the bezel was in very good condition for it's age, except that it was missing the lume pip; it could well have been a replacement bezel of course, although the watch was in good condition overall.
The best part of this watch for me is the dial, I very much liked the dial even though I cheaped out and went for the basic white version... but then that proved a great background colour for the red and green TAG Heuer logo. The red detailing on the dial is another boon, especially on the running seconds counter (which is divided into three sectors; red, black and grey) but also the three chronograph hands. I'm not crazy about the 'triangular' hands on the chronograph subdials, but they aren't a major distraction.
There's a subtle texturing to the middle circle of the dial, which is often described on sites like eBay as a 'Carbon Fibre' dial. It isn't, but it does give a certain finesse to the dial that is missing on the older CA1212-RO version (which has the Mercedes hands and all black sub-dials). Speaking of hands, these are fantastically legible, with a bold black outline that stands out brilliantly against the white dial, and the lume ensures the hands are also plainly visible against the subdials.
CA1212-RO
Less visible, indeed you might not have even noticed, are the lumed Arabic numerals around the edge of the dial. These are subtle to say the least, and on my nigh on 30 year old example the Tritium lume was very weak indeed, but then to expect anything else would be foolish. It's a shame they didn't outline them just a little bit more as they do look good, it's just hard to see them.
I'm not sure how I feel about the black date window, the contrast fits in with the overall colour scheme but it does highlight it's slightly awkward '4:30' positioning, which is a bit of a shame. Indeed, looking at the CA1212-RO it's interesting to see how this could have been improved simply by straightening up the window... but again, for me that wasn't a deciding factor, it was 100% the size and case shape and how it looked on the wrist.
I have to say, it's been a few months since I started writing this post and I haven't for a second regretted my decision, which tells me that it was obviously the right one for me. It's a shame though because I always wanted a classic F1 chrono in my collection... maybe I'll try again one day?
Saturday, 18 January 2020
Friday, 17 January 2020
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Heuer Carrera Heuer02 Chronograph (160th Anniversary Edition)
CBK221B.FC6479
As we all know, TAG Heuer (or 'Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG' as it was then) was founded in 1860, and as such 2020 represents the brand's 160th year. As it happens, the other day I was reading an old copy of QP Magazine from 2010 and in it there was an article about the 150th anniversary and the re-issue of the Heuer Silverstone in two dial colours (limited to 1860 pieces of each). Alongside those they also released a very limited (150 pieces) black/orange Grand Carrera Calibre 17 Chronograph which came in a very impressive box with a Meridiist mobile phone (wonder how many of those are still in use?).
So as the calendar turned to the next decade, thoughts inevitably turned to this anniversary year and what goodies it might bring. Given the propensity of Monacos launched last year for the model's 50th anniversary, it seemed entirely inevitable to me that the release would be a Carrera, and so it transpired... at least they didn't keep us waiting long.
Regular readers will no doubt be aware that this side of TAG Heuer is not my bag, and I'm not going to be churlish and sit here and slate the watch simply because it doesn't appeal to me. However, historical relevance aside I will say that I find silver on silver on silver the least exciting of all watch schemes (and that applies to my 6000 Chronograph just as much as it does the CBK211B or any other watch for that matter) and while I still detest the faux aged lume that TAG Heuer insist on using on various watches these days, at least here it is more in keeping with the overall 'vintage' style and somewhat sparingly applied... but still, please stop using it. I can't help feeling when this fad is over these watches will be looked back on less than favourably...
On a more positive note this watch will be powered by TAG Heuer's in-house 'Heuer 02' movement with a special '160th Anniversary' rotor (curiously emblazoned with the 'TAG Heuer' logo even though the movement is branded 'Heuer') which will be visible through a clear display back. The model will also be limited and marked '1 of 1860' on the edge of the caseback. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say most people would prefer the old way of numbering limited editions, but it is what it is and it's cheaper to do it this way so unfortunately I don't see it changing anytime soon.
