>>> BlackFriday TAG Heuer Men's WAF1112.BA0801 Silver Aquaracer Watch
Product Features
- Precise Swiss ETA F06.111 quartz movement
- Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal; Luminescent hands and markers; Unidirectional bezel with SuperLuminova dot at 12 o'clock
- Solid 39.3-mm stainless-steel case with engraved diver's helmet decorated caseback; Triple link combination brushed stainless-steel and 20-micron polished gold-plated stainless-steel bracelet with diving extension
- Date function at 3 o'clock; Silver dial
- Water-resistant to 984 feet (300 M)
For the past few years my "everyday" watch was a Seiko chronograph. While there is nothing wrong with it I decided I wanted something with a little more style. Initially I bought a Seiko Coutura but returned it disappointed. I decided to spend a little more but since I'm not a watch collector I think $1000 was about as much as I wanted to spend for a utility watch (or a quartz) though $500 would have probably been more practical (I guess it depends on where one draws the line between utility and luxury).
I looked at Tissot which was probably the best choice for its price also Movado Bulova and a few others but really liked the style of the Tag Aquaracer. I chose this model because it's simple yet stylish. A chronograph would have been okay too but all the ones I looked at were just too large for my taste. While this model is average in size it's not too large or heavy.
I trust that Amazon Direct sells authentic non-refurbished watches while offering a good warranty (not sure about the third party sellers) but I decided to purchase from a local authorized dealer. They gave me a discount so I only ended up paying about $100 more and I have the manufacturer's warranty. (Had they not given me the discount I would have had no problem buying from Amazon Direct)
I give this watch a 5 star overall but for those interested in buying this watch I'll point out a couple of things.
If you're farsighted or often in dimly lit areas the watch can be a little hard to see. The dial and date are a little small and the hands can blend into the background. I knew this before I bought it but just mentioning it for those considering buying online. The same version of this watch with black or blue faces are much easier to read but I really liked the look of the silver face (there is also a WAF1111 that is silver with different finish). I just think if Tag had put a black trim around the hands it would have been a little better design but perhaps that would make it look tacky who knows. That said you should have absolutely no problem reading it in the office outside or pretty much 90% of the time and I you're like me and don't want a huge watch the trade-off may have to be a slightly smaller face.
The other issue is the value of Tag's brand recognition versus other "luxury" brands. I looked at the Tissot very closely as well as Bulova and some others and overall the quality seemed to be on par. Albeit I'm not a watchmaker and I did not look inside. However quartz movements are pretty consistent (versus some of the more expensive mechanical watches) so candidly speaking I think it's pretty obvious there is a fairly steep premium one pays for brand recognition when buying a Tag Heuer though obviously this is subjective.
Nevertheless without question this is a quality watch and it looks great. Since I have only owned it for a few days I cannot comment on its longevity how it stands up to nicks and scratches or its accuracy but I'm pleased with my purchase and would recommend this watch to others.
----Update October 31 2009----
Set to the U. S. Naval Observatory clock the watch gained just 3 seconds in 4 months - about 9 seconds per year.
