Not sure exactly when this opened (as I've only just received the email notification) but it appears a modest boutique has appeared in my home town of Brighton (located in Churchill Square shopping centre). Heading in this evening (as it's even on my way home from work!).

[Edit - they opened on 8/12)

 

They are popping up all over, there's one in Leicester now too... they are generally owned by Goldsmiths/Watches of Switzerland, not TAG Heuer themselves.

 

It's not the definitive TAG Heuer shopping experience, for sure (this specific one is part of the WOS group as you suspected) but it's nice to see a spotlight on the watches rather than them being relegated to a cabinet and a wall display in the corner of a shop.

 

What's the difference compared to TAG Heuer owned Boutique?

As far as I know, all the US Boutiques that I've visited are considered a part of TAG Heuer. Didn't know there could be independently run TH Boutiques, although I see Brighton listed as a TAG Heuer Boutique on the TAG Heuer UK website - so I guess it's "official".

 

The real difference is that they don't get access to all the stock. Like for example when the green Aquaracer first came out I asked about it in the TAG boutique in Sheffield and was told that they (Watches of Switzerland) weren't selling that model. They don't necessarily get 'boutique' models, or at least not on release, they may get them later if they don't sell too well.

Also, if you take a TAG Heuer watch into a TAG Heuer owned boutique for repair they will send it away for you, if you take it into one of these WOS boutiques they will send it away but you have to pay shipping/insurance (which I was absolutely astonished by to be honest). I know this is kinda awkward for the staff when they have to explain it to customers who think they are in a 'TAG Heuer' boutique...

 

I took my Tag Heuer which was still under warranty to Ernest Jones, it wasn’t purchased from them, but I paid nothing for the service I.e. shipping/insurance etc, however as I say it was still under warranty.

 

Yeah, I think it's okay if it's under warranty because TAG pays for the shipping, but once it isn't you're actually better off getting them to send you a return box which I think is free. To be fair, if you take an out of warranty watch to a shop you didn't buy it from then they are taking on the responsibility of your watch (ie if it gets lost they would be liable for it) so I can understand it. But I think it is awkward for the staff in these boutiques because people think they are taking it back to TAG directly and they are not... as far as I know there are only 3 or 4 TAG owned boutiques in the country: Oxford Street, Bicester Village, Cheshire Oaks and maybe 1 or 2 more?

 

I took my Mont Blanc into my nearest AD to get the anti reflective coating checked, they wanted £50 to send it away! Next time I was in Edinburgh I popped into another branch of the same chain who sent it away free, I know who will get any business in future.

 

I actually went into WOS in Brighton the other day to see if I could get a half-link for my Link Calibre 36. They said TAG would only let them have some in multiples of 10.

Went into the boutique yesterday, and they called me today to let me know they could get me two at £15 each.

 

Try eBay?

 

I had been checking eBay & Chrono24 for some time prior to going into WOS, but the boutique sorted me out quickly (going in today to pay for them).