On the Calibre11 forum this new Carrera does seem to be finding favour with the people it's really aimed at, which is good; although there do seem to be some reservations about the thickness required to house the movement versus the 39mm diameter, especially with the domed sapphire crystal 'glass box' which adds another few millimeters.
Obviously this is a very specific style of watch which is aimed at a very specific customer, I just hope this is the start of a range of releases to celebrate the 160th anniversary and I hope that some of those releases will be more 'contemporary' in style and perhaps extending beyond the rather overworked Carrera range. That's probably wishful thinking though, probably the best we can hope for is some sort of Autavia and a Carrera Heuer 02 skeleton. But I guess we'll have to wait and see...
The CBK211B retails in the UK for £5250 and is allegedly available around June 2020.
Other opinions are available:
CALIBRE11
https://www.calibre11.com/first-look-2020-tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition-ref-cbk221b/
FRATELLO WATCHES
https://www.fratellowatches.com/hot-take-tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition/
WORN AND WOUND
https://wornandwound.com/tag-heuer-celebrates-160-years-with-the-tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition/
WATCHONISTA
https://www.watchonista.com/articles/novelties/lvmh-watch-week-introducing-tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition
MONOCHROME WATCHES
https://monochrome-watches.com/tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition-introducing-price/
HODINKEE
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition-introducing
REVOLUTION WATCH
https://www.revolution.watch/tag-heuer-carrera-160-years-silver-limited-edition/
Thursday, 16 January 2020
Wednesday, 15 January 2020
FEATURE: Alec Monopoly, the Outgoing TAG Heuer Ambassador
Alec Monopoly with Jean Claude Biver
I may well be in the minority, but I for one am a little disappointed that Stephen Bianchi, the new boss of TAG Heuer, has decided to dispense with the 'invaluable' services of Alec Monopoly (and Cara DeLavigne too apparently... although that's no great loss if I'm honest, Cara will sell pretty much anything so her ambassadorship was as transparent as it was - no doubt - expensive). It's a shame because while not a particular fan of his art*, I appreciated the fun element he brought to the table even if the watches were, shall we say... hit and miss.
* Notice that I didn't feel the need to italicise or otherwise here.
To be honest, things didn't get off to the greatest of starts... it was bound to ruffle some feathers when pictures emerged of genuine watch industry legend Jean Claude Biver larking around in a bandana/mask with Alec M; Mr Biver committing the ultimate watch industry sin of 'horsing around' when we all know that watches is 'teh seriouz buziness!'. But then Mr Biver has always been joyfully 'maverick', that's a huge part of his charm and he is the absolute antithesis of say, Aurel Bacs, who speaks in hushed tones as if describing an important ancient Egyptian artefact while holding whatever priceless Patek Phillipe he's peddling this week... actually they are both very 'theatrical', just in vastly differing ways.
Aurel Bacs, watch auctioneer extraordinaire...
So yes, straight away the 'Heuer' set's heckles were well and truly up; who was this young 'fool' and why were TAG Heuer wasting their time associating themselves with him! Casually ignoring the fact that the brand needs someone who appeals to the kids and Max Verstappen can't cover all the bases; after all, surprisingly not every young person has an interest in Formula 1.
Things didn't get any better when pictures emerged of Alec 'customising' some watches in his own 'special' way, and I must confess I could have done without that - especially when he dribbled paint all over a diamond encrusted Heuer 02 Tourbillon piece costing upwards of £50,000!
Oh yes he did. Complete vandalism!
But then his first watch came out and damn me if it wasn't rather cool. Limited to just 200 pieces the watch didn't sell out immediately, but took a couple of days, during which time I seriously pondered pulling the trigger. Sadly, I wasn't sure enough quickly enough and the watch sold out; subsequently it has increased in value by 300-400% so as you can imagine I'm constantly irritated by my decision. Not because of a missed opportunity to make a quick profit you understand, but because the watch is now completely inaccessible for any sensible amount of money; as much as I like the watch I would certainly never pay £3000+ for it... and that irks me.
