BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 is one of their most iconic watches, especially the first-generation pieces, which bring with them very strong notions of 80s charm. It’s probably because they were designed in the 80s. They were also among the first watches to bear the name TAG Heuer after the Luxembourg-based holding company Techniques d’Avant Garde acquired the ailing watch manufacturer Heuer which had been left battered and beaten by the quartz crisis. Out of the flames would come TAG Heuer which, today, is one of the largest and most recognisable watch manufacturers.
In a thrilling collaboration, TAG Heuer has joined forces with American fashion brand Kith to revive the iconic 1980s design in a new set of watches. The details, such as the hour markers and the ‘Mercedes’ hour hand, are a direct homage to the past. The cases, despite their rugged appearance in photos, are surprisingly compact at 35mm x 9.45mm. Yet, they all boast 200m of water resistance and are paired with either a vibrant rubber strap or a sleek stainless steel bracelet, depending on the model.
All watches feature a distinctive twist, their logo is different. This is the first time TAG Heuer has changed its logo so it features the name of the partner brand it’s working with. Make no mistake, the watches are TAG Heuer watches; KITH Heuer isn’t a real brand, and no, you’re not going crazy; one of these watches is orange and yellow. They also feature ‘Just Us’ written on the dial which is Kith’s motto. Each watch also contains a quartz movement although that’s as much as TAG Heuer says about them, other than they display the time in hours, minutes and seconds.
Seven of these watches are exclusive to Kith stores. Some models, through their colours, represent the cities the stores are located in. Details are available on their website.
When I first saw these pieces, I thought TAG Heuer was moving in the same direction as the Swatch Group with its Swatch x Omega and Swatch x Blancpain designs in that they look, well, a little cheap. I also think the Kith branding all over them is lacking in tactfulness. It feels a little like an ego trip for Kith to put their name and colours in so many places, but maybe I’m in the minority here.
These are all limited editions with production numbers ranging between 250 and 1350 depending on the model and retailing at a price of CHF1500. TAG Heuer will also sell you a collector’s box of all ten of them for CHF18,000.
