This week, TAG Heuer hosted the 2016 Heuer Collectors Summit. Descending on La Chaux-de-Fond were 30 extremely passionate collectors wearing some of the finest vintage Heuer replica watches one can dream of. Those replica watches were obviously the stars of this event, though TAG Heuer prepared some surprises for us, including revealing the prototype of the new Autavia and the automatic caliber Heuer-03. The brand also announced its interest in the world of vintage Heuer and offered its support to the collector community in a number of ways.
Jack Heuer talking about chronographs in front of a very focused audience.
This get-together offered many collectors the amazing opportunity to meet again some three years after the previous Summit and also to put faces and handshakes to countless email, Instagram, Whatsapp exchanges that have happened in the service of finding those grail Heuers. As a newcomer, the welcoming and collaborative atmosphere struck me immediately. It was not a competition between egos or collections; the focus was truly on sharing little-known facts and the stories behind great replica watches and characters. It was thrilling to see everyone so eager to engage and learn more about Heuer (a brand to which I'm partial).
An Autavia 1163 with a prototype dial, just the kind of thing seen everywhere at the Summit.
Obviously, the replica watches brought were more than just a little impressive: Some of the rarest Heuers had somehow found their way home. Pictures will tell you more than any lengthy description, but you will spot some impeccable early Autavias, a couple uber-rare Skippereras, and many other exceptional pieces. TAG Heuer had anticipated the audience wanting to ask some really geeky questions, so both Jack Heuer himself and a veteran Heuer watchmaker who had been involved in the development of its first automatic chronograph movement were both on hand. An essential workshop about fake watch photography was also offered, and each break saw collectors escaping to the TAG Heuer Museum or gathering to examine the dial database that was on display in a conference room.
Looking at the new Autavia in the product development studio.
The 2017 Autavia was both a surprise and an important guest. Early on, TAG provided a recap of the Autavia Cup, but few could have imagined we'd see the prototype of the winning fake watch in the metal shortly thereafter. Actually, it was a two-step reveal: First we got to see the technical drawings and the plastic prototypes in TAG's development studio. Later on the tour though we actually came upon the prototype and everyone instantly starting trying to snap photos (which TAG Heuer allowed). There is no question this was deliberate and no mere accident of the tour, but that didn't make it any less exciting.
A prototype of the Heuer-03 caliber, build with easier assembly and servicing in mind.
ADVERTISEMENTWe learned that the 2017 Autavia we saw will not be produced as a limited edition, but there will be another Autavia issued for Jack Heuer's upcoming 85th birthday that will be a limited edition. Transparency and insights like this from the big Swiss brands is fairly unusual but was present throughout the whole event. The Heuer-03 was another point of interest and on the second day of the Summit we got to talk with TAG's movement engineers to understand how close the Heuer-03 is to the never-delivered CH80 and the Heuer-02T that powers the vaunted Carrera Heuer-02T. The technical differences deserve an article on their own (coming soon), but it was refreshing to see the definition of in-house development and the subject of self-borrowing in movements clearly addressed.
The stash of vintage dials available for service replica watches ?collectors went nuts over these.
Getting back to vintage though, TAG Heuer announced its intention to document its rich history under the guidance of Eric Tortella, known for his encyclopedic work on vintage Patek Philippe. TAG will also focus on growing its museum and opening it to the public. The high point of the entire Summit might have been the visit of the restoration department. Two average-looking closets turned out to contain an absolute treasure trove, including the remaining stock of NOS parts for most vintage references, rare dials in pristine condition, and tons of interesting bezels. As you can imagine, collectors went wild and probably dreamed that night of returning to the veritable gold mine for a shopping spree.
A 3-D prototype of the new Autavia.
The real Autavia 2017 prototype, the surprise of the Summit.
Unfortunately, the two days in La Chaux-de-Fond flew by too quickly, but the last lunch together felt more "see you soon" than "goodbye." As a vintage fake watch lover, I had an absolute blast; there was so much to learn and so many new things to discover everywhere. The diversity of replica watches worn really highlighted the vast potential lurking in Heuer's past, with an abundance of iconic models for the modern company to draw from. And TAG is back, it seems, and with a very unconventional communication style that has me excited. It will be interesting to see if other brands follow suit and reach out to their dedicated followings to develop and promote new replica watches through programs like this. All in all, this Collectors Summit will leave everyone with amazing memories of both TAG Heuer at large and the new Autavias of the 21st century.
A Heuer Carrera 1158, The Reference Gifted by Jack Heuer To Ferrari F1 Pilots In The 1970s
A Heuer Mareograph, Also Called The Seafarer In The Private Label Version
A Heuer Autavia Reference 3646 With Second Execution Dial
A Very Rare Heuer Skipperera Reference 7754
An Autavia White "Orange Boy"
A Later Autavia With Compressor Case
A Later Skipper Reference 73464
A Splendid Carrera 2447 With Panda Dial
A Vintage Carrera Reference 2456 In 18k Yellow Gold
A 1980s Goldy Autavia
The Encyclopedia Of Heuer Dials
A NOS Autavia Dial
Within Heuer Movement Facility
Printed Parts To Develop The New Autavia
A Concluding Carrera 1158 In The Sun
Tag-heuer Heuer Carrera Autavia Inside Look The Eccentric replica watches Of Switzerland Boutique In SoHo New York City 22237