Please help me find info on my watch: "159.306/1"

Hello.

Please bear with me, I'm a newbie when it comes to watches and the lingo.

1) I would appreciate help with identifying my watch model and any other info. I think it looks like the 1500 model but it has a 24 hour dial and is marked "GMT professional 200 meters". Is this a 1500 model or another model named GMT? The back of the watch says "159.306/1". I would like some links to info on the watch if anyone knows any.

I looked in some of the Tag Heuer catalouges on this website but couldn't find it listed. Is this a rare model or what's up? Can't find much info if I search the net on "159.306/1" either, but my google-fu might be weak. It's from the mid 90's.

2) What is a watch like this worth today?

3) The watch hasn't been worn for years, and is not running. I hope it just needs a battery change. Reading up a little on watches, some websites says watches like this needs service with cleaning and oil change/refill every X years. Is this needed you think or only a battery change?

4) I'm considering changing the strap for a NATO strap, they look comfortable. I guess there are things to consider (like always) when buying a NATO strap too. Trying to measure the lug width it seems to be ca 22 mm. Anything special I should think about when buying a NATO strap for this watch?

5) Lastly, honestly I'm poor, so unless this watch is worth a shitload of money (and I doubt it is but hey who knows), I would like to change the battery and strap myself. Can someone give me links to guides on doing this?

Thanks a bunch!

I don't recognise the model, but it looks perfectly genuine to me. I imagine it is fairly rare. This one sold in 2015 for $600
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/151830912052

Not many other references to this model apart from a question on WUS asking about bracelet options:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f25/older-tag-gmt-665127.html

Oh I am sure it is genuine. It was sold in a reputable store back then. Interesting. We'll see if other people can dig deeper 😀

Found a website listing a similar one: https://www.keepthetime.com/product/tag-heuer-1500-gmt-professional/

In answer to the final question, yes you can change the battery yourself provided you don't expect the watch to be waterproof afterwards. You probably want to invest in an adjustable 3-prong caseback remover.

They seem fairly rare, but I think two people in here have them, @peterhaddy is one, I forget who else posted pictures of a 1500 gmt.

I had a bit of a look around to see if I could find one for sale, but couldn't find any.

I imagine you could just put a battery in it and it would work, they are fairly tough 😀

Spot on- it's a variant of the 1500 called the TAG Heuer GMT- here it is from the 1992 Catalogue

imagwai, dtf, Calibre11 : Thanks for the info!

600 USD? That's more than I thought. That makes me a bit hesitant of changing the battery myself if there is risk it will not be waterproof afterwards. I don't want to ruin the watch. On the other hand, maybe you mean like only not being waterproof like being able to dive with it. Maybe it will still be waterproof enough for taking a shower or swim and survive.

I guess my watch in its current state isn't worth 600 USD though, since it needs cleaning, battery change, maybe other service, and has some wear (like hour markings on dial are partly worn off).

I was given this watch as a very generous gift back then, and out of fear of damaging, losing it or being robbed, it was rarely worn. Irony being that in my ignorance I have not cared for it properly with cleaning, battery change, service checks etc. Oh well.

I would still be a bit hesitant to wear it daily if I get it to work since for me, 600 USD is a lot of money, even if I know when talking watches, for some people it is pennies.

Selling it wouldn't really feel so good either since it was a generous gift and it seems disrespectful to sell it. Hmm... what to do.

Realistically I have four options (starting on number 6 counting from first post 😀 )

6) Just keep it laying around in its current state
7) Sell it in current state
8) Try to fix it myself
9) Take it to an authorized Tag Heuer service shop and get it serviced

Unfortunately, knowing my financial situation, I will probably not do 9). At least not in the foreseeable future.

If you're going to sell it, then ideally you need to get it working (to at least prove it operates). Also, you shouldn't leave an old battery in there - it could corrode and damage the movement. If you can't afford option 9, then option 8 seems like the only possible first step - provided you are confident. Buy the right tool and watch some videos on YouTube.

There is another option though - take it to an independent watchmaker to change the battery - you'll pay far less.

With regards to waterproofing, no it won't necessarily be OK in the shower or swimming. After a long time, the rubber seals could have perished or at the very least lost their flexibility and lubrication. Normally, they should be replaced when changing the battery (something Tag would do if you took it to them, and most independent watchmakers too, but NOT jewellers). After changing, the watch should be pressure-tested for water-resistance, and ideally this test would be performed annually if you want to swim.

imagwai: Oh then I will definitely have to take it to an independent watchmaker or buy the tool ASAP and at least take out the battery out of respect for the watch. Thank you!

If you can take the battery out, then you can fit a new one - they are not expensive. But bear in mind what I said about the rubber seals and waterproofing above.

I would assume that it is not currently waterproof, the seals probably have degraded since it was new. You could always get it pressure tested after to know for sure.

Another option might be an independent watch shop, battery change place at the mall, or the guy on here who rebuilds Heuer 1000s might consider having a look. I wouldn't send it back to TAG, they are very expensive.

Once you've got it going, wear it 😀 they're are fairly tough (just don't wear it to fold towels), you should enjoy it 😀

Lol

This guy was sensible - he removed his Tag Heuer before starting

Whilst looking for that, I also discovered that Biver is on the case with some research into the problem

I wouldnt change the battery myself. But what do i know ? I dont own any quartz watch. But in my mind at this moment, i wouldnt change the battery myself.

Can I find the instruction manual for this watch somewhere? Maybe there is a scanned version online? I just checked the one I have that came with the watch, and it says "Instructions" and "Quartz watches", but it doesn't mention anything about how this GMT model works, with the second hour handle for another time zone and how to set/use that, strangely. Maybe the watch came with yet another instruction manual back then and it was lost, could be the case.

By the way, I handed in the watch to an independent watch maker today. He's going to replace the battery and pressure test it to 100 meters.

Unscrew the crown, pull it out one click. Turn it one way to adjust the date, the other way to set the gmt hand relative to the main hour hand.

dtf: Thanks 😀. Where did you get this info though?

Also, I'm feeling like a complete idiot but I don't understand how to use the gmt hand and 24 hour dial for keeping time in another time zone either...

Does anyone know how to use the GMT function with the 24 hour dial and second hour handle?

I have a gmt carrera, figured it's probably the same.

The GMT hand is an hour hand that moves at half the speed of the regular hour hand, so it goes around once every 24hours (the main hour hand obviously goes around once every 12hrs), reading it is like reading a 24hour clock, not a regular watch.

I use it as follows:
1. Set the main hour hand to your local time.
2. Center the 24hr bezel (if it rotates) so 24 is at the top.
3. Set the gmt hand to the second timezone of your choice, using the numbers on the 24hr scale. For example if it's 8am in your second timezone, adjust it to point after 8 on the 24 hour bezel (the gmt hand will be somewhere between the 8 and 9 depending on how many minutes after the hour it is).
4. The minute hand is the same for both time zones.

I usually set the gmt hand to a relevant remote timezone (Seattle time if I'm home, home time when I'm travelling) and have the main hand set to local time. Other people leave the gmt hand set to GMT/UTC, I'm not entirely sure why as it's not super relevant unless you're in England in winter (which is not advisable).

^ This. Particularly the bit about England.