In Switzerland 1860, a young Edouard Heuer founded a humble watch-making shop, producing silver pocket watches. This evolved to become what was known as Heuer and the company moved to the town of Bienne, where they remained for 100 years. It was in 1869 when Heuer really started to gain recognition, when Edouard patented an innovative crown-operated keyless winding system which meant a separate key was no longer needed to wind the watch.

 

This soon caught on and made big waves in the watch-making world. Everyone knows that Tag is THE sports watch, well this began in the 1880s when the company started to concentrate on making chronographs for timing races when Edouard noticed that the sporting industry was really taking off. Very quickly Heuer became a status symbol for sportsmen. Soon after Edouard patented an “improved oscillating pinion” which allowed the chronograph to be started and stopped with just the push of a button. Edouard said this was the “perfect chronograph” and since its still used today, he was kind of right. In the 1910s wrist chronographs were starting to emerge so in 1914 Heuer created their own. All that hard work was paying off because by 1920 Heuer became the timepiece of choice for sporting events around the world, including the Olympics.

 

The 1940s were great for the company as they began creating timepieces specially for professions such as sportsmen, fishermen, and sailors which could track speed, the tide and even the moon phases. In 1962 astronaut John Glenn was the first man to wear a Swiss timepiece in space, and that timepiece just so happened to be a Heuer stopwatch. The 60s also saw Heuer starting to name their watch collections which led to the creation of the Autavia, the Carrera, the Camaro, and the Monaco collections. Soon after Heuer became the first non-automotive logo to appear on an F1 car and 2 years later became the official sponsor of the Ferrari F1 team. All of the drivers in the team were presented with an 18K gold Heuer Carrera by Jack Heuer himself (who was now the 4th generation owner of Heuer). Heuer had another massive achievement in 1969 by creating the world’s first automatic chronograph, which was the calibre 11 movement. In 1985 Jack sold the company to Techniques d’Avant-Garde (TAG) business group, which is how the company got the name TAG Heuer. From here Tag went from strength to strength and became the official timekeeper of F1.

 

In 1999 French luxury-goods group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired TAG Heuer and in 2001 Jack Heuer came back as the honorary chairman.

 

Types of tag watches

 

There are 7 main collections from TAG: the Connected, the Carrera, the Formula 1, the Aquaracer, the Monaco, the Autavia, and the LINK. The connected collection features digital watches which are highly customisable and are great for sports fanatics as they can monitor all sorts of activity. The Carrera was born in 1963, inspired by the Carrera Panamericana Mexico Road Race and has since been known as a racing icon. The Formula 1 burst onto the scene in 1983 and was a gorgeous celebration of TAG’s strong relationship with motorsports and has since been worn by many racing legends.

 

The Aquaracer collection contains a variety of watches which are specially crafted to withstand some of the harshest elements whether that’s the highest mountains or the deepest oceans. The Monaco was launched in 1969, inspired by the Monaco Grand Prix, and became a Hollywood icon after Steeve McQueen featured the square cased watch in the movie “Le Mans”.

 

The Autavia was created in 1962 and gets its name from a combination of automobile and aviation, explaining why it was originally used in the dashboard of vehicles before it was relaunched as a wristwatch. Originally named the S/EL (sports and elegance), the collection was relaunched in 1999 as the LINK. Featuring a unique “double S” bracelet, this watch is one of TAGs comfiest ever.

 

Why buy a Tag Heuer watch

 

TAG watches are known for their incredible precision with an accuracy of 5/10,000ths of a second achieved from over a century of intricate design and masterful watchmaking. TAG Heuer embodies sports, being designed to aid divers, climbers, runners or anyone for that matter. TAG also produces many limited edition timepieces inspired by sporting figures or events.

 

These watches are the perfect choice for someone who enjoys taking part in sports or just enjoys watching it. Not only are these watches technologically advanced, but they are super stylish. TAG never fails to produce a clean and cool looking watch, whether that be for men or women.

 

How to care for your Tag Heuer watch

TAG Heuer advises that when your watch has been exposed to chlorinated or salt water it should be gently rinsed with tap water and dried off with a towel, however leather straps should be kept away from water. To clean, Dip a microfiber cloth or soft-bristled toothbrush into warm water, and gently brush over the top of the watch face and metal bracelet.

 

Avoid using any soap as it can leave particles in small spaces and do not immerse the watch into water. TAG watches shouldn’t come into contact with soap, detergents, cosmetics, perfumes or prolonged UV exposure as it can damage the watch case or strap. To prevent time inaccuracy, your watch should not be kept close to any magnets (television, speakers, tablets, etc.) to prevent magnetism interference.

 

TAG also recommend that your watch gets a complete service every 5-6 years unless you frequently wear the watch in water, in that case it should be serviced every 2 years. If your mechanical watch has been sat and not moved around for a while, it may have stopped moving. If the watch has stopped, rotate the crown clockwise about 30-40 times or until the second hand starts moving.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Are TAG Heuer good watches?

Yes, TAG Heuer make very technically advanced yet still very stylish watches. They are known for precision timing which is why they are the official timekeepers of many events. TAG’s are very popular watches which stand the test of time.

 

Is TAG Heuer a luxury brand?

Yes they are considered a luxury brand. TAG uses excellent quality materials and expert watchmakers to craft their watches which is why they are of such high-quality. Their watches range in price from around £1,500 to £47,000.

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How can you tell a fake TAG Heuer?

There are a few ways to find out if a TAG Heuer watch is genuine, which includes checking the face, bracelet and dial amongst other specific checks.

 

Are TAG Heuer watches made in Switzerland?

Yes, they are made in their factory located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. This is why TAG watches have “Swiss Made” on the dial.

 

Is TAG Heuer COSC certified?

Not many TAG Heuer watches are COSC certified, however this doesn’t mean they still aren’t excellent watches. Some of TAG’s movements which are COSC certified are the Calibre 02 movements.

 

What does TAG Heuer mean?

Heuer is the surname of the founder Edouard Heuer and TAG is an acronym for Techniques D’Avante Garde who bought the company from the Heuer family in 1985, thus creating TAG Heuer.

 

Does TAG Heuer have in house movement?

TAG’s 01, 02, and 02T movements are in house. The Autavia Isograph contains an in house technology too. Apart from that all the other movements are sourced externally from reputable producers.