We aren't often surprised by new releases and especially from a name that's been producing the same watch for 60 years but the Modern Glassbox tackled the brief differently - now seeing newer editions like the "Skipper" and "Dato 9", what do we think about the future of this collection? 🥃
I am on embargo of not buying any new watches for the following 3 years but your story telling about TAG Carrera makes me want to just go and buy the Dato 9. The glass with the offset date, along with the green dial.. it's lit! the only thing I dislike is that I know those pushers hurt, left or right wrist they are pretty big.
TH was my first “luxury” watch 30 odd years ago,so always had a soft spot for them. Even in the last few years when they sort of slipped into the “fashion” brand bracket. So good to see them getting back to their best.
Well said man, it's great to see attention on them again (instead of just being ignored by most of us) - pulling back the old-school inspirations can / will work wonders because they're another brand (like Longines) who has a massive back catalogue 🥃
I remember seeing Tag Heuer ads on the back of FHM magazines as a kid and thinking that must be what successful people wear so I have a soft spot for them! I have owned two and loved them!
No they don't haha! They were awesome but expensive! I used to have a paper route just so that I could afford to buy myself one every month... Especially when they had those special editions with the yearly calendar or 100 sexiest woman. 🤣🤣🤣
I tried this green Dato9 Glassbox on the wrist at the AD a few weeks ago..(whilst it was still under Embargo) I wasn't allowed to take any photos with it I must say, it was a refreshing look on the wrist and a strangely attractive look with that date one the left. Great video brother and timely 🥃
Crazy when an oddball manages to punch above its weight, right? That offsetting on the dial is just the right amount of crazy for me 😉 Also keen to experience it on my right wrist (because I wear watches backwards) Hope you're well m'boy and still enjoying loads of summer sun down under! 🥃
I know I'm late to this discussion, but I must admit in was one of the dolts in the crowd that looked down on TAG for the missteps of the past. As I realize, the path of survival for companies, often leads to blood on ones hands. So I will let the past be the past. So I am now actively looking for a new watch, and actually have a local dealer of TAG. Your video has carried me from the mire of "no thank you" to the platform of "ok, lets see what they have to offer" Again thank you for your great videos.
The insightful information you share is always presented in a very engaging manner, accompanied by a perfectly edited array of visuals. Your brief is so much better than a straight review with specs. It’s more like a design history tutorial. I’m saving for a chronograph, and this and the Zenith have been on my mind. I took this as a sign: the Carrera. But then - after images of the deeply seductive Carrera, you abruptly reveal again the gorgeous Zenith on your wrist. I’m back where I started. Thank you.
You summed up my approach better than I ever could Exhibit 😆 Appreciate it brother. Chasing a chronograph is very, very tough... having owned a few over the years, only a few of those few have stayed with me. I tell you the best advice is to spend months on end doing the research around all the classics and see where your tastes lie. Speedmaster, Carrera, El Primero, Navitimer, Daytona - to name a few. If I was to start all over again from scratch, I'd be pursuing Zenith and Breitling Chrono's. Amazing histories AND even better value for money finding them second hand. Get an El Primero and never look back ;)
Tag Heuer got me into watches. Didn't regret it then and I don't now. Haters often have no clue other than listening to others with no idea. This is a stunning release. I think you can see the thought they are giving to their releases
I agree with you. It was Tag Heuer back in the late 90’s that got me drawn towards high end watches. At that time I could not afford one and till today I have not purchased a Tag, but I have always had a soft spot for Tag. I would love for them to be back on the map.
Tag Heuer was my first luxury watch. I got a steel bezel quartz F1 Chronograph and wore it for years. Got rid of it a year or two ago with the plan of moving up to an omega or tudor but this glass box design has me wondering about getting ANOTHER tag. i can't believe it.
Tag is a great example of using heritage and reissues correctly, timing the market correctly, and avoiding the limited edition issue that others suffered from . I think most collectors had a Tag or a Heuer in their collector's journey, and I think 2024 will be a great year for them as well. Thanks Brother for the great video, and have a blessed Sunday!
Great review. Waiting to see Tag Heuers releases at WW 2024. IMO 2023 started to put TH back on the map for many. It is definitely the watch brand that got me started in watch collecting.
