If you haven’t been able to figure it out yet: this is just a smear campaign to get Bernard Arnault to make MEEEE THE TAG CEO and adopt me as his new daughter. PLEAAAAASEEEE FUTURE DADDDDD!
Crazy to think but my Aquaracer is the most accurate watch I own even better than my Seamaster. Cool brand and some great designs, some questionable designs as well. Great video
You should read Jack Heuer‘s autobiography, he basically got robbed of the company. Ie his family legacy. It broke his heart. He’s a pretty amazing personality and it’s a great read
Hey! TAG Heuer AD worker here. I completely agree. I think TAG Heuer’s biggest weakness these days is their ownership by LVMH. Like you said, a ton of people not within the watch world know the name TAG Heuer. They see the sign, and they recognize the name. But on the inside, it’s really not good. A little while ago, we were confident in telling our customers that it’d only take a month for their watch to come back from LVMH, the place that handles TAG watch repairs. These days, however, we have to tell them more like 4-6 months at the fastest. We’ve had multiple complaints from customers saying, “where’s my watch?” It doesn’t look good for us, and it doesn’t look good for the brand. Worst of all, the LVMH repair department are tolerable at best. They can make the watch work again just fine, but they won’t do much more than that. But the trouble comes when they decide to send us back a watch that has had NO WORK DONE TO IT. This has happened on multiple occasions. Our manager had even sent emails reprimanding them for their terrible service. At this point, I’m telling our customers that they’d be better off sending their watch to our company’s watchmaker. That way they’d have their watch back within the month. And the thing is, he does a far better job than LVMH even does. If we had the option to go through any other repair department than LVMH, we would. But we’re stuck with them. On the side of some of their better releases, like the 160 year collection, we can’t even get them in for our store, let alone order them for a customer. Same goes with the Monaco collection. They’re now exclusive to the TAG Heuer boutiques and their online store, and the Monaco’s were ones that we were able to sell regularly before they pulled them. Don’t get me wrong, their current lineup of non-smartwatches is a really solid three tiered lineup. You’ve got the Formula 1s as the entry door, the Link and the Aquaracer as the mid-tier, and the Carrera, Autavia, and Monaco as the upper echelon. Obviously this isn’t taking into account the various tourbillon models they offer, but lord knows we can’t get them in our store either, simply because they’re pushing 15-20 Grand. Overall, I really like TAG Heuer as a brand, and they’ve got some serious history and heritage in the watch world. It’s just that their ownership is barely taking any advantage of it. If they could shake loose LVMH, I think they’d be a hell of a contender, just like you said. It wouldn’t even matter if they dropped the whole TAG branding. That I think has become so much a part of their name that it’d be detrimental to their image to the outside community. TL;DR: Good company, terrible ownership, even worse repair shop
Got my first TAG Heuer (Formula 1) in 1991 and wasn't aware of the brand at the time. I was looking for a dive watch which wasn't massive. Withstood everything I could throw at it. Loved it. Still going strong today.
I have an F1 from 1994 and 3 Sports Elegance cronographs since I was a great Ayrton Senna fan. So sorry to know that the brand is headed by someone who should not known nothing about motorsports.
When you brought up the missed opportunity concerning 90s style today and tag Heuer's zenith of popularity during this same period, this struck me as something that a 27 year old CEO brought up on smart devices can easily overlook. Good point, Britt!!
That is definitely a point that a 27 year old is missing, he didn't live through it and see the fanfare back in the day for a Tag. In Miami in the 90's it was Tag.
I completely agree with you, when I began to work as a young engineer in the early 90’s the watch brand that screams I made it to me was Tag Heuer, I bought a Tag Heuer Kirium and I felt like a king 🤴🏻 with it on my wrist! Greetings from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
Tag gets shade cause of it’s price point. I got a 2018 WAY2112 Aquaracer 41mm 300m (big fan of the specs) and I have put it on the chopping block about three times and every time I can’t do it because I have connected very much with it. I enjoy the size, wearability, look and design, handling, bracelet (clasp needs some love), and versatility. It’s one watch I am not afraid to beat up and I use it to workout, with a suit, with shorts, to ride horses, etc. It was my first entry level luxury Swiss watch and I think a keeper. It’s one of those watches I can wear and I don’t need to ever take it off.
I agree 100% with you, the 90's is staring Tag in the face and saying, "let's have another go for this new generation that loves the 90's," and Tag is saying no,no we have to make this super expensive electronic watch. So sad for Tag missing the boat! I actually purchased a Tag Aquaracer Calibre 5 a month ago and returned it for an Omega Seamaster 300 in Blue Gray. The price difference between the two was in the thousands, and I for the life of me can't lie and tell you that there are moments I don't miss the Aquaracer. Hands down I think the bracelet on the Aquaracer was better than my Omega that I'm wearing right now. I was told that Tag was not a real Swiss watch and it had plastic parts inside, but deep down I should've kept my Calibre 5, I was happy with it. Now I'll just have to purchase it again in the future.
Hi, just stumbled on your channel (I won’t sue) with this TAG vid and it was great! Totally agree, I bought my first TAG F1 about ‘89 in London working as a student. Saw the yellow one advertised, loved it, wimped out and bought the blue instead and loved that too. I’d probably seen TAG and Heuer on F1 cars before but not consciously. This was such a fresh brand to me. Yearsss later I bought the F1 Gulf and love it but like you said I’ve witnessed the brand dissolve slowly and become watch-bashed in the media. I own a Nickleback CD so I can handle this. But yes TAG Heuer are all over motor racing and have the history to be great again! Sorry I waffled. Great channel.
I love my Tag Heuer Aquaracer and unlike most watch snobs, have taken it diving. The best thing about it? That I can get a solidly built dive watch that depreciates 60%+ within it's first 5 years when picking it up secondhand!
I love Tag heuer. Last year I bought a "link" , used. And 2 weeks ago I bought a new, black, Aquaracer. I've ordered a Rolex. But if I've not had it by next year, it'll be a Carrera model next.....love them. Great video by the way 👍👍👍
My 1st nice watch was a Tag Heuer 6000 series with a blue dial. I was in that store for a good 2 hours looking at it, walking around the store to see if it felt good on the wrist. It was about $1200 and the most I had ever spent on a single item other than a car. I wore that watch for a good 6 years. It has now been passed down, 1st to my nephew then to my oldest niece and now the youngest niece. She actually still wears it on sometimes.
This video is so on the money! I purchased my first luxury watch back in 1983, a Heuer 2000 chrono after a good night in the casino in Aruba lol I was 19 years old. I’ve always loved Tag, but you’re right. There’s nothing worse than wasted potential
Good perspective Britt! I’m in a family business here in Australia started by my late father. But when I came into it some 30+ years ago, I started at the bottom! Dad said “If you think you’re coming into the business & start at the top, you’re not!”🤣 Twice the hours & half the pay of my trade, I worked by butt off alongside dad. An overnight success that took 20 years!😂 Anyway, I’m on a similar wavelength re Tag Heuer! This brand was my very first so called luxury purchase some 20 years ago! It’s still in immaculate condition & is my special wear from time to time.😊👍🏼🇦🇺
I have a soft spot for Tag my mom has a few Tag watches that my dad got her years ago and from time to time I would go in in my parents room as a kid and look at her tag watches and my dad's watches I think to my self I want a Tag one day like so many other watches they had over the years. Tag back in the 90's really where the popular kids in the watch world like Movado if you parents had a Tag Heuer or a Swatch, Rado, or in some cases even a JOJO iced out watch, as a kid growing up in the 80's 90's you wanted in the club of owning one yourself so you either saved up for one or got one by your grand parents lol. Talking about Tag Heuer really got me back in to memory lane for me Thanks for that Britt rally enjoyed the video
I am a 90s kid also and I totally agree with you on loving tag and feeling like some one if you had one lol I remember I took a trip to Europe and the Middle East in the early 2000s and seeing a big billboard when Leonardo Dicaprio as their spokesperson and saying to my self and my dad when I get money I’m buying a TAG Heuer
Just got my new Tag Formula 1 Date, today, new, from the Tag website. Love it, beautiful! But wow, watching these people pounding on Tag breaks my heart. It's my first 'luxury' watch, the only one in my price range. Maybe I should return it.
It makes sense that the kids get the companies, that way they are invested in ensuring the businesses run well. If your inheritance is linked to the business you run, you want to make sure that business does well.
I love my TAG. I think people get upset at the LVMH take over before that it was the TAG take over. They have the iconic Monaco and Formula 1. The build quality and the finishing is beautiful. The Aquaracer is my daily driver as the ceramic bezel takes all the hits. Uses an ETA caliber and very accurate. They also provide luxury watches at a more "affordable" price. I think it's great to get people in the hobby and they do have a very rich history. People that hate TAG I feel haven't handled a TAG or even worn one. I've gotten compliments on my TAG more than my GS, Rolex, or Breitling. Definitely agree with you on the nepotism and young CEO, the connect, and Mario BUT their sports marketing is pretty good and their Hollywood marketing too. Thanks for a fresh take on a topic I feel everyone has an opinion on.
100% agree! Second only to Rolex, TAG was the brand name that I was aware of for luxury watches back in the day. TAG has some strange allure. I wish they made a model I loved. They need their version of the BB58.
My Tag Heuer Kirium was my first major watch purchase in the late 90s. Back then I was not into watches per say, and my preconception of the brand was young and dynamic. I worked a lot in the city of London back then and noticed they were one of the favoured brands amongst stocks traders etc. I kind of saw the other brands as for old men who smoke pipes and wear slippers, people who were winding up their lives, not young and ambitious like me. I am now that pipe and slippers guy but I still love that watch. I'm so glad I kept it.
Love my TAG! I have a F1 since 2007, basic model, 41, black dial, date only, jubillee bracelet. nothing else. I am also an Omega SM and a Datejust 41 owner and I am always going back for my F1 for daily use. It is not flashy, business sport, low key I can say, but it gets the look from watch enthusiasts and the job done. 17 years has passed and having one full maintainance in 2018 that was amazingly performed, they even painted the Tag label on the steel and changed the bazel and indicators, as it remains like new and updated, the only difference is the line at 3 and 9, oppose to large numbers as the 2024 model. It is definitvely the BEST entry level premium watch brand in the world with their true motorracing DNA.
I have a 1973 Heuer chronograph and to bookend it bought the skeltonized Carrerra Twin Time Chronogtaph GMT with the excellent in-house Calibre 02. The reference I bought was very Hublotesque. Mechanically it was superb but aesthetically it was much too busy and difficult to read the metric information which is the f***ing point of a watch with multiple complications. TAG has brought in the world’s premier woman watch engineer Carol Forstier-Kasapi who shares primary responsibility for the Ulysses Nardin Freak with Ludwig Ochselin and who spent a fertile decade at Cartier as their technical director of high end complications and Uber watches. Heuer was a hallmark for quality and precision - they need to go back to that and offer the very best at each price point in their model lines. I have owned two quartz Grand Seikos and a masterful Campanola (the Citizen version of high accuracy, high finished quartz which puts Grand Seiko to shame). Quartz was originally the province of expensive watches. TAG Heuer does not have to renounce quartz or even smart watches but they need to follow the example of the Japanese and strive for the best even if, as in the case of Seiko’s spring drive, it takes twenty years of development and 220 patents before a spring drive watch could be offered commercially. Few occidental companies demonstrate the commitment of the Japanese to the pursuit of long term excellence and consumer value. Jean-Claude Biver is an engaging marketer but he is very much in the vein of the Detroit hucksters who put a Mustang body on a severely deficient Falcon chassis and drive train, experienced a short term spike in profits from 1965 to 1973 and then found themselves left in the dust by Japanese manufacturers whom the Detroit hucksters laughed at.
Great video! Really thoughtful editing, an informative history and an interesting analysis on the current situation. I also came away unsure if I wanted a tag more than before or less.. I certainly feel more like calling it a Heuer than a Tag if I’m going to abbreviate one way or the other!
I'll admit that I'm about to buy my first TAG - a new Carrera... I collect watches, and used to think TAG was the junk watch for people who don't know watches. But the newest movement, and some things on the horizon, make me think there may indeed be a return to quality. Omega survived "Swatch" - let's hope Heuer (not TAG) re-emerges from LVMH.
I couldn't agree more with your last points on the vid. The revival of Heuer (branded) classics (started in 1996 with the Carrera) has been a fantastic channel for TH to remodel themselves as a serious horological contender. the Carrera, the Autavia, the Monza, The Camano, the (kitchy) Monaco are great iconic lines. They could probably turn the Silverstone and the Mikrograph (which are really single watch designs) into a great lines as well. How many iconic watch lines does a company need to succeed? Not enough? OK, Heuer also have the Montreal, The Skipper and the Mareographe (AKA the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer, AKA the Orvis Solunagraph), which are ripe for revival. Consistently managing these classics under the Heuer banner is a no brainer especially now they have a great modern, in-house column wheel chronograph movement to exploit. Instead TH choose to release them under a pretend Heuer ID with a trickle of Ltd Ed releases, leaving the market segment for Tudor, Brietling and Omega to dominate uncompeted. Worse still, they use the iconic brand names Carrera and Autavia in modern lines, diluting the very iconic values that those names possess.
I do agree with you. Tag was always prevelant 30 years ago, and never had anything that I really wanted. But just a couple months ago I tried a bunch on watches on….Santos, Breitlings, and a few others…..somehow I walked with an AquaRacer 200. Just felt the best. I was shocked. I am really happy with it. Pulling for Tag Heuer as well.
I have a Heuer Montreal it’s it screams the 70’s! No other watch like it in todays market- cushion shape design, crown on left side, tachy and pulse scale on the dial! It’s uniquenesses is what makes it fun to wear! Cheers
Same! 90's kid here. I was aware of Tag before even Rolex. I'm lightly looking into LVMH stock, and honestly from a corporate strategy perspective, i think the higher end horology will occur through Zenith, Chaumet & Hublot. Tag will take on Longines and that bracket.
I got a TAG Heuer Link Dual Time 15 years ago as my college graduation gift, which was also the first “luxury” piece of good I ever possessed, and it had withstood time to become my staple watch still. I think it is a true affordable replacement for Rolex Explorer II then and now. So I also have a soft spot for them. But now as I am beginning to dig deeper into the watch world, I also get why there is such a divisive view on TAG Heuer. It seems the LVMH group has been using the brand as their lab rat for trotting the middle ground between traditional/quality/luxury watch and fashion watch, only to satisfy neither side of the aisle. Many quality models have been discontinued, and for those who continued to be produced, rather awkward designs and colors have been added. They also frequently price the watches so obscenely high for the movements housed inside (which had so little in-house upgrades) that one would rather get a better deal by pursuing a Tudor or a Longines or bite the bullet and spend more money to get an Omega or even a Rolex at retail. The brand also lacks a clear identity, frequently changing brand ambassadors, boasting its fashionable design while downplaying its race chronograph and diving traditions. These issues need to be sorted out, quickly.
I have many watches - Rolex , AP, Patek , VC , LF and FP Journe ! tag Heuer I have on rubber ..carrera is my daily beater. Simple eta movement and simple service. You need one
I have 2 Tag Heuer watches. I got both of them in the mid 90s. The little F1 with the plastic bezel, yeah, I have one. The crystal is so scratched up you can barely read it, but I put a new battery in it every few years and it keeps going. I also have a quartz GMT from the mid 90s. It was the first watch I ever owned with a sapphire crystal. I wore it on two military deployments. Its still going strong 25+ years later, and the crystal is still pristine. I change the battery every few years on that one also. In the 90s Tag Heuer was what you got if you couldn't afford a Rolex. At least that was my mindset. I still love the Monaco, it's on my list. I wish the company was run better because they have some very nice designs, the Monaco is a unique watch that looks gorgeous, the Carrera is an icon. They could still be a contender if they were run better.
Like you I've always had a soft spot for TAG Heuer watches. It began in the 80's. I was a teenager tuning in to Magnum P. I. on Thursday nights, and I wanted a dive watch like Magnum, but I couldn't afford the ROLEX GMT Master II. So, I was looking around everywhere for dive watches and I found the TAG Heuer Formula 1. It only cost a couple hundred bucks back then if memory serves. Ever since I've been a fan. I've added an Auqaracer Calibre S to my collection along with multiple newer versions of the Formula 1.Thanks for this stroll down memory lane!
Now 67 I do remember TAG, as I called it, being the cat's meow. I didn't even know the Heuer part. I knew about Rolex and actually grew into a few, but I digress. At the time TAG was obtainable for the middle class. Rolex used to be, especially nice used models, but that is all gone. I do like many Rolex models, but I'm done. I'm afraid TAG is missing the boat. The old Heuer pieces actually were the cat's meow. I'm glad I subbed. You put a refreshing review on the subject at hand, but I assume you get that a lot.
This was an awesome vid, Brittany, thankyou. Perfect timing, also. I watched a TAG Heuer vid yesterday with Patrick Dempsey driving around a sports car with the then new Autavia Heritage Chrono. I put in a lengthy comment how the brand needs more grit and less glamor. They have such a great racing heritage, but squander it in my opinion. By the way, wanted to mention the Stern's young future leaders of Patek had to pay their dues and aquire responsibilities as deserved. I doubt a 26 year old paid such dues.
We are just two peas in a pod! I couldn’t agree more woth this! 💕 that’s exactly it as well - I’m not against children taking up the same occupation as their parents. It just sits wrong with me when a 26 year old is kinda… handed things. It’s just harder to respect. I’m sure they are all great, nice people!
I agree with the direction this video takes. My first grail was a Heuer 1964 re-edition, somewhere in the early 90s. It took until 2008 for me to be able to buy one, and I was lucky enough to find one. It is still the most beautiful watch I own, although it is also the most fragile. I think the Carrera is still their best watch, the watch even nerds take seriously. Okay, add the Monaco and maybe the Senna watches in the 90s to cement their solid racing heritage. There you have it, 60s and 70s F1 drivers wore the Carrera, Steve McQueen wore the Monaco, and Ayrton Senna made the Link bracelet watches famous and cool. The problem is, all the other models seem kind of nouveau riche, not to be taken seriously somehow. But: no watch company can survive off one model alone. What to do? Well naming young Fred CEO does not add to their credibility. They may need to seriously re-think their catalogue and add a few (of the right) faces from sports to their advertising and keep young Fred somewhere in the background. That might help.
Hey Britt, love the 'cash up with a brand' series! I think you're spot on when it comes to TAG Heuer nowadays. Imho they totally lost track with the new CEO. I'm in my 30s but do think that Mario watches, NFT's and all the other stuff is NOT the path you want to walk towards your future! I really like some of their models and no doubt about that they still make some pretty nice watches but their brand positioning and advertisement is just bad...
I own two Tag Links and absolutely love them! The Link has one of the most comfortable bracelets ever. I don't know what it is about Tag, but I'm a fangirl. I'm considering the new hot pink Aquaracer that came out.
Best video on TagHeuer I have come across. Great job, Britt! Well researched and put together, actual information, nice archive material, and original thought!
Agree with you SO much… Many of us had a soft spot for Heuer. A new generation felt in love with Tag-Heuer in the 89-90’s And since the new owner took control, most wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole! Agree so much with your disgust for lvmh…
My dad bought me a Tag Heuer 4000 automatic on a leather strap when I turned 18. I opened the packaging - which was absolutely more fancy than anything I'd ever received before, and as I peeled the layers away, opened the cardboard outer, slid off the high quality lid, unzipped the leather circular inside, and slowly opened the final lid... he had swapped the watch out for a Mickey Mouse watch (the one with the arms) and damn he fell about laughing. He told me that I was born after midday so I wasn't getting the actual watch until later... He's an actual villain. I still have that watch and I rock it regularly today on a NATO strap and it's an actual strap monster.
You nailed this video Britt. Good mix of historical facts, fun editing and some quirky narration. Also, agree with your observation, culture and fortune handing them a potential win but they are fumbling the ball.
I'm not sure what you think TAG Heuer should become? You really think they should try to overtake Omega? I am a big TAG Heuer fan, but I think they belong where they are - as a mass appeal mid-market watch. Watches you can actually wear when diving or just living your life, without having to worry about that expensive piece of jewelry on your wrist. High quality, great brand image for an affordable price.
I saw a Heuer Autavia for the first time when my dad (a watch nerd) took me to an F1 GP in 1971. Ever since then, it has been my grail watch. Two years ago, my wife bought me the Jack Heuer limited edition Autavia for my 60th birthday. To say that I adore the watch is an understatement. Thank you for the video. P.S. I agree with your take on nepotism.
I have a Tag F1 quartz that was a gift from my mother when I was 18 or something. The rubber strap lasted a few years and I think died a death after I joined the army. I got the bracelet for it and it has been on there ever since. About 9 years ago I bought a Silverstone special edition but never really gelled with it, as cool as it was and less common than the Monaco. Sold it recently for a decent profit and bought a first generation Planet Ocean.
Helmut Sinn started as a Heuer dealer. The first Sinn's were just rebadged Heuer's. But then he had the idea to make them even better, stronger, more reliable but still more affordable under his own brand. Sinn's still are infact what Heuer would be today without TAG and LVMH.
My first Tag was a Kirium. Still have it and love it. Still ticks great. I have bought Rolex and Omega. Love them. But Tag is always a brand I love. So I went out and just bought the new GlassBox. Love it.
Tag heuer needs to reissue more designs from Jack Heuer's chapter 100p like the originals. Their is so many awesome designs from Jacks era that need reissues. Heuer Autaiva Pepsi bezel Gmt manual wind chronograph, Heuer Pasadena, Heuer Carrera first execution, Heuer Camaro,Heuer Montreal pvd coated and that's only a few. This is what alot of fans want. Not these horrible designs they keep doing and definitely build a in house modern build calibre 11 for the Monaco 🇲🇨 but like you said 60s and 70's designs are so popular right now how is this not a obvious move
To be fair, if there’s one guy who’s shouting out Tag Heuer all the time, thats George Bamford. His passion for the brand makes up for the CEO’s apathy. Its not all lost cause.
Loved this video Britt! I agree with your points wholeheartedly. I want to see Tag Heuer make a comeback, and as you pointed out, you would think their heritage would enable them to do that. My first watch was a Tag (a gift from my Dad in the early 2000s, yes, the brand still held some sway in the early 2000s too.) I think that after the Heuer era, the brand never found a solid footing again. This makes me wonder, where could the brand go now that would make them successful now? I'm a big fan of 60s and 70s-era chronographs, and Heuer, along with Rolex, was a trailblazer in that space. As someone who bought a 1964 Heuer Carrera Re-Edition, I still love their Heuer-ara racing watches. Could this period of their heritage be their main opportunity? Haven't they already tried capitalizing on this space with their more recent Carrera models, which have not proven nearly as popular as modern Daytonas? Many of their re-editions or re-issues, however you want to classify them, have been popular but not wildly popular. In comparison, Paul Neuman-era Daytonas have set off waves of mania in the world of watches. Suppose Tags Heuer's strongest brand attribute is its history in racing. Can that history be leveraged to revive the brand in a time when the Daytona already solidly owns that space?
My everyday watch is an Apple Ultra2 and I bought a gently used Aquaracer Chronograph from 2016 today. At 61, I too am a fan of the brand and Steve McQueen so I'm looking forward to receiving it.
Agree 100% about brand recognition - surely only Rolex is more well known to non-watch people, so it's a shame that the owners don't seem to make the most of it. I've got two, an F1 chronograph Gulf Edition (that I've put on a steel bracelet as I was terrified of damaging the gorgeous blue suede strap) and an Aquaracer GMT Pepsi. They get more looks and comments than other more prestigious / expensive watches that I own.
This is a great breakdown. TH has been an afterthought for me but still holds a soft spot. I hadn’t put my finger on it but this video explains exactly what I hadn’t thought through.
I also have a soft spot for Heuer, as a motor racing nerd that is what got me to take notice of the brand. Roll on some decades and I finally got the now discontinued version of the Monaco and an F1 a while back, great watches in my humble opinion. There were a few others that although I like for some reason never made it into the collection, the Autavia is one that came closest. As for the connected pieces, I have no desire for one right now. I really do wish the brand the best of luck and hope they can find there mojo again.
I was born in the early 80's and I remember in the 80's and 90's looking through my grandpa's golf magazines and seeing the Tag Heuer advertisements. I remember thinking to myself someday I will be able to afford a Tag Heuer. Now I own 6. They are my favorite Swiss watch brand because they are attainable. Yeah, I know they don't have in house movements like Rolex, but they also aren't priced like Rolex. They are attainable for the middle class who want a nice reliable Swiss watch. They are a good value in the watch market if you like Automatic movements. I feel they are a bit overpriced for the quartz pieces when you can get Tissot (best value for a Swiss watch, hands down) but Tag isn't going to sell brand new quartz watches for $300-400 and undercut Longines and lower themselves to compete with Tissot. I was skeptical at first when daddy Bernard place his son with hardly any experience in a high paid CEO position (must be nice to be part of that family) but I like the Autavia re-release and I think he's doing a good job even if he's learning as he goes.
I agree with this. Also, my first higher-end watch was a TAG Heuer Calibre 5 from the 2000s that was my uncle's and got it after he sadly passed away. It is a very nice watch and it also continues to remind me of and brings back good memories of my uncle. I hope TAG Heuer improves itself, and I agree with the ideas you discussed. A "smart" watch will not help the company. It should use its heritage to come up with nicer watches.
I think TAG Heuer have the perfect opportunity to hit the younger premium watch buyer who has a bit of coin and doesn’t want to buy Rolex or Omega because…. Well, that’s what the old man wears! Their latest play of combining nostalgia with upper end quality (Glassbox Carrera) is a superb move. Maybe give the kids at LVMH a pass and see how they run with it. 😉
While I understand the strong brand image from the 90’s era, I actually think that’s a problem for TAG. In my opinion those designs are not timeless, they are pinned to an era whose fashion comes and go. Patek, Rolex, Omega, etc all these brands have strong timeless models that aren’t pinned down to a certain decade like the 90’s. They’re going down the connected watch route because that’s one of their only plays at this point.
Would agree but oh man couple years after I got into watches- 2001 ish, TAG had the Kirium, my first watch love. I wanted that watch with an ache in my heart, but never got one. Ive mentioned elsewhere maybe they should bring it back. Who knows: maybe there's a market for a thin steel luxury sports watch wth integrated bracelet 🤪 Guess the point I was trying to make is even though that watch, and maybe other's style is probably pegged to the 90s, I still think it's attractive.
Great video. I’ve owned 2 Monacos, 2 Carreras and an Autavia. All lovely watches that in quality, design and history stood up well to all other brands I’ve owned. But don’t have any at the moment as I flipped them - so I guess that says something. Looking to buy one of the older 38mm Monacos again and will get one eventually - the current 39mm too big.
