# Tag Heuer vs Hamilton & Tissot



## waylifetruth (Aug 31, 2010)

Greetings All,

So, as the title suggests, I am wondering what the differences are between the so called "low end" Hamilton and Tissot vs the "upper echelon" Tag Heuer? Dont they all use unfinished ETA 2824-2s, 2836-2, 7750 and so on? Why do Tags cost so much more? None are COSC, most use Sapphire Crystal, Tissot and Hammy Bracelets are outstanding, etc. What gives?


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## aeroman (Aug 16, 2010)

Tags cost so much more because 20% of your money you paid go to the pocket of Leonardo, Tiger and F1.


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## waylifetruth (Aug 31, 2010)

aeroman said:


> Tags cost so much more because 20% of your money you paid go to the pocket of Leonardo, Tiger and F1.


So you think its mainly differences in advertising expenditures? One little bird once told me that its like a gov't program within swatch. Hamilton/ Tissot are priced artificially low in order to get people collecting mechanical watches.

Are TAGs 100% Swiss components? Ive heard Hamilton has cases made in Asia and the movements and components are assembled in Switzerland. That's the only thing off the top of my head that would differentiate the prices between the brands.

I recently held an Aquaracer and it was a superb piece, but I didnt see any merit to price it higher than a tissot or hammy. Same movement, same steel, same sapphire crystal, equal bracelet quality, etc.


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## jason_recliner (Feb 2, 2009)

waylifetruth said:


> So you think its mainly differences in advertising expenditures? One little bird once told me that its like a gov't program within swatch. Hamilton/ Tissot are priced artificially low in order to get people collecting mechanical watches.


:-d

Artificially low prices? Only comapred to artificially high prices of other Swatch products!!!


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

waylifetruth said:


> Greetings All,
> 
> So, as the title suggests, I am wondering what the differences are between the so called "low end" Hamilton and Tissot vs the "upper echelon" Tag Heuer? Dont they all use unfinished ETA 2824-2s, 2836-2, 7750 and so on? Why do Tags cost so much more? None are COSC, most use Sapphire Crystal, Tissot and Hammy Bracelets are outstanding, etc. What gives?


Don't be too surprised if the number of well reasoned responses to your inquiry are fairly minimal. An examination of the forums will show these X vs Y posts occur frequently enough to burn out many of us...

You might get a better response by providing more focus to your question.


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## Aquaracer1 (Jul 23, 2009)

These three brands represent the start of my collection. First it was an Aquaracer, the entry-level swiss watch I HAD to have as a young professional. Had that for five years, did not even look at another watch. Next was the Tissot quadrado. And I would say the Hammy Khaki Field was my gateway drug to becoming an enthusiast. The Tissot and Hamilton were priced "just right" to get me started in this hobby


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## Run&Gun (Aug 29, 2010)

waylifetruth said:


> Greetings All,
> 
> So, as the title suggests, I am wondering what the differences are between the so called "low end" Hamilton and Tissot vs the "upper echelon" Tag Heuer? Dont they all use unfinished ETA 2824-2s, 2836-2, 7750 and so on? Why do Tags cost so much more? None are COSC, most use Sapphire Crystal, Tissot and Hammy Bracelets are outstanding, etc. What gives?


Not entirely true. All of the Grand Carreras are and The Link Calibre 36 are "certified". Maybe more, but I don't know for sure.


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## Ananda (Feb 28, 2008)

if i was looking to buy a decent watch - of those 3 brands i'd buy a hamilton and pocket the savings. i suppose tag provides 'pseudo-prestige', but that alone ain't worth the price of admission in my mind.


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## Raza (Jul 21, 2010)

Aquaracer1 said:


> These three brands represent the start of my collection. First it was an Aquaracer, the entry-level swiss watch I HAD to have as a young professional. Had that for five years, did not even look at another watch. Next was the Tissot quadrado. And I would say the Hammy Khaki Field was my gateway drug to becoming an enthusiast. The Tissot and Hamilton were priced "just right" to get me started in this hobby


I have Hamilton and Tag, and there's another Tag in the family. I'm seeing a lot of love for the Aquaracer among a lot of hate for Tag on these boards...might be worth a look.


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## JarrodS (Feb 11, 2010)

Raza said:


> I have Hamilton and Tag, and there's another Tag in the family. I'm seeing a lot of love for the Aquaracer among a lot of hate for Tag on these boards...might be worth a look.


+1. I have worn several nice Hamilton models for awhile and never once has a stranger ever commented on my watch. The one and only time that I've had the opportunity to wear my new Aquaracer out of the house I heard "I like your TAG Heuer" from a young man I had never met. It surprised me. Could have been a coincidence, but I don't really think so - TAG Heuer are very recognizable watches that have a reputation for up-to-date design and that are heavily marketed. I think the design, marketing, and brand recognition are what makes them desirable to many, and therefore commands the higher price - not the construction or materials that go into the watches themselves.


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## PiPPoI (Aug 5, 2010)

I guess we can say that almost all watches do the same job, but the brand (which costs more) is for show-off.


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## Raza (Jul 21, 2010)

JarrodS said:


> +1. I have worn several nice Hamilton models for awhile and never once has a stranger ever commented on my watch. The one and only time that I've had the opportunity to wear my new Aquaracer out of the house I heard "I like your TAG Heuer" from a young man I had never met. It surprised me. Could have been a coincidence, but I don't really think so - TAG Heuer are very recognizable watches that have a reputation for up-to-date design and that are heavily marketed. I think the design, marketing, and brand recognition are what makes them desirable to many, and therefore commands the higher price - not the construction or materials that go into the watches themselves.


I get more comments on my Hamiltons than I do my Tag. The Monaco Vintage is a little more for the cognoscenti, and in this day and age, it's a lot less flashy than my rose gold 44mm Jazzmaster Open Secret. I was at Wawa the first day I got it (Wawa is a northeast US chain of convenience stores with a pretty good made to order menu) and some Papa John's delivery boy standing in line behind me commented "Hey, I love your watch!" I thanked him and told him it was a Hamilton. My new analyst at work has a Hamilton, but never wears it; his is the first Hamilton I've ever seen in the wild.


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## Raza (Jul 21, 2010)

PiPPoI said:


> I guess we can say that almost all watches do the same job, but the brand (which costs more) is for show-off.


I wouldn't say it's fair to say that. All watches may tell time, but not all watches do the same job.


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## prsist (Jun 8, 2008)

Tag makes some interesting movements. Whit that said you are paying for marketing and a brand trying to be cool for cools sake. They are built like a tank though, I've owned 4 and all were very durable. Tissot is a massive brand overseas and Hamilton makes a great value watch.


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## dkatunc (Jan 27, 2010)

aeroman said:


> Tags cost so much more because 20% of your money you paid go to the pocket of Leonardo, Tiger and F1.


I guess that 20% of your money for an Omega goes to: George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawford, Zhang Ziyi, "James Bond," Michael Phelps, Sergio Garcia, Michelle Wie, Buzz Aldrin, Eugene Cerna, Ellen MacArthur, Abishek Bachchan, Apolo Anton Ohno, etc., etc., etc.

And 20% of your money for a Rolex goes to: Phil Mickelson, Roger Federer, Sir Jackie Stewart, Placido Domingo, Ed Viesturs, Hermann Meier, Zara Phillips, Sylvie Guillem, Adam Scott, Trevor Immelman, Reteif Goosen, Camilo Villegas, Justine Henin, Paul Cayard, Michael Buble, Lindsey Vonn, etc., etc., etc.

And of course 20% of your money for a Breitling goes to: John Travolta, Jerry Seinfeld, Bruce Willis, Richard Branson, Mel Gibson, Roger Moore, etc.

And heck, even when you go "affordable," you've got Eli Manning telling you how "unstoppable" his Citizen is!

Point is, they ALL spend money on marketing!!! It's silly to try to "knock" TAG Heuer for that.


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## niles316 (Jul 23, 2008)

This thread would be moot if they merge,forming Tagsot Heumilton :-d


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## stuntedmonk (Nov 9, 2011)

*Holy string resurrection!*

Hi All

I've been having this exact same debate on Calibre11 and have concluded the extra $1k for the Carrera Calibre 5 vs an entry level Hamilton (with the exact same ETA 2824 movement) is the brand.

Take a look, my name is mooch on the site.

