The "Senna" S/EL Watch Spotter's Guide - S25.706C/S25.706/CG1123

mattp
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He calls it a 'prototype', a couple of hundreds made? 🤔💰
 
T
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
There's a S25.706C currently for sale on Chrono24, which also doesn't appear to have a serial number on the case back. The listing has a pic of the cover's underside, it doesn't seem to have a serial number there either (although it's not 100% in full view).
Caseback underside.webp

The $16K asking price is astronomically high (IMHO), so it better be authentic! 🤯 It comes complete with original box and papers, including a receipt.
Chrono24.webp
Interesting… A bit of a random observation/question here relating to the strap. After looking at the chrono24 pictures I noticed the underside of the links on this watch appear not to be gold plated. This looks to be consistent with your strap based on the photo you uploaded of your case back . However, the links on my strap are totally gold plated. Any idea if later oem straps were sold with fully gold plated links?
 
Mspeedster
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T TH.Senna
Interesting… A bit of a random observation/question here relating to the strap. After looking at the chrono24 pictures I noticed the underside of the links on this watch appear not to be gold plated. This looks to be consistent with your strap based on the photo you uploaded of your case back . However, the links on my strap are totally gold plated. Any idea if later oem straps were sold with fully gold plated links?
That's another difference of the later BC0459 replacement strap, which included end-links and buckle. The underside of the newer replacement is gold plated. The original S25.706C's end-links were not gold plated on the underside. I believe this was also the case for the S25.706/CG1123 if bought new with the strap rather than a bracelet.

Just the leather portion of the strap is available separately too (FC8017). The seller says it has the original strap, but I suspect it might be a newer replacement strap using original end-links. Because it looks newer and has Genuine Leather rather than Cuir Veritable.
Edited:
 
Mspeedster
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mattp mattp
He calls it a 'prototype', a couple of hundreds made? 🤔💰
I read that too. It's certainly not a prototype, his movement is dated same as mine 2.91. Senna first started wearing his around May '89. He was wearing one at Monaco that year.

I have no idea on the numbers, but I think it's marketing BS to justify the asking price.
 
mattp
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Many have passed through my hands, but I have never seen fully gilded ones.
 
Mspeedster
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mattp mattp
Many have passed through my hands, but I have never seen fully gilded ones.
A forum member bought the BC0459 strap about a year ago to replace his bracelet. He posted about it in the CG1123 thread, gold plated on the underside.
s__48906246-jpg.webp
 
mattp
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
A forum member bought the BC0459 strap about a year ago to replace his bracelet. He posted about it in the CG1123 thread, gold plated on the underside.
s__48906246-jpg.webp
Interesting. I'm going to ask my watch store again if he can order them.
 
Anthony.
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mattp mattp
Interesting. I'm going to ask my watch store again if he can order them.
Hey Matt
When i was at the Sydney service centre i saw that they had this strap in stock. So if you cant get one let me know and I may be able to order it here for you.
 
mattp
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Anthony. Anthony.
Hey Matt
When i was at the Sydney service centre i saw that they had this strap in stock. So if you cant get one let me know and I may be able to order it here for you.
Anthony, thanks for your offer. I will come back to this when I have no success here in the Netherlands. There's no rush. I have a fresh strap and my s-links are still in good condition. I mainly inquire because, working in the restoration world, I am quite keen on parts that may become scarce.
 
Mspeedster
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Anthony. Anthony.
Hey Matt
When i was at the Sydney service centre i saw that they had this strap in stock. So if you cant get one let me know and I may be able to order it here for you.
I'm looking for one too. The US is out of stock, I'm waiting to hear if they can order one in. I want to preserve the original strap on my S25.706C. It's fairly worn in one section where the tail end goes into the pin buckle and starting to crack.
 
Mspeedster
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While we're on the topic of the strap, one other change is the newer replacement has a different pin on the buckle.

The newer one has a flat pin.
New pin buckle.webp

The original pin, as shown on mine, is cylindrical.
original pin buckle.webp
 
Mspeedster
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T TH.Senna
Out of curiosity does the case back of your s25.706c have a serial number engraved on it. I purchased one off eBay a few months back after I saw the dial. However, my case back does not have a serial as far as I can tell.
An update on the serial numbers. I asked Nicholas Biebuyck, TAG Heuer Heritage Director, and he was kind enough to check. At first he thought they should all have serial numbers, but then later found examples of early original S25.706Cs in his TH Archive that did not.