I've had a love hate relationship with this brand for a long time. Loved Biver era of TAG Heuer. I was appreciating the Autavia Cup, the idea of enthusiast input in design, and the variations of it. I loved the Link, they had some of the most innovative designs, and such a comfortable bracelet. I thought they were going in a great direction with the Heritage pieces they were rolling out. Then the Link became a dress watch. Arnault implied moving away from Steve McQueen and released the Mario Connected....which was a limited release and sold out immediately. 2021 seemed to be moving TAG Heuer into Moved/Invicta fashion brand territory. I'm a tech geek, and I love watches, I actually really enjoy the Connected for what it is, and I can see it being a gateway drug into the mechanical watches. When I started giving up on them, they release the Superdiver using a serious TH30-00 movement contracted from Kenissi. See? Love/hate. Like you, I am really hoping this brand succeeds. They need to redefine their identity again. Great video, keep up the great work!
I currently have a 2017 aquaracer calibre 5 500m wak2110 automatic and personally I love it I don't think there's been a previous aquaracer or newer model that actually looks better in the aquaracer line and baring spending another 3-4k on a higher calibre time piece I personally believe its a brilliant watch and also a luxury watch ..... I do feel like every tag video you see is exactly the same they go through heuer then tag heuer then they put a dampner on it because eta or selita movements are in some of their watches yes I get this isn't as bad as some of the videos but I feel like the majority of people calling tag for this or their advertising campaigns are just snobs
Hi Britt I agree, anyone who was anyone when I was younger had a TAG. Not sure where the company is going but I do like the look of the new GMT Aquaracer.
I have a 2008 Tag Heuer Carrera, got it as a graduation present. I chose it over the speedmaster, as at the time I had a Planet Ocean. Anyway, I love TH and in a meeting with my Carrera, I've got a better watch than 99% in the room. I've now got two Tudors in the collection, which I do prefer and think are better value for money & quality, but TH still rock.
Oh girl, your hair at the end of the vid is AMAZING! And you’re absolutely right- the price game need to change if the watch makers wanna stay , in the game.
I do enjoy my TAG Heuer 2000 auto, which I bought new in ‘04. This was my first “nice” automatic watch! At that time, as far as I was concerned, it was “Rolex or TAG”. I didn’t know much about either, so I went with the more economical of the two (I was also looking at an Explorer). This was the first missed opportunity of my watch-collecting career…
@@BrittPearceWatches Thanks! It is, & I still enjoy wearing it! I didn’t say this before, but I really like what TAG is putting out now, too (although I don’t own any others).
Love your content! Im born in the 80s and the watch i got for my graduation present was an Aquaracer, back in the day before watch collecting, it was only one of those few brands that i know besides Rolex. By the way Hola from Malaysia
I completely agree. This is a brand "waiting to happen" as I read somewhere. They have become boring. They need to be associated with something exciting. Maybe do something more with F1.
My first luxury watch was a Tag F1 Chronograph Quartz which I purchased back in the 2000's for a special birthday, it started my watch collecting journey, unfortunately it doesn't get much wrist time these days as I have moved on to automatic movement watches including an Aquaracer and others from Longines , Oris and Tudor
This is spot on, and TAG could be taking so much more advantage of their heritage instead of dripping out the occasional LE of the 39mm Carrera chronograph. Thanks for saying what at least some of us (who put too much time and energy into watches) were thinking. However, I now fear for your safety. You may need to go into hiding. The “cleaner” crew from LVMH might show up with LV branded handcuffs and LV branded tape to put over your mouth before they haul you away to be forced to watch LVMH propaganda Clockwork Orange style. Run, Britt, run!
The more that the UA-cam watch community bags them, the more I start to like them. You can only go on about Tudor, Rolex, Seiko and Casio for so long before it gets boring........
Imagine if LVMH dropped the T and it went back to being just H again, and it started producing retro design quality automatic movement watches in the £2,500-£7,500 price range. It would be a revelation.
I would love this. But do you think these new models could compete with the beast that is the Daytona? I would like to see "Heuer" try anyway. This may be the only option they really have.
@@dengised321 I don't think anyone would be cross-shopping a (Tag) Heuer against any Rolex, but they could have a decent shot at taking a bite out of Tudors marketshare.
@@mrpusten I agree competing with Tudor is a little more realistic right now, but if we're talking about the brand making a real comeback they should be aiming at the #1 spot, even if it's a long shot. They were neck and neck with Rolex for a time, I think it would be very interesting if they could get back there.
I don’t get why people resent nepotism. 1. What is the point of life BUT to gift your children the fruit of your hard work? 2. While sometimes nepotism leads to incompetence, it can also manifest as a familial dynasty of generational intuition and experience stronger than any newcomer could imagine. Sometimes it comes off as resentment, perhaps because some of us didn’t have successful parents. Or maybe because we don’t believe they earned it. Well, successful people always select protégés, and if family shows interest and drive, why would you possibly pick a stranger? Sorry guys, family is everything.
Sorry everyone but The TAG Heuer plastic quartz sports watches of the 1980s like the garish yellow dialed, Formula 1 308.153 are absolute classics. They may not be considered horologically relevant in today's mechanical watch context but as a slice of 80s culture, quartz Tag Heuer's were essential accessories, up there with Nike Cortez and Katherine Hamnett T-Shirts. In the future, these pieces will become more and more collectable and watch enthusiasts will take them seriously.
A simple Chrono24 search for TAG Heuer provides a good indication of the value perception of a brand. It strips away the brand sponsorship, fancy boutiques, persuasive sales staff, and history of a brand. TAG had its day in the 90s but mismanaged the brand for short-term profits. Many luxury brands fall into a short-term thinking mindset. time will tell if a young CEO will have the patience to steer the brand in a clear direction versus trying to catch the next cool fad.
I've been aware of TAG for as long as I can remember (long before I knew anything about watches) but I can't think of a single watch they've made that made me go "wow, I want that". As an 90's kid, when I stopped to stare longingly at the windows of jewellery stores it was the Breitlings, Rolex's and Cartiers that caught my eye whilst the TAGs looked out of place.
I feel ya, I have an old Tag from 1992, 2 tone (gold plated :-/) chronometer certified. I got it when I left the military and was going to the university. I’ve always loved watches and at that time, this was a good brand, Swiss watch, entry level and yes, a milestone watch for me. I could have gotten a Rolex DJ but to me, that was an old man’s watch. 🤷🏻♂️ The day date didn’t appeal to younger, ignorant me and I wasn’t aware (or could afford) VC, Patek or any other big name Swiss brand. I still spend (or waste depending on your viewpoint) $375-400 to get it serviced every 10 years or so. I don’t think I could sell it for that much lol but it was my 1st Swiss watch and I’ll love it for that. Buuuut, Tag has it’s place in the watch world and it will never be in the top 3 or close. IMO. I go to their boutiques often and try to buy one but they’re not their yet. Their Autavia and Carrera lines are the only ones with promise, for my liking. I don’t know any other watch enthusiast that owns or has bought a Tag…I’m usually the only one in the group lol.
If you haven’t been able to figure it out yet: this is just a smear campaign to get Bernard Arnault to make MEEEE THE TAG CEO and adopt me as his new daughter. PLEAAAAASEEEE FUTURE DADDDDD!
😂
Shady Maneuvers.
Need a Step Bro?
Wow. Just....wow.🤪
Crazy to think but my Aquaracer is the most accurate watch I own even better than my Seamaster. Cool brand and some great designs, some questionable designs as well. Great video
You should read Jack Heuer‘s autobiography, he basically got robbed of the company. Ie his family legacy. It broke his heart. He’s a pretty amazing personality and it’s a great read
Hey! TAG Heuer AD worker here. I completely agree. I think TAG Heuer’s biggest weakness these days is their ownership by LVMH. Like you said, a ton of people not within the watch world know the name TAG Heuer. They see the sign, and they recognize the name. But on the inside, it’s really not good.
A little while ago, we were confident in telling our customers that it’d only take a month for their watch to come back from LVMH, the place that handles TAG watch repairs. These days, however, we have to tell them more like 4-6 months at the fastest. We’ve had multiple complaints from customers saying, “where’s my watch?” It doesn’t look good for us, and it doesn’t look good for the brand. Worst of all, the LVMH repair department are tolerable at best. They can make the watch work again just fine, but they won’t do much more than that. But the trouble comes when they decide to send us back a watch that has had NO WORK DONE TO IT. This has happened on multiple occasions. Our manager had even sent emails reprimanding them for their terrible service. At this point, I’m telling our customers that they’d be better off sending their watch to our company’s watchmaker. That way they’d have their watch back within the month. And the thing is, he does a far better job than LVMH even does. If we had the option to go through any other repair department than LVMH, we would. But we’re stuck with them.
On the side of some of their better releases, like the 160 year collection, we can’t even get them in for our store, let alone order them for a customer. Same goes with the Monaco collection. They’re now exclusive to the TAG Heuer boutiques and their online store, and the Monaco’s were ones that we were able to sell regularly before they pulled them. Don’t get me wrong, their current lineup of non-smartwatches is a really solid three tiered lineup. You’ve got the Formula 1s as the entry door, the Link and the Aquaracer as the mid-tier, and the Carrera, Autavia, and Monaco as the upper echelon. Obviously this isn’t taking into account the various tourbillon models they offer, but lord knows we can’t get them in our store either, simply because they’re pushing 15-20 Grand.
