![]() Instead, the brand is calling them “Legend” bracelets. Oh, and it is also worth noting that TAG Heuer doesn’t refer to the bracelets as “Link” bracelets (even though that is what they are). The Link bracelet is pretty nice, and despite the product confusion that is likely to occur, the resulting models are pretty interesting. While this is a bit weird, TAG Heuer collections are able to get what some might refer to as Frankenstein watches where parts from various model families are used for something new. Those are the bracelets that you’ll find on both these “Carrera” and “Formula One” branded watches. In 2011, TAG Heuer redesigned the Link bracelet to make it a bit more angular and modern looking. ![]() These aren’t the exact same Link bracelets that would have been on the early 1990s watches. Instead of Link collection TAG Heuer Senna Edition watches, they are TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Edition and TAG Heuer Carrera Senna Edition models – albeit, with Link-style bracelets. If you’ve been paying attention, that same slogan is back (with a hashtag – #DontCrackUnderPressure), for a new generation of TAG Heuer enthusiasts. What is also salient about Ayrton Senna this year is that his face appeared on legacy advertisements with the “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” slogan. Aryton Senna was, in fact, a TAG Heuer brand ambassador and “his” models helped pave a path for the Link collection. Logically, they might simply produce TAG Heuer Aryton Senna Edition Link watches. ![]() Anyhow, going back to 2015 with these new “Senna Edition” watches, TAG Heuer wanted to recall the iconic bracelet. In my opinion, some of these early 1990s Tag Heuer watches are great looking, but for today’s tastes, suffer from being a bit small or focusing on quartz versus mechanical movements. Launched in the late 1980s, the bracelet was its most iconic element even though it initially was also its most controversial element. “S/el” stood for “sport elegance” and was supposed to be a versatile watch collection that one could wearing for sporting purposes or with a suit. More so, this S25.706C was part of the larger TAG Heuer S/el collection that later gave birth to the TAG Heuer Link collection, which only got its name in the late 1990s. With a 1/100th of a second chronograph, it isn’t too difficult to imagine why it was a preferred watch of a race car driver. The funny thing is that the TAG Heuer of today would probably never produce such a model with its analog/digital dial and odd hybrid bracelet/strap. S25.706C was one of Aryton’s preferred watches. Chalmers at Calibre 11 nicely profiles the “Watches of Aryton Senna” with more history, and you can see that the quirky TAG Heuer S/el ref. Why? The reason goes back to one of Aryton Senna’s personal TAG Heuer watches. What makes these watches perhaps the most unique is that each of them will use the “TAG Heuer Link” bracelet on non-Link watches. Hence, we have a new upcoming collection of sport watches dedicated to Aryton Senna. I think it is safe to say such a suggestion is probable, given the loyal fan base TAG Heuer has developed over the years. What is the take away message from the fact that the brand is producing these new TAG Heuer Ayrton Senna watches? Perhaps, that in addition to wanting to focus on youth cultures such as music and modern athletes, TAG Heuer will continue to also produce more traditional products that evoke the brand’s most historic heroes such as Steve McQueen and Ayrton Senna. This raises some interesting questions, as well as clues about TAG Heuer’s more diverse strategy to appeal to new people, as well as its more mature current audience. This means that the demographic TAG Heuer is attempting to reach likely has little clue who Senna is (even though there was a recent movie about his life). The irony is that while famous and iconic, Ayrton Senna died in 1994 during a tragic Formula One race at the age of 34. TAG Heuer’s goal today is very much about appealing to a new generation of watch lovers (that I discuss at length here, while going over the new TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01) and partnering with the people who TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver feels inspire that generation. These are sporty models that do fit into TAG Heuer’s current strategy, but there is somewhat of an irony in their release. For 2015, just as TAG Heuer continues to “make new again” their successful “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” resurrected brand slogan, some interesting models from the past are coming back as well, such as an Ayrton Senna watch – actually a few Ayrton Senna edition watches.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |