Interresting interview, thanks for sharing @Hubert was a bit surprised that your passion started so recently I thought you basically had been around since Heuer was founded

@Aquagraph will be fun to read your interview, great initiative from Otto

 

Otto has some excellent questions!

 

By the way Hubert, my contact at TAG Heuer read this...

I think Hodinkee have built a true business, however I have not become one of their paying customers yet. As for TAG Heuer, I have elaborated about this on the forum in the past. Yes, I think TAG Heuer should strongly consider a Collectors Registry or something to that effect. Based on the purchase history, the Collector would gain points and raise one’s status to acquire coveted pieces and limited releases. This could also be linked to discounts and special gifts. And they should also consider bringing the community’s voices to help define future products.

...and he's going to bring it up with the management team. So, maybe something like this will actually happen?

 

To be honest, this is one of things I most hate about Rolex. While they don't have an official program per se, they've certainly instructed all of their ADs to give preference to those who've spent the most money on Rolex watches. Making some models near impossible to get via an AD for your average customer.

I'd hate it if TH went this same direction. While there are good repeat customers like Hubert, there are all those flippers who buy watches as a business, intending to make a profit on the LEs. It's bad enough having to compete with the flippers when it's a level playing field, but it would be so unfair for TH to give them an advantage.

 

I get what you're saying, but I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as they monitor the people on the list and check to see if they flip the watches. My concern would be that the flippers would get themselves on the lists and corner the market even more...

 

Super nice interview Hubert. You're a true & honest friend of the brand.
Love the ongoing Telemeter love/hate relationship
I might buy that off you someday

 

This week's posts, including of course Hubert's interview...

12 NOV 2019 - INTERVIEW: Hubert (Calibre 11 Member and Moderator)
11 NOV 2019 - GALLERY: TAG Heuer 6000 Series Quartz Chronograph
11 NOV 2019 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Movement by Rudell the Jewellers
11 NOV 2019 - ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 5 Watch
10 NOV 2019 - GALLERY: TAG Heuer 2000 Exclusive Quartz Watch
10 NOV 2019 - FEATURE: A Quick Look in at the TAG Heuer Outlet at Cheshire Oaks
09 NOV 2019 - FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T Senna Limited
08 NOV 2019 - UPDATE: TAG Heuer Bicester Village Carrera Heuer 01 Stock
08 NOV 2019 - FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Calibre 16 Senna Edition
07 NOV 2019 - FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Fangio Edition

 

Great read of the interview, @Hubert

 

Honestly, Telemeter and calibre6 are the only two of my collection that have had more than one strangers actually ever said hi to me and asked whether or not i will sell that watch. I NEVER put an advertisement to sell, by the way.

Makes me don't want to sell even more, of course....

 

Therein lies the problem. This was already discussed in another thread, so I don't want to beat on a dead horse, but I don't believe there's a way for TH to know who might be a flipper vs a true collector.

I like the idea for special gifts or discounts, however I'm against the idea when it comes to priority for purchasing LEs for this very reason.

 

If you think about it, people who buy lots of TAG Heuers are already going to have a good relationship with their AD, so as long as the watches are available in your country then they shouldn't have that much bother anyway... I can't think how TAG could keep track of buyers watches, the only way would be if people who buy from them register their watches on the website, but how many people do that?

On the other hand, do TAG Heuer actually care if the watches are flipped? They've sold their watch and the watches immediately 'go up in value'... while it annoys us, does any manufacturer really care - beyond the fact that someone else is making money that they could be making?

 

I started staring into windows in the 60s as a big kid, and buying in the 70s, then in 00s wages allowed the bigger spends.

It’s turning the other way again, retirement means more time for someone else to have spending plans.

 

My AD knows I’m not buying to sell as they see me wearing the watches when I pop in to say hi! I go by and talk BTCC with one of the guys although other dealers might not care as long as the watches go out and the cash rolls in?

 

To be honest, TAG Heuer is too big to care about that sort of thing... which is not a criticism of TAG, just that they are a mass market maker and not Patek Philippe. It's wrong to expect a mulitnational company to act like PP. Besides, as far as I can tell all of those 50th Anniversary watches were available on the day of launch on the website, so anyone who really wanted one could have got one if they'd put in some effort.

 

Another week... another watch... another visit to a boutique...

19 NOV 2019 - SPOTLIGHT ON: New Arrivals at TAG Heuer Bicester Village
18 NOV 2019 - GALLERY: TAG Heuer 3000 Series Quartz Watch
18 NOV 2019 - SPOTLIGHT ON: Heuer Pasadena Automatic Chrongraph
17 NOV 2019 - GALLERY: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kirium Quartz Watch
17 NOV 2019 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer 50th Anniversary by Monochrome Watches
16 NOV 2019 - ON THE WRIST: A Visit to the TAG Heuer Boutique (Oxford Street)
15 NOV 2019 - GALLERY: TAG Heuer Kirum Quartz Chronograph
15 NOV 2019 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Kirium Battery Change by Pescado99
14 NOV 2019 - BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer Pilot Quartz Chronograph
14 NOV 2019 - GALLERY: TAG Heuer 1500 GMT Quartz Watch
13 NOV 2019 - FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Ladies Carrera Quartz
13 NOV 2019 - BOOK REVIEW: A Grand Complication by Stacy Perman