Overall, I really like TAG Heuer as a brand, and they’ve got some serious history and heritage in the watch world. It’s just that their ownership is barely taking any advantage of it. If they could shake loose LVMH, I think they’d be a hell of a contender, just like you said. It wouldn’t even matter if they dropped the whole TAG branding. That I think has become so much a part of their name that it’d be detrimental to their image to the outside community.
TL;DR: Good company, terrible ownership, even worse repair shop
I have a Heuer Monaco. It’s a lovely piece
Got my first TAG Heuer (Formula 1) in 1991 and wasn't aware of the brand at the time. I was looking for a dive watch which wasn't massive. Withstood everything I could throw at it. Loved it. Still going strong today.
Ahhh that is so fantastic you still have it today!!! :O
I have an F1 from 1994 and 3 Sports Elegance cronographs since I was a great Ayrton Senna fan. So sorry to know that the brand is headed by someone who should not known nothing about motorsports.
When you brought up the missed opportunity concerning 90s style today and tag Heuer's zenith of popularity during this same period, this struck me as something that a 27 year old CEO brought up on smart devices can easily overlook. Good point, Britt!!
That is definitely a point that a 27 year old is missing, he didn't live through it and see the fanfare back in the day for a Tag. In Miami in the 90's it was Tag.
I completely agree with you, when I began to work as a young engineer in the early 90’s the watch brand that screams I made it to me was Tag Heuer, I bought a Tag Heuer Kirium and I felt like a king 🤴🏻 with it on my wrist! Greetings from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
I hear Tag Heuer, I think racing immediately. Even before my love of watches.
Ouuuu! Now that is so interesting!
Tag gets shade cause of it’s price point. I got a 2018 WAY2112 Aquaracer 41mm 300m (big fan of the specs) and I have put it on the chopping block about three times and every time I can’t do it because I have connected very much with it. I enjoy the size, wearability, look and design, handling, bracelet (clasp needs some love), and versatility. It’s one watch I am not afraid to beat up and I use it to workout, with a suit, with shorts, to ride horses, etc. It was my first entry level luxury Swiss watch and I think a keeper. It’s one of those watches I can wear and I don’t need to ever take it off.
I agree 100% with you, the 90's is staring Tag in the face and saying, "let's have another go for this new generation that loves the 90's," and Tag is saying no,no we have to make this super expensive electronic watch. So sad for Tag missing the boat! I actually purchased a Tag Aquaracer Calibre 5 a month ago and returned it for an Omega Seamaster 300 in Blue Gray. The price difference between the two was in the thousands, and I for the life of me can't lie and tell you that there are moments I don't miss the Aquaracer. Hands down I think the bracelet on the Aquaracer was better than my Omega that I'm wearing right now. I was told that Tag was not a real Swiss watch and it had plastic parts inside, but deep down I should've kept my Calibre 5, I was happy with it. Now I'll just have to purchase it again in the future.
Why did you return it?
Hi, just stumbled on your channel (I won’t sue) with this TAG vid and it was great! Totally agree, I bought my first TAG F1 about ‘89 in London working as a student. Saw the yellow one advertised, loved it, wimped out and bought the blue instead and loved that too. I’d probably seen TAG and Heuer on F1 cars before but not consciously. This was such a fresh brand to me. Yearsss later I bought the F1 Gulf and love it but like you said I’ve witnessed the brand dissolve slowly and become watch-bashed in the media. I own a Nickleback CD so I can handle this. But yes TAG Heuer are all over motor racing and have the history to be great again! Sorry I waffled. Great channel.
I love my Tag Heuer Aquaracer and unlike most watch snobs, have taken it diving. The best thing about it? That I can get a solidly built dive watch that depreciates 60%+ within it's first 5 years when picking it up secondhand!
I lost my job and then my girlfriend left me. So I thought I would mark the occasion by getting myself a Tag Heuer.
What did you get?
I love Tag heuer. Last year I bought a "link" , used. And 2 weeks ago I bought a new, black, Aquaracer. I've ordered a Rolex. But if I've not had it by next year, it'll be a Carrera model next.....love them. Great video by the way 👍👍👍
My 1st nice watch was a Tag Heuer 6000 series with a blue dial. I was in that store for a good 2 hours looking at it, walking around the store to see if it felt good on the wrist. It was about $1200 and the most I had ever spent on a single item other than a car. I wore that watch for a good 6 years. It has now been passed down, 1st to my nephew then to my oldest niece and now the youngest niece. She actually still wears it on sometimes.
This video is so on the money! I purchased my first luxury watch back in 1983, a Heuer 2000 chrono after a good night in the casino in Aruba lol I was 19 years old. I’ve always loved Tag, but you’re right. There’s nothing worse than wasted potential
Just so you’re aware, the person using telegram is not really Britt. They previously scammed Sam the Cooking Guy viewers as well. Stay safe
Good perspective Britt! I’m in a family business here in Australia started by my late father. But when I came into it some 30+ years ago, I started at the bottom! Dad said “If you think you’re coming into the business & start at the top, you’re not!”🤣 Twice the hours & half the pay of my trade, I worked by butt off alongside dad. An overnight success that took 20 years!😂 Anyway, I’m on a similar wavelength re Tag Heuer! This brand was my very first so called luxury purchase some 20 years ago! It’s still in immaculate condition & is my special wear from time to time.😊👍🏼🇦🇺
I have a soft spot for Tag my mom has a few Tag watches that my dad got her years ago and from time to time I would go in in my parents room as a kid and look at her tag watches and my dad's watches I think to my self I want a Tag one day like so many other watches they had over the years. Tag back in the 90's really where the popular kids in the watch world like Movado if you parents had a Tag Heuer or a Swatch, Rado, or in some cases even a JOJO iced out watch, as a kid growing up in the 80's 90's you wanted in the club of owning one yourself so you either saved up for one or got one by your grand parents lol. Talking about Tag Heuer really got me back in to memory lane for me Thanks for that Britt rally enjoyed the video
I am a 90s kid also and I totally agree with you on loving tag and feeling like some one if you had one lol
I remember I took a trip to Europe and the Middle East in the early 2000s and seeing a big billboard when Leonardo Dicaprio as their spokesperson and saying to my self and my dad when I get money I’m buying a TAG Heuer
Same, TAG reminds me of my youth and they have some really retro stuff
Recently Tag has been doing some great things with the Carrera and the new 2024 Acquaracers are very nice.
Just got my new Tag Formula 1 Date, today, new, from the Tag website. Love it, beautiful! But wow, watching these people pounding on Tag breaks my heart. It's my first 'luxury' watch, the only one in my price range. Maybe I should return it.
It makes sense that the kids get the companies, that way they are invested in ensuring the businesses run well. If your inheritance is linked to the business you run, you want to make sure that business does well.
True but doesn’t necessarily mean you have the qualifications or experience to do so. (Disclaimer: they may very well have, I don’t know 🤷🏻)
@@watchpapi 100%, Hopefully they surround themselves with people who do know the business.
@@Furniture121 I’m sure they do.
I love my TAG. I think people get upset at the LVMH take over before that it was the TAG take over. They have the iconic Monaco and Formula 1.
The build quality and the finishing is beautiful. The Aquaracer is my daily driver as the ceramic bezel takes all the hits. Uses an ETA caliber and very accurate.
They also provide luxury watches at a more "affordable" price. I think it's great to get people in the hobby and they do have a very rich history. People that hate TAG I feel haven't handled a TAG or even worn one. I've gotten compliments on my TAG more than my GS, Rolex, or Breitling.
Definitely agree with you on the nepotism and young CEO, the connect, and Mario BUT their sports marketing is pretty good and their Hollywood marketing too.
Thanks for a fresh take on a topic I feel everyone has an opinion on.
100% agree! Second only to Rolex, TAG was the brand name that I was aware of for luxury watches back in the day. TAG has some strange allure. I wish they made a model I loved. They need their version of the BB58.
Right?!?! We are two peas in a pod! And that’s EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED! I feel like it wouldn’t be too hard!
@@BrittPearceWatches Although the Autavia is really nice looking. Just too big in my opinion.
And a proper CEO 😂 , well and to change peoples mind about the brand, seems impossible when I think about it 😢
My Tag Heuer Kirium was my first major watch purchase in the late 90s. Back then I was not into watches per say, and my preconception of the brand was young and dynamic. I worked a lot in the city of London back then and noticed they were one of the favoured brands amongst stocks traders etc. I kind of saw the other brands as for old men who smoke pipes and wear slippers, people who were winding up their lives, not young and ambitious like me. I am now that pipe and slippers guy but I still love that watch. I'm so glad I kept it.
Love my TAG! I have a F1 since 2007, basic model, 41, black dial, date only, jubillee bracelet. nothing else. I am also an Omega SM and a Datejust 41 owner and I am always going back for my F1 for daily use. It is not flashy, business sport, low key I can say, but it gets the look from watch enthusiasts and the job done. 17 years has passed and having one full maintainance in 2018 that was amazingly performed, they even painted the Tag label on the steel and changed the bazel and indicators, as it remains like new and updated, the only difference is the line at 3 and 9, oppose to large numbers as the 2024 model. It is definitvely the BEST entry level premium watch brand in the world with their true motorracing DNA.