TAG Heuer Movements: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow | Calibre 11

Conclusion, Tag Heuer is a rip and now that the juggernaut LVMH owns it I've heard customer service is terrible. All this "heritage" and "craftsmanship" marketing is a total swizz. All the watchmakers are guilty of this total BS to justify over-inflated prices for inferior glass and a bit of steel.

Good news though, due to the posturing from ETA (well, it's parent company, Swatch) it looks like these overpriced watchmakers will soon be forced to produce their own in-house movements.


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## n_p_w (Jul 26, 2011)

dkatunc said:


> I guess that 20% of your money for an Omega goes to: George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawford, Zhang Ziyi, "James Bond," Michael Phelps, Sergio Garcia, Michelle Wie, Buzz Aldrin, Eugene Cerna, Ellen MacArthur, Abishek Bachchan, Apolo Anton Ohno, etc., etc., etc.
> 
> And 20% of your money for a Rolex goes to: Phil Mickelson, Roger Federer, Sir Jackie Stewart, Placido Domingo, Ed Viesturs, Hermann Meier, Zara Phillips, Sylvie Guillem, Adam Scott, Trevor Immelman, Reteif Goosen, Camilo Villegas, Justine Henin, Paul Cayard, Michael Buble, Lindsey Vonn, etc., etc., etc.
> 
> ...


+1


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## TheWalrus (Mar 16, 2009)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Watches are an aesthetic exercise. They're about looks, and for almost everyone who buys them, very little else. It isn't about the movements. It isn't about the materials. It isn't about (really) where the watch is made. It might be a little bit about the status. But fundamentally, it's about how nicely the watch is designed, and whether or not that design appeals to people enough to get them to shell out lots of money.

Tag makes nice looking watches. People want them. People buy them at what the market dicates the price can be set at. End of story.


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## Perseus (Mar 25, 2010)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

Good thread and I hope it continues in a civilized manner...

I've had some of the same questions as the OP in terms of watch value. Most manufactures buy ETA movements and do very, very little modifications to them put them in their own case and sell them for much more money than other brands like Hamilton etc. My guess is that is why ETA/Swatch no longer want to sell their movements to other companies.

One of my dream watches is a Tag Heuer Monaco and I struggle with the cost vs. value of the watch. The best price I can find from an AD is 4k. _List price_ on the Omega PO w/ the CO-Axial 2500 movement is $4,500. I don't understand how Tag can charge so much for the Monaco.


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## chris in ohio (Feb 10, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

I've owned a few Hamiltons and one Tissot. Both were great watches, and one of them I TOTALLY regret selling (Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Officer's). I've yet to own a TAG, and to be honest I used to wonder why they were so popular. Then I started paying attention to the Monaco. If I could afford to just drop 4K on a watch right now, it would be the Monaco in a second. And since my new found interest in TAG has begun, I also find myself drawn to the Formula-1 quartz model - the one with the green rubber strap and black face. It can be had for around $500, which is the most I'd pay for a quartz personally. Bottom line - all 3 make great watches, and like someone else pointed out, the market dictates what people will pay, and that price is set.


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## TheWalrus (Mar 16, 2009)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Perseus said:


> One of my dream watches is a Tag Heuer Monaco and I struggle with the cost vs. value of the watch. The best price I can find from an AD is 4k. _List price_ on the Omega PO w/ the CO-Axial 2500 movement is $4,500. I don't understand how Tag can charge so much for the Monaco.


Honestly? I think it's just because there's only one Monaco. It's a watch that's loaded with history. If you're a car guy, you like McQueen, and you've watched LeMans....there's only one watch for you. And, if you have the funds, you'll pay it buy into that image / history / whatever you want to call it. It's sort of the same thing with the Speedmaster, or the Submariner. These watches have been along for such a long time, and have developed such a history that they've become more than watches - they've become cultural units (if that makes sense).

To briefly add - there's a similar phenomenon with guitars. Sure you could buy _any _old guitar (and spend a good deal less doing so), but when you pick up a Les Paul or a Strat - you're getting that something extra that ties you (however tenuously) to Hendrix and Clapton and the Beatles.


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## Raza (Jul 21, 2010)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Perseus said:


> Good thread and I hope it continues in a civilized manner...
> 
> I've had some of the same questions as the OP in terms of watch value. Most manufactures buy ETA movements and do very, very little modifications to them put them in their own case and sell them for much more money than other brands like Hamilton etc. My guess is that is why ETA/Swatch no longer want to sell their movements to other companies.
> 
> One of my dream watches is a Tag Heuer Monaco and I struggle with the cost vs. value of the watch. The best price I can find from an AD is 4k. _List price_ on the Omega PO w/ the CO-Axial 2500 movement is $4,500. I don't understand how Tag can charge so much for the Monaco.


Because the Monaco's worth it.


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## PatAz (Jul 17, 2011)

Go Hamilton. TAG is like an upgraded Fossil. You will have reliability and longer satisfaction with a Hamilton.


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## Perseus (Mar 25, 2010)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



TheWalrus said:


> Honestly? I think it's just because there's only one Monaco. It's a watch that's loaded with history. If you're a car guy, you like McQueen, and you've watched LeMans....there's only one watch for you. And, if you have the funds, you'll pay it buy into that image / history / whatever you want to call it. It's sort of the same thing with the Speedmaster, or the Submariner. These watches have been along for such a long time, and have developed such a history that they've become more than watches - they've become cultural units (if that makes sense).
> 
> To briefly add - there's a similar phenomenon with guitars. Sure you could buy _any _old guitar (and spend a good deal less doing so), but when you pick up a Les Paul or a Strat - you're getting that something extra that ties you (however tenuously) to Hendrix and Clapton and the Beatles.


I'm a car guy and love the McQueen movies. I grew up watching the old movies with my Dad, especially Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. I flew out to Indianapolis with my dad the week before my wedding and bought my dream car.


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## TheWalrus (Mar 16, 2009)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Perseus said:


> I'm a car guy and love the McQueen movies. I grew up watching the old movies with my Dad, especially Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. I flew out to Indianapolis with my dad the week before my wedding and bought my dream car.
> View attachment 553370


Oh yeah! That is beautiful. Love the torque thrust wheels. Looks fantastic on that car.


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## devilmoon (Dec 6, 2010)

Personally, I haven't found much that distinguishes the lower priced Tags from a lot of what Tissot and Hamilton offer. Monaco and Grand Carrera is where I see a significant upgrade in terms of materials. But the Aquaracer line seems to be pretty popular right now. Speaking to the aesthetics, my wife (who is not a WIS) really likes Tag designs over Hamilton and Tissot--without knowing anything about the relative brand associations or price.


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## TheWalrus (Mar 16, 2009)

devilmoon said:


> Personally, I haven't found much that distinguishes the lower priced Tags from a lot of what Tissot and Hamilton offer. Monaco and Grand Carrera is where I see a significant upgrade in terms of materials. But the Aquaracer line seems to be pretty popular right now. Speaking to the aesthetics, my wife (who is not a WIS) really likes Tag designs over Hamilton and Tissot--without knowing anything about the relative brand associations or price.


I honestly have to say that I find the Tags to be among the most nicely designed watches in any price range (not a fan of the F1 though). I'd be willing to pay a premium for it too. The Grand Carreras in particular are very nice - sporty and elegant can be a hard thing to pull off, but they definitely do it.


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## novedl (May 20, 2009)

TheWalrus said:


> I honestly have to say that I find the Tags to be among the most nicely designed watches in any price range (not a fan of the F1 though). I'd be willing to pay a premium for it too. The Grand Carreras in particular are very nice - sporty and elegant can be a hard thing to pull off, but they definitely do it.


i have always expressed the same thoughts on tag and their penchant for creating strong designs. i'm wearing an aquaracer chronotimer right now.


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## ljb187 (Nov 6, 2009)

Wrong thread - sorry.


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## Sea-Wolf (May 10, 2011)

Great discussion!



TheWalrus said:


> I've said it before, I'll say it again. Watches are an aesthetic exercise. They're about looks, and for almost everyone who buys them, very little else. It isn't about the movements. It isn't about the materials. It isn't about (really) where the watch is made. It might be a little bit about the status. But fundamentally, it's about how nicely the watch is designed, and whether or not that design appeals to people enough to get them to shell out lots of money.... Tag makes nice looking watches. People want them. People buy them at what the market dicates the price can be set at. End of story.