The first watch I bought for it's beauty, not its functionality, was a Longines Conquest, in 2000. I bought a Carrera in 2002, when I clearly needed no other watch, I had my fully functional and beautiful Longines. So it can be said that I became a collector the day I bought my Carrera.
Feels like a a teaser release to me, an indication of what else is to come in 2024. And it bodes well. One of the strongest back catalogues in the industry creates an opportunity for the brand to combine design elements from one reference with the colours from another to create something new whist referencing the brands history. I truly hope we see that. The Glassbox will be what leads the brands resurgence, much like the Black Bay did for Tudor. It's exciting.
It's so good Anthony and well summarised brother! It's the perfect formula for a clean slate (here's hoping nothing gets in the way and messes it up) They could do the same with the Monaco, Autavia etc etc and make a killing 🔥Great analogy with how Tudor managed the same thing!
The glassbox Carrera may be my favorite release of last year. It recalls the past, but goes into the future. This is the kind of thing we need in watch design, not historic designs just upsized. The Skipper is my favorite, but I'm biased as the original Skipperera is my grail (and to a lesser extent, the Hodinkee/TAG 2017 Skipper). If I'm being honest, this modern size of 39mm fits me better than the old 36mm would and I'd probably be overly cautious when walking around with an $80K vintage piece, even if I could afford it. I also love that they keep iterating on it and not just in different colourways. It's not like Tudor releasing a refreshed 41mm Black Bay diver only in burgundy and the masses are left hoping that maybe Tudor will release one additional colour the following year. The green Dato is beautiful, even though I probably wouldn't spend that kind of money on a green watch. As it's quite popular per my boutique (there's a wait list), I've not tried on the new Skipper. However, the blue and black dial variants are finally worth the price TAG charges for the Carrera. I don't think I could say that about the previous models, which were just enough to make people say "Why not spend a touch more and get a Speedmaster?" These offer something technically proud, while being their own thing. We need more of this design thinking, TAG.
I never wore one in the 90's when many of my friends did, i wore a trusty Hamilton, so i don't have a personal connection with the brand. When i got "into watches" in 2019 they were the brand that was laughed at...but now with the release of these glass boxes, the Skipper and the new Dato, they are near the top of my wishlist, but i doubt i'd get one before I get a Zenith, but yes, it's clear the 2023 releases are taking them from pariahs to coveted pieces.
Well said Michael. And hey, I'm not going to discourage anyone from getting a Zenith 😉 Fascinating to see where TAG will take these machines into the future (and what they might do to the Monaco, Autavia etc) 🥃
Great discussion as usual! Tag Heuer as done some great things recently and I am happy for that because up until this year, it felt like they had lost their way. The Chrono you have in this video at time stamp 1:17 is stunning. As is the reverse panda model around 4:20 in this video. The carbon Monza skeleton is just a marvel and so different and truly cool. Lots to like here! I still have my Tag Heuer 2000 automatic purchased 22 plus years ago.
Love your presentations, the tone and pace translate a boatload of passion. As many commenters, tag heuer was my first luxury watch, a graduation gift from my parents. Spot on on the marketing genius of Jack. From the popularity of F1 in the 80's transcended all kinds of classes and barriers despite not being so widely televised, yet somehow we recognized the brand tag heuer. It is really powerful.
And my pleasure as always sharing these man and you're right, Jack was well ahead of his time. Stepping up and striking deals with Enzo Ferrari (just one of his many feats) 😉
The Chronosprint x Porsche has an incredible complication: the chronograph seconds hand "sprints" for the first 10 seconds and then slows down to complete a revolution in 1 minute. I've just been stunned and delighted by the working example they have on their website, where you can click its virtual pushers. This is one watch that needed some inspiration from the minimalist era though - the subdials have red sections for no apparent reason.
@@ID-Guy I was going to add that Mondaine has something similar. It mimics a characteristic of Swiss station clocks which pause the seconds hand for a second when it reaches 12. So it goes round the dial in 59 seconds, then waits for time to catch up! Hope you have a great evening.
