What’s everyone’s problem with TAG?

I think the story goes something like this: Heuer - heritage brand, great history, fantastic designs.

TAG-Heuer - increase output, loads of new lines, loads of advertising, followed by a decrease in quality especially in 1990s and 2000s.

Recently, bit of a renaissance. Quality and designs much improved, more focussed brand.

That's how it is of the top of my head. Love the new Carrera. Definitely something I would look at.

I've been collecting for a long time and never had a problem with the Tag Heuers I've owned.

(F-1,Link Chrono, Carrera re-edition GMT, Aquaracer, Indy 500 and series 2000)

Take YT "influencers" with a grain-no, a shaker, of salt.

Enjoy the Carrera.

Thanks. I love my Carrera and won’t get rid of it. I just want to take the pulse of the Crunch crowd. I typically try to avoid anything from anyone getting paid by a brand from an opinion stand point. If that weren’t the case we’d all own 50 San Martins.

Tags tend to be overpriced for what they offer since they spend so much on advertising. The other thing is more specific when Tag used a Seiko movement and then called it their own.

That being said, my dad wears a Tag and I don’t have any issue with it. It’s his money, he can do what he wants with it. My opinion doesn’t matter .

Because Tag Heuer is usually someone's first luxury watch purchase prior to getting into the hobby and done w.out any influence except advertisements usually. Some stay happy and oblivious to the price to quality ratio of their entry level pieces. Some after 'learning' about horology then feel 'cheated' or ashamed of their purchase when reading forums.

The problem is their entry level pieces feel entry level eg Tag F1 series. Even their Aquaracer which is second up the list feels overpriced in terms of how it is put together vs say, a Longines or Oris. Don't even say Tudor. Then when you end up at the Carrera (chronos, not the simple three hands date) and Monaco, the price explodes upwards.

These are icons, but by then you want a Speedmaster, Navitimer, Daytona, Tudor Panda which somehow all have as much or even more heritage (one went to d moon) or wrist presence than any Carrera (not Monaco) out there and then you find out that these watches have more resale value too. That last bit actually affects collectors even though they say it doesn't...which is why you have some separation anxiety with that datejust

In terms of value, preowned Heuer seems to have good value retention and demand over used Tags. Like Jean Claude Biver once said, the value of new Tags have not kept up with old Heuers and this is why the brand is frowned upon. The only Tags that seem to have kept its value are those Monnin (MRP Sa cased) 1000 series from the 1980-90s.

That said, the new glasshouse Carrera chrono is innovative and should be worth getting.

But personally, only after a Speedmaster pro and after many watches would I buy a Tag brand new these days

I would respectfully disagree that a TAG is manufactured or all that different quality wise from Longines, and I say that as an owner of pieces from each of those brands. The movements are similarly decorated, and the watches have a similar feel of quality about them. Both use decorated versions of the typical ETA/Sellita movements, so there’s actually very little difference between them.

Personally, I think people like to rag on TAG due to their ‘80s and ‘90s quartz pieces.

How does it wear? Large? too thick? I fancy this watch but Normally I go upto 40mm.

Once again, I second the motion of @foghorn, and also agree with @JBird7986.

I meant that Tag actually charges more than what Longine wants for the same level of finishing. Compare the Aquaracer against a hydroconquest and you see the same levels but Tag wants more. Carrera vs a Longines big eye avigation and you see that why should you pay for a Tag? Its value vs what u get for. The value in a Tag is much like being put into its marketing which raises its perceived position. But it isnt reflected in its used prices still. So buying Tag is a conundrum actually. Yes, the 1990s quartz pieces brougt down everything but kept the brand alive by making it everyone's first 'luxury' watch. Another conundrum that the brand has found it hard to change as many still feel that they don't want to pay more than a certain price for a Tag

I have Grand Carrera Calibre 6 and am happy with it both design wise and quality. I want to buy either Aquaracer or Autavia, too. It seemed brand didn’t have clear direction over long time doing almost everything including expensive smartwatches, but I guess it’s changing now and new Carrera models from this year and Autavia from past few are great and fans are optimistic. Then, this year they released Aquaracer in gold which is 4-5 times more expensive than versions in steel or steel+gold…why? who for?