WAZ1117.FT8023
Sadly, it was downhill from here. About a year after the release of the WAZ1117 a new Formula 1 arrived and along with it a Heuer 01 Carrera. The Formula 1 was released in greater numbers this time (my local jeweller had 3 or 4 of them at one point!) which definitely made the watch more accessible, but the design just wasn't as compelling and the white background was a disappointment for me. I guess they wanted to make it look distinct from the WAZ1117 but that design would have been better on a black background for my money. It didn't help that Alec made no attempt to avoid the middle of the watch where the hands originate, so Mr Monopoly's hand is permanently obscured. I know it's not easy to design something while avoiding the centre of the page, but it looks like he didn't even try. Then again, I suppose you could say much the same about the WAZ1117!
WAZ1119.FT8023
All that said, I have warmed to it over the last year... perhaps because I now know it's the only Alec Monopoly F1 that I could potentially end up owning (lottery wins or inheritances not withstanding; I would have to have serious money available to blow £3-4k on a simple quartz Formula 1) and if one of these was to turn up at Bicester Village for say £850, then I might just possibly be persuaded to part with my money... and well, that's not so far fetched as I'm sure there are plenty of these left over and Alec's agreement will have a termination date, so watch this space.
CAR201AA.BA0714
I wouldn't be surprised if there were plenty of unsold Alec Monopoly Heuer 01 Carreras knocking about as well to be honest. For me this was a mistake; not only was the design compromised by the subdials, date and TAG Heuer shield, but trying to sell a 'fun' piece at over £4000 must have been a very hard sell. This is perhaps one of the worst, if not the worst Heuer 01 Carrera to have been made available - it simply fails on every level and that is a shame, albeit one that should really have been entirely predictable.
WAY101F.FC62427
But that's not quite the end of the story, because earlier this year this Aquaracer appeared on Chrono 24. Limited to just 25 pieces (which makes it 8 times rarer than the hideously overvalued original Formula 1 no less...) this quartz Aquaracer was a collaboration with the Beverley Hills Hotel and was sold exclusively through their gift shop.
The dial here is pretty disappointing to be honest, but the strap is magnificent! Styled after the wallpaper of the aforementioned hotel, this one really makes a statement... but I'd definitely be wanting a spare strap, because without it this watch is nothing special.
Alec Monopoly's studio at the TAG Heuer manufacture in La Choux de Fonds
So there we are, Alec's time as a TAG Heuer ambassador has seemingly come and gone, and I notice that back in December Alec posted a video of the Richard Mille he had bought himself. Perhaps then the writing has been on the wall for a little while? And perhaps Alec is angling for a new ambassadorship, on a much higher tier? I'd be surprised if Richard Mille take him on to be honest, though having said that I never thought we'd see a collection of candy RMs either, so at this point maybe anything is possible.
Slightly lunatic pencil pusher Laurie Lipton
Who then stands to replace Alec Monopoly as TAG Heuer's 'Art Provocateur'? Sadly I'm not up to speed on enough youth-appropriate and crucially 'living' artists to suggest a credible replacement, but off the cuff I'd throw Laurie Lipton into the hat as a wild card; although I can't for the life of me imagine what a 'Laurie Lipton' TAG Heuer would look like... probably awful. But then there's nothing to say there would have to be a 'product', after all there's way more ambassadors that don't have actual watches than those that do. But perhaps Laurie would have appealed more to Mr Biver than Mr Bianchi...?
Check out this documentary about the weird and wonderful art of Laurie Lipton
Tuesday, 14 January 2020
Monday, 13 January 2020
ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Bullhead Collection
CAR2C90.FC6341 CAR2C12.FC6327 CAR2C11.FC6327
TAG Heuer Boutique / Bicester Village, 22nd July 2019*
Outlet shopping is, by definition, a mixed bag. On the one hand you inevitably find the less spectacular high production pieces that have reached the end of their run, plus perhaps the models that haven't sold quite as well as hoped, but on the other hand you also get the opportunity to view some very unusual limited editions and also some very desirable high-end pieces. For example, ordinarily, you would be lucky to find one TAG Heuer Carrera Bullhead in any jewellers anywhere, but at Bicester Village you are spoilt for choice with not one, not two, but three on display! Naturally, it would have been a crime to pass the opportunity up, so I got all three on my wrist and here are my thoughts...