I have a 1973 Heuer chronograph and to bookend it bought the skeltonized Carrerra Twin Time Chronogtaph GMT with the excellent in-house Calibre 02. The reference I bought was very Hublotesque. Mechanically it was superb but aesthetically it was much too busy and difficult to read the metric information which is the f***ing point of a watch with multiple complications. TAG has brought in the world’s premier woman watch engineer Carol Forstier-Kasapi who shares primary responsibility for the Ulysses Nardin Freak with Ludwig Ochselin and who spent a fertile decade at Cartier as their technical director of high end complications and Uber watches. Heuer was a hallmark for quality and precision - they need to go back to that and offer the very best at each price point in their model lines. I have owned two quartz Grand Seikos and a masterful Campanola (the Citizen version of high accuracy, high finished quartz which puts Grand Seiko to shame). Quartz was originally the province of expensive watches. TAG Heuer does not have to renounce quartz or even smart watches but they need to follow the example of the Japanese and strive for the best even if, as in the case of Seiko’s spring drive, it takes twenty years of development and 220 patents before a spring drive watch could be offered commercially. Few occidental companies demonstrate the commitment of the Japanese to the pursuit of long term excellence and consumer value. Jean-Claude Biver is an engaging marketer but he is very much in the vein of the Detroit hucksters who put a Mustang body on a severely deficient Falcon chassis and drive train, experienced a short term spike in profits from 1965 to 1973 and then found themselves left in the dust by Japanese manufacturers whom the Detroit hucksters laughed at.
Great video! Really thoughtful editing, an informative history and an interesting analysis on the current situation. I also came away unsure if I wanted a tag more than before or less.. I certainly feel more like calling it a Heuer than a Tag if I’m going to abbreviate one way or the other!
I'll admit that I'm about to buy my first TAG - a new Carrera... I collect watches, and used to think TAG was the junk watch for people who don't know watches. But the newest movement, and some things on the horizon, make me think there may indeed be a return to quality. Omega survived "Swatch" - let's hope Heuer (not TAG) re-emerges from LVMH.
I couldn't agree more with your last points on the vid. The revival of Heuer (branded) classics (started in 1996 with the Carrera) has been a fantastic channel for TH to remodel themselves as a serious horological contender. the Carrera, the Autavia, the Monza, The Camano, the (kitchy) Monaco are great iconic lines. They could probably turn the Silverstone and the Mikrograph (which are really single watch designs) into a great lines as well. How many iconic watch lines does a company need to succeed? Not enough? OK, Heuer also have the Montreal, The Skipper and the Mareographe (AKA the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer, AKA the Orvis Solunagraph), which are ripe for revival. Consistently managing these classics under the Heuer banner is a no brainer especially now they have a great modern, in-house column wheel chronograph movement to exploit. Instead TH choose to release them under a pretend Heuer ID with a trickle of Ltd Ed releases, leaving the market segment for Tudor, Brietling and Omega to dominate uncompeted. Worse still, they use the iconic brand names Carrera and Autavia in modern lines, diluting the very iconic values that those names possess.
I do agree with you. Tag was always prevelant 30 years ago, and never had anything that I really wanted. But just a couple months ago I tried a bunch on watches on….Santos, Breitlings, and a few others…..somehow I walked with an AquaRacer 200. Just felt the best. I was shocked. I am really happy with it. Pulling for Tag Heuer as well.
Hi Britt - Last year I bought a Tag Hauer Aquaracer 43 mm GMT Batman. Very cool watch especially if your going for a swim.
I have a Heuer Montreal it’s it screams the 70’s! No other watch like it in todays market- cushion shape design, crown on left side, tachy and pulse scale on the dial! It’s uniquenesses is what makes it fun to wear! Cheers
Same! 90's kid here. I was aware of Tag before even Rolex. I'm lightly looking into LVMH stock, and honestly from a corporate strategy perspective, i think the higher end horology will occur through Zenith, Chaumet & Hublot. Tag will take on Longines and that bracket.
I got a TAG Heuer Link Dual Time 15 years ago as my college graduation gift, which was also the first “luxury” piece of good I ever possessed, and it had withstood time to become my staple watch still. I think it is a true affordable replacement for Rolex Explorer II then and now. So I also have a soft spot for them. But now as I am beginning to dig deeper into the watch world, I also get why there is such a divisive view on TAG Heuer. It seems the LVMH group has been using the brand as their lab rat for trotting the middle ground between traditional/quality/luxury watch and fashion watch, only to satisfy neither side of the aisle. Many quality models have been discontinued, and for those who continued to be produced, rather awkward designs and colors have been added. They also frequently price the watches so obscenely high for the movements housed inside (which had so little in-house upgrades) that one would rather get a better deal by pursuing a Tudor or a Longines or bite the bullet and spend more money to get an Omega or even a Rolex at retail. The brand also lacks a clear identity, frequently changing brand ambassadors, boasting its fashionable design while downplaying its race chronograph and diving traditions. These issues need to be sorted out, quickly.
I have many watches - Rolex , AP, Patek , VC , LF and FP Journe ! tag Heuer I have on rubber ..carrera is my daily beater. Simple eta movement and simple service. You need one
I have 2 Tag Heuer watches. I got both of them in the mid 90s. The little F1 with the plastic bezel, yeah, I have one. The crystal is so scratched up you can barely read it, but I put a new battery in it every few years and it keeps going. I also have a quartz GMT from the mid 90s. It was the first watch I ever owned with a sapphire crystal. I wore it on two military deployments. Its still going strong 25+ years later, and the crystal is still pristine. I change the battery every few years on that one also. In the 90s Tag Heuer was what you got if you couldn't afford a Rolex. At least that was my mindset. I still love the Monaco, it's on my list. I wish the company was run better because they have some very nice designs, the Monaco is a unique watch that looks gorgeous, the Carrera is an icon. They could still be a contender if they were run better.
Like you I've always had a soft spot for TAG Heuer watches. It began in the 80's. I was a teenager tuning in to Magnum P. I. on Thursday nights, and I wanted a dive watch like Magnum, but I couldn't afford the ROLEX GMT Master II. So, I was looking around everywhere for dive watches and I found the TAG Heuer Formula 1. It only cost a couple hundred bucks back then if memory serves. Ever since I've been a fan. I've added an Auqaracer Calibre S to my collection along with multiple newer versions of the Formula 1.Thanks for this stroll down memory lane!
No brand is perfect, I just focus on the ones I like and ignore the rest…great content and stimulus. Thank you!
Oh amen! It’s so true! Focus on what you love! 💕💕💕
Now 67 I do remember TAG, as I called it, being the cat's meow. I didn't even know the Heuer part. I knew about Rolex and actually grew into a few, but I digress. At the time TAG was obtainable for the middle class. Rolex used to be, especially nice used models, but that is all gone. I do like many Rolex models, but I'm done. I'm afraid TAG is missing the boat. The old Heuer pieces actually were the cat's meow. I'm glad I subbed. You put a refreshing review on the subject at hand, but I assume you get that a lot.
This was an awesome vid, Brittany, thankyou. Perfect timing, also. I watched a TAG Heuer vid yesterday with Patrick Dempsey driving around a sports car with the then new Autavia Heritage Chrono. I put in a lengthy comment how the brand needs more grit and less glamor. They have such a great racing heritage, but squander it in my opinion.
By the way, wanted to mention the Stern's young future leaders of Patek had to pay their dues and aquire responsibilities as deserved. I doubt a 26 year old paid such dues.
We are just two peas in a pod! I couldn’t agree more woth this! 💕 that’s exactly it as well - I’m not against children taking up the same occupation as their parents. It just sits wrong with me when a 26 year old is kinda… handed things. It’s just harder to respect. I’m sure they are all great, nice people!
I agree with the direction this video takes. My first grail was a Heuer 1964 re-edition, somewhere in the early 90s. It took until 2008 for me to be able to buy one, and I was lucky enough to find one. It is still the most beautiful watch I own, although it is also the most fragile. I think the Carrera is still their best watch, the watch even nerds take seriously. Okay, add the Monaco and maybe the Senna watches in the 90s to cement their solid racing heritage.
There you have it, 60s and 70s F1 drivers wore the Carrera, Steve McQueen wore the Monaco, and Ayrton Senna made the Link bracelet watches famous and cool.
The problem is, all the other models seem kind of nouveau riche, not to be taken seriously somehow. But: no watch company can survive off one model alone. What to do? Well naming young Fred CEO does not add to their credibility.
They may need to seriously re-think their catalogue and add a few (of the right) faces from sports to their advertising and keep young Fred somewhere in the background. That might help.
Frederic Arnault in his Steve Jobs-esque sweater... so funny
Hey Britt, love the 'cash up with a brand' series! I think you're spot on when it comes to TAG Heuer nowadays. Imho they totally lost track with the new CEO. I'm in my 30s but do think that Mario watches, NFT's and all the other stuff is NOT the path you want to walk towards your future! I really like some of their models and no doubt about that they still make some pretty nice watches but their brand positioning and advertisement is just bad...