I've since looked at early S/EL 3 hander models, which were introduced prior to the S/EL Chronographs. Same pattern, very early ones from around '87-'89 can be found without serial numbers. It seems the transition started maybe around '91, after which they all seem to have serial numbers.
 
mattp
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And did you also ask him if Senna's S/el is in his archive?
 
Mspeedster
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mattp mattp
And did you also ask him if Senna's S/el is in his archive?
I did not.

I had asked him the question about the serial numbers a while back, he only got back to me on his findings now.

I assume he must be quite busy prepping for LVMH Watch Week at the moment, but if I get the chance, I'll ask about the whereabouts of Senna's personal one.
 
Mspeedster
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Nicholas was very kind and gave me a quick response on Senna's personal watch.

He thinks Esquire might be confusing Ayrton's prototype 6000 Senna Edition (in the TH Museum) with his S/EL. However, the answer isn't so simple. Apparently, Senna had many TAG Heuers and gifted several to different members of McLaren.

Nicholas believes one of the S/ELs in their archive might be traceable to Ayrton. But he doesn't have clear provenance on the watch and it may not be the one that was auctioned by Bonhams.
Edited:
 
mattp
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So the Senna watch doesn’t have a serial number? Otherwise Bonhams had it registered? Interesting.
 
mattp
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mattp mattp
So the Senna watch doesn’t have a serial number? Otherwise Bonhams had it registered? Interesting.
And where is this document at this moment?
IMG_9040.webp IMG_9039.webp
 
Mspeedster
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mattp mattp
So the Senna watch doesn’t have a serial number? Otherwise Bonhams had it registered? Interesting.
I'm not sure about the serial number, perhaps it's one of those without. Which would make sense, because Senna started wearing his in '89.
sennasignededited-caseback.webp
In looking at the case-back in the bottom of the document, I don't see a serial number. But it still has the clear plastic sticker on it, which might be obscuring it. Regarding where this document is now, it seems Ron Pellat's son kept it after the first auction in 2004, he posted a picture of it in is watchuseek post in 2008. Which is how we have it floating around on the internet.

As an aside, I noticed that the backside of the pushers and crown are so worn, that the gold plating seems to have rubbed off. Senna wore the heck out of that watch!

Nicholas mentioned that Senna gifted several watches to various folks at McLaren. In that context, it seemed he wasn't sure which watch I was referring to, so I then explained about the Bonham's auctioned one. That's where our exchanged ended.

But I think there's a difference between gifting TAG Heuer watches (which I'm sure he did a lot) vs. gifting his own personal watch off his wrist (which I suspect wasn't as frequent). In both cases, the origin can be traced to Senna, but the ones he wore are obviously even more special. That's the part that seems to be making Nicholas's job more difficult, knowing which were just new TAGs given as gifts by Senna vs the ones that Senna actually wore.

E.g. Senna gave TAG F1s away as prizes to kids at his Karting events. A very special prize, which in a sense are Senna watches. Although not ones that he actually wore.
Screenshot_12-1-2025_231513_www.youtube.com.webp
 
mattp
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So there is still plenty of mystery surrounding this watch. Would be nice if it shows up.
 
Mspeedster
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mattp mattp
So there is still plenty of mystery surrounding this watch. Would be nice if it shows up.
Yes plenty of mystery. I found a few inconsistencies & conflicting info on the description of the Bonhams auction page.
https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/15487/lot/50/the-ayrton-senna-tag-heuer-gents-wristwatch-1990s/

It says it was auctioned with the authentication letter, but according to Ron Pellat's son, he kept it. So did the authentication letter eventually find its way to the next owner or to Bonhams? Or, was there more than one copy made?
Bonhams auction page.webp


It also says Senna wore the watch at the 1993 European GP at Donnington (consistent with Ron Pellat's son's story). Which is one of Senna's most famous wins, for his "Lap of the Gods" opening lap. Yet, in every picture I've seen of Senna at that race, he's wearing his 6000 WH5151, not this S/EL.
Senna Donnington 1993.webp Donnington close up.webp

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I also noticed that the Bonhams page spells Ron's family name two different ways, as Pellatt and Pellat. I'm not sure which is correct. I've even found Motorsport Images of the McLaren Mechanic with his name as Ron Pallatt.
 
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