The Link is one of the key TAG Heuer series, having been a critical part of the collection since 1987, when it was launched as the S/el (Sports / elegance), positioned as a premium watch that would be the flagship of the brand. When TAG Heuer revamped the watch in 1999, the name “S/el” was changed to “Link”, with the new name reflecting the watch’s defining characteristic -- the distinctive “double S” shaped links in the bracelet. Despite the change in name, the positioning of the watch remained consistent: the Link was a rugged watch that was suitable for sports, but sufficiently elegant to be worn as a dress watch.
In the first 20 years of the models life, more than two million Links and S/els were sold, making it one of the most commercially successful watch series from any brand and at the time the most important TAG Heuer series. Of course, this was in the period before TAG Heuer had re-issued the Carrera and Monaco, so the company’s sales were dominated by its dive watches and other chronographs.
The latest revival of the Link occurred in 2016, when TAG Heuer launched a new women’s series featuring an entirely new case. The success of the Link Lady led to the expansion of that range -- with new dials and finishes -- and also the expansion of the new design language into the men’s series in 2017.
FIRST GENERATION LINK -- 1999
The 1999 Link was the last watch launched by TAG Heuer before its acquisition by LVMH in September 1999. While the Link used the same basic case shape as the 1998 version of the S/el, the pebble-like rounded nature of the S/el and its bracelet began to be squared off slightly, with flatter bracelet links and a redesigned crown guard and crown.
The most obvious changes to the Link were to the dial:
- Mercedes hands replaced by sword hands
- Oversized 12, 6 and 9 applied numerals
- Stick hour-markers replace the oblong lume markers
The first Link watches did not have “Link” on the dial, with the model name being added to the dial in 2002.
At launch in 1999, there were four models in the Link range:
- Calibre 7 Chronometer
- Quartz watch
- Automatic Chronograph
- 1/10th second Quartz Chronograph
The automatic chronograph was the only one of the new Link models not to have the oversized numerals, but the other changes incorporated into the Link collection did get picked up.
The Link was launched in 1999 with a new marketing campaign called “Beyond Measure”
SECOND GENERATION LINK -- 2004
With TAG Heuer under the ownership of the LVMH group since 1999, 2004 saw the first restyling of the Link collection under the ownership of the world’s leading luxury group. While the first generation of the Link collection can be seen as the previous TAG Heuer S/el with a new name, the 2004 Link was much more thorough redesign with the ambition to move the Link series further upscale, consistent with the LVMH luxury positioning.
The second-generation Link followed in 2004 and reintroduced an S/el design feature -- a two-part dial. The new Link had a starburst small center circle, while the outer circle featured an azurage pattern, with concentric circles. Applied geometric markers replaced the previous 3-6-9-12 numerals on the dial, and triangular-shaped applied markers replaced the previous stick hour markers. Completing the new-look dial were newly designed hands that were smaller and sleeker than those used previously.
The pushers on the chronograph versions of the Link were restyled, with more elegant shaped profile replacing the cylinder-shape version that had been carried over from the S/el chronographs.
Completing the new look of the 2004 Link was an updated bezel design -- larger and flatter than the previous models and with a polished finish and smaller flat teeth (as against the triangular shape that had been a hallmark of the series back to the first models of the S/el).
While the first generation Link automatic chronograph stayed in the range with a single reference Chronometer model (reference CT5110), the Calibre 16 was redesigned, with a smaller, flat fixed bezel.
The smooth flat bezel was also adopted by the revised Calibre 7 range of automatic Link watches.
THIRD GENERATION LINK – 2006 / 2007
The third generation of the Link came in 2006, with the redesigned flat bezel of the second-generation Calibre 7 and 16 models being adopted across the Link range. The redesigned Link collection included a new 39 millimeter watch, with the second hand in a sub-dial at 6 o’clock (Calibre 6) and a fresh look for the 42mm Calibre 16 Chronograph.
The hallmarks of the third generation models are:
- Slimmer polished fixed bezel
- Slimmer, more shapely crown guard with square-end crown
- A dial textured with vertical lines (for all models except the Calibre 16 chronograph)
The third generation Calibre 16 Chronograph saw a fixed polished bezel with a tachymeter scale (formerly on the inner flange) and an intricate new dial design. The silver rings surrounding the sub-dials were removed, while two new colors were offered -- anthracite and blue.
More changes came to the Link collection in 2007, with the adoption of sapphire casebacks and the launch of several new 42mm models:
- Running changes to the Link Calibre 16
- New Calibre S Chronograph
- New Link Calibre 5 three-hand watch
- New link Calibre 5 Day-date watch
Despite the anthracite and blue Calibre 16 models being only a year old, the 2007 black dial Calibre 16 Chronograph was subtly changed, with silver rings added to the sub-dials.
While the Calibre 5 Day-Date watch continued the look of the new series, the 42mm Calibre 5 date model was something of a throw-back to the second generation series.
The Link Calibre 5 watch for 2007 featured the older bezel and dial design, but with updated hands and hour-markers. While the Link quartz Chronograph model remained in the range in 2007, it was phased out in 2009 when a more radical battery-powered Chronograph arrived -- the Link Calibre S chronograph.
LINK CALIBRE S CHRONOGRAPH
The Link was the first collection to use TAG Heuer’s in-house Calibre S movement, an entirely new type of movement in the watch industry. The Calibre S movement is an electro-mechanical “hybrid” movement, powered by a battery, but with traditional watch and chronograph hands, with 230 components.
In the “watch” mode, the three center-mounted hands display the standard time of hours, minutes and seconds, while the two semi-circular displays at the bottom of the dial – inspired by the instruments of an automotive dashboard – provide a retrograde perpetual calendar (accurate through 2099).