I’m a 90s kid too. Thanks for confirming that I wouldn’t be looking to get a Tag Heuer anytime soon, oh no not anytime soon at all 😂
I own two Tag Links and absolutely love them! The Link has one of the most comfortable bracelets ever. I don't know what it is about Tag, but I'm a fangirl. I'm considering the new hot pink Aquaracer that came out.
Damn that YT algorithm! Why have I not discovered your channel before??? Subscribed!
Best video on TagHeuer I have come across. Great job, Britt! Well researched and put together, actual information, nice archive material, and original thought!
Agree with you SO much…
Many of us had a soft spot for Heuer.
A new generation felt in love with Tag-Heuer in the 89-90’s
And since the new owner took control, most wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole!
Agree so much with your disgust for lvmh…
My dad bought me a Tag Heuer 4000 automatic on a leather strap when I turned 18. I opened the packaging - which was absolutely more fancy than anything I'd ever received before, and as I peeled the layers away, opened the cardboard outer, slid off the high quality lid, unzipped the leather circular inside, and slowly opened the final lid... he had swapped the watch out for a Mickey Mouse watch (the one with the arms) and damn he fell about laughing. He told me that I was born after midday so I wasn't getting the actual watch until later... He's an actual villain. I still have that watch and I rock it regularly today on a NATO strap and it's an actual strap monster.
You nailed this video Britt. Good mix of historical facts, fun editing and some quirky narration. Also, agree with your observation, culture and fortune handing them a potential win but they are fumbling the ball.
I'm not sure what you think TAG Heuer should become? You really think they should try to overtake Omega? I am a big TAG Heuer fan, but I think they belong where they are - as a mass appeal mid-market watch. Watches you can actually wear when diving or just living your life, without having to worry about that expensive piece of jewelry on your wrist. High quality, great brand image for an affordable price.
I saw a Heuer Autavia for the first time when my dad (a watch nerd) took me to an F1 GP in 1971. Ever since then, it has been my grail watch. Two years ago, my wife bought me the Jack Heuer limited edition Autavia for my 60th birthday. To say that I adore the watch is an understatement. Thank you for the video. P.S. I agree with your take on nepotism.
Have had a Carrera for years. Great watch. Has never needed servicing!
I have a Tag F1 quartz that was a gift from my mother when I was 18 or something. The rubber strap lasted a few years and I think died a death after I joined the army. I got the bracelet for it and it has been on there ever since. About 9 years ago I bought a Silverstone special edition but never really gelled with it, as cool as it was and less common than the Monaco. Sold it recently for a decent profit and bought a first generation Planet Ocean.
Helmut Sinn started as a Heuer dealer. The first Sinn's were just rebadged Heuer's. But then he had the idea to make them even better, stronger, more reliable but still more affordable under his own brand. Sinn's still are infact what Heuer would be today without TAG and LVMH.
Your best video yet. Loved it. Keep up the good work
My first Tag was a Kirium. Still have it and love it. Still ticks great. I have bought Rolex and Omega. Love them. But Tag is always a brand I love. So I went out and just bought the new GlassBox. Love it.
Tag heuer needs to reissue more designs from Jack Heuer's chapter 100p like the originals. Their is so many awesome designs from Jacks era that need reissues. Heuer Autaiva Pepsi bezel Gmt manual wind chronograph, Heuer Pasadena, Heuer Carrera first execution, Heuer Camaro,Heuer Montreal pvd coated and that's only a few. This is what alot of fans want. Not these horrible designs they keep doing and definitely build a in house modern build calibre 11 for the Monaco 🇲🇨 but like you said 60s and 70's designs are so popular right now how is this not a obvious move
To be fair, if there’s one guy who’s shouting out Tag Heuer all the time, thats George Bamford. His passion for the brand makes up for the CEO’s apathy. Its not all lost cause.
Very nice production and so insightful content as well! That's for all the work you put in.
Oh thank you so so much. I really am trying to make my content better and better with every video!
Loved this video Britt! I agree with your points wholeheartedly. I want to see Tag Heuer make a comeback, and as you pointed out, you would think their heritage would enable them to do that. My first watch was a Tag (a gift from my Dad in the early 2000s, yes, the brand still held some sway in the early 2000s too.) I think that after the Heuer era, the brand never found a solid footing again. This makes me wonder, where could the brand go now that would make them successful now? I'm a big fan of 60s and 70s-era chronographs, and Heuer, along with Rolex, was a trailblazer in that space. As someone who bought a 1964 Heuer Carrera Re-Edition, I still love their Heuer-ara racing watches. Could this period of their heritage be their main opportunity? Haven't they already tried capitalizing on this space with their more recent Carrera models, which have not proven nearly as popular as modern Daytonas? Many of their re-editions or re-issues, however you want to classify them, have been popular but not wildly popular. In comparison, Paul Neuman-era Daytonas have set off waves of mania in the world of watches. Suppose Tags Heuer's strongest brand attribute is its history in racing. Can that history be leveraged to revive the brand in a time when the Daytona already solidly owns that space?
My everyday watch is an Apple Ultra2 and I bought a gently used Aquaracer Chronograph from 2016 today. At 61, I too am a fan of the brand and Steve McQueen so I'm looking forward to receiving it.
Really excellent video. Bit of story telling , history , nice b-roll , point of view. Great mix of stuff!
Oh thank you soo so much!
Agree 100% about brand recognition - surely only Rolex is more well known to non-watch people, so it's a shame that the owners don't seem to make the most of it.
I've got two, an F1 chronograph Gulf Edition (that I've put on a steel bracelet as I was terrified of damaging the gorgeous blue suede strap) and an Aquaracer GMT Pepsi. They get more looks and comments than other more prestigious / expensive watches that I own.
I think the aquaracer looks awesome
This is a great breakdown. TH has been an afterthought for me but still holds a soft spot. I hadn’t put my finger on it but this video explains exactly what I hadn’t thought through.
I also have a soft spot for Heuer, as a motor racing nerd that is what got me to take notice of the brand. Roll on some decades and I finally got the now discontinued version of the Monaco and an F1 a while back, great watches in my humble opinion. There were a few others that although I like for some reason never made it into the collection, the Autavia is one that came closest. As for the connected pieces, I have no desire for one right now. I really do wish the brand the best of luck and hope they can find there mojo again.
I was born in the early 80's and I remember in the 80's and 90's looking through my grandpa's golf magazines and seeing the Tag Heuer advertisements. I remember thinking to myself someday I will be able to afford a Tag Heuer. Now I own 6. They are my favorite Swiss watch brand because they are attainable. Yeah, I know they don't have in house movements like Rolex, but they also aren't priced like Rolex. They are attainable for the middle class who want a nice reliable Swiss watch. They are a good value in the watch market if you like Automatic movements. I feel they are a bit overpriced for the quartz pieces when you can get Tissot (best value for a Swiss watch, hands down) but Tag isn't going to sell brand new quartz watches for $300-400 and undercut Longines and lower themselves to compete with Tissot. I was skeptical at first when daddy Bernard place his son with hardly any experience in a high paid CEO position (must be nice to be part of that family) but I like the Autavia re-release and I think he's doing a good job even if he's learning as he goes.
I agree with this. Also, my first higher-end watch was a TAG Heuer Calibre 5 from the 2000s that was my uncle's and got it after he sadly passed away. It is a very nice watch and it also continues to remind me of and brings back good memories of my uncle. I hope TAG Heuer improves itself, and I agree with the ideas you discussed. A "smart" watch will not help the company. It should use its heritage to come up with nicer watches.
I think TAG Heuer have the perfect opportunity to hit the younger premium watch buyer who has a bit of coin and doesn’t want to buy Rolex or Omega because…. Well, that’s what the old man wears! Their latest play of combining nostalgia with upper end quality (Glassbox Carrera) is a superb move. Maybe give the kids at LVMH a pass and see how they run with it. 😉
While I understand the strong brand image from the 90’s era, I actually think that’s a problem for TAG. In my opinion those designs are not timeless, they are pinned to an era whose fashion comes and go. Patek, Rolex, Omega, etc all these brands have strong timeless models that aren’t pinned down to a certain decade like the 90’s. They’re going down the connected watch route because that’s one of their only plays at this point.
Ouuu now this is such an interesting thought! :O I didn;t even think of that. So like, when people think TAG they maybe think "that is so 90's"?!
Would agree but oh man couple years after I got into watches- 2001 ish, TAG had the Kirium, my first watch love. I wanted that watch with an ache in my heart, but never got one. Ive mentioned elsewhere maybe they should bring it back. Who knows: maybe there's a market for a thin steel luxury sports watch wth integrated bracelet 🤪 Guess the point I was trying to make is even though that watch, and maybe other's style is probably pegged to the 90s, I still think it's attractive.
Great video. I’ve owned 2 Monacos, 2 Carreras and an Autavia. All lovely watches that in quality, design and history stood up well to all other brands I’ve owned. But don’t have any at the moment as I flipped them - so I guess that says something. Looking to buy one of the older 38mm Monacos again and will get one eventually - the current 39mm too big.
