Had my F1 since 1990. This has real sentimental value to me. A few years ago my gf wore it/had the strap shortened and within a week she had dropped it and ‘jarred’ the internals so now it only ticks back and forth by 1sec.

Tag heuer quoted me over £100 to repai. Any alternatives????

I’ve used Chris Heal http://chealwatch.com to service my Tag and fix a Hugo Boss watch and been pleased with the service.

Pop into Goldsmiths as they can organise servicing for you also.If it’s a waterproof one sealing them back up pushes the cost up.

Tag heuer quoted me over £100 to repai.

I think that’s pretty reasonable. I doubt you’ll get cheaper.

Tag quartz watches are not the best quality movements by all accounts, just basic quartz movements inside pretty cases. I would imagine they are very difficult to repair and would wager that Tag would simply swop the internals.

Another vote for Chris Heal. Used him a few times for my Tag, also, he fixed my wife’s Tissott when earnest Jones failed. He knew what was wrong just from the symptoms described in an email!

Not sure he’ll be any cheaper, but I don’t feel as though he’s ever been “expensive” in what he does.

Another big recommendation for Chris Heal. He is also a mountain biker and our club webmaster and a thoroughly decent guy.

Yep, Mr Heal would be worth speaking to.
Depending on the strap try eBay for extra links on a new plastic star if that’s the version you have.

£100 is very a very cheap quote if it’s going back to Tag. I think the last quote I had for a blue plastic strap for my F1 was £80, a service costs a fortune. I paid £85 for a new bezel (admittedly from WoS on Bond St London), and the watch itself was £85 brand new back in ’89. I now regard it as unaffordable to run and plan to sell it, bugger the sentiment.

Ignore the buy it now, open to offers:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tag-Heuer-Formula-1-/301023996308

How do I get in touch with this Chris Heal that you talk about?
I have two Tag Formula 1’s sitting in a drawer that I’d like to get repaired, and the wife has one too!

I’d never buy another but would like to get them fixed if at all possible.

Click

S’ok, found him 😳

Double post.

I’d say the TAG quote sounds pretty reasonable. You could try Roy here, excellent chap too rlt watches and possibly upspec the movement. If you’re not going to wear it tho I’d probably not bother.

£100’s a bargain! My 1970’s mechanical Yema cost me £140 for a repair/service, and I was originally quoted £260 by somebody else!
Worth doing, it’s a fine watch, with a really good movement, and it was my very first ‘proper’ watch. It’s forty-odd years old now, I wear it every day as my work watch, and it should easily go another forty years, so worth the expense.
Oh, and have you looked at the price of current TAG F1 watches lately? 😯

I think in 91 it was 120 new and 140? Inc the metal strap option so say circa 300 todays money??

Over a grand for a new one, but a very different watch.

I wish I’d bought one back in the 90’s when I had the chance.
Lovely watches, really loved the plastic strap models.

Tag’s are not known for keeping their value. Unless you;ve a Steve McQueen Monaco you don’t want 😉 That said I own one Tag, an Edge (RLT29) which is a tag that they decided not to make and to true Tag style it’s got an ordinary quartz engine…….

£100 sounds cheap; my wife’s lost a pin and came apart at the clasp – the quote was £85 if the jeweller could get a replacement clasp & £300-odd for the entire strap if not. Fortunately 10 minutes with pliers, a pin push & a section of the strap that had been excised on purchase sorted it.

My old 80’s TAG Series 1000:

The black coating is very worn now, and the face isn’t original, the tiny locating pins broke off, and the face started rotating, cost £90 for a new one, about fifteen years ago. Still ticking away, had three batteries in, at a guess, at £30 a pop!
The next time it goes to my goldsmith mate to change; it doesn’t go diving, or even in water, since I haven’t worn it for several years, and I’m not prepared to pay that much for a battery for a thirty year old watch.
When I bought it, it cost £250, and a work collegue bought an F1: I think mine was the better watch, but not worth much now, my Yema probably has more value, it’s certainly got a better movement.

I have quite large wrists (oi) so need huge straps ergo watches. Look at the difference!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30625376@N06/11388060403/lightbox/

The Tag is the largest size not the diddy girl-one

I have an Orange strap/bezel F1 form the same era, love it, first really decent watch I bought. It has lots of memories attached to it, had it on the other day and even though by todays standards it looks small, it’s a damn fine watch. I have both Orange “rubber” strap and the metal one too..
I have had it serviced at Tag through Ernest Jones and been happy with thier service.
I’m going to put it on tomorrow, thanks. 😀

Glad to be of service 🙂

I was doing a search last night and pulled out a very very battered Suunto X6 watch. It was the best part of £200 new and it just looks worn to death 🙁