By pressing the crown, the Calibre S movement switches to the “chronograph” mode. The central hands move to zero (the 12 o’clock position) and will now display the chronograph hours, minutes and seconds. The chronograph is started, stopped and reset in the traditional manner, using the pushers at 2 o’clock (start / stop) and 4 o’clock (reset). When the chronograph is stopped, the two semicircular registers at 4:30 and 7:30 will display 1/10th and 1/100th of a second measurements, in retrograde style.
With a push on the crown, the Calibre S movement will switch back to the “watch” mode, though the chronograph may continue in its timing function.
As former CEO Jean-Christophe Babin explained:
“It is more complex than most mechanical movements. You have five engines, all bi-directional. Each engine drives four wheels. You have more wheels in the Calibre S than in a mechanical watch. So even if the heart of the watch is quartz, the Calibre S is much closer to a mechanical product. The assembling of the hands on a bi-directional axis is very delicate, one of the most difficult hand-assembling jobs you’ll find.”
FOURTH GENERATION LINK -- 2011
The fourth generation of the Link collection came in 2011, with the collection now offering a more sophisticated look, especially with its cushion-shaped bezel.
- The case was updated, with slightly shorter lugs, a shorter crown and re-designed, smaller chronograph pushers
- The dial is textured with vertical lines, , including the Calibre 16 chronograph
- The dial has a thinner inner flange and hour markers
- The bracelet has flatter S Links
[The design sketches below highlight these new features, especially the revised cushion-shaped bezel].
While the Calibre 5, 6 and 7 watch cases remained at 41mm, the chronographs increased in size to 43 mm. The case no longer had a fully brushed finish, now featured a contrast of fine-brushed horns and polished and rounded sides.
LINK CALIBRE 18 CHRONOGRAPH -- 2013
Following the launch of the fourth generation of the Link collection in 2011, there were relatively few new models or changes in the years that followed. In 2013, however, TAG Heuer launched an entirely new version of the Link chronograph, the Calibre 18. The Calibre 18 was the first two-register Link chronograph, with the minute register at 9 o’clock and running seconds at 3 o’clock, and a date at 6 o’clock. The Calibre 18 chronograph offered a an new look for the series, with its smaller 40 millimeter case and thinner bezel.
FIFTH GENERATION LINK -- 2017
The fifth generation of the Link came in 2017, with the Calibre 5 watch offered with three dial colors. The new 41 millimeter case was an entirely new design, with the cushion-style bezel now enlarged and standing as a dominant design feature.
LINK COLLECTION -- NOTABLE MODELS AND LIMITED EDITIONS
LINK CALIBRE 36 (reference CT511A/ CT511B) -- 2002
Introduced by Zenith in 1969 -- the same year that Heuer introduced the Calibre11 (Chronomatic) movement -- the “El Primero” is one of the legendary watch movements in the history of the watch industry. With TAG Heuer and Zenith both part of the LVMH group, in 2002 / 2003 TAG Heuer introduced a version of the Link chronograph powered by this iconic movement (which it called the Calibre 36). The design is based on the Link Calibre 16 Chronograph of the day, with black and white dials being the two variants of the Calibre 36 Link.
The Calibre 36 models have the classic 3-6-9 sub-dial layout and feature skeletonized hands and a clear sapphire caseback.
LINK ROMAN NUMERALS MODELS -- 2011
There were a number of Link chronographs with Roman numerals for the hours, some produced specifically for the Japanese market and some offered globally. The 2011 fourth-generation Link collection had some models with roman numeral on the bezel.
LINK DICAPRIO EDITION -- 2012
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio was a leading ambassador for TAG Heuer, and the company produced a limited edition of 2,000 chronographs in his honor. The Link Reference CAT2015 is a 43mm Calibre 16 Chronograph with the actor’s name marked on the sapphire caseback.
LINK AYRTON SENNA COLLECTION
While the first of the Ayrton Senna edition TAG Heuer’s was a 6000 Series, TAG Heuer introduced models based on the Link in 2003 and 2004.
While there were later tributes to Senna in TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 and Carrera collections, the bracelet offered on these later watches is based on the Link design as a nod to the original tributes to Senna.
LINK SEARACER – 2001
In 2001, TAG Heuer introduced versions of the Link quartz chronograph, with a countdown timer used to time the start of a yacht race. Dials were offered in black, white and a deep blue.
LINK ORACLE RACING (REF CT1118) – 2002
In 2002, TAG Heuer produced a limited edition of the Link Searacer as a limited edition for the Oracle team.
LINK TIGER WOODS EDITIONS -- 2002
TAG Heuer produced several versions of the Link collection to honor its ambassador, Tiger Woods. TAG Heuer began working with Tiger back in 2002, and over the next nine years there were six limited edition Tiger Woods Link editions.
Each of the Tiger Woods Link watches is finished with “Red Burgundy” highlights, evoking the “lucky” shirts favored by Woods for the Sunday final rounds.
Some references :
- LINK TIGER WOODS CALIBRE 6 (REF. WJ2110) -- 2003
- LINK TIGER WOODS CALIBRE 7 (REF. WJF2113) -- 2004
- LINK TIGER WOODS CALIBRE 6 (REF. WJF211D) -- 2006 (Limited edition of 5000.)
- LINK TIGER WOODS CALIBRE 7 GMT (REF. WJF2115) -- 2009
- LINK TIGER WOODS GRAND DATE QUARTZ (REF. WJF1010) -- 2010
- LINK TIGER WOODS CALIBRE 16 (REF. CJF211C) -- 2011 (Limited edition of 4000.)