Whats wrong with Tags?
Discussion
I've loved Tags since a teenager when they first came out and have always had F1's. Fast forward 20+ years and when my wife came to buy my 40th birthday present she got me a Tag Calibre 16 which is an expensive and to my eyes beautiful watch. In hindsight, if I'd spent as much time before reading this forum as I have done in the last year then I would have probably picked many more watches before the Tag because I've been opened up to another world. Don't get me wrong though, I still love it!
I now see there is little love for the Tag's over the original Heuer's. I get that it was a proper watch company bought out by a large corp and that the after sales service is not there anymore but as a novice I'm keen to understand why the rest of it is not held in such high esteem. Is it the components, the attention to detail, finish, commercial sell out, or all of that. Are all watch aficionado's down on the brand? Break it to me
I now see there is little love for the Tag's over the original Heuer's. I get that it was a proper watch company bought out by a large corp and that the after sales service is not there anymore but as a novice I'm keen to understand why the rest of it is not held in such high esteem. Is it the components, the attention to detail, finish, commercial sell out, or all of that. Are all watch aficionado's down on the brand? Break it to me
They've become very expensive for a watch that simply isn't such amazing quality compared to those brands with which they now compete in price
Plenty of TAGs now retailing at 3-6k+, at which point you can get into entry level Rolex, JLC, etc - not only are those watches better quality, but as a result, they hold their value much better too
Was astonished to see some of the Monaco 24s getting close to 10k retail now ! To me, that's barmy.....I don't think TAG have become a bad brand as such, just very poor VFM
Plenty of TAGs now retailing at 3-6k+, at which point you can get into entry level Rolex, JLC, etc - not only are those watches better quality, but as a result, they hold their value much better too
Was astonished to see some of the Monaco 24s getting close to 10k retail now ! To me, that's barmy.....I don't think TAG have become a bad brand as such, just very poor VFM
I love my tag microtimer but I cannot fathom the company out.
It makes such beautiful concepts such as the v4 and the analogue microtimer which are fantastic pieces of engineering but most of what they sell is tat and the rest of it is over priced.
It is a company which as a kid I admired same as you but with each new release of a £6k Monaco or a £1k quartz I like them less.
It makes such beautiful concepts such as the v4 and the analogue microtimer which are fantastic pieces of engineering but most of what they sell is tat and the rest of it is over priced.
It is a company which as a kid I admired same as you but with each new release of a £6k Monaco or a £1k quartz I like them less.
Growing up I always remember all I wanting was a Tag, I got one for my 18th and a trip to see the Spanish GP and was over the moon, the watch was stuck to me like glue. Im not a avid watch collector (im 32 now btw) but I do try to buy a good watch every 2 years or so, ever since that first Tag (which I still own) I would never buy another, not for the quality reasons....but I was sick of people saying 'did you get that from Turkey'...no fool it cost £1200. My girlfriend compares Tags to Gucci bags, originals are nice, but everyone has a fake and assumes yours is too. So recently ive purchased an Omega, Breitling, Hublot and a Panerai, the panerai has to be my favourite, discreet yet beautiful....well worth looking at and considering for a future purchase.
I bought my first TAG Heuer (a 4000 automatic), and my first good watch, in 1991 which was long before anyone made a fake. Sadly they became the aspirational watch of the baseball cap wearing f
kwit and Turkish specials quickly followed.
Sadly no one refers to them as TAG Heuer. Im more interested in Heuers now and I leave the Tags (sic) for the tattooed fraternity.
kwit and Turkish specials quickly followed.Sadly no one refers to them as TAG Heuer. Im more interested in Heuers now and I leave the Tags (sic) for the tattooed fraternity.
Like pretty well everyone else who liked (but wasn't necessarily very knowledgeable about) nice watches, I bought two 2000 Series Tag Heuers in the 1990's. They were OK but a bit of a default choice, much like the Omega SM300 has been for the last 10 years or so.
Tag Heuers had good marketing of nice looking watches containing decent enough third party movements and achieved good market share, but many "in the know" have been put off by the mass market approach and are looking for something less ubiquitous.
Most "collectors" prefer the Heuer era watches - I'm not sure there a many Tag Heuer collectors at all?
However, in recent times Tag Heuer has gotten much more serious is now quite a pioneering brand with the likes of the Monaco V4 and the Mikrotimer / Mikrograph.
Those complaining about the recent price rises may not realise they are paying for "In House" movements these days, or at least movements that have been heavily developed by Tag based on a platform developed by others - Seiko in the case of the Calibre 1887.
It may take some time, but I think they are on the right track to being regarded as proper manufacturers. I wish them well. Models such as the Limited Edition Jack Heuer Calibre 17 Carrera may lean heavily on the Heuer history, but it's a lovely watch.
