TAG Heuer makes some fantastic watches, and their precision chronographs are particularly well-known. This fact has earned them numerous prestigious collaborations over the years, particularly with proficient motor racing groups and national titles, where TAG Heuer is now a global superstar.
Many of their pieces are automatic, also referred to as self-winding timepieces. Battery-powered quartz movements are used in their more affordable watches. However, many of their models, such as those with self-winding movements, are driven by mechanically powered movements. TAG Heuer makes some fantastic, fashionable, precise, and well-liked timepieces. A testament to their superior efficiency and durability is the COSC certification that arises with the Chronometer classification on many of their mechanical watches. This article highlights some of the brand’s best features.
TAG Heuer Partnerships
TAG Heuer has a vast array of brand ambassadors, including actor Patrick Dempsey, reigning tennis player Naomi Osaka, Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, and watersports enthusiast Kai Lenny. You can also add partnerships with Porsche, Aston Martin, and Red Bull’s Formula 1 team, which have earned them the titles of Team Performance Partner, Official Timekeeper, and Official Watch until 2021. This partnership with Formula 1 traces back to the 1950s and is very much in line with their #DontCrackUnderPressure slogan.
The brand’s inspiring collaborations don’t end there! TAG Heuer has sponsored several other motorsports events, including the World Touring Car Championship/WTCC, the Indianapolis 500, MXGP Motocross championships, and the FIM Endurance World Championship, to mention a few.
TAG Heuer Manufacturing
TAG Heuer was founded in 1860 in St-Imier, Switzerland, as Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG. In 1985, TAG Group bought a large proportion of the company’s stock and renamed it to the term “TAG Heuer.” The TAG Heuer factory is located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, while the watchmaking conference is located in Chevenez. The words “Swiss Made” are written somewhere on the watch, usually on the case back, dial, or both. However, there is an important caveat: their smartwatches. The words “Swiss-Made” do not appear on TAG Heuer Connected smartwatches. The cause for this is that these electronic devices use Intel computer chips that are manufactured outside of Switzerland. Even so, the TAG Connected watches’ cases and buckles are still made in the scenic alpine country.
TAG Heuer is owned by the LVMH Group, an international conglomerate (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy). Frédéric Arnault, the CEO of TAG Heuer, is a young business tycoon and is the son of Bernard Arnault, known for being the CEO of LVMH and is the second richest man in the world today according to Forbes.
Brand Status in Luxury Market
Spending more than a hundred dollars on a watch may be considered a luxury to some, but many watch collectors consider TAG Heuer to be a lower-end luxury brand. They have watches that cost as little as $1000 as well as high-complication watches like the Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 automatic movement in chic black and rose gold, which cost around $7,600. While a watch costing $7,600 and up may be inexpensive to some, it is unquestionably luxurious to the average person.
Engrave Your Watch
TAG Heuer watches can be engraved, and many people do get theirs done, especially when giving them as gifts. The quantity of engraving that can be done on a TAG watch, on the other hand, is completely dependent on the amount of engraving space available on the case back.
Some models already have model numbers, branding, and other logos or inscriptions engraved on the center of the case back, so any new carvings would have to be engraved somewhere else. For example, sapphire case back watches would require engraving elsewhere, such as on the edge of the case that holds and screws down the transparent case firmly in order.
Authenticity & Value of the Watch Brand
The existence of a serial number and model number, as per TAG Heuer’s website, is insufficient for the watch to be authentic. They have a few extra safety features to help them recognize a genuine TAG Heuer watch. While some may appear strikingly similar on the outside to the untrained eye, on the inside they can be entirely different from the actual thing.
A serial number and a reference number (model #) are engraved on the case back of every TAG Heuer watch. It will be engraved on the edge of the case back if the watch has a transparent case back, such as sapphire.
Watches, like most consumer goods, lose their value the moment you put them on. Because the rare exceptions are so few and far between, it’s safe to say TAG Heuer watches do not increase in value. Few brands maintain their value over time, and even fewer have watches that increase in value.
COSC-Certified Watches
COSC certification is available on some TAG Heuer Calibre 5 movements. With a tourbillon complication and chronograph, the automatic HEUER 02T is also a COSC certified Chronometer. TAG appears to pick and choose which designs are COSC certified and which aren’t. There isn’t a single collection that can paint as broad a picture as a collection of COSC-certified Chronometers. The best thing to do is check each model’s specifications to see if it says Chronometer or certification. Because this is such a strong selling point, it is usually engraved on the case back, dial, or both.
Caliber 5 Movement
The Calibre 5 is among the TAG Heuer’s most widely known non-in-house self-winding automatic movements. It has a high frequency of 28,800 VPH (4Hz), and some Calibre 5 variants have a COSC credential. The Calibre 5 claimed the title of Chronometer for its high precision of -4/+6 seconds per day, as well as its dependability. The majority of the versions are ébauche movements, which are procedurally based on other movements, such as the Sellita SW200 or the ETA2824.
In a Nutshell
TAG Heuer is desirable for a myriad of purposes. They make a variety of excellent watches, are a well-known brand, are fashionable, and many are also athletic. They provide incredible value for the services they offer. They produce everything from reasonably-priced quartz watches to attractive highly complicated watches, and they make very precise chronographs.