07:32 best moment from all your videos, ever! One year then the CEO job! That would look weird on LinkedIn 🙂 P.S loved that jacket on first view
I've had a love hate relationship with this brand for a long time. Loved Biver era of TAG Heuer. I was appreciating the Autavia Cup, the idea of enthusiast input in design, and the variations of it. I loved the Link, they had some of the most innovative designs, and such a comfortable bracelet. I thought they were going in a great direction with the Heritage pieces they were rolling out. Then the Link became a dress watch. Arnault implied moving away from Steve McQueen and released the Mario Connected....which was a limited release and sold out immediately. 2021 seemed to be moving TAG Heuer into Moved/Invicta fashion brand territory. I'm a tech geek, and I love watches, I actually really enjoy the Connected for what it is, and I can see it being a gateway drug into the mechanical watches. When I started giving up on them, they release the Superdiver using a serious TH30-00 movement contracted from Kenissi. See? Love/hate. Like you, I am really hoping this brand succeeds. They need to redefine their identity again.
Great video, keep up the great work!
I currently have a 2017 aquaracer calibre 5 500m wak2110 automatic and personally I love it I don't think there's been a previous aquaracer or newer model that actually looks better in the aquaracer line and baring spending another 3-4k on a higher calibre time piece I personally believe its a brilliant watch and also a luxury watch ..... I do feel like every tag video you see is exactly the same they go through heuer then tag heuer then they put a dampner on it because eta or selita movements are in some of their watches yes I get this isn't as bad as some of the videos but I feel like the majority of people calling tag for this or their advertising campaigns are just snobs
Hi Britt I agree, anyone who was anyone when I was younger had a TAG. Not sure where the company is going but I do like the look of the new GMT Aquaracer.
You are so cool Bitt , keep on posting the nice informative vid !
I have a 2008 Tag Heuer Carrera, got it as a graduation present. I chose it over the speedmaster, as at the time I had a Planet Ocean.
Anyway, I love TH and in a meeting with my Carrera, I've got a better watch than 99% in the room.
I've now got two Tudors in the collection, which I do prefer and think are better value for money & quality, but TH still rock.
Oh girl, your hair at the end of the vid is AMAZING! And you’re absolutely right- the price game need to change if the watch makers wanna stay , in the game.
I do enjoy my TAG Heuer 2000 auto, which I bought new in ‘04. This was my first “nice” automatic watch! At that time, as far as I was concerned, it was “Rolex or TAG”. I didn’t know much about either, so I went with the more economical of the two (I was also looking at an Explorer). This was the first missed opportunity of my watch-collecting career…
THAT IS SUCH A GREAT TAG TO HAVE THOOO!!
@@BrittPearceWatches Thanks! It is, & I still enjoy wearing it! I didn’t say this before, but I really like what TAG is putting out now, too (although I don’t own any others).
Love your content! Im born in the 80s and the watch i got for my graduation present was an Aquaracer, back in the day before watch collecting, it was only one of those few brands that i know besides Rolex. By the way Hola from Malaysia
Woooah! What an amazing present to get! Tag has such amazing brand recognition! I really think they could use this more to their advantage! :O
First, I'm a lover. Really. Second, I love ... to hate on Tag. Yeah, that's right. Tag is hopeless. Nothing will change. Moving on...
I CANT MOOOOVE ON! 😭
I too have a soft spot for Tag. I’ve always wanted an Aquaracer and their Formula 1 Senna is very cool, the bracelet is so refreshing.
One of your best videos, charisma all over the place love it
Whaaat! Thank you so so much! 💕✨
I completely agree. This is a brand "waiting to happen" as I read somewhere. They have become boring. They need to be associated with something exciting. Maybe do something more with F1.
My first luxury watch was a Tag F1 Chronograph Quartz which I purchased back in the 2000's for a special birthday, it started my watch collecting journey, unfortunately it doesn't get much wrist time these days as I have moved on to automatic movement watches including an Aquaracer and others from Longines , Oris and Tudor
This is spot on, and TAG could be taking so much more advantage of their heritage instead of dripping out the occasional LE of the 39mm Carrera chronograph. Thanks for saying what at least some of us (who put too much time and energy into watches) were thinking. However, I now fear for your safety. You may need to go into hiding. The “cleaner” crew from LVMH might show up with LV branded handcuffs and LV branded tape to put over your mouth before they haul you away to be forced to watch LVMH propaganda Clockwork Orange style. Run, Britt, run!
My first I bought my self was a TAG HEUER CA 1211 RO in 1992.
And I still have it. In the last few month I frequently wear it.
After my Luminox fase.
Oh I love this so much!
The more that the UA-cam watch community bags them, the more I start to like them. You can only go on about Tudor, Rolex, Seiko and Casio for so long before it gets boring........
Imagine if LVMH dropped the T and it went back to being just H again, and it started producing retro design quality automatic movement watches in the £2,500-£7,500 price range. It would be a revelation.
I would love this. But do you think these new models could compete with the beast that is the Daytona? I would like to see "Heuer" try anyway. This may be the only option they really have.
@@dengised321 I don't think anyone would be cross-shopping a (Tag) Heuer against any Rolex, but they could have a decent shot at taking a bite out of Tudors marketshare.
RIGHT?!?! This is what they need to do!!!
@@mrpusten I agree competing with Tudor is a little more realistic right now, but if we're talking about the brand making a real comeback they should be aiming at the #1 spot, even if it's a long shot. They were neck and neck with Rolex for a time, I think it would be very interesting if they could get back there.
TAG is the reason F1 became a global sport. And she didn't even mention Carole-Forestier Kasapi. Another poorly researched and clichéd take...
Totally agree on all points! ….and you were so right about the 90’s. 1994 I bought the two tone white face tag croon. Felt like a boss 😂
I don’t get why people resent nepotism.
1. What is the point of life BUT to gift your children the fruit of your hard work?
2. While sometimes nepotism leads to incompetence, it can also manifest as a familial dynasty of generational intuition and experience stronger than any newcomer could imagine.
Sometimes it comes off as resentment, perhaps because some of us didn’t have successful parents. Or maybe because we don’t believe they earned it. Well, successful people always select protégés, and if family shows interest and drive, why would you possibly pick a stranger?
Sorry guys, family is everything.
This video was very well done. You were bang on in saying that they got all the ingredients to be successful RIGHT NOW. Also, LOL @ the resume haha
BAHAHA! Oh I couldn’t help myself! I just love being petty 😜😂💕
Totally agreed with you…. If they just focus on reissue of the great from 60/70s period… they would make a killing….😂
Heuer Monaco was my first dream watch. I have since acquired a new Autavia GMT.
Sorry everyone but The TAG Heuer plastic quartz sports watches of the 1980s like the garish yellow dialed, Formula 1 308.153 are absolute classics. They may not be considered horologically relevant in today's mechanical watch context but as a slice of 80s culture, quartz Tag Heuer's were essential accessories, up there with Nike Cortez and Katherine Hamnett T-Shirts. In the future, these pieces will become more and more collectable and watch enthusiasts will take them seriously.
The new TAG HEUER FORMULA 1 Quartz Chronographs in yellow, green and red look 90s style
A simple Chrono24 search for TAG Heuer provides a good indication of the value perception of a brand. It strips away the brand sponsorship, fancy boutiques, persuasive sales staff, and history of a brand. TAG had its day in the 90s but mismanaged the brand for short-term profits. Many luxury brands fall into a short-term thinking mindset. time will tell if a young CEO will have the patience to steer the brand in a clear direction versus trying to catch the next cool fad.
Wooooah now thisbis what I should have done in this video! It is soo true!
I've been aware of TAG for as long as I can remember (long before I knew anything about watches) but I can't think of a single watch they've made that made me go "wow, I want that". As an 90's kid, when I stopped to stare longingly at the windows of jewellery stores it was the Breitlings, Rolex's and Cartiers that caught my eye whilst the TAGs looked out of place.
Tag Heuer is the Nickelback of watch brands, they're not really that bad but everyone loves to hate them.
I feel ya, I have an old Tag from 1992, 2 tone (gold plated :-/) chronometer certified. I got it when I left the military and was going to the university. I’ve always loved watches and at that time, this was a good brand, Swiss watch, entry level and yes, a milestone watch for me. I could have gotten a Rolex DJ but to me, that was an old man’s watch. 🤷🏻♂️ The day date didn’t appeal to younger, ignorant me and I wasn’t aware (or could afford) VC, Patek or any other big name Swiss brand. I still spend (or waste depending on your viewpoint) $375-400 to get it serviced every 10 years or so. I don’t think I could sell it for that much lol but it was my 1st Swiss watch and I’ll love it for that. Buuuut, Tag has it’s place in the watch world and it will never be in the top 3 or close. IMO. I go to their boutiques often and try to buy one but they’re not their yet. Their Autavia and Carrera lines are the only ones with promise, for my liking. I don’t know any other watch enthusiast that owns or has bought a Tag…I’m usually the only one in the group lol.