This is my personal opinion ok , I lusted after a Hauer Monaco in my 20s , couldn’t afford one . Now I am far more knowledgeable on watches in my early 60s and mostly thought TAG was for dags . Very uncool . They NOW have finally gotten their act together again after years of being “ Mall Watches “ to me .. I will probably never buy one though as SO many other brands are in front of them in my desirables list . This is just my personal opinion, if you own and love yours , I am deliriously happy for you !! Just not for me …

I would love to own this one:

Mainly because it's the most green thing I've seen in a long time.

Such a lot to unpack, again.

Heuer were practically dying in the early 80s. Quartz was killing them, like many other brands. TAG Group bought them: Tag Heuer, and then they had to adapt to survive. The result: the F1, and the “Six Features” era. The quality was not the greatest, but the watches were popular. What saves a company is units sold, and Tag shifted a f**k-ton of units in the late 80s and 90s through as many channels as possible. Prevalence does a lot to brand perception, look at Hublot (and maybe note the common thread here). They are uniquely ugly (and as a fan, that’s about as endearing as I can be): the DNA of the F1, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, S/EL, Kirium, and the Link bleeds into the current F1 lineup, and the Aquaracer.

What else do people hate about them? Well the cal.1887 affair, but it’s not exactly shocking as it’s common industry practice and the usual overzealous marketing schtick, but for some reason Tag seems to still cop flack for it to this day. “If I can erase the name I can erase the shame” seems to be the mantra for most watch fans, and it’s daft.

Their troubles today, in my opinion (so take it or leave it), are market position. They sit in the same group as Hublot, Zenith, Bvlgari… they want over 6k for that new Carrera panda chronograph, which is gorgeous, but for the money you could buy a Hublot. For a little more you could pick up a Zenith El Primero. What would you rather do?

Collabs - don’t care about Mario Kart, especially an F1 Tourbillon for 23.5k. What next, the Autavia haunted by the ghost of a small Victorian child? Just release something normal and reasonably priced.

Playing race cars with Porsche - you are a watch maker not a Privateer racing team, stop f*****g about.

Release another model - I’m bored of F1, Aquaracer, Connected, Autavia, Carrera, Monaco… something else maybe? There is a lot of heritage going begging.

I don't think that everyone has a problem with TAG, I don't have one and I don't know anybody who does.

This is fun. Love the conversation. Thanks Crunchers. There are a few strong threads; over zealous marketing, not sure of the brand’s focus, too much $ for what you get, quartz, Seiko. And there are fans, yet like all brands, not all like the whole lineup. I am a fan but if I were to ever get another it would be a used Monaco, nothing else from them.

Great thread! I’ll just throw my 2 cents in. For me, it’s that TAG 1. Doesn’t do anything particularly well or unique… and 2. Plays in a weird price space. For the same or close money, a person could get an Omega which regardless of model is a superior watch, or even a Tudor which is also better. For less money, a person could get a Longines which is the same quality as a TAG and arguably a better heritage. I don’t dislike their watches, but none of the models have ever “wowed” me.

My feelings on Heuer/TH are well known, no need to repeat again. I've been a member here for a minute and I can't recall witnessing much negativity towards Heuer/TH. As was already mentioned earlier on the thread, the company makes a lot of stuff at the lower price points. The higher end stuff is nice but at that higher price point the competition is keen, particularly from Longines, Omega, and many others.

My first Swiss watch was TAG Quartz Aquaracer I bought in 2004. I still have it and still love it. Monaco and Carrera are on my list for future purchase. I don’t get the hate for TAG.

By the way, I’m with you on this, that’s why I asked.

I wonder if much of the hate goes back to what a few people have said here relating to the popularity of the brand in the 90s and 2000s and the number of units they were moving.

I went to an AD here yesterday and tried on a couple, including a Hydroconquest and the 36mm Aquaracer 300 and the TAG really wowed me. The tool-less microadjust on the clasp was great, the bracelet felt nicer finished than the Hydroconquest (the Longines had some sharp edges that felt less refined) and the wave dial was really pretty. In short, I was impressed. The price of the Aquaracer 300 is more than the Hydroconquest, so perhaps not apples to apples. Regardless, for all the love the 37mm Black Bay is getting right now, I'm surprised that this 36mm TAG is so overlooked.

I bought a quartz TAG Heuer 1000 out of a Sharper Image catalog around 1990. I paid $395. Deepest blue dial you could imagine, quartz accuracy, jubilee-ish bracelet. The most beautiful watch, and maybe the most beautiful thing I ever owned. I sold it to buy a power amp.