Before there was Gulf x TAG Heuer, there was Shell x TAG Heuer.
Note the Shell logo at 9 o'clock on the crystal.

I don't know the full origin story on these. It seems pretty rare, this one came to me from Japan. (@Snowy tells me they were available at Shell gas stations in Japan.) I'm guessing they might have been made for the Japanese GP, where Senna won all 3 of his WDCs. Also, Shell achieved 150 GP wins in 1991. Perhaps TAG & Shell wanted to celebrate that too.

If others know more about the origin of this Shell x TAG collaboration, please chime in!




As an aside, the Marlboro Red Formula 1 was the team watch of McLaren during the Honda era. Honda & Shell worked closely together on engine development. Even Senna wore a red F1 on occasion, as seen below at Suzuka '91 when he won his 3rd and final championship.

 

That is one really really cool watch, congrats! suits your collection very well

 

Thanks Jim!

Yeah I've come full circle with this watch. Purchased my first TAG Heuer in '89 because of Senna and McLaren.


I was ecstatic to find this rare Shell oil edition some 30+ years later. Got it for a fair price too, $275, which IIRC is not far from what the F1 retailed for in the late 80s, early 90s.

 

Snowy has one. Of course...

 

Congrats on a great find Michael, super price too! I would expect to pay that for a standard mint 385.513!

 

Thanks guys!

 

So this was kind of awesome! The TAG Heuer Heritage Director, Nicholas Biebuyck, shared my IG post in his IG story. Seems he wants one too!

 

Wow that is cool, you are famous now Michael. Respect bro

 

Mate that is awesome and a nice share on IG too. Where is the line to get your autograph now that you are officially famous lol

 

Obligatory wrist shots.



Shell shadow effect under sunlight.

 

Yes it's actually on the underside of the glass and semi see through opaque, which makes it subtle. I love staring at the Shell, it becomes more visible or less visible depending on the lighting.

 

The shell logo creating a shadow on the dial is especially cool

 

Very cool

 

@Mspeedster you should add the reference number to the title and post in case future hobbyists researching this model looking for the ref

 

Congrats! This is something I very much like

 

Thanks @kappa_md! I remember that you had mentioned before you liked Shell oil.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't have a special reference number, it uses the standard 385.513 designation of the original red case F1.

I found it by pure luck. I was toying with the idea of getting the McLaren team watch of the Senna era ever since IWC introduced their Mercedes-AMG F1 team watch. So I was just looking at red F1s and happened to notice the "Shell" logo on this particular watch, it wasn't advertised as anything other than a 385.513.

 

I’m envious I understand the attachment to Gulf for most fans but we don’t simply have Gulf in our neck of woods.. so it doesn’t make any relevance in my personal experience. But Shell has been in the Philippines for quite a long time (Caltex/Chevron too)

I’m happy you found this sir @Mspeedster ! Just like sir @Snowy sharing his TAG Heuer x Toyota watches!