In what is sure to be one of the more buzzworthy releases of the year, TAG Heuer has just partnered up with fashion retailer Kith to revive the very first Formula 1 watch. Dating back to 1986, the original Formula 1 was the bright and fun icon that also happened to be the first TAG Heuer watch after the brand was acquired by the previous owner Techniques d’Avant Garde. It was famously the first Swiss watch for so many people out there and it’s great to see that TAG Heuer did not mess with the original formula (no pun intended) of punchy colors, quartz movement, and a case size for all ages regardless of gender.
While there were over 3,000,000 pieces of the original Formula 1 produced, this collaboration will be a limited edition, albeit of 10 watches in total. Seven of the limited editions are done in tribute to each of Kith’s international retail locations: black for New York City; red and white for Tokyo; black and yellow for Toronto; eggshell for Miami; and blue, green, and yellow for Hawaii; which will be limited to 250 pieces each. The other two are eggshell and green on bracelet for Paris and blue and eggshell on bracelet for Los Angeles which are limited to 350 pieces each. There are also two TAG Heuer exclusives of 825 pieces each which are done in full vibrant green or blue in a black PVD case with black dial which will launch in-store only in Miami on May 3rd followed by a global launch May 6th. Finally, there is the shared model between TAG Heuer and Kith which is limited to 1,350 pieces which has the classic black bezel and eggshell dial with red accents on a bracelet.
TAG Heuer uses the mold from the very same case supplier that manufactured the original Formula 1 for these reissues, which is something my inner detail-obsessed enthusiast cannot help but applaud. Of course, there are updates like a sapphire crystal instead of plastic as well as an all-new rubber strap as opposed to the old plastic strap. You’ll also notice the merging of the Kith and TAG Heuer shield logo as well as the “Just Us” script on the dial which is a nod to Kith founder Ronnie Fieg’s brand motto.
The new Formula 1 watches measure 35mm wide and 9.45mm thick with a lug-to-lug height of 40mm (200 m of water resistance). Both the rubber straps and five-link steel bracelet are co-branded with the “Kith Heuer” insignia designed for this collaboration.
TAG Heuer CEO Julien Tornare says “The rebirth of the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch is something the collector community has been clamouring after for years. One of these collectors was Kith founder Ronnie Fieg, who shared that, like so many others, this was also his first watch when he was younger. It is one of the most meaningful pieces in TAG Heuer’s history. The first to wear the TAG Heuer name, it introduced a generation of collectors to our commitment to making premium timepieces at the intersection of culture and motorsports.”
Each of the 10 limited edition TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith collaboration watches are priced at $1,500 and there will also be a limited edition box set with all the watches priced at $18,000.
$18k for Quartz Plastic? No thanks there’s a lot of better watches I can send $1,500-$18k on.But to each their own.
When TAG first came out with these fun little time pieces you could see them on billboards everywhere. Now they’re back, but the Rolex hands kill it.