For those of us who remember the Regan Era, TAG Heuer - which sponsored sailing, golf, tennis, and, of course, auto racing - became as much a status symbol as Rolex among well-heeled preppies who grew increasingly unabashed of displaying their wealth. TAG was added to the name in 1985 when the holding company Techniques d’Avant Garde acquired the brand. Heuer, like so many other Swiss watchmakers, struggled through the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s, resulting in a situation dire enough that the company went up for sale. McQueen’s 1971 film, LeMans, endowed Heuer’s racing pedigree with a dose of Hollywood’s ineffable mystique. When Steve McQueen sported a square Heuer Monaco during his all-too-short racing career, both man and watch were immortalized in photographs that have become enduring templates for men’s fashion.

Specifically, Heuer Autavia and Carrera chronographs were de rigueur among drivers. Then, in 1914, Heuer offered their first wrist-worn chronograph.īy the 1960s, Heuer watches were so thoroughly enmeshed with auto racing that it’s hard to find a photograph of Formula 1, Indy, or GT racing from that era in which their logo isn’t visible. However, Heuer was most famous for making chronographs, starting with dashboard clocks used in both cars and planes. Soon after, he was patenting unique mechanisms, some of which still operate in many mechanical wristwatches today.

In 1860, long before Techniques d’Avant-Garde (TAG) purchased a majority stake in the company (which was subsequently gobbled up by the LVMH Group), Edouard Heuer set up his eponymous watch manufacturing company in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. It's a brand with a history worth exploring and a modern collection worth dissecting - whether you're a collector or in the market for a first 'nice' watch.

With strong motorsport associations and a number of bonafide icons, TAG Heuer is especially known for chronographs, and it's a giant in the watchmaking world. Many longtime watch collectors will tell you that their first 'nice' watch was 'a TAG' - or that their first watch obsession was a vintage Heuer. Welcome to Brand Breakdown, a series of comprehensive yet easy-to-digest guides to your favorite companies, with insights and information you won’t find on the average About page.

Tag heuer calibre 5 39mm review