'Thin" TAG Heuer

[GC8]

yeti said:

michael gould said:

I didn't know they use El Primero movements in TAG's ....i stand corrected

Anything with Calibre 36! Don't forget the parent company LMVH owns both TAG and Zenith...

The moral of this is: dont confuse your illinformed opinion for fact.

[michael gould]

Silent1 said:

michael gould said:

great watches and amazing value ..... you will feel very special showing all your friends your fabulous time piece !!

Jesus you really are a pathetic man aren't you, we can all see your wife wears the trousers in your house and as a result you spend your entire life on the Internet being an absolute cocksocket.

another TAG owner.....jesus don't blame me ( or my wife) blame whoever purchased the awful thing.....but you are right about one thing, I am bored out of my mind in the office today

[michael gould]

GC8 said:

yeti said:

michael gould said:

I didn't know they use El Primero movements in TAG's ....i stand corrected

Anything with Calibre 36! Don't forget the parent company LMVH owns both TAG and Zenith...

The moral of this is: dont confuse your illinformed opinion for fact.

yep they also own Hublot .....they used to sell Zenith watches in the outlet TAG shop in Ellesmere Port which I thought was a big mistake, as it devalued the Zenith brand (they don't anymore) ......If the truth be known all luxury brands are stupidly overpriced ......15k for a leather Hermes Birkin is a little silly .......TAG however have consistently reduced their quality, Increased their marketing budget and doubled their prices in the past 5 years. They are on par with Seiko, the difference being a good Seiko can be purchased for £200

[Debaser]

michael gould said:

They are on par with Seiko

Ooh, bit harsh on Seiko!

(Unless you're talking about the ones with the 1887 movement)

[michael gould]

Debaser said:

michael gould said:

They are on par with Seiko

Ooh, bit harsh on Seiko!

(Unless you're talking about the ones with the 1887 movement)

well the Seiko will be reliable

[ianreeves]

I didn't realise this would end in such disaster.

I wanted a TAG as my father had one and it was a fond memory......

Yes I went to a shop but not all are actually in-stock, yes they can order but there is nothing like someone who actually has one.

I'll close the door on this one.

[Chr1sch]

i find this thread a frustrating read, not everyone is aware of the inner details of TAG's mechanicals and as such aspire to own what in their eyes is a nice, quality looking watch

i was one of them, i have the TAG Lewis Hamilton F1 jobbie that my wife bought me 5 years ago for our wedding, i bloody love it, its a relatively restrained and reasonable sized first move into what i've always seen as an aspirational world of 'fine/premium' watches.

It wouldnt hurt to give the guy some gentle advice that TAG may have gone down hill a tad rather than declaring anyone who owns one effecitvey an idiot....

For the record, i'm hugely frustrated with mine, its broken 3 times, most recently being terminal and requiring £400 of new bits, that is inexcusable and im pissed about it, but im not brandishing anyone else who aspires to one a tool or other colourful adjectives used in this thread

[GC8]

michael gould said:

GC8 said:

yeti said:

michael gould said:

I didn't know they use El Primero movements in TAG's ....i stand corrected

Anything with Calibre 36! Don't forget the parent company LMVH owns both TAG and Zenith...

The moral of this is: dont confuse your illinformed opinion for fact.

yep they also own Hublot .....they used to sell Zenith watches in the outlet TAG shop in Ellesmere Port which I thought was a big mistake, as it devalued the Zenith brand (they don't anymore) ......If the truth be known all luxury brands are stupidly overpriced ......15k for a leather Hermes Birkin is a little silly .......TAG however have consistently reduced their quality, Increased their marketing budget and doubled their prices in the past 5 years. They are on par with Seiko, the difference being a good Seiko can be purchased for £200

Make no mistake Michael, I am a pretty harsh critic of TAG Heuer, but I am fair. Techniques d'Avant Garde saved Heuer and they weren't bad custodians. They invested and the company grew. The models were smart and well made, and remember that in the late eighties and early nineties they weren't the aspirational choice of baseballcap wearers, as they are now... The problems arose when LVHM bought Heuer and inflated the prices (along with the sizes) whilst cutting back on the quality.

I believe that I have said before, that my 1991 4000 automatic was a nicer watch than the pre-Bond Omega that I was also considering (better looking and better made). I also have a later type 2000 auto which is pretty good too and made just before LVHM bought the company.

I wouldn't particularly wish to buy a TAG Heuer now for a number of reasons, but principally because theyre over-priced and lacking the quality that they used to have, even when cheaper. On the other hand, a Monaco with an El Prim would probably sway me...

[Muzzer79]

ianreeves said:

I didn't realise this would end in such disaster.

I wanted a TAG as my father had one and it was a fond memory......

Yes I went to a shop but not all are actually in-stock, yes they can order but there is nothing like someone who actually has one.