CAR2C12.FC6327
If you've already seen a Bullhead Carrera, chances are it's this one, the CAR2C12 features a PVD coated titanium case sitting on a fine brushed stainless steel cradle. The TAG Heuer website describes it as having steel 'lugs' but that's not entirely correct as to me that suggests it is similar to the Heuer 01 Carrera with its 'modular' construction. Here the titanium case sits on the steel cradle, and gives the impression of a stopwatch mounted on a 'base'; it is also angled slightly towards the wearer making it easier to read, but at the same time making the watch slightly bulky on the wrist and definitely not something to be worn discreetly. All the Bullheads feature this same design trait, the main differences then come from the case materials and dial designs.
All three Bullheads measure 45mm in diameter, so again, definitely on the larger side and the CAR2C12 has a nominally 'black' dial with silver hands, numerals and subdial rings, this is accentuated with red detailing on the tips of the chronograph second, minute and hour hands. The running seconds is at the '6' position although it isn't immediately noticeable as it doesn't have a conventional subdial, I quite like this approach, especially as the date window is also at the '6' position and this layout can also be found on the new Heuer 02 Monaco. The date wheel is also black and shows that while the inner dial is described as 'black', it's rather more of a metallic dark grey than black, but then this helps split up the large dial and creates another level of interest.
Bullhead ownership doesn't come cheap, and as such this one could be described as the 'entry-level' model, but much like a Ferrari Portofino, it's still a chunk of change. Indeed, at list price (£6195) this is comparable to my 'pick of 2019' the carbon Carrera Heuer 02... here though, it's more akin price wise to a regular Heuer Autavia Heuer 02 at £4335.
CAR2C11.FC6327
TAG Heuer fans are inevitably drawn to anything carrying the 'Jack Heuer' name, such is the esteem in which the man is held, and it has to be said, the brand always seem to come up with the goods for Mr Heuer and this is no exception. I love that the dial is split more obviously here, providing contrast between the inner and outer rings and also those black subdials. I also think the baton style hour markers were a great choice as while I do like the Arabic style numerals when they are mirror finished they do become awfully hard to see from certain angles. The red chronograph second hand provides a welcome splash of colour as does the 'Tachymetre' text on the rehaut, and though it's hard to see in the render above the very tips of the subdial hands are also crimson.
My only slight niggle here is the white date wheel, obviously it would have been nicer in silver, but if it has to be white or black then white was definitely the way to go. Price wise the 'Jack Heuer Calibre 1887' carries a 10% premium over the base model and a list price of £6650, although the chances of finding one of these new is now very slim (of the three this is the only one not still featured on the TAG Heuer website). At Bicester village however you can pick this one up new with a 2 year warranty for £4655.
CAR2C90.FC6341
Finally we come to the most expensive of the three bullheads on display, the carbon fibre cased CAR2C90. This one shares the overall aesthetic of the CAR2C12, but with a black carbon dial (notably the TAG Heuer website says 'black carbon' rather than 'carbon effect'). I do like this one, and of the three it would probably be my pick, but then I always have had expensive tastes! Well, I say if you're going to have a Bullhead, you might as well go for it... and while the CAR2C90 shares the same issues of legibility with the CAR2C12, it's inately cooler so I am perhaps more inclined to forgive it some slight shortcomings.
I guess you would get used to it, but it is a bit odd having no protrusions on the right hand side of the case and the angled setting of the watch does make for an unusual on the wrist experience (obviously this goes for all three models), the CARC290 is undoubtedly very cool, but also carries a rather hefty price tag... list price for this model in 2020 is £8250, however our friends at Bicester Village can supply this watch at a significantly more affordable £5775, leaving a spare £2.5k for a 500M Aquaracer perhaps...?
I do like these watches, but I'm not quite as gung-ho on the Bullheads as some people on the Calibre 11 Forum. I do struggle to think when I would be likely to wear such a watch, but reason that I would be quite happy to own one even if I never actually strapped it on my wrist... I mean just look at that picture above, how luscious is that carbon case? Sadly it's a little beyond my means at present, perhaps it's time I started doing the lottery again.... :)
*Although I tried these watches on back in July 2019 I have checked with the store and all three pieces (albeit probably not the ones I photographed) are still available. Please disregard the prices shown in the main picture, as they have gone up slightly while this post has been languishing in my 'to do' file.
If you fancy a Bullhead for your collection, please call the store on 01869 249008.
Sunday, 12 January 2020
Saturday, 11 January 2020
FEATURE: TAG Heuer Should Absolutely Bring Back the Kirium
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kirium
Chopard's new 'Alpine Eagle' (nee 'St Moritz)
This seemed to reach it's nadir the other day when we had the hilarious and frankly ridiculous spectacle of Chopard embarrassing themselves by digging up a hideous 80s watch called the 'St Moritz', pointing at the screws in the bezel and then using that as justification for the release of it's own Royal Oak inspired 'Alpine Eagle'. Yes, they didn't even keep the name, and they sure as hell didn't keep the design either... well actually that's not entirely true, the 2000s version of this model looked a lot more like the watch they are now pedalling, but I guess it's not nearly as 'iconic' to site a failing watch from 20 years ago as it is to site one from forty years ago that was actually quite successful in its day, even if it looks very little like the one you're now selling under a completely different name. So what exactly was the point of bringing up the St Moritz at all? Merely a distraction to divert accusations of 'Royal Oak' plagiarism I'd say. And why not the 'St Moritz' anymore? Possibly because 'St Moritz' isn't the 'destination' it once was... just as well Monaco is still 'Monaco' I guess!
Maurice Lacroix Aikon
At least Maurice Lacroix aren't even pretending; they launched their own 'Genta-esque' Aikon (a thoroughly dreadful name by the way) with no such chicanery, they merely stuck it out and everyone went 'we see what you did there' and it was all quickly forgotten about. At least I assume it was... I don't really follow Maurice Lacroix, maybe it's their biggest seller? And Bell and Ross did much the same with the BR-05, which was even more 'obvious' in its appropriated lineage.
Bell and Ross BR-05
The point is, the watch world is going nuts for integrated bracelets, left side case bulges and bezels with screws in. Granted the Kirium doesn't have screws in the bezel, but surely that's a simple enough retro-fit? It already has an integrated bracelet and a Nautilus style case 'hinge', all it really needs is expanding slightly to say 41mm and maybe the case could be 'straightened' a little to 'bring it up to date'... maybe a tapisserie dial, an optional rubber strap for the Kirium 'Oversea' variant (available in a selection of bright colours)... you get the picture.
So come on TAG Heuer, we've had a year of endless Monacos and the Carrera 50th anniversary is already on the horizon; you've just got time to squeeze out the new 'Kirium' and hoover up some of that lucrative Genta-pie before we're back to bi-monthly Carrera overload... I mean, what else do you have to choose from?
Ooooh, maybe not...
Friday, 10 January 2020
Thursday, 9 January 2020
SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer 7 Jewels 1/100th Stopwatch
#608.313
You may remember the other day I posted about a 1986 TAG Heuer Stopwatch Catalogue that achieved way more on eBay than I expected it to... and prior to that I had been watching a stopwatch on eBay that was up around the £165 mark which I quite liked, mainly because it had that orange and black 'McLaren 1974 Carrera' kind of look about it. But the truth is, I really have no use for a stopwatch of any kind...
Clearly the model is from around the time of the change-over since the back still shows a Heuer sticker and while I can't be 100% sure on the exact part number since it is so badly worn, I have looked through that 1986 catalogue on Calibre 11 and it seems to tie up except for the 'TAG Heuer' logo, so I'm going to go with it.
