Hands-On Debut: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith Watches | aBlogtoWatch

Seasoned watch enthusiasts know that TAG Heuer wasn't always, well, TAG Heuer. Before holding company Techniques d'Avant-Garde completed its buyout of the struggling company in 1986, the brand was simply Heuer, and this '80s-era switch in branding came alongside the launch of one of the most important watches in TAG Heuer's over 160-year history, the original Formula 1. Compact, affordable, quartz-powered, and produced in a rainbow of race-ready colorways, the first-generation Formula 1 was a sales juggernaut that changed the company's financial future and spawned a generation of new fans for the brand. In the intervening decades, the Formula 1 has lost some of the fashionable, youth-oriented punch that made it a hit in the first place, but in a post-Moonswatch marketplace the world is ripe for a revival of the Formula 1 that started it all.

At first glance, the models of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith collection look nigh-on identical to their vintage counterparts, and that close resemblance is no accident. The original molds used to create the first run of fiberglass cases in 1986 were reused for the five non-steel case designs here, meaning the compact, slim 35mm-wide dimensions are exactly the same as their predecessors. Rather than old-fashioned fiberglass, though, the cases of these new models are made from high-tech arnite plastic. Lightweight, durable, and silky smooth to the touch, these new cases may be colored plastic, but the on-wrist feel is far more luxurious than the '80s originals. Even the fine details - the crenellations of the heavy-toothed dive bezel, the seam line along the case sides, and the raised "Formula 1" text at 6 o'clock all feels crisper and more sharply defined than their vintage counterparts.

These arnite cases come in the same sort of wild assortment of colors as the original '80s run, with a few new additions. The bright matte red of the Kith Tokyo is arguably the most iconic here, with a legacy stretching back to the McLaren Formula One team of the late '80s. The bright, playful matte yellow of the Kith Hawaii, meanwhile, takes its inspiration from the limited-run Formula 1 Ukyo Katayama models of the early '90s with a maximalist, high-impact style. For the Kith Toronto and Kith New York, this arnite is instead finished in smooth matte black, giving the funky '80s design a more subdued, modern feel. There are other material improvements here as well, such as sapphire crystals to replace the original acrylic.

For the remaining five references, TAG Heuer renders the cases in stainless steel, either fully matte blasted or black PVD coated. While these are broadly similar to both the '80s originals and their arnite stablemates, with matching bezels in colorful arnite, the matte steel variants ditch the 6 o'clock raised "Formula 1" text in favor of an onate engraved Kith script logo across the 12 o'clock hooded lug assembly. All 10 models in the line offer genuinely impressive sporting performance to back up the '80s-sporty look, including a dive-ready 200 meters of water resistance.

Like the cases, the dials of the new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith collection cleave extremely close to their '80s forebears. The base dial layout should be familiar to any fan of the brand - the Mercedes handset, 3 o'clock date window, contrasting outer minutes track, and unique mix of rounded printed dive indices and stylized TAG Heuer shield markers are all foundational elements of the original Formula 1 family. Likewise, most of these colorways are lifted straight from the classic Formula 1 collection, including standouts like the white and red Kith Tokyo, as well as the crisp white and navy Kith Los Angeles.

Interestingly for a watch honoring the first-ever TAG Heuer-branded design, these models are the first ever instance of the brand's shield emblem being combined with another logo. That's not to say that the printed 12 o'clock "Kith Heuer" emblems aren't fun or visually engaging, but there's a certain irony to the revival of TAG Heuer's first watch not actually featuring the TAG Heuer logo. There are other streetwear-style tweaks here, including repeated vertical pinstripe motif across seven of the 10 dials and a swoopy "Just Us" emblem at 6 o'clock. It's enough to instantly differentiate these from their predecessors on the wrist, which should make Kith's streetwear-style marketing approach more effective.

TAG Heuer is tight-lipped about the origins of the three-hand quartz movement inside the new Formula 1 Kith collection, but given the elevated price point here and the Swiss focus of the series this is likely some manner of Ronda. Given the paucity of information available, we can't speak to stated accuracy or battery life, but it will be interesting to see how public opinion on these models evolves as this information spreads. Given TAG Heuer's focus on material improvements for the Formula 1 Kith collection, it's no surprise that the strap options on display take a more refined, modern approach to the classic '80s style. Original Formula 1 models had wild, colorful, boldly branded straps made of plastic, which was stiff out of the box and had a tendency to age poorly.

By contrast, the Formula 1 Kith line's rubber straps are infinitely softer, more flexible, and very likely more hard-wearing, while still displaying brilliant colors including bright red, signal yellow, forest green, cobalt blue, brick red, sandy beige, and black. To match the dials, these straps also playfully sway the original oversized sculpted TAG Heuer shield emblems for the line's unique "Kith Heuer" variant logo. For the bare stainless steel models, TAG Heuer instead turns to a fully matte-finished jubilee-style five-link bracelet, with a lightweight, comfortable construction and a "Kith Heuer" signed clasp.

Among TAG Heuer fans (myself included), few watches carry the same mix of historic importance and flat-out fun as the original Formula 1. A classic Formula 1 revival has been quietly murmured about and speculated on for several years now, and on paper the new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith collection fits the bill with period-correct styling, eye-catching colorways, modern materials, and trendy streetwear-inspired visual updates. When it comes to availability and pricing, however, things get a bit tricky.

The Kith Tokyo, Kith New York, Kith Miami, Kith Toronto, and Kith Hawaii models are all limited to 250 pieces each, and are available through Kith boutiques in their respective cities. For the stainless steel Kith Los Angeles and Kith Paris models, this number jumps to 350 units each, but availability remains through their eponymous Kith boutiques. The two black PVD-cased models (black with green bezel and black with blue bezel) are exclusively retailed by TAG Heuer, exclusive to the TAG Heuer Miami boutique on May 3, 2024 before becoming available through all TAG Heuer sales platforms on May 6. These models are limited to 825 units each. For the stainless steel-cased, cream-dialed model, both TAG Heuer and Kith will offer it at retail, and 1,350 examples will be made. Lastly, if one wants to collect the whole set, a presentation box set including all 10 watches is available as well, but only 75 box sets will be created. Pricing for each individual model in the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith series stands at a substantial $1,500 USD, while complete box sets are priced at $18,000 USD as of press time. For more information, please visit the brand's website.