Tag Heuers had good marketing of nice looking watches containing decent enough third party movements and achieved good market share, but many "in the know" have been put off by the mass market approach and are looking for something less ubiquitous.
Most "collectors" prefer the Heuer era watches - I'm not sure there a many Tag Heuer collectors at all?
However, in recent times Tag Heuer has gotten much more serious is now quite a pioneering brand with the likes of the Monaco V4 and the Mikrotimer / Mikrograph.
Those complaining about the recent price rises may not realise they are paying for "In House" movements these days, or at least movements that have been heavily developed by Tag based on a platform developed by others - Seiko in the case of the Calibre 1887.
It may take some time, but I think they are on the right track to being regarded as proper manufacturers. I wish them well. Models such as the Limited Edition Jack Heuer Calibre 17 Carrera may lean heavily on the Heuer history, but it's a lovely watch.
Edited by andy tims on Saturday 28th September 15:09
I agree with Andy, though I would add that I suspect they are suffering from a sort of reverse halo effect - people over-eulogise the older Heuers and consequently under-rate the current output.
If you think about it, Heuer basically put standard movements into (very) nice cases, and then we complain about Tag Heuer why exactly?
I really think Tag Heuer are starting to produce some very nice and innovative designs and they are re-visiting their back catalogue rather nicely. Of course they also produce some real horrors but I think there is hardly a watch maker around that doesn't tick that particular box ...
If you think about it, Heuer basically put standard movements into (very) nice cases, and then we complain about Tag Heuer why exactly?
I really think Tag Heuer are starting to produce some very nice and innovative designs and they are re-visiting their back catalogue rather nicely. Of course they also produce some real horrors but I think there is hardly a watch maker around that doesn't tick that particular box ...
tertius said:
If you think about it, Heuer basically put standard movements into (very) nice cases, and then we complain about Tag Heuer why exactly?
Well said. The historical motorsport link was extremely fortunate, IMHO they'd be on their arse without it. Every TAG I have ever bought was a re-edition of their original pieces. They're slightly more wearable I think than the originals with sapphlex and decent bracelets etc.
When I was around 18 (12 years ago), I used to oggle in Goldsmiths window at Tags and always yearn for a Carrera. At that time there were only about 4 Tag models on offer to men, the Carrera, the Aquaracer (was never a fan), the F1 and the Monaco.
To me, this was a good thing, but there now seem to be a whole raft of other models and variants, that I now no longer know what is what, and what movements each have. Some look very naff IMO and now when I look in the jewelers window, the whole range looks somewhat cheap and not in the league they are trying to compete price-wise.
I bought a black face Carrera about 8 years ago btw, and still wear it as a daily today. To me it is still a very good looking watch that is somewhat of a classic now.
To me, this was a good thing, but there now seem to be a whole raft of other models and variants, that I now no longer know what is what, and what movements each have. Some look very naff IMO and now when I look in the jewelers window, the whole range looks somewhat cheap and not in the league they are trying to compete price-wise.
I bought a black face Carrera about 8 years ago btw, and still wear it as a daily today. To me it is still a very good looking watch that is somewhat of a classic now.
ChrisMCoupe said:
When I was around 18 (12 years ago), I used to oggle in Goldsmiths window at Tags and always yearn for a Carrera. At that time there were only about 4 Tag models on offer to men, the Carrera, the Aquaracer (was never a fan), the F1 and the Monaco.
To me, this was a good thing, but there now seem to be a whole raft of other models and variants, that I now no longer know what is what, and what movements each have. Some look very naff IMO and now when I look in the jewelers window, the whole range looks somewhat cheap and not in the league they are trying to compete price-wise.
I bought a black face Carrera about 8 years ago btw, and still wear it as a daily today. To me it is still a very good looking watch that is somewhat of a classic now.
I was given a Tag Kirium 13 years ago for my 18th; don't forget the Kirium To me, this was a good thing, but there now seem to be a whole raft of other models and variants, that I now no longer know what is what, and what movements each have. Some look very naff IMO and now when I look in the jewelers window, the whole range looks somewhat cheap and not in the league they are trying to compete price-wise.
I bought a black face Carrera about 8 years ago btw, and still wear it as a daily today. To me it is still a very good looking watch that is somewhat of a classic now.
At the time the watch seemed large and prestigious. I recently picked it up after dropping it in for a service 8 years ago (yes, you read that right; bad memory and friendly watch smith) and was amazed at how small it was.
The new ones are just so meh. Expensively meh.
Anyway, I've always fancied a 18K Monza; there's been one on Ebay for 2 years or so that has never sold.
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff