Tag Heuer Kirium Ti5 : Complete Quartz Overhaul / Replacement

Full boxed set, no less.

Date change was smooth as butter now.

Sale : I was offered the genuine Kirium bracelet in brand new, ready stock @ RM1,434. I was informed that it was selling at circa RM3,000 last year. Will pass the deal on to the new owner.

This is how the watch would look like with the Kirium bracelet.

Update : Tag Heuer Malaysia was able to fix the problem in a jiffy and I was assured by their great customer services, especially to Cik Hadzia from the customer services. She was really a gem and made the whole experience a nice one. Further, I found out that the whole movement replacement only costs RM500, which showed that maintenance of a quartz watch was so much more affordable and simpler compared to a mechanical's. I just sent a Rolex automatic for general servicing and the quotation was in the north of RM2,000. This, compared to Tag Heuer's whole replacement cost at only RM500, was simply va-va-voom! Further, I found out that the Kirium was one of Tag Heuer's best-selling models so they have lots of space parts in stock. So owners of Kirium could be rest assured that their watches would be well supported for many years to come (I was informed that they still have parts for at least 25 years after the production stops.)

I was supposed to hand-over the Tag Heuer Kirium Ti5 to its new owner, and took it out from the watch box where it had been resting for a while. The truth was, as the automatic movements required actual wearing for the running, I tend to select the automatic watches for wrist times. So letting go this top-of-the-line Kirium (titanium grade 5, marvellous!) to an owner whom would wear it and cherish it was a win-win solution.

One proud info on this Kirium was the fact that its model no. was WL1180 and serial no. AQ1168. Sounds like "Aku 1-1-6-8" which in BM and Cantonese mixed languages would meant, "I would prosper daily". That's just me, though.

After giving the watch some TLC polishing, it was shining like new. But I discovered that the date was stuck between 16th and 17th. I tried turning the crown but to no avail, the date flywheel seemed to be stuck. I compared the time to the Malaysian Standard Time as per the National Metrology Laboratory and time was still good. Only the date flywheel was stuck.

So I quickly contacted Tag Heuer Malaysia-LVMH and discussed with them on the problem. Apparently, it was not a serious problem and what the watch required was a servicing. I know many owners whom would be surprised that even Swiss quartz movements require servicing, just like automatic movements; but it was true. The difference was that servicing of quartz movements was relatively cheaper in comparison to automatic movements. And they would re-check on the gaskets and such so that the water resistance features were not compromised. Alternatively, I could opt for the watch to have a complete quartz overhaul/replacement and it would be as brand new, internal-wise.

Sounds like a plan, and I like to keep my reputation intact for the watches that have passed through my hands. So I decided to have them do their magic on my Kirium Ti5, and it should be in better terms in due course.

And in case you were worried about the costs involved, it was pretty transparent so no worries. Generally, allocate approximately RM1k for the whole job including replacements and you would have a top-notch Swiss movement beating in your Tag Heuer watch again.

For a watch that still sells for RM9,300 for new old stock (and it's very hard to find the Kirium in titanium grade 5 form), spending 10% of its value on the maintenance still makes sense as the maintenance would ensure a problem-free watch for years to come.

Of course, the watchsmiths could probably do the job for just a small portion of the LVMH price; but when it came to Swiss timepieces, I would prefer going back to the authorised SCs for peace-of-mind. The job was quite conclusive, and included the following :

Every precision mechanism requires a full overhaul after a certain period. The frequency of maintenance for your TAG Heuer watch depends on the model, climate and conditions of its use.

As a general rule, your quartz watch should have a complete TAG Heuer service every 4 to 6 years. While your watch is with us, our skilled masters watchmakers will dedicate all their attention and energy to its maintenance.

Preliminary Operations

• Bracelet removal
• Case opening
• Diagnosis of movement
• Check of the working on testing devices
• Check of the functions of the movement (time setting and pushers tests: Start/Stop/Reset)
• Functions and visual inspection
• Estimate

Case and Bracelet Operations

• Complete case dismantling (bezel, crystal, pushers)
• Case and bracelet cleaning in ultrasonic vibration for one hour
• All gaskets replaced

Movement Maintenance

• Movement dismantling (dial and hands removal)
• Replacement of the worn components
• Battery replacement
• Check of the functions of the movement (time setting and pushers tests: Start/Stop/Reset)
• Complete reassembly of the case
• Case closing and locking of the case back

Quality Control Operations

• Water-resistance according to model specifications
• Hour and date setting
• Final check of the movement and of all functions over 48 hours in several positions
• Bracelet refitting with replacement of spring bars
• Check and adjustment of the clasp
• Final inspection

Packing and dispatching your watch