Bru, hugely positive! The '00/10s doldrums were quite sad! I think the Glassbox was by far and away the release of '23. A very clever piece of design that utterly repositioned TAG in one watch. The staffing changes at TAG (and the separation of 'watches' from 'jewellery' at LVMH) will generate some fantastic watches going forward. Just wait for an all new, hand-wind chrono from CF-K - there's little point in her hiring if not and she must prove herself with a chrono, perhaps a doppel... I picked up the '63 Carrera re-edition fortuitously due to insomnia on the day of release and absolutely love it, but the production Glassboxes are awesome - I'd take the Skipper or black dial in a heartbeat. And man, some of the Monzas... I predict TAG will really gun for Omega in the coming years - it will be interesting to see how one brand can compete with the equivalent of Tissot, Longines, IWC, Breitling, Tudor and Omega in one range. But people forget they've done it before - in the early '90s they happily competed with Rolex and Swatch at once. Great classic F1 footage BTW - when racing was racing, men were men and sheep were scared!
My first luxury watch I bought for myself in 1995 was a TAG Heuer dive watch. It was basically the only watch I wore for about 12 years. Yeah, I hear this was the general era when they supposedly went south as a brand. But, I never understood nor subscribed to the unpopular opinion around the brand. I have most recently acquired and really enjoying the Carrera 160 Year Anniversary Montreal. It's a couple of years old. But, I love the clean blue Panda dial with a mix of primary color buddies red and yellow. A cool amalgamation of classic Carrera design with vintage Montreal colors. The trap options I've been mixing with it have been fun. I really like the glassbox models. It's been a popular eye catching offering from the beginning and they've been doing great adding and expanding that line since. I can see adding one to the collection some day as there is a lot to like and significantly new there that is unlike their previous more classic Carrera models. I'm glad TH has been gradually, but progressively, making a bit of a comeback the past 2-3 years, in my eyes. I look forward to seeing more from the brand in the future. And, no, I don't think they are creatively bankrupt by drawing from their vintage heritage models. Would you say that about Longines? If you've got what works and can build up on it, why not?
As soon as I saw the reverse panda glassbox I knew I had to have it. Next up is a Zenith chrono of some kind. LVMH are on the rise and their watch leadership seems to have the right plan at the moment
I love the Glass box Carrera. The reverse Panda in particular. I like the direction LVMH is taking the brand. I would love to see what they do with the Autavia this year
Fabulous analysis as always. A Tag Heuer Glassbox is on my short list of desired watches. The Skipper is the one drawing me in. Alas though, with my recent acquisition of the Pelagos 39, I will most likely have to wait seven years before considering another watch acquisition. Thanks as always for keeping my interest in horology alive. 🥃
It’s always great to get inspiration from anywhere specially if it’s effective. Now, getting inspiration from an effective manifestation of yourself it’s the very essence of what a great brand should do: stay true to its core.
Just had my Monaco repaired after it sat in the drawer for years getting no love at all. Agree with all the comments that TAG entering the “fashion watch” market was a misstep and their place really is as a premium brand. Let’s hope they continue down that track!
I have 6k burning a hole in my pocket. The short list is the Carrera, pelagos 39, green dial seamaster 300m, and zenith defy classic. The smart move would be to just throw the cash at the mortgage.
Hey...I know of another good watch... can't think of the name.. erm... what was it? Oh yeah.. the 1861 Speedmaster!! Man it just arrived. I'm sitting in the car and can hear the ticking. The hand winding is so smooth....hesalite beautiful.... this is it... the ultimate
So bloody happy for you Valera. DO NOT SELL IT. A Speedy covers all the bases. And speaking of which, a lil Brietling I picked up at the start of the year? It's my version of a Speedmaster (in more ways than one 😉) Think I might even title the video as such. Something about a handwound chrono with hesalite, man... NOW! Get yourself some super super high quality leather straps, deployants, natos and wear the snot out of it!! 🔥
@@ID-Guy ha ha that's awesome man. I picked up an alligator omega deployant. And an Omega nato... so I've got bases covered... this is the one man. I'm not getting rid....its just the best Congrats on your Breitling too! I don't know if I ever need another watch man. This and my 5600 G shock basically cover every base . And to me that's a good thing . I can just be a passive watcher of videos, and not waste any more money and effort on watches for a long time
The first decent (& first Swiss) watch I ever bought was a TAG Heuer 2000 auto in ‘04. I had it serviced by TAG in ‘18 & still runs great. I really like everything TAG Heuer is putting out now, although I’m not excited about the design of the Monaco, ironically! I really like the Carrera line.
