TAG Heuer Teams Up With Kith To Revive 1:1 Perfect Fake TAG Heuer Formula 1 Watches UK From The ’80s

Years from now, we’re going to look back on the internet-breaking Omega x Swatch collab as a pivotal moment in the industry. And while not every partnership will be as dichotomous as “luxury-meets-budget,” credence should be given to the idea of forging two seemingly opposite brands together in the name of creativity. TAG Heuer has done such a thing with its collaboration with streetwear boutique Kith in order to revive and reimagine the luxury watchmaker’s low-end line of 2024 best replica TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches from the ‘80s.

TAG HEUER AND THE WORLD OF CARS

TAG Heuer (née Heuer) has been nothing if not driven by automotive enthusiasm since the 1960s. The German watchmaker’s former president, Jack Heuer, helped retool the brand around the racing industry, inspired to create its iconic UK AAA fake TAG Heuer Carrera chronograph watches in 1963 after being so taken away by the Carrera Panamericana competition in Mexico. And then in 1969, he aimed to reinvent the racing chronograph once again by perfecting the balance between form and function with his square-shaped Monaco. Oh yeah, and it housed the industry’s first-ever automatic chronograph movement.

IN COME THE FORMULA 1 WATCHES

The 1980s were not a good time to be a mechanical watch company. The quartz crisis helped bankrupt many brands and led to the buyout of others. Heuer was no exception, getting purchased by Techniques d’Avant-Garde (which is why it’s now cheap TAG Heuer replica watches). Right around that time in 1986, the company made one final push, finding a compromise between its car-themed automatics and the quartz timepieces that were dominating the industry. The top copy watches was called the Formula 1 and it was colorful (with several different variants), smaller at 35mm, quartz-powered, and made of fiberglass instead of stainless steel. They were a hit and sustained popularity for years to come.

A LINK TO THE PAST

Though it’s been a while since we’ve seen new Formula 1 replica watches for sale from TAG Heuer, it’s almost surprising the revival didn’t happen sooner. For this latest release, the company, along with Kith, brought out the original molds from 1986, which explains the 35mm case diameter. However, as opposed to the fiberglass cases, these new editions are given either a tough Arnite plastic, black PVD, or stainless steel. Ten variants have been made in total, each with a unique colorway that represents a different Kith boutique across the globe. Also like the originals, these timepieces beat with a quartz movement and feature a simple three-hand functionality.

Along with the case materials, the high quality fake watches have gotten some minor updates including the pinstripe dial design, more sturdy rubber or stainless steel strap options instead of plastic, and the crystal upgrade from acrylic to sapphire. And then there’s the price. Where the ’80s and ’90s Formula 1 pieces retailed for anywhere between $130 and $390 –– around the price of a G-SHOCK today –– this Kith revival sticks at a much less affordable $1,500.

WHY KITH AND WHY THIS WATCH?

Any TAG fanboy will be shocked to see the almost sacrilege text on the Swiss made super clone watches face. Rather than the typical “TAG Heuer” logo at the top of the dial, it clearly and boldly states, “Kith Heuer” –– a cobranding that you just don’t see with well-respected luxury watch brands. We might see this in the busy world of sneaker collabs but to equally share real estate with another non-watch brand on the dial is staggering, to say the least, and a first co-branding of this type from TAG Heuer. If that’s not enough, the bottom of the dial reads Kith’s “Just Us” slogan, and the caseback is checkered with the Kith logo along with “Kith and Kin” across the top.

But this Formula 1 revival is not your run-of-the-mill collaboration. Kith’s founder Ronnie Feig spearheaded this project because of his own personal connection to the original Heuer timepieces. He attributes his own Formula 1 –– a gift from his mother –– as precipitating his passion for replica watches site:
“The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Series 1 in red and black was my very first watch, the timepiece that helped me express the unique style that’s now manifested itself in Kith.” Feig has been a powerhouse designer in the sneaker and streetwear scene for years. Anyone who’s meant this much to the style industry must owe a debt of gratitude to the products that first inspired him.

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Best Quality 2024 Replica TAG Heuer’s Once-Maligned Formula 1 Watches UK Returns As A Fan Favorite

When I first became interested in (and soon engulfed by) best replica watches a decade or so ago, TAG Heuer was one of a small handful of brands I could name off the top of my head. After going down the rabbit hole that is watch blogs, watch forums and watch YouTube, I soon learned that TAG Heuer was somewhat looked down upon by the enthusiast community.

The reason was what enthusiasts perceived as a lack of quality in relation to the brand’s luxury image and prices, as exemplified by the plasticky UK AAA fake watches of 1980s and ’90s TAG. And if one watch represented the worst of TAG Heuer, according to these enthusiasts, it was the Formula 1.

