Released in 1986, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 is widely considered to be the original OMEGA x Swatch ‘MoonSwatch’. The brand produced more than three million pieces during its 14-year run, and for many, this was their first foray into the collecting world. It remained a popular model until LVMH purchased the brand in 1999 and discontinued it in 2000. However, today, in a world full of MoonSwatches, TAG Heuer and Kith want to re-ignite that passion again with the re-release of the legendary Formula 1 ahead of the GP in Miami.
Release details: Priced at AU$2,200 (£1,350/$1,550), this is an uber-limited collaboration where 10 watches will be released in batches ranging from 250 to 1350 pieces. The first release will be in-store only in Miami on May 3rd before a global launch on May 6th, 2024. Three references (WA121F.BA0023, WA121J.BT0012, and WA121L.BT0014) will be available at TAG Heuer boutiques (including Australia), while the other releases will be available in Kith locations.
RELATED: We ranked every OMEGA x Swatch ‘MoonSwatch’.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith
Price: AU$2,200 (£1,350/$1,550)
Availability: Pieces are limited in batches of 250-1350 pieces depending on reference
Case: Sand-Blasted PVD
Bezel: Turning Bezel in Arnite
Crown: Steel
Case back: Steel
Case diameter: 35.00 mm
Case thickness: 9.45 mm
Lug-to-lug distance: 40.00 mm
Quartz movement: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Water resistance: 200M
Crystal: Sapphire
It was a red and black TAG Heuer Formula 1 that ignited Kith founder Ronnie Fieg’s passion for watches, so keeping to the original design was an important factor when considering this new partnership. “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,” he said in a statement.
The original supplier of the case was tracked down along with the exact mould that was used for the pieces made in 1986. The lug-to-lug diameter is 40mm, while the case diameter is 35mm, so it wears rather small and on-trend. Original forms are also maintained for the hour hand, a triangle with a dot inside at 12 o’clock, indices that alternate every quarter between shields and dots, and a contrasting minuterie.
The unidirectional turning bezel is finished in Arnite (plastic), and the watch is powered by a quartz movement with functions of hours, minutes, and seconds. We would’ve loved to see a mechanical movement added here (especially at the price point), but one cannot argue with the ‘fun’ factor that this watch is trying to convey, and an automatic movement isn’t entirely necessary.
Finally, sapphire crystal has been added to the new model to replace the plastic, and the strap has also been upgraded from plastic to rubber.
“The rebirth of the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch is something the collector community has been clamouring after for years. One of these collectors was Kith founder Ronnie Fieg, who shared that, like so many others, this was also his first watch when he was younger,” said Julien Tornare, the CEO of TAG Heuer.
“It is one of the most meaningful pieces in TAG Heuer’s history. The first to wear the TAG Heuer name, it introduced a generation of collectors to our commitment to making premium timepieces at the intersection of culture and motorsports.”
Every TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith will arrive to buyers in a high-end, colourful box. And if you want to purchase one for yourself, the first release will be in-store only in Miami on May 3rd before a global launch on May 6th, 2024. Three references (WA121F.BA0023, WA121J.BT0012, and WA121L.BT0014) will be available at TAG Heuer boutiques (including Australia) at the link below. Keep scrolling for a full list of the watches, including pricing, availability, and features.
TAG Heuer Releases
Price: AU$2,200 (£1,350/$1,550)
Availability: Limited to 1350 pieces
Dial colour: Eggshell
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: AU$2,200 (£1,350/$1,550)
Availability: Limited to 825 pieces
Dial colour: Black with stripe pattern Blue
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: AU$2,200 (£1,350/$1,550)
Availability: Limited to 825 pieces
Dial colour: Black with stripe pattern Green
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Kith Releases
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: Limited to 250 pieces
Dial colour: Black dial with stripe pattern
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: N/A
Dial colour: White with stripe pattern
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: Limited to 250 pieces
Dial colour: White with stripe pattern
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: Limited to 250 pieces
Dial colour: Pink with stripe pattern
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: Limited to 250 pieces
Dial colour: Blue with stripe pattern
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: Limited to 350 pieces
Dial colour: Eggshell
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: £1,350/$1,550
Availability: Limited to 350 pieces
Dial colour: White
Case diameter: 35 mm diameter
Lug-to-lug diameter: 40mm
Case thickness: 9.45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Price: 18’000 CHF
Availability: Limited to 75 pieces
