Why do TAG's get a bad rap??

[Monocrom]

Honestly, some of it is TAG Heuer's own doing. Biggest issue without a doubt is customer service. Generally a giant lack of one. One incident involved a WUS member calling up their C.S., to inquire about finding a part for his discontinued TAG Heuer watch. The TAG Heuer customer service rep. actually told him to sell his beloved timepiece for spare parts. While it's true that TAG Heuer doesn't stock parts for discontinued watches, even very recently discontinued models, you don't tell one of your customers to sell a much-loved watch for spare parts. That's just ridiculous. A good way to lose a customer to a competing brand.

[camb66]

The way I see it is that TAG is very popular with people who are buying there first expensive watch. Because of this popularity, there are knockers.
I wore one for 15 years and that watch was bulletproof - My son wears it now and its 20 years old., I thought they were the be all and end all of the affordable luxury segment of the market- but they are not- there are many other better value for money options. Some of their watches are being sold at steep prices considering the movements inside them, because they are wildly popular, they get criticized for this.
Buy a TAG and you are buying into brand recognition from lots of people, you will get a reliable and attractive watch but you will pay for that, when comparable quality can be found cheaper.

[Rachdanon]

Because Rolex and Omega got Bond, and Tag got well . . Bourne.

[JarrodS]

I'm with Donny. The pricing of high-end watches has very much to do with exclusivity. TAG is not exclusive relative to other luxury brands. They produce up-to-date designs using off-the-shelf movements and distribute them widely. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, it's just that enthusiasts tend to value classic designs that use exclusive manufacture movements and have a limited availability.

As a result, the resale value of TAG suffers. This is why I could not see myself buying a new TAG unless it was on an exceptional discount (such as some of the F&F sales in past years). On the positive side, some models make for great values if you pick them up on the resale market. The Aquaracer 500m Cal 5 is a good example of this. The usual used TAG discount (50%+) plus the fear generated by the talk of stripped crown threads, this watch can be had for a song on the resale market. It's a wonderful watch.

[blingking]

The standard discount at ADs went down from 20% to 15% from Jan 12 while price increased by about 10% from last June.

While resale value remains at about 40% to 50% off retail price.

Movement quality and grade - unchanged.

[PJS]

Because Rolex and Omega got Bond, and Tag got well . . Bourne.

Think you will find that TAG Heuer had Bond and Bourne

Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights wore a TAG Heuer Professional diver’s model 980.013

[wristclock]

Timothy who?

Think you will find that TAG Heuer had Bond and Bourne

Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights wore a TAG Heuer Professional diver’s model 980.013

[Monocrom]

On the positive side, some models make for great values if you pick them up on the resale market. The Aquaracer 500m Cal 5 is a good example of this. The usual used TAG discount (50%+) plus the fear generated by the talk of stripped crown threads, this watch can be had for a song on the resale market. It's a wonderful watch.

It isn't fear. More along the lines of a model with a clear design flaw that folks know about, and choose not to deal with. Considering it's size, there's no reason for the 500M to have the type of miniscule threads commonly found on a typical very thin dress watch.

That's the ironic thing from folks who bash TAG Heuer. They either say it's a fashion brand (completely untrue) or just say that it sucks. They never mention any of the real issues that could stand improvement.

[Monocrom]

Timothy who?

LOL

One of the better actors who played Bond. Unfortunately, he was Bond when the Writers were just phoning it in as far as scripts were concerned.

[JarrodS]

It isn't fear. More along the lines of a model with a clear design flaw that folks know about, and choose not to deal with.

If you want to get into semantics, it's both. It's fear that the design flaw is going to bite them.

One can "choose to deal with" a design flaw by avoiding it altogether or build into the price the need for a repair down the road. Both would have the natural effect of reducing the market value. Works for me - I think it's a terrific watch. I'm careful with mine and hopefully will be spared any issues. But if not, it's well worth repairing if you picked it up at a good pre-owned price IMO.