On Sunday a funny thing happened on the way to the supermarket... Next to the shop was a sports field and a sale was underway where people set up tables to sell their unwanted stuff.. Being in no particular hurry to buy my Sunday Paper I had a look round – there were quite a lot of stalls and some interesting things..

Then on one table a box with some watches caught my eye – I picked up what looked like a Tag Heuer – looked at it – it looked – well kind of nice… The stallholder laughed and said “That is a 100% fake” – “really..?” I replied – “those two are real ones” he said pointing to two rather nasty looking Sekondas.. I asked how much the Heuer was - he said £1.50 - and £2 each for the other two. I paid the man £1.50.

I looked at the watch a couple of times and felt a bit confused as to what had just happened.. Why had I just purchased a fake – I have no interest in fakes.. I love collecting Swiss watches and admire quality and workmanship in things I like to own - Old Military Binoculars, Alfa Romeo Cars, Webley Air Pistols – you know the kind of thing – so why had I just purchased an obvious fake.. Although looking at the bracelet it seemed not dissimilar in quality to the one on my Autavia 11630 MH.. Could it possibly be..

When I got home I had a good look with a Loup and yes sure enough I could see the Bracelet is beautifully machined out of solid stainless links and I had purchased a TAG Heuer Diver 980.033 – I couldn’t quite believe it ..

I should maybe explain all my watches are mechanical – I don’t have any Quartz watches and know little about them and what models Heuer made etc. I guess my instinct just took over before I had time to reason....

So now I have a lovely TAG Heuer Quartz that I’m guessing comes from the mid to late 1980’s – and I have to say I REALLY LIKE IT. I know its not in super condition or anything but I don’t mind a watch to show its age a bit. From what I can gather this model was a Heuer design that remained unchanged and was rebadged TAG Heuer after the takeover.

A new battery arrived for it this morning and (not having a caseback tool) I somewhat bravely and very carefully opened the back with a pair of Vernier Callipers (sorry guys – I can see you cringing – but it worked well). I fitted it - the watch sprang into life and is keeping great time.. I love it.. I know it's a TAG - but it seems to have a lot of Heuer in its genes - what do you guys think..?

The only problem I have is that I am now itching to wear it and it’s missing one Bracelet End where the strap meets the case. And I really want to keep the Bracelet – does anybody know somebody I might be able to Buy one of these from..?? I am willing to pay more than £1.50 for one..!!

Regards

Warren