Imagine they give the Monaco this sort of treatment? That would be something pretty interesting, right? Saying all this... I'm now eyeing the Monaco because it was the El Primero's direct competitor in '69. Would be a laugh to say I own both of the first Automatic Chronographs 😆🥃
Great vid! My second Luxury watch (in the late 90's) was a 36mm Heuer manual winding chrono with a white dial, blue type on the outer chapter ring and a fabulous racing leather strap. I can't remember just now the ref, but I'd give anything to have not sold it!! I loved the recent limited-edition silver dial Heritage Chronos - because they looked so like their gorgeous 60's forebearers. When I popped into a Tag AD in a local shopping centre last year I tried on the new green dial glassbox and all I can say was - it was very.... shiny! Maybe the fashion-watch connotation of recent years affected my judgement - perhaps I should take another look? 🙂
Oh wow... it could've been one of their anniversary models from the 90's - Tritium dial, hesalite! And TAG's do love to make them shiny today. I still haven't seen the Green Dato in person BUT hey, could've been the bright AD lights 😉 That offset date @ 9 is just the right amount of crazy for someone like me 🥃
@@ID-Guy - I know what you mean about the right amount of crazy with the offset date. I always get seduced by the alternate route, so with you 100% there! Keep up the great work 🙂
Was very, very lucky to find it Chaz and thank you brother. Also stumbling on a January sale of Red Leather straps? I may have bought three pairs... the A384 will be staying on red for a long time 😆🥃
I bought a Heuer Carrera 45 this week. The 3647S from c.1967 powered by a Valjoux 92. They are evolving the new releases rather than producing exact copies of old models which is commendable. Even though I bought the original I can see the appeal of the new models.
Oh wow, must say, they produced so many greats... the Bi-Compax dials, the Dato's, Panda's, Reverse Panda's... it's chronograph nirvana! Huge congrats on grabbing one Jason and enjoy it! Thank you for sharing this 🥃
For established brands with iconic designs it’s tough. They have to pay tribute to the past while staying fresh and relevant. A lot of TagHeuer designs haven’t been doing that well so they lost link to the Heuer heritage which would give their watches a lot more credit and love. I like Carrera and Monza designs. At some point I was considering buying reissue models.
It’s good seeing them tackle these designs with a nice mix of New and Old (without leaning too heavily on either side - like too many of the big names today) Well said 🥃
The new models are rather nice actually , though saying that i think they are a little to expensive for what they are .If tag want new watch fans to come on board $6500 might just be to high an ask to pull the trigger
Agreed, sticker shock is going to scare so many away (and continues to do so) Seeing Omega UK dropping their prices by 20% and returning to the less but still inflated 2020 prices... people still aren't going mad for them 😆🥃
Thank you brother. Really lucked out big time with the leather. Managed to grab three of them (big January discount) from WatchGecko @@4BB4S And man... couldn't have paired it with a better colour. Gives the watch so much more character 🔥
The change in Design Police is the online Chance for TAG Heuer, otherwise They would be outcompeted by brands like Tissot…for me as Design Nerd absolutere the Right Direktion and very brave By TAG Heuer, love it.
Tag heuer was indeed what got me started, in 2007, but back then it sat wayyyy lower in the market in terms of price, relatively to the other brands we tend to buy into, and now we have to pay rolex money for one. I like the new carreras, but am I likely to pay the price to own one? I don't think so.
Well said Thor. Sticker shock across the board with so many brands (even with discounts people aren't interested) The retail game is going to have to change sooner or later 🥃
The Glassbox may be a nice design, but in Glendale California, jewelers are offering them for a 40% discount. People just aren't buying, nor will they until TAG brings their prices back down to reality and takes "TAG" off the dial.
