Full Tag watch service.

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Hi guys,

Hope this in the right forum? - if not, MOD please move :)

I've got a 1999 quartz Tag that needs a new battery and I'll be needing a service, new seal etc., because I'll be taking it diving later this year. I usually see prices anywhere from £150-£300 but I was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences/recommendations?

Thanks.

Comments

  • sarah1972
    sarah1972 Posts: 18,898 Senior Ambassador
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    edited 10 March 2018 at 3:01PM
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    Personally I would only ever send it back directly to Tag or an authorised Tag dealer otherwise they wont want to know if anything goes wrong.
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  • Pun
    Pun Posts: 740 Forumite
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    As above - it's a valuable watch and an authorised dealer is worth the money.
  • Jackmydad
    Jackmydad Posts: 9,186 Forumite
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    If you're going to use it for diving it'll really need pressure testing, and possibly other seals replacing.
    Authorised dealer as said above.
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,598 Forumite
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    For something like that don't skimp on the service, do as above.
  • theonlywayisup
    theonlywayisup Posts: 16,031 Forumite
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    My OH collects watches and has several Tags, we haven't touched their service department in years.

    Find yourself an horologist, one that is registered and local. They will do a better job, not necessarily cheaper (they will use genuine parts bought from Tag) http://bhi.co.uk they will do much more than the Tag service centre (I've had watches come back from Tag in Manchester with issues, damage - bezel and hands also with faulty seals). They are very good at correcting/compensating but you don't want that, you want a good service.

    Your horologist should give a similar if not longer warranty on work.

    Our local one is about an hour away away and he's worth his weight in gold watches!
  • seatbeltnoob
    seatbeltnoob Posts: 1,311 Forumite
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    edited 11 March 2018 at 1:47PM
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    tag isnt that valuable, most of them are overpriced and the quality of a mid range seiko. People into watches loathe tag because they're just pumping out large margins for themselves from the brand power. Just an example of how overpriced they are, check out the retail price on Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 5. It retails at £2200 ish. But go on ebay and see the used sell price for these. Go for £700-800.

    Good swiss watches that put money where their mouth is and build high quality watches do not nosedive in the used market this way. Hamilton, oris, sinn, glycine etc. do not drop this much. The omegas and rolexes can even appreciate over time.

    Anyway, that's my 2 cents on Tag, you are better off taking it to an independant watch service, especially for a quartz which is dead easy to change the battery.

    Changing seals is a doddle for most independent watch service.

    I would only take the watch into the original maker if it's a rolex (proprietory movement where independants wont be able to source the parts) or a super expensive piece like an AP, patek etc.

    Tags are jokes.
  • Joe_Horner
    Joe_Horner Posts: 4,895 Forumite
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    Any independent watchmaker should be able to help you with that. They use standard ETA Swiss movements (955 series at that age) which I can replace completely with an identical brand new unit for around £100. That gives an idea of how absurd their "servicing" charges are.

    Also, do you have any reason to think it needs servicing except for "it's due"? Quartz watches aren't like mechanical ones in that respect (not that the makers will admit it) because they simply don't suffer wear.

    Rather than being continually driven by the force of a relatively strong spring, they get moved once every second by a pulse from a very low powered motor.

    Those pulses last around 1/1000th of a second and, for ALL of the rest of the time they're sitting doing nothing. They're only under load (and suffering wear) for around 1/1000th of the time they're working - the wheels in your 20 year old watch have only had about a week's worth of wear!

    Even if it does suffer damage, as mentioned above, the complete movement can be replaced with a genuine replacement for less than one maker's service.

    That means there's no benefit at all in having a quartz movement serviced before it shows problems except to the bank balance of the person doing the work.

    The bottom line is, if it still keeps time and the batteries are lasting as long as you expect, get a battery change and a reseal / pressure test done because it doesn't need anything else. And I say that as a professional watchmaker who's talked a LOT of owners out of paying me for work that's not needed over the years!
  • Joe_Horner
    Joe_Horner Posts: 4,895 Forumite
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    [...]

    I would only take the watch into the original maker if it's a rolex (proprietory movement where independants wont be able to source the parts) or a super expensive piece like an AP, patek etc.

    Rolex back to maker? But it just came apart in me hands, Guv! :D

    They're not generally a problem because wear isn't a huge problem except for the antiquated post bearing they still use for the rotor, and that's such a common issue it's available as an aftermarket replacement made to their spec.

    26169466_1065520760256308_6065068286289120477_n.jpg?oh=e011a5adb8b1b382c1ad96fee944f59c&oe=5B031A6E
  • [Deleted User]
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    I used the Watch Doctor in the end, excellent!

    http://www.watchdoctors.co.uk

    Well impressed. Thanks for the other suggestions guys :)
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