I agree with this entirely.

Sure, we all get excited about movements and so forth around here, that being 1/2 of the watch in my view, but the other 1/2 of the equation is the design; I talk a bit about the movement situation below (with links to more info for anyone who is interested), but the fact is, and I agree, that Tag does indeed make nice looking watches, and they are well-built, I think so, too. I currently have the Golf Watch from their Sports line-up, which is incredibly light, and does what it's supposed to do--i.e., keep perfect time on my wrist without interfering with my golf game, whilst looking good when going into the club post-game for a little refreshment, etc. I also like that the Aquaracer isn't a clone of i.e. the iconic Sub, etc., in that the Aqua does try to be different, and it is. Meanwhile, speaking of icons, the Monaco is indeed an icon in its own right, as you say, with Heuer having a long-time association with motorsports (and aircraft) dating all the way back to 1911 in fact; this, when Heuer received a patent for the first dashboard chronograph--the "Time of Trip", among other things. Thus making Tag's acquisition of Heuer a natural, before being acquired by LVMH, insofar as TAG was/is a maker of high tech components for aircraft and automobiles, including i,e. ceramic turbochargers for Formula 1 racing cars. Whilst the first chronos were developed by Breitling and subsequently improved upon by Longines and then Tutima and Hanhart, Heuer itself produced fliegerchronos in the 40s and, in partnership with Breitling and Hamilton, brought automatic chronographs to market.

Then, Heuer was a major producer of stopwatches and timing equipment, and whilst the Omega Speedy was selected for the Apollo mission as the official watch of NASA astronauts, with Bulova supplying the actual timing instruments, etc. for the space craft, it was technically Heuer who "in 1962...became the first Swiss watchmaker in space (as) John Glenn wore a Heuer stopwatch when he piloted the Mercury Atlas 6 spacecraft on the first US manned space flight to orbit the earth." see, TAG Heuer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Personally, I find it rather interesting how it is that so many can list off the historic and/or important accomplishments of other watchmakers who have contributed thus to the watchmakers' art as such (and well we should), but at the same time pay so little attention to Heuer/Tag Heuer, who apart from having nice looking watches has not only contributed itself to the watchmaker's art, with a few iconic designs also under its belt. To me, that is a huge plus in my books. And all this in no way detracted from on account of the recent "marketing hype/celebrity sponsorships" associated with the brand, as the brand/LVMH is hardly the only one to employ advertisers so far as they all do, with marketing hype/celebrity sponsorships hardly limited to watches either so far as it applies pretty much across the board to all goods--be they luxury or not. In the final analysis, Tag Heuer makes nice watches, the price for which being dictated by economics, namely, whatever the market will bear. Again, I couldn't possibly agree with you and others here on all this and more (and well said)!!



Perseus said:


> Good thread and I hope it continues in a civilized manner...
> 
> I've had some of the same questions as the OP in terms of watch value. Most manufactures buy ETA movements and do very, very little modifications to them put them in their own case and sell them for much more money than other brands like Hamilton etc. My guess is that is why ETA/Swatch no longer want to sell their movements to other companies.
> 
> One of my dream watches is a Tag Heuer Monaco and I struggle with the cost vs. value of the watch. The best price I can find from an AD is 4k. _List price_ on the Omega PO w/ the CO-Axial 2500 movement is $4,500. I don't understand how Tag can charge so much for the Monaco.


Well, as to the question of movements, technically, I suppose one could say that Omega-Tissot-Hamilton-Longines, etc. are all in-house movements, so far as they're all owned by Swatch who in turn owns ETA/Valjoux, along with its R&D lab, ASULAB, but then, if so, you might as well say the Calibre 36/ El Primero movement is in-house to TAG Heuer just because Zenith is these days controlled by TAG Heuer (LVMH Group). Whilst you can argue perhaps that Omega has some in-house movements (and we could quibble about this all day long, but which I don't really wish to do), I refer to this site instead which raises some very good points, which I believe hold merit about that, and which says: "the majority of their line today- even the co-axial movements- still rely heavily on ETA technology and parts. Swatch might like to pretend that Breguet make high-end, in-house movements, but the truth is that they simply...assumed that great company's technology and capability as their own." see, TAG Heuer Movements: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow | Calibre 11 The article goes on to talk about Tag Heuer's efforts and desires, and you may find this article of interest as well: ETA 2824 vs 2892 « As The Watch Turns

That said, we must keep in mind that "re-finishing Ebachues sourced from outside suppliers was the norm in the industry, even for Audemars Piguet, Breguet and Patek Philippe (supplied by Jaeger LeCoultre, Frederic Piguet and Lemania). This is because historically, a company either made watches or movements," and more about all this you can read here: TAG Heuer Movements: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow | Calibre 11

In turn, watchmakers cannot be faulted so far as it was the norm, yes? Meanwhile, as I discussed elsewhere, I believe much of the ETA/Swatch situation is in response to the inevitable rise of Chinese movements, as a means of quality contol assurance and so forth, so as not to get caught with their pants down if you will as was the case when the Japanese first came on the scene with at the time cheap movements, etc. But as to what all of this inevitably means for watchmakers outside the Swatch Group is discussed here (and trust that this helps): https://www.watchuseek.com/f2/swatch-stop-selling-eta-movements-outside-companies-2010-a-32717.html

Meanwhile, as to the Monaco itself, it is an iconic design, and as such those into racing and autosports do in fact hunger for it; it's a valuable collector's item (like the Rolex Sub is, as well as the Omega Speedy, to name but a few, on account of the history, etc. as said). Like Walrus says, people who are into racing, etc. want the Monaco, and are willing to pay what they have to to get it. Why? As Raza says: it's worth it!

And now for the disclosure, in the interests of fairness and balance: I readily admit that I am a racing fan and rather enjoy cars, too, and perhaps it is for this reason, as Walrus observes, that I also admire the Monaco and, if I may also say, Perseus, that is an awesome car, I think so, too!!

Just some more food for thought, and my 2 cents.

Cheers.


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## Watchalex (Oct 9, 2011)

Well, here's my own personal take on it despite Walrus's already poignant assertion (sounded kind of presented like fact there, buddy sorry couldn't help it)_ I think_ it is as much about status as it is about esthetics for most people, not for all. WIS are a bit different.

People are driven by their need to distinguish themselves from others on one hand and to include themselves in certain groups on the other hand. Almost all our social life and habits are centered around that. Read up on Bourdieu.

The luxury industry caters to that. A mechanical watch is an anachronism from a functional standpoint. It is a mere luxury object (even one for $400 like a Tissot who produce 2M watches a year, as I read in an unconfirmed posting here). Among the brands of a holding like the Swatch Group there are different tiers. These tiers are differentiated by price, design, materials and technologies. As you go up the ladder you will indeed find better finishes and materials. Compare a Grand Carrera to a Tissot PRC or a Hammy and you will be able to see why it costs much more. But a large part of it is the Veblen effect.

Tag in my humble opinion is as successful as it is not because of their great designs, workmanship or technological prowess. No! They are successful because they have used massive celebrity marketing and have had among the biggest marketing budgets of all watch brands over the last ten years. However, for the true watch snob they are still somewhat beneath Omega and definitely beneath Rolex.

For me, I like the combination of history, technology and design (esthetics) that I get with watches. Similar to clothing but packed even denser with meaning and connotations. It is a way to express myself. Which includes a way of telling, discreetly, who I am, what I like and where I stand. And because I'm a fickle person I wear a Timex as well as a Rolex ------ but I wear the Rolex more often. 

I'd almost prefer a humble and honest Tissot to a provocative and prol TAG. Hammy with its American roots will never be in the same range and it is not supposed to play in that league, either. It's all marketing strategy, even if both Hammy and TAG have some very nice models in their line-up. I really like the extraordinary TAG 69 for example. And the Hammy GMT 2 is one of the rare watches with dive bezel and GMT function that is still kinda dressy.


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## TristanZ (Jul 2, 2010)

I've owned several Tissots and presently have a Visodate. I also own a Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic. They are both nice watches. I can find no obvious differences in the quality of the fit and finish between the two. Since I don't know enough about movements to know a difference, they aren't an issue with me. Both keep good time. In reality, neither of them offer more in the realm of looks or timekeeping than the Sea-Gull M177S I bought for $123, which is why at some point the Hamilton and the Tissot will be gone and the Sea-Gull will stay.