Sticker prices are getting more and more insane. Omega UK taking 20% off all of their stock... which still means they're bordering the unreasonable retail prices from 2020. It's classic, right? I'd also pay to have TAG off the dial 🥃
Another great video. With the success of the Swatch MoonSwatch, TAG should consider reviving their 1980's F1. I wonder how it would be received? Make an affordable watch for the masses that's just not an homage but an actual continuation of the model, with some upgrades.
your rite there , it was tag that got my interest in watches started with the max verstappen aston martin model then . then , then , then ..............🙃
There truly is something special about the look of a Carrera. Is it not the Heuer Carrera that is being revived rather than the Tag Heuer Carrera? I’m not a historian, so will be happy to stand corrected.
A really cool oddity is the Breitling 765 "Digital" - a piece from the 50's that had what looked to be a date window BUT it's actually a minute counter (maximum 15 minutes before resetting to 1 again) It's so darn cool man... weird tangent from yours truly 😆
I like how they've kept the case shape mostly untouched, those slim lugs are gorgeous. The case reminds me of another watch that came out just a year later, the Seiko 6218-8970, the Weekdater. I doubt Taro Tanaka copied Heuer so it's probably just a case of similar ideas popping up at a similar time in history.
Missed you last week! There is an aspect to watches that is fashion. Much like fashion recycles old ideas, it makes sense that watches would draw from previous iterations of their offerings while also providing modern updates. The biggest challenge with watches as fashion is that watches are generally marketed to an older, more established age cohort while fashion generally trends younger. Seems like that could create some out of synch trends. But then what 40-year-old is on fashion trend unless uber-wealthy?
I’ve been looking at the Cal 11 a lot lately… because of the link with the A384. Would be awesome to say I own two Auto Chrono rivals from the same year 😉 Must say, I’d be chasing the Monaco too given the chance 🥃
Just as my dive watches never go deeper than my shoelaces, my chronographs never run for longer than it takes to brew a pot of tea. So that Dato 9 is ideal for me. If raiding their back catalogue brings out watches like these, who can say it's a bad thing?
How cool is that piece? 30 minutes with a Date and as a vertical clutch you can run the Chrono non-stop as your “running seconds” if you like. Really dig the minimalism 🥃
For me (Tag) Heuer is a brand that has been straddling the line between bad investment and great classic for years. When it comes to design I am often fascinated by the dials and turned off by the cases. The one-eyed frog is not my cup of tea, but the glassbox panda with the date at 12 is hot.
As a kid I’ve seen Tag Heuer branding in the F1 circuits all over the place. It’s a sad thing to see how far the brand fallen off from their past glory. I don’t really trust LVMH to bring back the brand to the height where once it was, but we’ll see.
It's a big ask that the bring it back to the heights it was even in the 90's - early 2000's, you're right. The competition is just too tough to go up against (especially with names like Tudor picking up so well in places) 🥃
Great video. Thank you. Was it intentionally or not, but you said it quite well that "older designs were simply better". I agree wholeheartedly with this. Yes, they were better, and not just in watches, but in cars, architecture, haute couture and even pret-a-porter. Painting is a different story, as it started going down right after the impressionists, but it is beside the point :) It will be interesting if you could elaborate on this thought of yours a bit further. Why those design were better? Here is a possible starting point - was a definition of "beautiful" different at those days? Has it changed? If yes, why, and if no, then why a lot of modern designs feel like a "design for the sake of design"? So, how wrong am I ? :) Cheers!
I’ve been disappointed by Tag most recently after having gone to a brand new boutique that opened near me. Tag was responsible for pulling me into the hobby but I will now truly admit they are now not why I stay.
Having a decent watch collection, I’m missing a good by specs Chronograph, The carrera glassbox is on my radar over the Speedmaster simply because IMO the movement is better….
I’d also say an Auto Chrono is more practical day-to-day (takes the pressure off when wearing it non-stop too) Also, just more interesting to look at 😉🥃
Those of us who are Cold War babies will always be swayed by 1950s and 1960s designs. Drawn on light tables, using old school techniques, slide rules and callipers. I am definitely smitten even if I can’t afford the entry point.