I'll close the door on this one.

Ignore the haters - TAGs, for what they are, are fine.

However, you appear to be more after a dress watch (leather strap, thin) whereas TAG's, IMO, are more geared towards a non-dress-watch style.

I would go to a reputable jeweller, explain what you want and how much you want to spend and look at some different models.

[DeuxCentCinq]

Chr1sch said:

i find this thread a frustrating read, not everyone is aware of the inner details of TAG's mechanicals and as such aspire to own what in their eyes is a nice, quality looking watch

i was one of them, i have the TAG Lewis Hamilton F1 jobbie that my wife bought me 5 years ago for our wedding, i bloody love it, its a relatively restrained and reasonable sized first move into what i've always seen as an aspirational world of 'fine/premium' watches.

It wouldnt hurt to give the guy some gentle advice that TAG may have gone down hill a tad rather than declaring anyone who owns one effecitvey an idiot....

For the record, i'm hugely frustrated with mine, its broken 3 times, most recently being terminal and requiring £400 of new bits, that is inexcusable and im pissed about it, but im not brandishing anyone else who aspires to one a tool or other colourful adjectives used in this thread

Standard for the watches forum of late, I'm afraid.

OP - if want a TAG Heuer, get one. If you're undecided, have a look around online, have a look in shops, make up your own mind. Unless you're going to sell it down the line, most of what people deem important is of no consequence.

[GC8]

I suspected that 'quartz' would be the OP's answer, and I feel that a quartz watch from any premium manufacturer will be money unwisely spent.

Dress watches haven't ever been Heuer's thing, but I'm confident that some sensible mechanical dress watch suggestions (as well as the usual Christopher Ward cliché) can be made if the OP can expand on his requirement a little further, and provide some examples of watches that he likes.

I will start by suggesting an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra which used, will cost less than a new TAG Heuer, can be bought as-new with all boxes and papers if care is taken.

[Beachbum]

Why dont we all start again ?
TAG - general feeling from this site and many others is that whilst TAG were considered a decent watch some years ago, they have slipped in most peoples opinions in recent years(Most peoples, being "watch officionado's)

For the same amount of money as a new TAG you can get what these same people consider to be "Better" watches. By better they usually mean, better mechanicals. Only you can determine if they look better.
It would help if we had a budget. I looked at the OP and none is mentioned, although something may have been said later in the thread that I missed.

2nd hand is a very viable alternative to new. Some are like new and if with box and papers worth considering. For most makes you will save a considerable amount over a new watch and therefore achieve a significantly nicer/better watch for the money.
Christopher Ward have mixed opinions on here, but would be worth a look, further up the price bracket, Zenith, then JLC. I like IWC too.
My best suggestion, is to have a look at as many watches as you can on the net, get an idea of what you like and then try and see them for real. I have only been interested in watches for about 4yrs and it took me 18months - 2yrs before getting my first expensive watch.

[Nuisance_Value]

Regardless of what people think of Tag, I think you'll struggle to find a light, thin one. They tend to be a bit more chunky / sporty. Thin watches are usually the preserve of dress watches. I would suggest looking at Longines, Hamilton and Certina. Nice sale on here including all the above and some Tag.

http://www.chisholmhunter.co.uk/sale

I'm tempted to get myself something in the post Christmas sales.

[mikeveal]

OK, sensible advice...
Modern Tags: you don't get what you pay for. But then it's ridiculous to assert that you get what you pay for when you buy any premium watch. It's more the case that you'll get better quality and finish with other brands, I'm not just talking about the movement, but the case, strap and dial too.

Try comparing these two watches in the flesh:
£4464 http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/zenith-el-primero-3...
£4795 http://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/TAG-Heuer-Carrera-Mens...

Yes, its subjective and yeah, the older TAGs were better.

[tertius]

GC8 said:

I suspected that 'quartz' would be the OP's answer, and I feel that a quartz watch from any premium manufacturer will be money unwisely spent.

Dress watches haven't ever been Heuer's thing, but I'm confident that some sensible mechanical dress watch suggestions (as well as the usual Christopher Ward cliché) can be made if the OP can expand on his requirement a little further, and provide some examples of watches that he likes.

I will start by suggesting an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra which used, will cost less than a new TAG Heuer, can be bought as-new with all boxes and papers if care is taken.

Quartz + slim + dressy = Grand Seiko

Probably available well within the OPs TAG budget as well.

FWIW I think TAG have recently been making some interesting stuff, plenty of it re-issues based on the Heuer back catalogue of course, however, there are plenty of those I would be happy to own (the white dial Heuer-branded Carrera re-issue stands out); but also ground breaking stuff like the V4.

[michael gould]

mikeveal said:

OK, sensible advice...
Modern Tags: you don't get what you pay for. But then it's ridiculous to assert that you get what you pay for when you buy any premium watch. It's more the case that you'll get better quality and finish with other brands, I'm not just talking about the movement, but the case, strap and dial too.