The small, plastic, colorful quartz watch was the first to ever bear the name TAG Heuer, and for a long time, it was viewed as the high quality replica watches that destroyed the original Heuer brand. (This is, of course, inaccurate and will be further explored below.) But more recently, there’s been a sea change in watch-enthusiast attitudes toward the original Formula 1, to the point where many have been unironically clamoring for its return. Now, that day has come, as TAG Heuer has teamed up with Kith to launch a new version of the controversial ’80s icon.

A Heuer History Lesson

Considering that many Swiss watch brands have been around for centuries, just about all of them have had a number of distinct life cycles. But few have gone through such drastic changes as cheap 1:1 TAG Heuer fake watches.

Initially founded in 1860, Heuer, as it was known for most of its life, became known for its chronographs not long after coming into existence. A century of building upon that reputation led to a Golden Era for the brand in the 1960s under the leadership of company scion Jack Heuer, who designed the iconic Carrera and Monaco chronographs and made Heuer the first name in motorsports timekeeping.

Then, the Quartz Crisis happened. Swiss mechanical watchmakers were fighting for their lives in the 1970s in the wake of the cheap and accurate new technology out of Japan, and Heuer wasn’t immune to the industry’s struggles. In 1985, the flagging Heuer was sold to European holding company Techniques d’Avant Garde — better known as TAG — which seemed a somewhat natural fit, given that TAG, among other things, manufactured parts for Formula One engines and was an F1 sponsor.

The newly formed company was called TAG Heuer, and it was looking to make a splash on the market with a new watch that would showcase the new brand to the world. That perfect copy watches was the Formula 1. Debuting in 1986, it was quartz-powered with either a 28mm or 34mm steel inner case wrapped in colorful fiberglass.

They were inexpensive and satisfied the needs of the market at the time, with Swatch having debuted as a bonafide sensation just three years earlier. The top replica watches sold like hotcakes throughout the 1980s and even the ’90s with the latter decade’s introduction of a chronograph version, with over 3 million Formula 1 watches having been produced. So despite the ire drawn by the watch in later generations, the Formula 1 didn’t kill Heuer — it very likely saved it.

The New TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith

TAG Heuer has done much to regain the trust of enthusiasts over the past few years. The brand has reinvested in its image and its wholesale fake watches, finding a good mix of mining Heuer’s beloved past to put out acclaimed bangers like the Carrera “Glassbox” — including tasteful reboots of vintage faves like the Skipper and Dato — and looking to the future with forward-thinking releases like the Aquaracer Solargraph.

TAG Heuer’s reputation has recovered so much that many enthusiasts have gained a new respect for 2024 China super clone watches they probably would’ve disliked even a few years ago. Add in the cyclical nature of watch fashion recently returning to the small and quirky watches of the 1980s, and you get the perfect timing for the OG Formula 1’s comeback.

The reborn watch is a collab between TAG Heuer and New York fashion brand Kith. Kith founder Ronnie Feig has a soft spot for the Formula 1 since his mother gifted him a red-and-black example when he was 12 years old, kickstarting his love for replica watches for sale.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Series 1 in red and black was my very first watch, the timepiece that helped me express the unique style that’s now manifested itself in Kith.

Ronnie Feig

Feig took a leading role in designing the new version, which is available in ten colors, including the Marlboro McLaren-inspired red-and-black version the designer received all those years ago. The new watches are remarkably similar to the originals, coming in at a decidedly retro 35mm with quartz movements and fiberglass cases. So authentic are they that TAG Heuer actually tracked down the original case manufacturer, who dug out the molds used on the original watches to craft the remakes.

The new luxury fake TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches are not straight remakes, however. There are some material upgrades in the form of sapphire replacing acrylic for the crystal and a higher-quality rubber strap or steel bracelet being swapped in for the old plastic one. The dials have also been redesigned, as they now sport a pinstripe pattern and are inscribed with Kith’s “Just Us” slogan at 6 o’clock. Notably, the watches are also the first to ever feature another brand name in the TAG Heuer logo, with “Kith” taking the place of “TAG” in the logo at 12.

But the biggest difference, arguably, comes down to price and availability. The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith is decidedly less cheap than its forebearer, coming in at $1,500. The replica watches shop are also going to be much harder to come by, as TAG isn’t making anywhere near 3 million of them. Depending on which of the ten references you opt for, you’ll be limited to between 250 and 1,350 pieces. References are split up, with some exclusive to TAG and others only on sale at Kith. All are set to become available on May 6.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith

TAG Heuer’s original Formula 1 watch of the ’80s is back, with help from fashion brand Kith. It’s still rocking a quartz movement and a compact and colorful fiberglass case, but it’s also received upgrades like a sapphire crystal and rubber strap.

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