Advice?--80's Tag Heuer Titanium Quartz chrono

Matty101 · Nov 30, 2015

Hey all,

I'm new to the forum--My dad just passed onto me an old Tag of his, a titanium quartz from the late 80's. It looks great (honestly i love it, quartz be damned) and needs a battery. I wanted to know what i should do in order to take care of it? Take it somewhere and have it checked mechanically? Ive never owned a vintage watch before and i want to make this a daily wearer but i'm concerned it might not be tough enough or there might not be any parts for it and don't want to ruin it with daily wear (my ideal would be to wear it everyday, take it underwater, and not break the thing)--this being an heirloom of my dad's just holds significance to me. I want it in good enough shape so I can take it swimming with no fear. You think tag can do an overhaul on it?... Should i do that?! Honestly just not sure where to start. Any advice would be appreciated.

Matty101 · Nov 30, 2015

Update: Tag just informed me they cannot do an overhaul on the piece. So do I just put a battery on the thing and let it run? Is there anything i can do?

imagwai · Nov 30, 2015

I would probably just suggest a battery change and a good clean-up. Quartz movements tend not to be that serviceable (they usually just replace the entire movement if it goes wrong).

Matty101 · Nov 30, 2015

You think I can still take it underwater and swim or should I avoid that?

dtf · Nov 30, 2015

I would not take it swimming without pressure testing it. Most jewellers should be able to do that.

Nice watch 😀

Rutger69 · Nov 30, 2015

Ask your juweler to check your tag, he can replace any rubber rings also the battery and even the glass.
Like the watch!!!⌚️⌚️

I've had mine serviced too, it had a leaky glass.
You may even get a sapphire glass instead of a mineral.

Matty101
You think I can still take it underwater and swim or should I avoid that?

tyrantlizardrex · Nov 30, 2015

Hey Matty, where are you based?

I use STS in the UK for my vintage Omega's, and they have a sub-division called SwissTec that take care of a lot of other brands (including TAG).

Matty101 · Nov 30, 2015

All--thank you for the advice!

Rutger--Nice watch!

Tyrant--I'm in North Carolina in the USA!

automobilia42 · Dec 1, 2015

Matty101
You think I can still take it underwater and swim or should I avoid that?

Don't wash/ shower/ swim with it unless the watch has been pressure tested with a vacuum machine, not a water tester unless the movement is out, chanches are very high the rubber seals of the chrono pushers, caseback and crown are totally deterioriated due to age, and as Rutger had, the crystal gasket got brittle/ cracked.

Calibre11 · Dec 1, 2015

automobilia42
Don't wash/ shower/ swim with it unless the watch has been pressure tested with a vacuum machine, not a water tester unless the movement is out, chanches are very high the rubber seals of the chrono pushers, caseback and crown are totally deterioriated due to age, and as Rutger had, the crystal gasket got brittle/ cracked.

Agree with this. It's a personal choice- I would never swim with any watch (OK, maybe a G-shock..) because unless the watch has been tested in the last 12 months, you never know what condition that seal is in. TAG Heuer gives a guarantee on watches that it services for 1 year on water resistance. The website also says:

"As a general rule, all TAG Heuer watches require an annual check of their water-resistance."

That says to me that you're taking a risk with any watch once you get outside that 12 month zone. OK, this will likely be conservative, but why take the risk?

dtf · Dec 1, 2015

Sensible advice there DC, although as a measure of how conservative that is, I've surfed with a 6yo aquaracer with no issues.

However now I'm slightly more aware of the issues, I'll be getting pressure tested annually.

automobilia42 · Dec 1, 2015

Haha, a bit conservative, but good advice, don't risk it if you don't know the condition of the seals.
I do swim with my watches, only divers models though with at least 200 meter WR, but only after I have serviced and tested them myself, plus I have the following rules of thumb after enough experience with water inside watch cases:

-Only swim/ dive with a watch with a screw-in crown, period.
-No swimming/ diving, even showering with chronographs or any watch with push in buttons, push in crowns like the Multifunction F1 Chronotimer, Carrera Calibre S etc.
Trust me, 4 expensive dead ones and counting...I wouldn't risk it.

dtf · Dec 1, 2015

Interesting comment on the chrono, I take it the buttons aren't intended for pressing underwater?

Quartz aquaracer watch just seems like the best tool watch available!

automobilia42 · Dec 1, 2015

That would be one thing I can think of, pressing or pushing it in under water, may be without even noticing it by the person that is wearing it.
Also, if you see the little o-rings that are installed inside the pushers... I have seen lots of them that were completely out of shape, dry and brittle and had some white residue on them like chalk.
Sometimes they were not even there anymore.
Also, I noticed on for instance the Link versions that the pins did find a way to loosen themselves, which doesn't help protecting it from water either, and could end up in even loosing the pusher-cap.

The Aquaracer is a great tool watch, I use a 500M as a tool watch myself!
If you see the thickness of the rubber caseback-plate gasket, at least double the thickness of a normal one, also with the 300M by the way.
I haven't opened my 500M Ceramic yet though, but I expect to see the same thick gasket.

Calibre11 · Dec 1, 2015

Yes, you certainly shouldn't use the chronograph (or push the buttons) underwater. Probably the only exception from TAG Heuer is the Aquagraph- see "Water Resistance" below

automobilia42 · Dec 2, 2015

Some horror pictures I made from watches inside after someone jumped into the water with a multifunctional crown watch (Pull/ Push/ Turn but not screw-in):

Calibre11 · Dec 4, 2015

automobilia42
Some horror pictures I made from watches inside after someone jumped into the water with a multifunctional crown watch (Pull/ Push/ Turn but not screw-in):

Ouch

Hubert · Dec 5, 2015

Advice?--80's Tag Heuer Titanium Quartz chrono

Matty101

Matty101

imagwai

Matty101

dtf

Rutger69

tyrantlizardrex

Matty101

automobilia42

Calibre11

dtf

automobilia42

dtf

automobilia42

Calibre11

automobilia42

Calibre11

Hubert

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