Personally, when it comes to Hamilton and Tissot, any perceived difference that goes beyond stylistic preference has nothing to do with the quality of the watch and everything to do with what is going on in-between the ears of a buyer. I suspect the same is true for TAG.


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## mat_ (May 29, 2011)

aeroman said:


> Tags cost so much more because 20% of your money you paid go to the pocket of Leonardo, Tiger and F1.


Actually you might find that the money you're referring to goes towards environmental causes Leonardo is involved with. In exchange for TAG supporting these causes Leo plugs TAGs products. Many watch company/ambassador relationships are like this. This relationship with TAG is not there to beef up Leo's bank balance.


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## 6SpeedTA95 (Mar 19, 2010)

PatAz said:


> Go Hamilton. TAG is like an upgraded Fossil. You will have reliability and longer satisfaction with a Hamilton.


This is an ironic and false statement. In many cases Hamilton and Tag use the same movements. So saying with authority that Hamilton is more reliable is not true. You must look at the model in question and the movement in the watch in order to accurately make any statements on reliability. Tag is far and away better than Fossil and the assertion that they are merely an "upgraded" Fossil is laughable.

I own a Tissot and Hamilton, I don't own a Tag. I believe their products are overpriced for what you get but they're hardly "poor" products or unreliable. Additionally, the last few years Tag has really improved their line. The aesthetics and refinement are significantly better than they were a few years ago. Better to the point that I'm considering a Link CAT2010 if I can find one at what I feel is a fair price. MSRP is definitely inflated but they're having no issues selling them. Tag Heuer makes a good and well finished product. Is it the best bang for the buck? That is debatable but equating it to a fashion mall brand that builds garbage is just ridiculous.


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## AxelsHumanDad (Aug 15, 2006)

Raza said:


> (Wawa is a northeast US chain of convenience stores with a pretty good made to order menu)


and darn good coffee. I have it shipped to me here in Wisconsin.


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## Raza (Jul 21, 2010)

AxelsHumanDad said:


> and darn good coffee. I have it shipped to me here in Wisconsin.


Oh man, I love their coffee. The best mornings start with a 16oz of a mix of 40% hazelnut and 60% dark roast (balances out the flavor of the hazelnut and is easier on the stomach, and the hazelnut takes the edge off the dark roast bite). I love the stuff.


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## Watchyman (Mar 4, 2010)

TH has several iconic designs under it's umbrella: The Link, the Carrera, the Monaco, etc.

I can't think of anything similar on either Tissot's or Hamilton's camp.
LVMH manges it's brands better than Swatch does IMHO.


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## Gangster (Nov 18, 2011)

Ananda said:


> if i was looking to buy a decent watch - of those 3 brands i'd buy a hamilton and pocket the savings. i suppose tag provides 'pseudo-prestige', but that alone ain't worth the price of admission in my mind.


This.


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## novan3 (Sep 8, 2010)

PatAz said:


> Go Hamilton. TAG is like an upgraded Fossil. You will have reliability and longer satisfaction with a Hamilton.


You forgot to add "IMHO" in the post.


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## Seamaser1605 (May 29, 2012)

Since i own both a tissot and a tag heuer, i think that the prices are really depend on the model. Some watches of the tissot lines are indeed comparable to some of the tag heuers, while some others are not. Even though T/H produces some very good quality watches, i think that the price is much higher than it should; For exaple, it is obvious why a Grand Carrera is much more expensive than a tissot PRC 200...but it is not obvious at all why a quartz Chronograph of the F1 series is still more expensive! I seriously dought if an f1 quartz or an simple aquaracer is better than any tissot or hamilton of equal standards. Since the materials, the design, the water resistance and the mechanism are about the same, then the price shouldn't have much difference. I can surely understand a price difference between some ''prestige'' mechanical tag heuers and some simple quartz tissots, but when you have in front of you two very beautiful watches with the same quartz or automatic mechanism, the same water resistance, the same saphire crystal, and the same materials...and the one costs 650$ and the other 1800$...you start to think that something is not right. Is a quartz aquaracer 3 times better than a Tissot seastar?Definetely not!So why does it cost almost like 3 Seastars? There is just no answer.- Luxury brand or not luxury brand..a watch with just a simple generic quartz ETA inside it..should not cost more than 1000$, except if it is decorated with diamonds or it is made of gold or at least that mechanism has something realy special (e.x; Omega seamaster quartz). Of course some specially designed models like the grand carrera or monaco and some ''historical'' models deserve to be much more expensive.But even those are exceptions..


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## HermesBlessMe (Aug 10, 2011)

Interm of the service, my wife has both Tissot and Tag Heuer. For Tag Heuer, she got a mailing to remind her to replace the battery before it's out of engery.
When I sent her watch to Tag Heuer service center to replace the battery. The guy will replace battery and clean up the case and bracelet. 
For Tissot, she has to monitor her wrist watch if the second hand move 1 time per 4 seconds. I will goto swatch group service center. The guy will replace the battery only. No clean up for case and bracelet.
This is another point that I found why Tag Heuer price is higher than Tissot and Hammy


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## Sea-Wolf (May 10, 2011)

^ Welcome to WUS.

Heh, with a handle like "Seamaser1605" I would think that you'd think the seamaster was special 

Tag Heuer was the official Bond quartz, though (professional quartz diver), on the wrist of Timothy Dalton as Bond in the Living Daylights, 1987. Although it can just as easily be argued (and often is aroud here, in a fun way of course) that Seiko was the official Bond quartz, so far as Roger Moore as Bond in 5 films wore Seiko quartz wrist watches commencing in 1977 (Spy Who Loved Me) through to and including 1983 in Octopussy (namely, the  Seiko Quartz G757 Sports 100, before returning to the Rolex Sub which is the "real" Bond watch, from the very beginning, and especially if you're a classic sort like I am. 

All fun about Bond aside (I find the whole thing rather funny myself, being a Bond fan), Tag Heuer and Omega to me are equal: Tag Heuer makes some nice watches, Omega makes some nice watches, both with a history, each with an icon in their offerings (Tag Heuer has the Monaco, Omega has the Speedy). Tag Heuer is part of the LVMH (which includes Zenith) Omega is part of Swatch Group (which includes Hamilton and Tissot among many others). Fit/finish etc. depends on the actual watch in their respective line-ups, there also being a subjective element to it, with design itself being almost all if not entirely subjective--i.e., speaks differently to different people, as we all don't like the same things (and a good thing, else there'd be little to discuss and things would get rather boring around here rather quickly, yes?). When it comes to price, it's luxury goods we're talking about, yes, you're right, and "history" among other things comes into it.

Hamilton and Tissot are positioned as mid-tier/entry-level Swiss brands within the Swatch offerings, on purpose by Swatch marketing/business plans.

Hamilton used to be really good back in the "glory days", a shame where it's been placed on the "marketing scale". That said, I am rather fond of my "Hammy's", believing that they make nice sports watches, and nice to see some of their older (North American) designs being re-issued, like the Piping Rock and Thin-O-Matic for example (released in the 1920s and 1960s, respectively, it was the pinnacle of Hamilton's watchmaking and design). Tissot also makes some nice watches, the T-Touch in fact being among my faves (such a fun watch that I actually bought two of them--one for myself and another for my young nephew who loves it).

But when it comes to quartz, if you want something really "special" in terms of quartz accuracy, check out Citizen's Chronomaster (A660 quartz) which is accurate to +/- 5sec _per year (_with new quartz tech in the pipeline apparently). Also, the Bulova Precisionist (maker of the famous "Accutron Tuning Fork" ; brand bought out by Citizen 2007), which is accurate to +/- 10sec per year (average quartz run +/- 15sec per month or at least are suppposed to), and it also supposedly has a smooth sweeping seconds hand, yet doesn't cost anywhere near what some of the Swiss charge for their quartz models either. Just saying ... and welcome once again!!

Cheers.


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## Seiko_Licker (Feb 17, 2012)

I've owned a Tissot and I had some pretty nasty problems with it... generally silly things like a lume pip on the bezel that couldn't touch water without discolouring/dying etc. Things that even a $20 watch can get right. Based on this, I'd never own a Tissot again. Hard to imagine that sort of thing from TAG...


Just my 2 cents.


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## Jeffo19 (Mar 31, 2010)

I won't buy another Tag Heuer. Got the battery changed, and my watchmaker asked me how much I paid for this. an F1, I said $800. He tells me it's got a $20 quartz movement in it. They're so marked up. Granted, this is their low-end line, but still, my $250 Invicta has a Ronda 5040B, that he said is a much better quality movement. Very disappointing.


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## Will_f (Jul 4, 2011)

seoulseeker said:


> I've owned a Tissot and I had some pretty nasty problems with it... generally silly things like a lume pip on the bezel that couldn't touch water without discolouring/dying etc. Things that even a $20 watch can get right. Based on this, I'd never own a Tissot again. Hard to imagine that sort of thing from TAG...
> 
> Just my 2 cents.


Tag has its issues too. I've never owned a Tag so I won't comment on them, but I'm not super impressed with my Tissot. Not a bad watch, just a few things that should have been better on a $1000 watch. Value wise, I'd rank it at about $350-400.


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## Bahoomba (May 1, 2010)

This won't help anyone: I like all three brands. Just research them, meld the stylings to your own, and make your best choice. I'm a huge Tag fan, but I'm nothing but pleased with my Hamiltons, from a Valjoux 7750 Khaki to a 1980-ish "Masterpiece" manual that I picked up second hand. I guess all I can say is go with your gut; no bad choices there in my book.


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## omega1234 (May 17, 2012)

Its personal opinion, how can you hate on Tag with the Grand Carrera and Monaco though?


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## scooby (Jun 3, 2009)

I've owned Tissots and I own both Hamilton and Tag. I would have to say that the materials used on the Tags is much higher quality. Not necessarily the movements etc. But the cases and bracelets on my Tags(F1, and Aquaracers) have completely blown the Hamiltons and Tissots out of the water. My tag bracelets are solid as a rock with solid end links and NO rattling. Both my Tissots and Hamiltons have had rattles and did not feel so solid to me. No contest imo. That being said, the PRC200 that I owned was a very nice watch for the money. I feel that all of my Hamiltons are very high quality when it comes to their cases and face design. Great bang for the buck. I however, have been extremely disappointed in the quality of their bracelets and leather straps. So for me it's TAG, Hamilton, and then Tissot in the quality department. On the other hand, I personally like the designs of Hamilton the best, then Tissot, then Tag for what that's worth.


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## stratct (Jun 17, 2010)

I'd rather a TAG right now. Not a swatch co. And uses a very smart business tactic to make new movements.


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## lorsban (Nov 20, 2009)

Well, considering that Tag is on a higher bracket, their stuff is really going to be of better quality. 

Same bracket as Hamilton/Tissot would be Certina, Mido - swatch lahat haha! Don't know how they manage NOT to cannibalize each other's markets.

But yeah, if you can afford it, go for Tag. I find their designs and craftsmanship to be very good. 

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2


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## LosTresGatos (Nov 5, 2011)

waylifetruth said:


> So you think its mainly differences in advertising expenditures? One little bird once told me that its like a gov't program within swatch. Hamilton/ Tissot are priced artificially low in order to get people collecting mechanical watches.
> 
> Are TAGs 100% Swiss components? Ive heard Hamilton has cases made in Asia and the movements and components are assembled in Switzerland. That's the only thing off the top of my head that would differentiate the prices between the brands.
> 
> I recently held an Aquaracer and it was a superb piece, but I didnt see any merit to price it higher than a tissot or hammy. Same movement, same steel, same sapphire crystal, equal bracelet quality, etc.


1) I think Tag has superior case construction over Hamilton and Tissot (in general - there can be some exceptions as I've not handled every Hammy and Tissot model out there). Basically if someone offered me one of those 3 watch brands for free, I'd pick Tag.
If I had to pay my own money, I'd go Hamilton because I don't think the degree of superiority I see in Tag watches are worth the premium they're asking.

2) As for Hamilton/Tissot being "artificially low," let's compare their prices to some other brands that use ETA movements
- Christopher Ward: $500-1000
- UHR: Euro 300-600
- Steinhart: Euro 400-1100
- Mido: $1000-1500 for Valjoux 7750; $650-850 for COSC ETA 2836.

Bottom line is there's a lot of choices for a 7750 movement at $800-1500 which is about what Hamilton/Tissot charges. And there are a number of brands that undercut Hammy/Tissot for the ETA 3-hand movements (especially if you're looking at a diver watch). So it suggests Hamilton and Tissot are about spot on for low end ETA movements while brands like Tag and Longines are a bit inflated due to their name/marketing/heritage.


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## MikeCfromLI (Jan 6, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

Mine is blue matches my SMP better...











Perseus said:


> I'm a car guy and love the McQueen movies. I grew up watching the old movies with my Dad, especially Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. I flew out to Indianapolis with my dad the week before my wedding and bought my dream car.
> View attachment 553370


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## MikeCfromLI (Jan 6, 2012)

But tissot has the Visodate... great reasonable dress auto.. I have a v8 quartz i got on here as a steal, great watches

















LosTresGatos said:


> 1) I think Tag has superior case construction over Hamilton and Tissot (in general - there can be some exceptions as I've not handled every Hammy and Tissot model out there). Basically if someone offered me one of those 3 watch brands for free, I'd pick Tag.
> If I had to pay my own money, I'd go Hamilton because I don't think the degree of superiority I see in Tag watches are worth the premium they're asking.
> 
> 2) As for Hamilton/Tissot being "artificially low," let's compare their prices to some other brands that use ETA movements
> ...


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

Can't say for the other makers but with TAG Heuer, you are also paying for the testing performed on the watches before they are distributed for sale.

There's a vid of the assembly of the 1887 Carrera watch where you can see some of the vibration/shock and water resistance/pressure testing performed during assembly.

If I recall correctly, many of the tests, if not all, are done on machines designed to TAG Heuer's specification. Of course that video was of what is essentially their top model Carrera so it might not apply to of their watches but it does point to where some of the "value" of a TAG Heuer comes from.

A TAG Heuer is also more hand assembled than people think. Not saying that other makers aren't, just saying that a lot of people who sneer at TAG Heuer don't really know about TAG Heuer.


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## vanilla.coffee (Feb 27, 2011)

I have a Visodate, Hamiltons and TAG Heuers and honestly, I could not give a stuff about the cost. 
I buy and wear a watch to enjoy how it presents on my wrist. If one costs more than another then so be it. 
It's only money after all and here in the west where I live, money is worth less than the paper it's printed on anyway.


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## mpalmer (Dec 30, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

TAG, at least anecdotally, appears to advertise a lot more than some makers of comparable quality.

I would argue that Oris is at least equal to or even surpasses TAG in fit and finish in many models, yet can be had for less due to differing philosophies on marketing. Oris, making only mechanical watches, markets itself more to those who know watches, and advertises to a niche market. TAG has a much more mainstream and comprehensive marketing strategy and reguarly uses celebrities to create popular appeal. TAG helps offset its huge advertising expenses with profits from its quartz Formula 1 collection which have large profit margins.

Now to get back to your original question: Is TAG better than Hamilton or Tissot? Well it depends on what you are looking at. I would rather own a $500 Hamilton or Tissot with an ETA rather than a $1,000 or $1,500 quartz TAG. I'd also much rather own many Oris watches more than anything TAG puts out for comparable money. However, that said, I also would rather have a high end TAG chronograph than anything Hamilton or Oris makes. But I also would have to pay for that.

My take is that TAG does not provide very good value for price point in terms of the actual product that it delivers compared to a number of other makers. However, it is important to remember that the actual watch is only one piece of what you are buying. TAG does provide wide brand recognition, and popular appeal due to its marketing and (at least to some extent) history. These factors also impact value for many owners.

If you like TAG's reputation, but not its price points, consider buying used from a private seller. I recently purchased a Kobold 'Seal' that would have been untouchable for me as a new purchase due to prohibitive cost, but felt like a strong value at what I paid getting it from a private collector.


