The Everyday Watch by Tag Heuer

The story of Tag Heuer Watches is like John Cena in the wrestling world (For the uninitiated, John Cena is an actor who is also an accomplished wrestler), where he was one of the most polarized characters with an equal share of people who loved and hated him – The same goes for Tag Heuer. With me, I am one of those who loves Tag Heuer watches and it’s a watch brand that I had my eyes on since I was a kid.

I first came across the brand in some of the sports magazines that I used read as a kid, and it was heavily featured in both racing and football (or referred to as soccer in some parts of the world). This did make the company a household name and really raised it’s profile over the years with some strategic partnerships – Tag Heuer had partnerships with F1 World Championships, McLaren Racing Team, and currently with the Red Bull Racing Team, in addition to being associated with some of the football leagues across the globe such as La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 among others.

 
Advertising and partnerships are not the only reasons that Tag Heuer is popular; it also has a rich history, with the watch company being started 162 years ago by Edouard Heuer as Heuer Watch Company, and then renaming itself as Tag Heuer in 1985, after it was acquired by TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde). Tag Heuer was later purchased as well as managed by the LVMH Group which has pushed the brand to become more commercial than ever. The defining moment or the point where the brand really reached an iconic status was with the launch of the Monaco model, especially after it was worn by Steve McQueen in the 1971 movie Le Mans (pictured below).

Reference: Time and Watches Website (https://www.timeandwatches.com/2020/10/heuer-monaco-           worn-by-steve-mcqueen-for.html)

Well, that’s enough with the history lessons. Earlier this year, I was gifted my first Tag Heuer by my wife, and while I had a few choices, I chose the one that instantly caught my attention  – The Formula 1 Quartz Alarm. In addition to the features that a watch has to offer, the other characteristic that attracts me to a watch is the dial, and for me, this dial was perfect. This timepiece with reference number WAZ111A.BA0875 comes with a black dial with the right amount of red and white colour scheme. It also features the original red, green and white Tag Heuer shield which is currently only seen in a few models within the Formula 1 series.

The watch comes around the $1500 range and is considered as a rugged watch for everyday use with a water resistant of 200 meters as well as sapphire crystal. It has a 41mm case (however, wears like a 39mm) which has an equal contrast of both brushed and polished surfaces. The lug-to-lug length is around 46mm and has a thickness of 12 mm, hence wears very well on the wrist without feeling too heavy. The crown has the Tag Heuer logo and is screw-down which ensures that it maintains the 200 meter resistance. The watch has a screw-back case with the logo and the checkered flag picture which adds a sporty feel to the watch as well as connecting to it’s association with motor racing.

The watch comes with a stainless steel bracelet that has a folding clasp featuring the Tag Heuer logo as well as an extension, in case you decide to go for a dive and need to wear it over your dive suit. Finally, the alarm feature which is a convenient feature to have in an analog watch (at least for those who don’t wear smartwatches) – I tested it and it works really well. The bezel is fixed which is a shame, as it would have been great to at least have an unidirectional rotating bezel, considering the watch can be used for diving. The other drawback is the fact that it is quartz which is fine from a technology and accuracy point-of-view, however, there are some good automatic options out there at the same price-point. Nevertheless, this watch is priceless for me as it’s my first Tag, it’s first time I have visited their flagship boutique store as well as something I have always desired. While this is a personal feeling, overall, the watch does provide all the necessary functions for something that can be worn everyday, be a tool watch and has the looks.