TAG Heuer Partners with Kith to Bring Back the Iconic Formula 1 Watch
Kith founder Ronnie Fieg started with a red-and-black TAG Heuer Formula 1 before becoming an avid collector of vintage watches.
You never forget your first. First love, first watch — they’re practically the same. For many collectors around the world, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Series 1 was the gateway to their horological hobby. Released in 1986, the premium composite quartz ticker was the first ever watch to bear the TAG Heuer name. And with electric colours and daring design, it was basically irresistible to impressionable young men looking for their inaugural Swiss timepiece.
Ronnie Fieg, founder of clothing and lifestyle brand Kith, was one such buck, popping his horological cherry with a red-and-black TAG Heuer Formula 1. Now, the fashion stalwart is collaborating with TAG Heuer to bring back the cherished icon, updating it for 2024.
Serious about maintaining the spirit of the original, TAG Heuer tracked down the 1986 case supplier and mould used to produce Series 1 for the new 10-piece collection. While the 35mm case is identical, its plastic crystal has been upgraded to sapphire glass; likewise with the strap, from plastic to rubber or stainless steel bracelets. Fieg contributed many of the fashionable touches, such as selecting the striking colourways and including Kith’s “Just Us” motto on the dial. Most notably, the logo has been reworked to headline both partners — something that has never been done in TAG Heuer’s illustrious history.
Of the 10 watches, seven are exclusive to Kith, each paying tribute to one of its global stores. These play with vibrant colours: sports-car red; black-and-yellow; green, yellow and red combo that nods to the rare 1980s model made in partnership with Japanese F1 drive Ukyo Katayama; cream; and matte black. There’s also a pair of Kith-exclusives with blue and green bezels, strapped with steel bracelets.
On TAG Heuer’s end, two models pair blue and green bezels and straps with black cases and dials. The last watch is shared between the two partners, combining a black bezel with red accents as well as an eggshell dial that recalls the patinated versions of the 1986 models — an cool combination of modern features and retro appeal.
"It was an honour for me to be able to play a part in bringing TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 Series 1 back to life. 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," says Fieg.
