Why does it 'seem' that TAG is not as respected of a brand?

[daytona4me]

Why does it seem that TAG Heuer is not as respectable of a watch? Well, let me say it this way.. we certainly do not see many being talked about nor do they show up frequently in wristshots or reviews. It is not #1 on anyones list for the most part yet they have some pretty trendy watches.
I personally think that the TAG Heuer Grand Carrera is an awesome looking watch. Previous Carrera models are certainly attractive and I own the Aquaracer which is easily the most comfortable watch that I own, the dial design is pretty nice too.

I swear that this subject has been discussed before,, either as the topic title or in the middle of a thread somewhere.. but after 10 pages of searches I have yet to find it. It has been on my mind for a week or two and so I figured I'd bring it out for discussion.

What are you thoughts on this?

 

[fakemaster]

That would have been me.

The Tag Heuer Equation

 

[watchman1]

I couldn't agree with you more. I am a Tag lover and for the most part the reps that I own are pretty accurate. I love wearing them because I do not see them everywhere I turn. If I get a compliment it is usually on one of my Tags. I own a Link, a Carerra and a Grand Carerra as well AND I LOVE THEM!!!

Being a selfish bastard, I really don't want the word to get out on just how awesome Tags are because that will cause more people to wear them.

 

[subseeker]

I will buy all the Tag reps as soon as the GZ factory decides to use the better datewheels.
:twisted: :twisted:

 

[rooster133]

I will buy all the Tag reps as soon as the GZ factory decides to use the better datewheels.
:twisted: :twisted:

Couldn't agree more. DWs heve always been my issue with them too.

 

[watchbuff]

The GC is sweet and the nicest tag yet. My partner wears one. Basic grey and a quartz, just ... well, nice.
Always cosidered them on the low order of luxury. Not very revered except for the endorsements from Tiger, and the fact they are big sponsors of sporting events like golf and tennis. So they are geared toward the young and up and coming crowd it would seem.
I equated with movado and maybe just a step above that. Seems like the young tag owners of today are future rollie customers.
But hey, what do I know.

 

[phaedo]

I would say the uneducated masses know two watch brands - those that are in a position to buy them will buy rollies, and the others will be tag buyers. Maybe this is why?

 

[smc]

Your partner?

Anyway...

Even though they are nice watches, I don't think that they're 1k nicer than a seiko.

 

[jv91]

i agree d4m i love tags especially the grand carrera and the monaco line

 

[gte217e]

I have hated Tag style watches for years and years. The Carrera and Grand Carrera line is the first Tag watch I've ever liked and I put them ahead of MANY other watch designs out there. I ordered a Tag GC Calibre 17 from Puretime. I'm still waiting on it but it has been shipped. I go into retail watch stores to look at it every time I am at the mall.

 

[Spirit]

TAG lover here too, and I own a TAG Sport-Elegance S/EL in SS with white face =D
...I wish the TAGs had bigger attention from the rep factories, paying more attention to details, and on some watches, better accuracy. The model that calls me the most nowadays are the LINK series and the Aquaracer non-chrono (I saw the Aquaracer non-chrono at an AD) and They´re pretty much the ones that I like, but maybe I could consider other models, if they aren´t too big (40mm max here)

TAg-Heuer is a respectable brand (and just a little bit cheaper than Rolex) here in Brazil. It was broght by Ayrton Senna´s family to the country, and still keeps up being sold ONLY by H.Stern Jewelers here, as they have exclusive rights over any TAG reselling here in Brazil.
Their pricelist goes from US$3k to US$10k here, and it´s not a "pseudo-luxury" watch, not AT ALL.

As I get my watches on nearby stores locally here, I don´t pay much attention to the TAGs, because they only bring crap in here nowadays...the Link Calibre 32 (or 36?) Chrono, which is POS repped... x__X

Anyway, here´s my S/EL:

Cheers,
Spirit.

 

[gazumi]

I've been a TAG guy for a long time, especially because they're the timekeeper of Formula and I'm a big F1 fan. I wore a TAG daily for 12 years and it looks as good as new. I then upgraded to a gen Breitling, discovered reps and a whole bunch of other brands that I never knew much about. I then started to rationalize to myself, rightly or wrongly, that a $300 rep of a $15K watch is better value than a $300 rep of an Aquaracer that I can get almost brand new on eBay for $1K.

For others, there may be a perception that TAG is a low end brand because they're sold in department stores whereas IWCs or APs are sold at ADs. There could be some rep snobbery involved.

I would buy a gen TAG, but probably not a rep TAG.