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## Seamaser1605 (May 29, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

..Well, i believe that many of us are realy confusing the term ''quality'' with the words ''brand labels''; In fact, it is quite surprising to hear people expressing opinions about things they don't really know , just because they ''have heard something about it''. The truth is, that a useful dialogue/conversation is supposed to be based on real (REAL) facts if we want to conclude somewhere. So, when we talk here about tag heuer, tissot and hamilton watches and we try to compare them, i think the first thing we should do is to learn some basic characteristics (information) about them.Those basic characteristics are all (or at least some of) the following;

Where are they really manufactured (Switzerland / somewhere else)

History of the Brand (Do they have a tradition in watch manufacturing?)

Are the watches hand made or mass produced?

Are the watches tested before they pass in to the market?/Which are those tests?

What materials tag heuer/tissot/hamilton uses in order to produce them?

Is there any special process during that procedure?

Advertisment?

Sponsors?

who designs the watches of tag/tissot/hamilton?

What types of mechanism does tag/tissot/hamilton use in their watches? Do they modify them?

I think that only when we have clear answers to those questions, we will be able to compare the quality and discuss about the price differences!Otherwise we just share our personal experiences and discuss also according to our personal point of view!
thanks for your time!


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## Timeless1098 (May 28, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

I would say Tag sells $20 formula 1 watches for $500 because they CAN. It is not their fault that there are people dumb enough to buy these things. They take advantage of it, and spend the money on marketing. Why do we blame them? After all they are in the business to make money.

I would never buy any quartz watch, and that says a lot about myself, and anyone that feels the same way. Why? Because wristwatches today have the least bit to do with telling time. In the world of phones, computers, and cars, analog wristwatches have become obsolete. It is however an icon, a bit of personality, a bit of style, and for the most part functional jewelry.

I looked into Tissot and Hamilton before I purchased my Carrera day/date. The number 1 thing that pulled me to that particular Carrera was the way it looks. It's what stood out amongst a plethora of swiss watches. That, counts for a lot. Counts for a lot, because true designers realize that people DO judge a book by its cover. And something you look at so often throughout the day such as a timepiece- for that reason should look good. TAG Heuer realizes that people buying watches are buying jewelry, not tools. They know the customer which is what makes their business successful.

What I see wrong here is not comparing Tag to omega/rolex or Tag to Tissot/Hamilton, but certain lines like carrera monaco and aquaracer should be compared to the big names in watchmaking, and let the entry level tags sweep up the pockets of idiots and go straight to the pockets of Leonardo Dicaprio and Tiger Woods.


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## NutellaBear (May 13, 2007)

Who resurrected this thread? It is more than a year and a half old!


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## Longhair (Jul 28, 2008)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

The first time I saw Tag Heuer in the store, it was surrounded by Calvin Klein, Diesel, DNKY, Guess, Fossil, Tommy Hilfiger and other Made in China "brand name" watches. I could never think of Tag Heuer as anything more than costume jewelry after that experience.


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## forsberg (Feb 14, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Timeless1098 said:


> What I see wrong here is not comparing Tag to omega/rolex or Tag to Tissot/Hamilton, but certain lines like carrera monaco and aquaracer should be compared to the big names in watchmaking, and let the entry level tags sweep up the pockets of idiots and go straight to the pockets of Leonardo Dicaprio and Tiger Woods.


Carreras cannot be compared to the big boys. The old Calibre 16 is a Valjoux 7750, and the new Calibre 1887 is a Seiko. Carrera customers still fall into your "pockets of idiots".

Hamilton > Tissot >>>>> Tag


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

Longhair said:


> The first time I saw Tag Heuer in the store, it was surrounded by Calvin Klein, Diesel, DNKY, Guess, Fossil, Tommy Hilfiger and other Made in China "brand name" watches. I could never think of Tag Heuer as anything more than costume jewelry after that experience.


That's just rubbish.
My local has Rolex next to Tissot.
Gosh, guess that means Rolex are only as good as a Tissot then.

But wait, in the next window is where they keep the TAG Heuer watches.
By extension of your amazing logic, that means Rolex are also just costume jewelry.


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## Longhair (Jul 28, 2008)

drunken monkey said:


> That's just rubbish.
> My local has Rolex next to Tissot.
> Gosh, guess that means Rolex are only as good as a Tissot then.
> 
> ...


Or maybe that Tissot is a high quality brand that can stand next to Rolex.

The wrong first impression last a very long time.


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

Fair enough.

In the case of my local, it was probably more to do with a cheap, not so cheap, not cheap range for their window display.


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## Sea-Wolf (May 10, 2011)

By the extension of some logic in here, then, that Tag Heuer bought out some base designs and/or components such as springs I understand from Seiko (after what essentially is a monopoly that owns Omega, Tissot and Hamilton among others decided to stop supplying ebauches (base movements, parts) among other things, being matters currently before the Swiss competition regulators so far as the Swatch is a regulated undertaking), well then, guess AP who bought out some base designs from i.e. JLC are for the foolish out there as well, even although like Tag Heuer they modify those movements in-house and is heavily investing in same. Much better to buy from a non-movement maker such as i.e. Omega, Tissot or Hamilton (who have their movements made for them by ETA/Swatch, Omega does scant little when it comes to making movements these days) is it? ONLY If the price is right. And at the respective prices charged as b/w Omega and Tag Heuer, would have to say that in most cases the Tag Heuer is a better buy. 

Rolex? How on earth when talking about Omega, Tag Heuer, Tissot and Hamilton does Rolex even enter into the equation--seriously, not only is Rolex a true in-house movement maker and all that that means, but also a watchmaker with real pedigree and history when it comes to actual watchmaking, with iconic designs galore. In a different league (I place Rolex as a true movement manufacturer and all that that means with AP and JLC who are likewise true movement manufacturers, with Rolex being the king of sport watches, yes, but not a Patek as only Patek is Patek. 

Meantime, if want to take it a step further, if you want all or nearly all Swiss made, with a history and pedigree to go along with it, you've basically just narrowed yourself down to two (2) brands--namely, Rolex and Patek, who are the only Swiss makers to my knowledge who actually do just about everything for themselves in-house in Switzerland--i.e., from the design and manufacture of their own movements for their own and exclusive use, respectively, right down to their own cases, crowns, bracelets, etc., too, with Rolex making even its own patented springs and patented new shock absorption likewise in-house, in Switzerland. 

Then, not everyone is into the high(er) end, there being budget concerns as well as design elements that come into it: some don't care much about in-house movement manufacture and actual pedigree either, just wanting a watch and a good thing there are affordables/semi-affordables in turn. Accordingly, what is in the window and where it is placed matters not, but what one is actually paying for when they actually buy something should. At a certain price point, whether the maker is a true in-house manufacturer and all that that means with a pedigree and history, etc. to go along with it so as to justify that price becomes really important to me. By contrast, when it comes to base and/or modified movements --be it a member of the Swatch (excepting Breguet, well pedigreed and operating with a very high degree of independence from the Swatch, and makes its own movements, etc., too) or other affordable/semi-affordable, I am fine with that so far as it's appropriately priced for what it is. But as between Omega (Swatch) and Tag Heuer (LVMH), these "semi-affordables" are equal in my opinion on every level for reasons already said. If the design speaks to you and it's priced right, then why not? I'm really rather fond of my Hammy's and Tissot T-Touch as well; the latter is such a fun watch that I bought two of them as said--one for me, and one for my nephew, and if I didn't already own it, I'd buy it again. 

Cheers.


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## RogerP (Mar 7, 2007)

Aside from the Monaco, which I flat out love, TAG designs don't interest me at all. TAG equal to Omega? Not in my books. Hamilton equal to TAG? For a great many specific models in each line-up, I'd say yes. Hamilton can make a lot of primarily ETA-based brands look highly questionable in terms of value. Unless, of course, branding is your number one criterion for assessing value. In which case, keep your head down, your blinders on, head straight to the Rolex shop, do not pass GO and bring a lot more than $200. Eternal happiness awaits.

Roger


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## Sea-Wolf (May 10, 2011)

^ Branding? Oh, talking about Swatch. lifestyle advertising and marketing false horology are we? Doesn't do anything for me either. In fact, find the whole thing rather nauseating personally, but can't fault Omega alone for this--Tag Heuer is guilty of a bit of lifestyle advertising of its own, among other brands. (See, Tag Heuer vs. Omega thread, the most recent one here on WUS which discusses these two who are and remain in neck-and-neck competition, thus equal I say once again. 