My first luxury watch was the Monaco thanks to watching Le Mans and my love of Porsche thanks to that movie but unfortunately they have ruined the brand with the connected watches and the Quartz models they do , they have lots of good analog watches they can work with to get their brand back to where it should be and it does look that way over the last 12 months that is the new direction they are going
Crazy how a handful of decisions have derailed what the Heuer name used to be about. Truth be told I don't think they'll ever get the magic back again... I guess it's down to whether owners and investors think it's worth developing, alas 🥃
TAG Heuer now is the Opel of the watch world. The good European brand you’re okay to buy, but will never have the same cachet as Audi (Omega : lots of tech no one really understands) or Mercedes (Rolex, the one you really want)
Its a beautiful watch and the green dial is amazing...BUT the TH20-07 movement is not COSC certified unlike its sibling the TH20-09. The watch is also quite thick at 14mm...all of this is fine but perhaps not at this price point.
Well, erm, it's a new piece... I'll be sure to share it in a month or two 😉 But even during my SOTC I had this one lined up and pulled the trigger right around New Years (believe it or not) a forgotten gem, quite a sleeper and man... it's barely been off my wrist. Really looking forward to sharing the review 🥃
Not sure that Tag Heuer are currently in a position to complete with anyone yet & that is a shame. Looks very much like they are heading in the right direction with a plan for their destination in possibly the next 3 > 5 years. Build watches with Heuer inspiration & NOT Tag attitudes.
How cool would it be for someone to buy up the "TAG" element and remove it from the dials? Think the "rebrand" would resonate with many more people and hey, they could hype it up so much 🔥
Not to the point where it's "bankrupt," yet. I appreciate the efforts with the Carrera, and like you loved the Jack Heuer 80th. But not much happening with the Autavia. Yes, there was the reissue from the 2000s and the latest "reissues" but those seem like they wanted to keep the name out there even if it's on a "placeholder" design. Still waiting for the reinterpretations of the first ten years of the automatic designs, which IMHO are the real gold in the catalog. Heck, even Zodiac brought out their Grandrally (Carrera) in that vein. They see it, I think we all see it. Cheers.
I wish someone would buy up the majority TAG share and erase the name of the dials completely. Imagine the rebrand and hyping up the return of "Heuer - Only Heuer" 🔥
I like what they're doing, however the problem is the quality of the product, the loose tolerances used in the movements. A watch is not just about looks...
The dato glassbox is a really handsome watch that’s why it works…except for the TAG branding and £6,000 SRP…and I think yes most (all?) big brands are creatively bankrupt atm. The new dato reissue is a clean and straightforward design, distinctively clear. We can spot immediately Bauhaus, post-WW2, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s designs a mile off. But what is 21st Century watch design? Hublot? RM? 🤮 Is that all there is? I’m struggling to think of anything new and good. Isotope perhaps? With big brands everything else appears to be recycled from the waste disposal, given a wash, hung up on the line to dry, and marketed within an inch of its life. What will whatever watch brands are still left in 40 years time reissue from the 2020s when its all issues to start with? 🤔 PS: I’m in the 20% - TAG defo didn’t get me into watches - I’ve never been a fanboi of anything 😂
I just remember Tag making some of the most ugly watches in the 90s. Well maybe just the bracelets lol. But i must say i really love their new offerings. Their whole catalogue looks amazing.
The main issue in building up a negative brand oerspective almost always is a persistent bad quality issue. Seiko is famous for its bad alignment of the bezel and hour markers. Tag Heuer had badly made dials and hands that simply fell off. Panarai is famous for it's 30 meter water resistance for a classic diver. Invicta is famous for hidious looking grotesque watches. After realising as a brand you made a huge mistake, it takes time to crawl back. If you don't you'r gone forever.
Well said Rene, and I agree… these stigmas end up lasting decades and are nearly impossible to shake. Really forces a brand to work 3x harder to bring something better to market. 30m Panerai WR… what a time that was 😆 They still haven’t shaken that stigma…
Reputations go up and down. Skoda was a terrible brand in the 1980s. It's 2024 and Skoda is like a VW (unsurprisingly, since it is part of the VW group). Rolex in the 1980s was a brand worn by working class tradespeople. Imagine my shock to come back to the watch hobby decades later to see Rolex as a 'top' brand.
I have to say I disagree. The glass box is fantastic (apart from the strap and buckle) , but there is also a lot of very bland watches under the Carrera name. Also, when all your best watches are vintage reissues it doesn't signal a strong brand for me.
I bought this popular video watch from NKUWAN , which was originally priced at a few thousand dollars, but now it's only $380! It's really suitable to pick up feces!
