TAG Monaco for a quality watch virgin.

[Emeye]

Hello watch lovers and experts,

I've never spent more than £110 on a watch, I've always fancied a Monaco, but I know nothing about quality watches.

This one has caught my eye - it's probably the cheapest Monaco you can get.

http://www.beaverbrooks.co.uk/0001054/TAG-Heuer-Mo...



Being a tight git/bargain hunter and wanting a decent watch are not really compatible - I'm exactly the same with my cars which is why you'll find me on the £5K Barge and bargain basement threads!

Why is is cheaper than the other Monacos? Is it the size?

Ideally I'd like a stainless steel strap, but I get rashes off my Stainless steel strap watches, thought this may be because they are made of stainless steel containing impurities. My second choice is a black leather strap, but I want a watch to wear daily, and quite often I wear brown boots/shoes.

Could I buy this and add a stainless steel strap?

Would I be better off looking secondhand?

Apologies for all the questions - it terrifies me spending this sort of money on a watch as without any knowledge it is hard to judge the value of a watch or be able to spot a fake.

Cheers.

[Bit of a Unit]

I picked up a second hand Monaco from a fellow P'her for about 2k, unrecognisable from new.

Nothing wrong with 2nd hand.

Thanks again Paul!

[Emeye]

Bit of a Unit said:

I picked up a second hand Monaco from a fellow P'her for about 2k, unrecognisable from new.

Nothing wrong with 2nd hand.

Thanks again Paul!

Piccy?

[GSP]

Plenty of people will be along shortly to tell you a Tag Heuer is not a quality watch, because unless it's Patek or Tudor it's not a proper watch, but get what you want.

Take a look at other stuff within your budget second hand on here...

http://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Tag%20Heuer/Monaco/Wa...

[Stuart70]

Bit of a Unit said:

I picked up a second hand Monaco from a fellow P'her for about 2k, unrecognisable from new.

Nothing wrong with 2nd hand.

Thanks again Paul!

I am guessing you mean indistinguishable from new, or was it rubbish?

[yeti]

It's cheaper than others because it doesn't have a chronograph (stopwatch) - the thing is, the Monaco is supposed to have a chrono otherwise it's kind of pointless.

Yeah second hand they are common, I sourced one for just over a grand via watches.co.uk. The chrono can be had for probably 1500 second hand, a much better buy.

[yeti]

GSP said:

Plenty of people will be along shortly to tell you a Tag Heuer is not a quality watch

Sadly, for the money...

[Fatrat]

I purchased one of these:

http://www.watches.co.uk/watch/13633s/tag-heuer-mo...

from watches.co.uk. I love it!

[michael gould]

yeti said:

GSP said:

Plenty of people will be along shortly to tell you a Tag Heuer is not a quality watch

Sadly, for the money...

Agree with Yeti.......overpriced .......but I would add, over rated .........not the same watch as 10 years ago .......most Tag watches are available at the outlet village shop on the Wirral for 40% off.

[yeti]

Fatrat said:

I purchased one of these:

http://www.watches.co.uk/watch/13633s/tag-heuer-mo...

from watches.co.uk. I love it!

I had a 'Heuer' only dialled Monaco for years, one of the limited editions. They sell on eBay for 1500 or so, I got 1800 for mine as I wrote a nice advert! At that price, they are not a bad watch, at inflated dealer price; they are not worth it.

[Emeye]

So would I be better buying one over 10 years old?

[yeti]

Emeye said:

So would I be better buying one over 10 years old?

It'll certainly be cheaper but the quality will be no different.

Look, I have had two Monacos, a blue face and the LE black face; both ran well, were decently accurate, looked great and were sold for more than I paid. There are worse ways of spending your money! They are also the expected watch of a petrolhead!

Recently I bought a Chopard Mille Miglia - similar idea of the bought-in movement (but an ETA 7750 intergrated chrono rather than a 2892 modular chrono) but a Chronometer certifiedmovement and the whole watch and package (box papers and a tyre pressure gauge!) finished to a higher standard. I paid 1250 for it and love it, if the Monaco was that level I'd say yes. It's expensive for what it is; a design icon though.

[GCH]

Better model/deal here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380867814977?ru=http://w...

No affiliation with seller - that just happens to be the cheapest one currently on the bay.
Heuer only dial, one of the first reissues, box and papers, chronograph, and a grand cheaper than the one posted at the top.

Get a cape cod cloth , a dab of polywatch on the (plexiglass) crystal, and it will be like new.

Edited by GCH on Saturday 22 March 14:01

[mrdemon]

I have a black crono you can have for £1500, has two nice straps inc the org but could do with a plexi replacement which is about £100 , which I could get done for you which would inc new seals and test. Than ofcourse £1600.
Full box and papers keeps great time.

Price on watchfinder is over £2k these days. Cheapest being £2150.

I have 2 monaco's and only need 1

[yeti]

GCH said:

Better model/deal here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380867814977?ru=http://w...

OP; if you're reading this - this man speaks sense, that's the one you want and that's a very decent price!! ^^

[Fatrat]

yeti said:

GCH said:

Better model/deal here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380867814977?ru=http://w...

OP; if you're reading this - this man speaks sense, that's the one you want and that's a very decent price!! ^^

Indeed it is exceptional value. This is the exact model I purchased about 2 years ago from watches.co.uk for about £1700 and they now want £2300!!

[Emeye]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I am very tempted by the eBay one posted, but I am a bit nervous about buying something secondhand and relatively expensive unseen over the internet.

Also, is not part of the experience of buying a watch going around and looking and touching what is on offer?

I was very close to pressing the buy it now button, but the central heating boiler sprung a leak yesterday! The engineer is coming tomorrow, so if it is nothing serious and the watch is still there.....

[yeti]

Emeye said:

Also, is not part of the experience of buying a watch going around and looking and touching what is on offer?

Kind of assumed you'd done that seeing as you seemed to have chosen the Monaco.

FWIW, I have bought dozens of watches sight unseen from the internet. That is how you get a 4 grand watch for 1300 quid... Decent seller, good feedback etc. It's a GREAT price, but there might be others...

[Emeye]

yeti said:

Kind of assumed you'd done that seeing as you seemed to have chosen the Monaco.

FWIW, I have bought dozens of watches sight unseen from the internet. That is how you get a 4 grand watch for 1300 quid... Decent seller, good feedback etc. It's a GREAT price, but there might be others...

New ones I have, but I have no experience of used watches. Are secondhand ones not all different? Like used cars? Apologies for the car analogies again, but when I go to look at a used car, and I've bought enough in my time, I get a feel for how it has been looked after.

[yeti]

Emeye said:

Are secondhand ones not all different?

Leather straps will wear and show their age but can be replaced very easily. Then there's the crystal, which if acrylic can be polished or replaced and the case/bracelet which can be polished to new. The movement will either run to spec or it won't, then it needs a service.

Upshot is, condition can be described very easily and a decent seller should do that. Maybe you should just buy new TBH.