Apart from the mild wear to the dial the stopwatch looked in pretty good shape overall, the listing claimed the piece was 'fully working', although aside from that it was pretty sparse on information. I guess the pictures tell you pretty much all you need to know; after all is said and done, it's a 1/100th second stopwatch!
I watched the auction until it was nearly finished, then with fifteen minutes to go I started writing a post for this blog and forgot about it. Oh dear... I went back to it about twenty five minutes later to discover that someone else had won the auction for a fairly paltry £63, which is still less than that catalogue went for. I must admit I was slightly disappointed, but ultimately it was an item of no practical use to me, so maybe it was for the best... besides, I don't think there is that much demand for these stopwatches and they seem to pop up fairly regularly so I guess I'll be able to get another one sooner or later at a reasonable price.
Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Tuesday, 7 January 2020
FEATURE: 2019 - Another Crazy Year of Watch Buying!
On January 14th 2019 I published a post called '2018 - My Crazy Year of Watch Buying', and at the end of that post I stated the following:
"Well there we are, my crazy year of watch buying... and even though I've already bought a couple of watches this year, I can't really see 2019 playing out the same way. For a start I've covered a lot of bases now, and if I do buy watches I can see where I might buy one and sell one rather than just keep adding to the numbers. I'm also toying with the idea of saving up and getting myself something decent for my birthday in October, so that might slow me down a bit, but I guess we'll have to wait and see!"
Well, for those of you who've followed my blog over the last twelve months, I think it's more than apparent that 2019 did not go down the way I thought it might.... not at all.
01 & 02. TAG Heuer 2000 Exclusive Quartz Chronograph and TAG Heuer Aquaracer Quartz Chronograph
CN1110.BA0337 CAF1112.BA0803
January got off to a great start, I traded in my unloved Grand Carrera GMT and walked away with two quartz watches! However, only one of these made it to the end of the year... I sold the CAF1112 on eBay in November because I barely wore it and when I did I couldn't click with it. That cost me a few hundred quid, but it was one of my few bad decisions this year.
03. TAG Heuer 1500 Series Quartz GMT Watch
159.006
I was pretty lucky to find this one on eBay, I'd wanted a 1500 Series for a long time and these GMTs seemed like the ones to get since they were considerably larger than the regular 36/37mm models which can be easily picked up. But obviously that makes them more desirable, so I could hardly believe it when I managed to secure one for just £376!
04. TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Classic' Quartz Chronograph
CA1212-1
This was a bit of a mistake all round, I wasn't overly enthusiastic about it when I bought it and again, this one didn't even make it to the end of the year, but it did help fund my limited edition 'Senna' Formula 1, so it wasn't entirely without purpose...
05. TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Classic' Ladies Quartz Watch
WA1415
My wife decided she wanted a 'classic' Formula 1 watch and after trying on a white dial version at Parkers in Sheffield, which was nice but lacked 'something' she elected to gamble on a green and black model imported from the United States via eBay. I ended up buying it for her birthday and she couldn't have been happier with it. As it happens I've just changed the battery, which was my first go at doing that myself, it all seemed relatively simple so I think I shall be doing that more in the future.
06. TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 5 Watch
WAY208C.FC6383
I could not believe it when I saw this on the Bicester list, I'd been searching for one of these for so long that I'd pretty much given up on ever being able to see one and I really needed to see one before I committed to buying because I wasn't sure how I felt about that textile strap. Now I love it and even though I got a rubber strap for it, it's still in its packet.
07. TAG Heuer Link 'Searacer' Regatta Chronograph
CT1113.BA0550
Here's one I really lucked out on, having tried to buy it earlier in the year at £995, I eventually got the exact same watch in a sale for half the money. If only that happened more often...!
08. TAG Heuer 2000 Exclusive Quartz Watch
WN1112.BA0332
A very inexpensive watch this one; just £255 secured this from eBay and while the bezel is a little scratched and the crown needs some attention at some point in the future, this watch represents huge bang for buck in my opinion; and that blue dial is gorgeous!
