Kong
[Moderator]
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Tag Heuer @ Sincere Watch Academy (SWA) with Monaco 360LS & V4
26th June
2008, Singapore
TAG Heur Horology Colloquium
- Mastery of Time from Heritage to Innovation
Two
gentlemen appeared at the SWA last month to highlight the achievements
of the Tag Heuer in the field of timekeeping and timepieces.
They were Thomas
Houlon (Brand Director of the Innovation Team) & Jean Campiche (Head of Timing Department) from TAG
Heuer.
Besides
going to listen for Tag Heuer new development, I was curious to meet
the Jean Campiche. The person who could do multiple racing cars
timekeeping using stopwatches since 1972. Quite a superhuman feat
though, as will need to clock the actuators of the stopwatches really
fast!
Thomas spoke about the brand history and the timepieces
(including the concept watches) while Jean Campiche narrated about his
career in the timekeeping for motorcar racing.
Patrick Tan, SWA Principal just introduced Thomas
Houlon to the enthusiasts. The room was packed!
Thomas
Houlon (Brand Director of the Innovation Team) greeted the audience and then introduce Jean Campiche.
Jean Campiche (Head of Timing Department) pointing at his picture...the young and wild days during 1970s 
More pictures about this suave renowned racing-circuit timekeeper later.
From left : Winnie Ling (Tag Heuer Marketing Manager), Alvin Soon (Tag Heuer Brand Director) with Patrick Tan.
Everyone was captured by Jean Campiche's story.
Thomas was explaining the conceptualisation process of Tag Heur, that every design must meet the 3 criterias - design,
technology and function. It also must has low probability of obsolence potential too.
He also explained much has spend in R&D. Of the 2% to 3% of revenues which the brand invests in R&D, half is
allocated to new concepts.
After which he went through some concept watches and a new mobilephone.
The talk ended with a slide on the Tag Heuer mobilephone- the Meridiist, which has a stand-by power of 20+ days!
It is a sleek piece, however no pictures allowed. Can catch a glimpse of it at : meridiist-phone.com
m .
After the talk, more questions for Thomas.
The Diamond Fiction though
ready, it is not for sale. Tag Heuer does not have plan to
commercialise it. So it will remain a fiction.
The reason that Tag Heuer is paying attention to ladies, is the ladies represent at least 30% of the brand's market share.
The uniqueness is having the LEDs to project through the diamond-paved 'dial'.
Will have to press the top button to display the time, after about 3 to5 sec, the LED is auto-off.
The LED light channeled through 54 of its 879 diamonds to display the time.
The press picture, and the Diamond Fiction won an award in 2005.
A Wristshot on a lady's hand.
Concept watch - Monaco Calibre 360 LS (Linear Second) introduced in 2006.
The Monaco Cal 360LS featuring :
1. Oversized 1/100th of a second chronograph counter exterior to the chronograph engine (at 6 'o clock)
2. 15-minute chronograph counter embedded in the chronograph engine (at 9'o clock)
3. The linear second indicator at 3 o’clock using an exclusive hairspring technology
I wonder if the power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, is of 100 hours...
For the 360LS, the factory is working towards launching it during Monaco's 40th anniversary next year.
Monaco V4 Concept Watch, Introduced in 2004
The V4, which derives its name from the movement’sfour barrels mounted on a V-shaped main plate angled at 15°, like the
cylinders
in a high-performance racing engine, is one long list of innovations:
13 drive belts replacing the traditional movement’s
pinions for
transmission, a linear rather than rotary oscillating weight, 39
ball-bearings instead of synthetic jewels, and the famous
four V-mounted barrels providing energy.
A working Monaco V4 Prototype on Thomas's wrist.
The controversial watch which many suspect if the concept is workable.
However, Philippe Dufour believed the V4 concept could work and had explored with Tag Heuer initially.*
V4 with drive-belt transmission and linear oscillating weight.
Several reasons why this Tag Heuer came out with this concept* :
1) to invent something new and not just improved on the 200 year-old basic principles of watchmaking.
2) Improve in shock resistance as belts are less sensitive than pinions and little or no effect upon impact.
3) ball races has lower coefficient of friction, thus will improve the power transmission or reduces lost due to friction.
Production could commence this November if the Product team could get the COSC certification.
Tag Heuer is working towards delivery in time to celebrate TAG Heuer's 150th years Anniversary in 2 years time, 2010.
Some mock-ups (the left two translucent pieces) for Tiger Woods to try on, to determine the correct weight which does
affect his 'feel for his swing'.
Understand many mockups were made till it reached the weight of 62grams.
However the actual watch was made even lighter between 50 to 60grams.
The final piece....with the crown facing inward so as not causing discomfort on the wrist and no separate buckle.
The buckle morphed with the caseband to be one.
Some of the regulars...
Jean Campiche
Many fans were asking for Jean Campiche's autograph!
Kong
* Ref : Timewerke Magazine.
This message has been edited by Kong on 2008-07-30 21:56:54
Tag Heuer @ Sincere Watch Academy (SWA) with Monaco 360LS & V4
That is great news, Kong!
Those are some serious TAG....
