Reply With QuoteI would use an independent ahead of Tag for servicing.
As someone who doesn't know much about the brand, how is owning a vintage heuer? I'm mostly interested in Autavia / Carrera chronos. It seems fairly easy to find information on owning a Rolex, but what about Heuer? What are dos and donts? Can you expect to send the watch to current company and have it repaired or are you completely on your own? What about sourcing parts?
I would use an independent ahead of Tag for servicing.
Can you elaborate the reason? Poor quality craftsmanship or will they mutilate your watch as RSC did before they changed their ways? What about sourcing parts? Are they readily available?Originally Posted by JGJG
When I needed to send my (handwound) CS3111 off, the general forum consensus was that things weren’t great under LMVH, and somewhere like genesis would do a better job.
Tag Heuer effectively confirmed this on my initial call.
“Is it a quartz or automatic?”
“Neither, as it happens”
“It has to be one or the other sir...”
That gave me all the information that I needed to go with Genesis, I decision that I don’t regret for a moment.
For vintage watches, you really need someone who really cares rather than a corporate production line. A small independent is more likely to see the watch as a watch rather than a job that needs doing according to a schedule/ time limit.
I’m not sure who the good people are for vintage Heuer but I’m sure someone will be along with a suggestion soon.
Search for calibre 11 or 12 ,can’t remember which one but it’s an heuer forum ,you’ll be able to find loads of info .
For servicing HeuerTime (abel cort) is probably one of the best if not the best,they also have pieces for sale .
Chronocentric forum has quite a few heuer for sale usually.ive just sold this.
i purchased this from Abel
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I own both a Tag Heuer 1000 ‘Wolfie’ and a pre-Tag 1000 - the pre-Tag Heuer is noticeably better quality.
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Lol. I had a similar conversation with a boutique employee as I took off my f300 to try on an Explorer GMT.
"So I see you have an automatic already, so you know how they work?"
"Well, I do. But that's not an auto."
"Oh, so it's a quartz? They usually tick."
"No, not quartz either."
"You have to wind it up?"
"No, it has a battery."
"So, it is quartz..?"
"....no."
This is the best site for vintage Heuers.
http://www.onthedash.com
Also good as well.
https://www.calibre11.com
Steve
Vintage Heuers are generally well made watches, however buying a 40 year old watch is always somewhat tricky,
recent reciepts of service by a watchmaker with a good reputation helps... a trustworthy seller also.
Buy one you would really like to wear and enjoy it.... it would be sorry if a nice watch ends up spending most of it's time in a box or a safe
What calibre is not quartz but has a battery? I know nothing of Heuers and this sounds really interesting! Sorry for the tangent.
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Sounds like a tuning fork movement but there are others. This site might be an interesting browse for a Sunday morning.
http://electric-watches.co.uk
I believe the point was that the watch was manual wind not auto or quartz.
I was talking about a manual; henpecked was talking about an Omega Electronic.
It might be useful to add for the OPs benefit that there is a strong consensus on here as to the really very very good build quality of (Tag) Heuers, certainly up to the turn of the century. There was a recent thread on an old quartz diver and everyone had a similar view on this - super build and longevity at the price point.
Best of luck in the hunt!
I've got a mid-2000s F1 quartz, the rubber parts have all melted and fallen off, but the metal bits are still going strong. I've used and abused it, and it's taken a pounding with very little to show it. It's also the most comfortable bracelet I've ever had on a watch - including a lot of stuff that was ten times the price.
TAG do now have a bit more time for vintage Heuers but I can't tell you how expensive it is or if they have all the parts, last time I enquired I was told the watch had to go to Switzerland for a quote (I knew what it needed but that was apparently irrelevant). I have an Autavia that was sent for service there by its previous owner five or six years ago and it came back with a relumed dial, new hands and the case relapped. The lume job was mostly neat but with new rather than aged lume. I bought a Heuer Calculator from the same person, that had been completely restored with a new dial too. I sold it in the end because it was a bit too shiny and new.
I've used Abel Court, especially when a case needs lapping. He does an excellent job but you do pay for it. Simon Freese just serviced a Heuer Montreal for me and lapped the case lightly (their lug holes are quite close to the edge so you can't take off too much metal), for about two thirds what Abel would charge (and you don't have to send the watch to Belgium and pay the 50 euros the courier costs to deliver it back again). I've also had Heuers serviced by Rich Askham, Rocco (who also did a very good job lapping a case) and Duncan at Genesis. .Olli. of this forum now does chronographs too so if a watch doesn't need lapping I'll be sending it to him for servicing in the future.
Parts are available on eBay and if you ask on the Heuer Facebook page. I have a pile of 1163 (and one 11630) Autavia bezels, some used, some NOS, but expect to pay well for something like that. Correct GF bracelets can be hugely expensive but there's a chap called Giuliano in Italy who makes really nice replica original straps (do a search for him on onthedash).
"A man of little significance"
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