09. TAG Heuer 2000 Series 'Multigraph' Quartz Chronograph
WK111A.BA0331
This was one that had been on my 'wants' list for a very, very long time. This one is a little rough around the edges and has a small chip on the back edge of the case (which you can't see when it's on the wrist), but again I only paid £266, which is on the very low end of what these generally go for. Since I bought it I've put it on the official TAG Heuer rubber strap, which has improved it greatly in my eyes, although I could live without the vanilla scent!
10. TAG Heuer S/EL Ladies Quartz Watch
WG141C
In July I sent my wife a link to the eBay sale for this little beauty and she immediately fell in love with it. So much so that she was willing to pay around £460 for it, but luckily she won it for just £300. When it arrived it firmly convinced me that I really wanted a red dial S/EL too...!
11. TAG Heuer S/EL Quartz Chronograph
CG1110-0
In 2018 I tried to buy a CG1110, but the deal floundered because the glass was scratched and the movement was faulty. On the rebound I bought a two-tone CG1120 instead, but I always knew I wanted to add a CG1110 at some point. The sale didn't go smoothly, and the chronograph needs attention at some point in the future, but at least I have one now.
12. TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Titanium Day/Date Chronograph
CV2A80.FC6256
Not something I was looking for, but a chance visit to Bicester Village turned this one up and I had to get it. This one was part funded by my wife and it became my 50th Birthday watch, I really love this one, especially the luminescent minute markers which look fantastic in the dark. Overall I'd say this is probably my second favourite piece in my collection right now.... the Heuer 01 Skeleton remains number one.
13. TAG Heuer Aquaracer Ladies Diamond Spot Watch
WBD1316.BA0740
My wife turns 50 next year and she decided she wanted one of these, trouble is... no one knows for sure if these will be around next year so I had to stump up for it now! This is a gorgeous watch though, that green dial is really stunning, I just wish the men's version was still available here in the UK!
14. TAG Heuer 'Classic' Aquaracer Quartz Watch
WAB1112.BA0801
A chance encounter with the WAB1112 in a dealer catalogue I bought piqued my interest, but my initial finding seemed to be that these fetched more than they really should (£8-900). Thankfully my persistence paid off and I managed to secure one in absolutely mint condition for less than £600.
15. TAG Heuer Kirium Ladies Quartz Watch
WL1316
This one was a random present for my wife, which I found pretty cheap on eBay. When it arrived it was quite scratched and I spent a little while polishing it up myself, it actually ended up looking rather good and my wife loves it.
16. TAG Heuer Pilot Quartz Chronograph
530.806K
This is one watch I never thought I would get my hands on at a sensible price, but luck seemed to be on my side this year. Or maybe I just learned persistence and patience? Maybe a little of both... I certainly felt like pretty lucky when this one fell in my lap for about half what seems to be the going rate.
17. TAG Heuer S/EL Quartz Watch
WG111C
And this was another one that I managed to get for a lot less money than I was expecting. That's probably because the only other one on eBay was priced so high that it's been on there forever, but even so... red dial watches are nothing if not rare, and this one was in great condition and it fitted right out of the box, it was obviously meant to be!
18. TAG Heuer Formula 1 'Senna' Limited Edition Quartz Watch
WAZ1014.FT8027
Saw this and fell in love with that strap, I quite like the watch too, but the strap is super cool. I really like the silver bezel against the black case too and I prefer the non-chronograph with the stripes. Bit of a bargain and still under warranty until mid 2020!
19. TAG Heuer 3000 Series Quartz Watch
932.206
My final purchase of 2019, and a great one to end on. Been looking for a steel 3000 for a long time now and finally came across one for sale in the UK. I'm a link short, if anyone knows where I can get one please do let me know. Thanks...
Well, there we are... I know what I said last year, but I honestly don't see 2020 being anything like 2018 and 2019 as far as watch buying goes. Not least because I've already scooped up a lot of the 'cheap' watches I wanted, and there aren't so many bargains left for me to go at. So while I might end up spending a similar amount of money overall, it will probably come in the form of less watches... but we'll see. Last year didn't pan out the way I thought it would, so who knows?
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