As to Rolex, might want to go to an auction and see what the real deal is, and why it is that re-sale values are what they are in turn. Rolex and Patek are the only two watchmakers that actually sell everything they make, and at the actual prices they ask. Based on pedigree and history, and also the fact that they are and remain true in-house movement manufacturers, making just about everything in-house in fact, in Switzerland. (With Rolex as King of Sport Watches based on patents, innovation and true pedigree, not to mention actually Swiss made etc. in turn means you bring a lot more than $200 bucks--if anything, given the fact that just about everything Rolex does is in fact actually done in-house in Switzerland also means it's under priced relative to other Swiss). That said, one doesn't look at say a VW and conclude it's no good because it's not a Porsche. Unfair to compare Omega and Tag Heuer to anything other than what they are--apples with apples. 

Back to Tag Heuer vs. Swatch: as to design, that's a subjective determination and always has been. Whereas one's wrist may scream "Omega" another's might cry out "Tag Heuer" and yet another may say, "but I really like this Hamilton Piping Rock re-issue" . Glad to see that one brought out of Hamilton's stable. Such a shame what it is that Swatch did with the brand--then again, whole thing pieced together by bankers (to save their investment) with the approval of the regulators (to save all those jobs) as the "brands" and their components (movements, parts) pretty much were all bankrupt such that they don't really as brands per se exist anymore, yes?  Over all, Hammy and Tissot's offerings are not to the same level of Omega or Tag Heuer, as already discussed so far as the same kind of money in terms of fit/finish, etc. just isn't put into Hamilton or Tissot by Swatch, as cf. Omega and Tag Heuer on average. Hammy in turn being a good entry-level automatic, I agree. However, Seiko has many entry-level automatics it seems to me, and at an even better price, no? Start around a couple hundred or so bucks, don't they? Just saying. 

Cheers.


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## PJR (Apr 25, 2012)

LosTresGatos said:


> If I had to pay my own money, I'd go Hamilton because I don't think the degree of superiority I see in Tag watches are worth the premium they're asking.


I agree. I'm in the market for a GMT watch and while the Tag Twin Time is very nice I can't explain why its MSRP is more than double that of the Hamilton Traveler.


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## dnslater (Feb 26, 2009)

Never been a big Tag supporter/apologist, but I recently picked up a used Aquaracer off the sales forum as it was at an unbeatable price - well under 40% of retail. Having owned many watches from $200 Citizen's to $2k divers, I can be objective in my evaluation. The watch has an accurate swiss movement, the case is well finished, the bracelet is well made and the dial has nicely finished applied markers. I would put the value somewhere somewhere near Oris, and slightly above a "typical" Hamilton. A solid watch buy if it could be had for $800-$1000 new. Problem is they cost well above that, which leads to a strong WUS backlash and absurd suggestions per above that they are somehow beneath Tissot. Also, many brands like Seiko, Tissot, Tag, etc.... are difficult to pigeon hole into a range as they cover a wide range of costs for different models.


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## hidden by leaves (Mar 6, 2010)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Seamaser1605 said:


> In fact, it is quite surprising to hear people expressing opinions about things they don't really know , just because they ''have heard something about it''.


First time on a forum? ;-)

Welcome!


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## Timeless1098 (May 28, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

I feel like we keep getting back to an object of telling time... when we are comparing jewelry.


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## ManMachine (Jan 31, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

Personally, none of the three do anything for me. Can't even find a good Hamilton diver. Tissot quality issues are much discussed - Swatch should bring Certina to the U.S.


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## Timeless1098 (May 28, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

You guys make me wanna sell my TAG carrera. And quit watch collecting until I'm a millionaire.


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## usa (Jun 25, 2012)

Timeless1098 said:


> You guys make me wanna sell my TAG carrera. And quit watch collecting until I'm a millionaire.


Don't sell your TAG because a bunch of people (on this forum, or outside of this forum) don't like it. And if you're a millionaire one day, don't buy a watch because you think it will impress a bunch of people.

A friend of mine likes watches, and when I asked him for his opinion on the Tissot PR100 Automatic (a relatively cheap watch compared to the standard of this forum), he immediately told me that for Swiss watches, he wouldn't look for anything less than Omega. So I didn't ask for further opinion. But anyway, his opinion didn't prevent me to have the watch I like on my wrist a few days later.

What you like is what matters and if you're ok with the price, go for it. Be yourself, you don't have to please the world.


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## Scottish Steve (Sep 7, 2010)

I think Tag's reputation is firmly entrenched as nice but very overpriced watches which are, by and large, bought by people who haven't done much research.
I really wonder about the oohs and aahs from knowledgeable members in reference to their styling. I can't see it myself.


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## 6SpeedTA95 (Mar 19, 2010)

Scottish Steve said:


> I think Tag's reputation is firmly entrenched as nice but very overpriced watches which are, by and large, bought by people who haven't done much research.
> I really wonder about the oohs and aahs from knowledgeable members in reference to their styling. I can't see it myself.


I probably agree with the general premise that they are overpriced for what you get. But they do have a few very bright spots within the lineup IMO.


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## nm4710 (Sep 22, 2009)

Yikes, so much disdain for Tag...I quite like them. I like Hamilton as well but in my experience (and as an owner of both), with the exception of the F1 line Tag's cases and bracelets strike me as higher quality than Hamilton. As for the movements, most of the TAG movements I've seen have more decoration than the plain-jane Hammys. Now whether or not it's worth the price is a matter of debate. 

Let's not forget that Seiko/Orient/Seagull offer watches that run half the price of Tissot/Hammy yet are probably just as good (especially now that the new Seiko 5 models have hacking and hand-winding). Value is an issue of perception. TAG watches seem to sell pretty well, so I think there are many who value the brand's design and image. If you're not into it, there are plenty of alternatives. In the US I see many more TAGs in the wild than Tissot and Hammys put together...so the brand clearly has public appeal.

-NM


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## John372 (Jul 9, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

Tags cost so much more because 20% of your money you paid go to the pocket of Leonardo, Tiger and F1.​


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## dero (Nov 4, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

This is a never-ending circle jerk. I don't know how or why you guys perpetuate this argument.

Just get whatever watch you love the look of and desire seeing when you lift up your wrist to see what time it is. It doesn't matter what is on the inside. It doesn't matter who made it. It doesn't matter who designed it. People will continue to argue and blow up multitudes of hot air balloons picking out *their* intricate details of austerity in case design, comfort of bracelet, internal mechanics of the movement, history of the movement, original source piece of the movement and I bet if given the opportunity, they'd break it down even further to then describe how important the screws are, the metal used and how tightly screwed in the screws need to be to create the beautiful simplicity of the orchestra at play.

All this back and forth about which is better and why will continue well beyond the cows coming home. The arguments are always about how comfortable it is (subjective), how it feels on your wrist (subjective), what design aspects of the watch's case and dial you really want (subjective) and quality of production (subjective but with some objectivity). It's rarely about accuracy of movement (objective) or efficiency of the movement's energy reserve/manual/auto-wind (objective) because these are pretty much on par with everything else on sale in the market.

So therefore the argument is very subjective to the owner or the prospective owner and as such, not really a debatable topic which will ever give definitive results. Please just go buy what appeals to your subjective taste. Don't worry about the brand you've bought. If you can afford what you want, get it.


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## Sea-Wolf (May 10, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

^ If all you are buying is a piece of jewelry, caring not about re-sale values, etc. or any OBJECTIVE factors (such as pedigree, history and provenance, which next to condition are the only things that matter when it comes to re-sale/auction), then sure. Some are actual in-house movement makers, others are casers. Likewise objective. Some are trend-setters with patents to back same, others contribute little or nothing to the actual art of watchmaking, but sell watches at various price points. In both cases, the former cost more than the latter justifiably, and these are likewise objective factors. Myself, I like to know what it is that I am paying for, especially at a certain price point.

To many, all of the above among other things matter, and always will (especially collectors and those interested in re-sale values, even if one never intends to sell their watch I personally find re-sale values relevant, and are of interest to me). That said, if we all liked the same things it'd get pretty boring around here as they're be little to discuss. In terms of the three brands, all 3 have their "charms" coming in at different price points for a reason, with Heuer/Tag Heuer covering a very broad range of offerings (and price range), so which Heuer exactly are we talking abput? Myself, I quite like their designs, with the Monaco in particular appealing to me (based not only design (subjective) but also objective factors, and that means "value" to me. .