Try comparing these two watches in the flesh:
£4464 http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/zenith-el-primero-3...
£4795 http://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/TAG-Heuer-Carrera-Mens...

Yes, its subjective and yeah, the older TAGs were better.

Agree the older TAG's are better.......just to put things into perspective on value .....the above prices are what I paid for this
[url]
Or this|http://thumbsnap.com/PsYJUCyY[/url]

Or this


All 3 watches were under 5k .....there's some great value to be had......but buying £4700 TAG is appalling value.......the Zenith is nice but still not great value

[Variomatic]

Ecurie Ecosse said:

I have a few watches and today I'm wearing my TAG (oh dear) Quartz (double oh dear) F1 (triple oh dear, the cheapest model).

But you know what, I like it. It's about 26 years old now, still looks great IMHO and the whole face glows in the dark, which is just cool. And it has great sentimental value. No reliability issues either.
[...]

So, OP, if you fancy a TAG get one. This model I am wearing is quite thin, but it is also quite old so not sure if you are looking for a new one?

Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Tuesday 23 December 22:18

The bold bit is what's key, Ecurie.

The F1 at that time used the ETA 955 series movements. Not hugely expensive but great quality, nicely finished, and service beautifully. The technical quality was broadly inline with starting Omegas of the time, but (iirc) priced at around half Omega prices.

Non-chrono tags changed to the ETA F-series movements a few years back, which I can buy starting from about £22. They don't service well, and spares backup is virtually non-existant, which doesn't matter because at that price you just throw it away and fit a new one. The latest F1s now use RH 6004, which starts at £16 (in nickel finish - the gold plate is a little extra). At least it's not ETA but, again, at that price it's a disposable unit. In short, There is absolutely nothing "prestige" about them than the name on the dial.

I understand that "name" has a certain value in these things (not to me personally because I've always been aware of the technical side) but, honestly, how is a fifteen quid (no doubt less to them) movement in a £900 watch "good value" by any stretch of the imagination???

[michael gould]

GC8 said:

michael gould said:

GC8 said:

yeti said:

michael gould said:

I didn't know they use El Primero movements in TAG's ....i stand corrected

Anything with Calibre 36! Don't forget the parent company LMVH owns both TAG and Zenith...

The moral of this is: dont confuse your illinformed opinion for fact.

yep they also own Hublot .....they used to sell Zenith watches in the outlet TAG shop in Ellesmere Port which I thought was a big mistake, as it devalued the Zenith brand (they don't anymore) ......If the truth be known all luxury brands are stupidly overpriced ......15k for a leather Hermes Birkin is a little silly .......TAG however have consistently reduced their quality, Increased their marketing budget and doubled their prices in the past 5 years. They are on par with Seiko, the difference being a good Seiko can be purchased for £200

Make no mistake Michael, I am a pretty harsh critic of TAG Heuer, but I am fair. Techniques d'Avant Garde saved Heuer and they weren't bad custodians. They invested and the company grew. The models were smart and well made, and remember that in the late eighties and early nineties they weren't the aspirational choice of baseballcap wearers, as they are now... The problems arose when LVHM bought Heuer and inflated the prices (along with the sizes) whilst cutting back on the quality.

I believe that I have said before, that my 1991 4000 automatic was a nicer watch than the pre-Bond Omega that I was also considering (better looking and better made). I also have a later type 2000 auto which is pretty good too and made just before LVHM bought the company.

I wouldn't particularly wish to buy a TAG Heuer now for a number of reasons, but principally because theyre over-priced and lacking the quality that they used to have, even when cheaper. On the other hand, a Monaco with an El Prim would probably sway me...

I would agree with you......and..I'm not subtle in my approach to any forum, that's just who I am .......but make no mistake the vast majority of modern day TAGs are bordering on theft the quality is so poor ......anything with EP movment in is going to be a half decent watch but it,s a bit like buying a Fiat with a Ferrari engine ......at Ferrari prices......not sure that analogy works but you know what I mean........Happy Christmas to all

[Craikeybaby]

eddieo said:

OP. Find yourself a nice vintage Heuer is my advice.

I like this idea, do you know which Tag your Dad had?

[steeevvvooo]

GC8 said:

On the other hand, a Monaco with an El Prim would probably sway me...

Like this?







OP, there is merit to both sides of the argument here. Many watch "aficionados" will look down on Tags. They sell watches ranging from <£1k to £50k so although they have some "higher end" models they also do some cheaper (quartz) ones.

However... if you want to own a TAG then buy one you like and will enjoy wearing. My first "premium" watch was a Tiger Woods Golf Tag. A small quartz watch which may fit the bill for you.




I no longer own it but it started my interest in watches, which is definitely a good thing!!