It's time to bring back the original F1

Turpinr
Posts
644
Likes
2,267
Pitfitter446 Pitfitter446
Started many owner on the TH journey ?
Yeah your right.
I had a Rado dress watch before I got my first what I'd class as a luxury watch, a WAC111a F1.
 
Aquagraph
Posts
22,627
Likes
32,245
But it's a wrinkle of history, created by a set of circumstances and the idea that TAG Heuer was a 'new' company - unbound by history. Within 5 years they deleted almost everything they inherited from Heuer so that in the mid 90s the line up was totally original. That will almost certainly never happen again for any established watch company.
 
Pitfitter446
Posts
3,063
Likes
3,038
Turpinr Turpinr
Yeah your right.
I had a Rado dress watch before I got my first what I'd class as a luxury watch, a WAC111a F1.
I bought my series 1000 Tag before my ceramic multi function Rado, bought both because they were at a bargain price.
 
N
Posts
68
Likes
45
After visiting the Swatch stores in NYC (all), Rome, and standing in line at the mobile Moonswatch popups, I finally got a Mission to the Moon in Las Vegas. The pursuit was both annoying and fun and I look forward to purchasing the Mercury and Neptune on my travels some time in the future. Last week, I was inspired to buy the actual Omega Moonwatch (3861 Sapphire Sandwich) and enjoy having such an icon in my watch collection (1st Omega). I would be lying if I said these purchases were unrelated.

The pursuit of these watches was fun. Given how expensive and hard to get the premium watch market has become, the ideal of a fun/affordable watch to scratch the retail0therapy itch may be just be what watch enthusiasts need.

A reintroduction of the F1, with a build quality no better or worse than the original, a slightly large size (36-39MM) and some cool color combos would be fantastic. Personally, I would want to buy a few, so the price would need to be below $500...

An alternative the an F1 reintroduction would be the same strategy, but for the Monaco model. Some cool color combos, and it is an iconic Heuer design.

There is a lot of concern on this thread about risk of harming the brand....Honestly, when I bought my original F! in 1988, I had never heard of TAG/Heuer and it is only because of the F! that I follow the brand. As the recent Hodinkee article also suggested the F! reintro, perhaps they could help. I am sure it would be a collaboration of love.
 
N
Posts
68
Likes
45
one other thing, with Rolexes so hard to get (and such such a poor consumer experience), a fun F1 will appeal to a younger audience, drive traffic to the boutiques/stores and attract them to the brand.

TAG could so the F1 1st, then the Monaco 2nd....with the younger generation telling time on their phones, getting something fun on the wrist as soon as possible is important.
 
Turpinr
Posts
644
Likes
2,267
Pitfitter446 Pitfitter446
I bought my series 1000 Tag before my ceramic multi function Rado, bought both because they were at a bargain price.
My F1 and WAY2112 were both impulse buys.
Walking past the Tag Heuer boutique in Manchester and thought "ooooh I like that Aquaracer"
Same thing with the F1 in Beaverbrooks Blackpool.
 
jamesbizs
Posts
899
Likes
391
N njlam
Given the success of the MoonSwatch, there is a global demand for something like a Formula One reintro.

I would pay up to $500 for one and would visit the boutiques and collect the colorways that appealed to me.

I agree the new version should be a little bigger (36-38mm) than the 34mm original.

I still have the one I bought in the 1980s and while I have had to replace the strap and the movement, it is still a loved part of my collection.

FWIW, the MoonSwatch drove sales at both Omega and Swatch.

The question really is, should TAG/Heuer or Swatch make the new Formula One?
Two questions. Was the success of the Moonswatch actually real? Or did it happen because, one, they lied about it's distribution, and two, most of the watches were scalped, and then inflated to prices 10-20X above retail? Do you think that could happen again?

Second question, DID it drive sales at Omega? I've seen only one stat, stating that speedmaster sales rose 50%. Ok, Cool. For how long? What about the rest of Omega? I couldn't find any articles since july of last year, stating anything one way or the other.

If it was such a success, why haven't they done anything else? Are there plans to? Or did they realize that it was a one time artificial demand of a novelty?
 
THFan346
Posts
2,833
Likes
3,877
It’s all about Supply and Demand.

Ask Rolex if it’s real…
 
jamesbizs
Posts
899
Likes
391
THFan346 bpsmith
It’s all about Supply and Demand.

Ask Rolex if it’s real…
Rolex supply and demand? That's faker than The Moonswatch. Rolex sells a million watches a year. Or at least they did when they were still giving that information out. They account for literally a QUARTER of the entire Swiss watch industry’s annual turnover. Clearly there is no supply issue there. But if you ask the average person, they will tell you that rolex is an exclusive brand, that takes a year to make each watch. So I'll give them that. They are amazing at creating and maintaining their brand. I'll put them up there with Debears.
 
THFan346
Posts
2,833
Likes
3,877
jamesbizs jamesbizs
Rolex supply and demand? That's faker than The Moonswatch. Rolex sells a million watches a year. Or at least they did when they were still giving that information out. They account for literally a QUARTER of the entire Swiss watch industry’s annual turnover. Clearly there is no supply issue there. But if you ask the average person, they will tell you that rolex is an exclusive brand, that takes a year to make each watch. So I'll give them that. They are amazing at creating and maintaining their brand. I'll put them up there with Debears.

Exactly. They create the illusion by not being able to walk away with one on the day and, in many cases, needing to become “worthy” of an invite to buy, purchase multiple pieces to get what you want, or go on a waiting list.

Only to then be selling over 1 million per year. It’s an art form, I agree.
 
Mspeedster
Posts
8,770
Likes
17,818
Another article suggesting a re-issue of the original F1.

https://timeandtidewatches.com/what...own-moonswatch-moment-with-a-retro-formula-1/

TAG-HEUER-CARBON-FORMULA-1-.jpg
 
Aquagraph
Posts
22,627
Likes
32,245
Anthony. Anthony.R
It's coming at the back end of the year.
Very entry level pricing though.

You're just gonna post this and then leave?
 
Anthony.
Posts
2,820
Likes
8,777
I'm still here.
My Boutique manager told me they are due late year. Don't have lots of info yet.
Will update more once I get some solid info.
 
70 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

Jeff Stein

My Posting on Hodinkee re the Origins of the Formula 1 Watch (1986)

Jeff Stein TAG Heuer Discussion
RockBurner
RockBurner
Posts
14
Views
564