 

[By-Tor]

I've always been a huge TAG / Heuer fan. Their design is second to none.

Monaco, Carrera, Aquaracer and especially Link lineup are awesome. Link bracelet is pure genius and probably my favorite watch bracelet.

How can you NOT love something like the blue Aquaracer chrono? I mean... that's one of the best looking sports chronographs ever. On top of this the TAG reps are extremely high quality.

Yeah, they have their quartz line but so does Omega and Breitling (both those brands ALSO use mainly 7750 in their watches).

How about Link Calibre 36 with the mighty El Primero? What a stunning chrono!

 

[watchbuff]

my partner...no not the kind that explores brokeback cornhole.

My co pilot......from work

 

[By-Tor]

Also... about TAG "not being respected" is only true among the hardcore WIS who scream murder every time when a brand moves its production more towards quartz. WIS think that TAG betrayed its Heuer roots when this happened in the eighties.

True, quartz watches aren't generally interesting, but TAG has some impressive quartz models as well.

Their advertising may be cheesy, but isn't that exactly what Omega does with James Bond... or Rolex's pretentious tool watch idea... watches for "cave dwellers" (Explorer II), "people who work near magnetic fields" (Milgauss), and the whole idea that Kimi Raikkonen or Lewis Hamilton use their Daytona tachymeter when they're driving their F1 Ferrari or McLaren 300 km/h... etc.

And outside the WIS snobs, TAG is extremely respected brand. Ask any European kid the two luxury watch brand names, and you can be almost sure that he'll answer TAG and Rolex. The brand recognition of TAG is very high. So "not respected" isn't entirely true.

 

[kitersoze]

i think 'respected' is a very subjective, or at least relative, term.

i don't think it's a matter of them making a well-designed, well-built watch. IMO i think it has to do with how exclusive or coveted a watch or brand is. tag, with the link series, became wildly popular throughout the world. with their success came even more pervasive advertising and branding. n when they pushed hard on their quartz line, the cheaper prices plus the very trendy link bracelet became even more popular. i think it has to do with how popular and trendy and accessible they became. there's always an eventual backlash against overly popular brands from their overexposure (they were everywhere for a while). do you remember how trendy swatches were for a while, and then they became a joke, part of bad 80's fashion. obviously, tag does not fit precisely into this example, but i think they certainly suffered a bit from their trendiness. my first 'higher end' gen was tag, that i got after i 'moved up' from my nice seiko divers. then once tag became trendy n i saw them all the time, they lost some of their luster for me. once something becomes trendy/pervasive and too available, that's just what happens. people like to feel chique, special, or somewhat exlusive/coveted. my next gen after my tag was breitling, n then they became very very popular as well...

 

[phaedo]

And outside the WIS snobs, TAG is extremely respected brand. Ask any European kid the two luxury watch brand names, and you can be almost sure that he'll answer TAG and Rolex. The brand recognition of TAG is very high. So "not respected" isn't entirely true.

That is actually where my point was aimed - name two watch brands that are not plastic and people will most likely name rolex - but think they will never be able to afford one as they are 'the best' watch in the world, and tag, which one day if they work really hard they may be able to buy one.
Not knocking them as such, as I agree there are a lot of nice ones out there, but just the way they have come across (for me at least) is they are the realistic mans answer to rolex if you want a fancy watch.
Outside of watch people, 90% of the population probably wouldn't even recognize most other watch brands anyway.

 

[coling]

Also... about TAG "not being respected" is only true among the hardcore WIS who scream murder every time when a brand moves its production more towards quartz. WIS think that TAG betrayed its Heuer roots when this happened in the eighties.

True, quartz watches aren't generally interesting, but TAG has some impressive quartz models as well.

Their advertising may be cheesy, but isn't that exactly what Omega does with James Bond... or Rolex's pretentious tool watch idea... watches for "cave dwellers" (Explorer II), "people who work near magnetic fields" (Milgauss), and the whole idea that Kimi Raikkonen or Lewis Hamilton use their Daytona tachymeter when they're driving their F1 Ferrari or McLaren 300 km/h... etc.

And outside the WIS snobs, TAG is extremely respected brand. Ask any European kid the two luxury watch brand names, and you can be almost sure that he'll answer TAG and Rolex. The brand recognition of TAG is very high. So "not respected" isn't entirely true.

By-Tor, your post is exactly my thoughts & feelings with more, in Oz (at least from where I'm standing) Tag has a respected name with an affordable (gen) price TAG. I'm a huge fan!

 

[hooligan]

I'm a big fan of the Monaco chronos, personally.

 

[coling]

Hooli, I love a big square face too