TAG Heuer: Things You Need to Know About the Brand

Try asking several watch collectors and enthusiasts about their top 10 brands. For sure, TAG Heuer is one of their favorites alongside Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe because of its luxurious timepieces. It has a long yet impressive history of watchmaking. Throughout the years, it formed a deep connection with the sports industry. It offered some of the best and fastest mechanical chronograph and tourbillon watches that helped facilitate sports timing and automobile racing.

Despite the great features and complications of its watches, they have relatively lower price tags compared to its competitors. In this article, we will take a closer look at the history of TAG Heuer to have a better appreciation of the brand. Moreover, we will discover some of its finest timepieces to date.

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The history of TAG Heuer

Edouard Heuer founded TAG Heuer in 1860 as a small workshop in the Swiss Jura mountains. He focused on manufacturing timing devices for sports while his competitors were all producing luxury pocket watches. As a person inclined in research and development, he invented and patented the shop’s first winding system. When he attended the Paris Exhibition in 1889, he displayed his pocket chronographs and it garnered a lot of attention not just from the other participants but also from the organizer themselves. He won a silver medal for this kind of invention. The succeeding years were all about patenting new technological innovations like the Pulso-meter dial division, first dashboard timer for automobiles, and journey-time indicator.

TAG Heuer entered the world of power sports

It was in 1960 when TAG Heuer decided to enter the world of power sports. The very first products that are made available to this industry were the Carrera and Monaco. The former came with a large dial that contributed to the watch’s high legibility while the latter featured an automatic winding system. Monaco became very popular, thanks to the actor Steve McQueen. He wore it during his film entitled Le Mans, and people who saw it became curious about the watch.

The Scuderia Ferrari made the brand the official timekeeper in all of its activities during training and the actual races. It means that it was responsible for communicating who had the fastest speed, split times, and laps from several contestants. During the Moscow Olympic Games held in Lake Placid, it had the same responsibilities. When it became a part of the Techniques d’Avant Garde, it saw a great improvement in its growth and sales. It influenced TAG Heuer to increase its retail price and target an upscale market.

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Performance and reliability of TAG Heuer watches

TAG Heuer made a conscious effort to improve the performance and reliability of its watches in the early years of the 1980s. It invested in research and development to ensure that its products have great designs and features. Moreover, it engaged in centralized marketing, advertising, and sponsoring to widen its audience and maintain its position in the international market.

The majority of its timepieces had resistance to water with a depth of 200 meters. They usually come with a unidirectional bezel, sapphire crystal, double-security clasp, and luminous markings to ensure that they can withstand unfavorable conditions. With this kind of design, the company spent more than a year to finalize them and offer them to the public. It even subjects its timepieces to rigorous tests to determine if it can survive in extreme temperatures with chemicals and ultraviolet light.

Finest watches offered by TAG Heuer

• Carrera CBG2A10.FT 6168

The first TAG Heuer Carrera model became available in 1964. The company released it to commemorate the road race known as Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. It was the very first chronograph that was capable of measuring time during car racing. Throughout the years, the brand released different versions of this watch with varying designs, sizes, and movements. The CBG2A10.FT6168 model is one of the most popular watches in the collection. This model features a 45 mm case made from steel and ceramic with an all-black design and skeletonized dial. It functions through the help of the Heuer-02 movement that the company made in-house. It costs more than $7 000.

• Aquaracer WAY101L.FC8222

The company released the first model under the Aquaracer collection in 2003. It was a tool watch intended for divers which had a pretty high demand from the general public. The most viable option to buy is the WAY101L.FC8222 if you are working within a limited budget. It is incredibly affordable with a price tag of $2 200 only. Instead of equipping this model with the typical caliber S electro-mechanical chronograph movement, the brand used quartz instead. It means that it tells the time accurately through the help of a battery.

• Monaco CAW211P.FC6356

The design of Monaco is very appealing, which is why a lot of the members of the watch community prefer it from other collections. The brand launched the very first Monaco model in 969 as its way to honor the Monaco Grand Prix. It became even more popular when Steve McQueen wore it in his 1971 film. The recent model under this collection is the CAW211P.FC6356, which features several upgrades. It is an iconic watch composed of a blue dial and a left-mounted crown. The material used for the case is steel which adds a touch of durability. You can have it for $8 900.

• Connected SBG8A12.Bt6219

The brand released the Connected collection in 2005 to address the modern needs and demands of people. The SBG8A12.Bt6219 model is a smartwatch that can function through Google’s Android Wear operating system. You can use the watch to access several apps and online services. It also created its own app that gives the wearer the freedom to change the face of the watch according to their preference. It is one of the best luxury smartwatches because it perfectly combines style and functionality. You can have it for $2 600 only.

In a Nutshell

TAG Heuer has a great reputation in the watchmaking industry because of its interesting history as well as the quality and functionality of its timepieces. Asie from the four watches listed above, there are a lot more options that you can choose from. To discover all of them, make sure to visit TheWatchCompany.com!

Read more: 8 Best Tissot Timepieces to Express Yourself With