In the end, though, if none of that matters to you, then that's fine. Buy what it is that you like in accordance with your own taste/style and budget, I agree. Matters of design, etc. are entirely subjective, and to each their own in turn. Only your own wrist knows you best, on that I also agree.

Cheers


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## Will_f (Jul 4, 2011)

dero said:


> This is a never-ending circle jerk. I don't know how or why you guys perpetuate this argument.
> 
> Just get whatever watch you love the look of and desire seeing when you lift up your wrist to see what time it is. It doesn't matter what is on the inside. It doesn't matter who made it. It doesn't matter who designed it. People will continue to argue and blow up multitudes of hot air balloons picking out *their* intricate details of austerity in case design, comfort of bracelet, internal mechanics of the movement, history of the movement, original source piece of the movement and I bet if given the opportunity, they'd break it down even further to then describe how important the screws are, the metal used and how tightly screwed in the screws need to be to create the beautiful simplicity of the orchestra at play.
> 
> ...


If the screws aren't flame blued the watch is crap. It is known.  In all seriousness, these sort of debates are part and parcel of obsessing over watches.


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

Will_f said:


> In all seriousness, these sort of debates are part and parcel of obsessing over watches.


except more often than not, it isn't watches they obsess over, it's the brand name.


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## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)

I Love tag more than Hamilton and Tissot.


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## dero (Nov 4, 2011)

drunken monkey said:


> except more often than not, it isn't watches they obsess over, it's the brand name.


Which in itself (if it ever could possibly be) is rated higher in the masturbatory stakes of self gratification.

There's so much cod fiddling where it comes to the argument over a brand name and snobbery towards/against a brand. Stop playing with it so much! It'll fall off!!!

I am a proud owner of a Jaeger LeCoultre Master Hometime and a TAG Heuer Carrera 1887. Both watches made me lust over them so much I had to have them. I want so many other watches on the market. The brand does not matter, however I will say though that there tends to be certain brands that I lean towards because of their philosophy of styling and aesthetics and not anything towards any perceived snobbery towards a brand.


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## priest (Jul 9, 2012)

Hamilton look the best and have the right price!


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## Scottish Steve (Sep 7, 2010)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



dero said:


> This is a never-ending circle jerk. I don't know how or why you guys perpetuate this argument.
> 
> Just get whatever watch you love the look of and desire seeing when you lift up your wrist to see what time it is. It doesn't matter what is on the inside. It doesn't matter who made it. It doesn't matter who designed it..


Way to lower the tone; well done.

As to the movement of a watch being ir-relevant, you're obviously not very clear on what a watch forum actually is.


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## Protest (Mar 19, 2012)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Longhair said:


> The first time I saw Tag Heuer in the store, it was surrounded by Calvin Klein, Diesel, DNKY, Guess, Fossil, Tommy Hilfiger and other Made in China "brand name" watches. I could never think of Tag Heuer as anything more than costume jewelry after that experience.


The first time I saw JLC, and IWC in a store they were a few steps away from Fossill, Guess, Nautica, Michele etc (the Bahamas are good for stuff like that), they must be costume jewelry too.


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## dero (Nov 4, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*



Scottish Steve said:


> Way to lower the tone; well done.
> 
> As to the movement of a watch being ir-relevant, you're obviously not very clear on what a watch forum actually is.


So the never-ending debate of BrandA is better than BrandB but BrandC trumps them all because of NitPickA, NitPickB and NitPickC reasons are high class tones?

I'm of a different ilk obviously.

As for the movement, read the context that I wrote in, not in your interpretation of what you find important. (I won't lapse into a subjective argument of merits here, but it's falling very close to). A timepiece keeps and displays time. The purpose of a movement is to provide power to enable this purpose. When comparing and considering which watch to buy, the movement irrespective to the brand and manufacturer is going to serve the same purpose. Objectively, one movement is going to provide the same function as another movement, thus we have many companies putting customer movements into the watches they sell and we also have companies putting efforts into developing their own movements to produce the same purpose. The movements are aesthetically different and provide varying ranges of efficiency and accuracy. They provide the same function.

I am very clear that this is a watch forum but I find the levels of vehemence in attack and defence to a brand irritating and lacking substance. So I reiterate my statement about hot air and subjective arguments that occurs about one watch brand to another. There is no "better" nor is there any "worse" movement. There is no "better" nor is there any "worse" watch brand. The arguments to and fro about a movement, a design aesthetic, comfort, fit, finish and feel are all subjective arguments. A person should spend their money on what they will end up continuing to enjoy looking at each and every time they bring their wrist up to look at what time it is.


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## Ovalteenie (May 4, 2010)

Oh for the days when the Swiss watch industry was horizontally integrated and there was little obsessing with inhouse-ness which many conflate with 'better'.


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## Lucas Carvajal (Feb 16, 2016)

......


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## Lucas Carvajal (Feb 16, 2016)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

....


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## Lucas Carvajal (Feb 16, 2016)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

Same movement, it's about how deep your pockets are!


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## GNP1979 (Apr 15, 2015)

*Tag Heuer vs Hamilton & Tissot*



PatAz said:


> Go Hamilton. TAG is like an upgraded Fossil. You will have reliability and longer satisfaction with a Hamilton.


OK. That is so not true. Of course, a large part of Tag Heuer 's appeal is due to marketing. They have spent and continue spending vast amounts of money on advertising. But there is more than that. As a fellow said above, they DO have the designs. The iconic designs. Everyone knows Monaco. Everyone has heard of Carrera. Autavias are collectibles. Monza and Silverstone are original designs, to a point that you would know one if you saw one, even without the name of the dial. Apart from that, there is the technological progress, even if it is limited to a small fraction of the total production. They did the Microgirder, counting 1/1000 of a second. They did the first belt - driven watch, the Monaco V4. The "myth" of Tag, if there is such a thing, consists of all the above, not marketing alone. So, e.g in the case of the Monaco V4, even if it was a sales disaster, you have an horological invention in an iconic case. What is Hamilton's or Tissot's equivalents? "Jazzmaster" or "Visodate"??
Tag Heuer have taken the wrong way more times than the right one, sure, but things would be missing from the industry AND our hobby if they never existed. Can anyone claim that for Hamilton or Tissot? IMHO, of course!! 
That said, save money and get JLC, Patek, or Zenith, Rolex or Omega.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DarthVedder (Jun 12, 2011)

*Re: Tag Heuer vs Hamilton & Tissot*

IMO, Hamilton and Tag Heuer are roughly equivalent, but with very different strengths. If I was in the market for a Military or Dress watch, Hamilton would be my choice with a Jazzmaster or a Pilot watch. For a sports/casual watch, Tag Heuer all the way, with iconic pieces like the Monaco or Carrera chronographs. On the same level, if I wanted a swiss diver I'd get an Oris.

Tissot produces some nice watches, but it's IMO clearly a step below the other two mentioned on this thread.


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## Tomatoes11 (Feb 17, 2015)

TheWalrus said:


> I've said it before, I'll say it again. Watches are an aesthetic exercise. They're about looks, and for almost everyone who buys them, very little else. It isn't about the movements. It isn't about the materials. It isn't about (really) where the watch is made. It might be a little bit about the status. But fundamentally, it's about how nicely the watch is designed, and whether or not that design appeals to people enough to get them to shell out lots of money.
> 
> Tag makes nice looking watches. People want them. People buy them at what the market dicates the price can be set at. End of story.


This. I have owned a carerra before and I concurrently own an aqua racer. Strictly for the design. They looked great.

Haven't seen a Hamilton or tissot that sings to me yet. Well the khaki field titanium did until I tried it on.


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## lorsban (Nov 20, 2009)

I think Tag is in a different league compared to those 2 brands. Tag has many icons in the watch world and they continue to push the design envelope and have their own movements already. 

Hamilton also has some icons like the models based on their historic lines but the rest seem similar to the others.

Tissot is like Hamilton but they also have their T-Touch which was extremely popular and innovative at that time. But again the rest of their stuff seems quite generic. 

Sent from my LG-H818 using Tapatalk


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## jlondono77 (Aug 16, 2011)

*Re: Holy string resurrection!*

Not a fan of Tag, IMO Hamilton and Tissot (and Victorinox) have much better options:


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## lseele (Feb 6, 2014)

All I know is of the 3, Tag holds its retail value more if you were to ever resale it. It defys logic.


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