Tuesday, November 25, 2008

What watches does the New U.S.A President Mr Barack Obama wear and where could I get them?



~ To be part of the historical moment, I began to examine how can I own a piece of these watches but yet without having to pay thousand of Dollars for that. I began my search on the internet…………….~





Naturally in the 2009 to come, the most photographed and filmed person is no longer Tiger Woods with his TAG-Heuer (as he is recovering from knee surgery), and it is no longer Michael Phelps (as the Olympic torch has been doused) and certainly not the football charm David Beckham!! Rather, the most photographed person in the U.S.A is the newly elected President of U.S.A., Mr Barack Obama.

People around the world are hailing as Mr Barack Obama won the President Election Campaign in November 2008. It’s a historical moment and it is about a once considered “impossible” dream coming alive. How great if we can follow Barack Obama and go with him into the historical book? Own a piece of watch that he wears may not be a bad idea.

So which watch does Mr Barack Obama wear? That seems like a simple enough question. With an image for being somewhat casual, and summertime tours through the Southern states in 2007, he often rolled up his sleeves. And when he rolled up his sleeves, we saw a big, stylish watch . . . not the usual plastic Timex or Casio, so popular among those running for office (or in office), but a large, light-dialed sport style watch.

This watch created a big discussion among watch lovers and the debates came alive. Most experts saw a light-dialed TAG-Heuer sports watch . . . probably either a Series 1000 or Series 2000 . . . one of the common quartz watches of the mid-1990's.

Then suddenly, something strange happened late in the year 2007. In the place of this rather common TAG-Heuer, we spotted a huge black Panerai; others saw a black-dialed Carrera re-issue; and still others saw a Royal Oak, something that Governor Schwarzenegger might wear. Wow!! Could this be true? That rather than switching from the TAG-Heuer to the nondescript Timex or Casio, the then Senator Obama was actually stepping up his horological game? Could it be that he had gone from Wal-Mart to Wempe? What would the pollsters say? Could this man of the people of U.S.A, be wearing a high-end Swiss watch? What would the Japanese say? Suddenly, the watch guys began to spread the rumor that Obama was also a watch guy! And what does this mean for the future of democracy in America?

A careful examination of the available photographs suggests that Barack Obama wore a TAG-Heuer Series 1500 Two-Tone Divers watch, from the early or mid-1990's until late 2007. Over this period, this seems to have been his "daily wearer", the one and only watch that he wore over this period of 10 or 15 years.

Of the thousands of photos of Senator Obama that we find on the internet, from Google to Flickr to Getty, the following are some favorite photos that capture the spirit of Senator Obama and his watch. You can click on any of these images, to see a close-up photo of the watch.







A Day With Senator Obama -- Chicago, IL, December 8, 2004 -- Senator Barack Obama gets ready at his home before leaving to give the keynote address at the Chicago Economic Club in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Charles Ommanney/Getty Images)








SELMA, AL - MARCH 04, 2007: Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama waits to address a crowd gathered for the commemoration of the 1965 Voting Rights March at Brown Chapel AME Church March 4, 2007 in Selma, Alabama. In the 1965 march which was to go from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama police used tear gas and beat back the marchers when they reached the Pettus Bridge. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)









INDIANOLA, IA - SEPTEMBER 17, 2006: Barack Obama Campaigns For Senator Tom Harkin: U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) puts his arm around U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) while shaking supporters hands after speaking during the 29th Harkin Steak Fry at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Indianola, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Morgan/Getty Images)

In addition to these favorites, here are some "quickies" . . . photos showing Barack Obama, on the campaign trail, with his trusty TAG-Heuer, all along the way.












Chatting at the diner, signing an autograph, or addressing the crowd . . . Obama seems to have worn his TAG-Heuer every day.




Which TAG-Heuer Model is It?

Barack Obama's TAG-Heuer watch is a Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver (as shown in the catalog page below). TAG-Heuer introduced the Series 1500 watches in 1991, after the Series 1000 watches had been discontinued. The Series 1500 watches were intended to sell at the price point below the Series 2000 watches, and some of the catalog pages shown below emphasize the "value" of the Series 1500 watches.

In this era, TAG-Heuer was marketing its watches and chronographs as "professional sports watches", with an emphasis on diving watches and chronographs. The Series 1000, 1500 and 2000 watches were described as being "first and foremost functional pieces of diving equipment". Consistent with this positioning, the watches featured water resistance to 200 meters, screw-down crown, double safety clasp, unidirectional turning bezel, sapphire glass, and luminous pointers.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Senator Obama's watch, which sets it apart from other TAG-Heuer chronographs of the period and makes it easily recognizable in numerous photos of Obama, is the raised triangles on the bezel. The bezel has these raised triangles at 00-10-20-30-40-50, with numerals at 5-15-25-35-45-55. On the Two-Tone model, these raised triangles are gold-tone, as is the crown. The steel model (shown below) has these raised triangles, but they are steel, rather than gold.

Some facts about the Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver:

  • The Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver was available in three sizes -- the Full-Size (sometimes called "Oversized"), the Three-Quarters (also called the "Mid-Size"), and the Womens. The Series 2000 watches were avaliable in a fourth size, between the Three-Quarters and the Womens, with this fourth size called the "Unisex".

  • Obama's TAG-Heuer is either the Full-Size model or the Three-Quarters (Mid-Size) model; these two watches are identical, other than the size of the case.

  • When introduced in 1991, the Series 1500 Two-Tine Diver in the Full-Size model was Reference 955.706G, and the Three-Quarters (Mid-Size) model was Reference 955.713G. When TAG-Heuer changed its numbering system (around 1994), the Full-Sized model became the WD-1121 and the Three-Quarters (Mid-Size) model became the WD-1221. (Yes, it does seem odd that the smaller watches had the larger reference numbers.)

  • The dials on the Series 1500 Two-Tone Divers were a distinctive "granite" color throughout most years of production. This watch was produced with a white dial only in the final period of production (circa 1998).

  • When introduced in 1991, the Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver sold for $625 on the bracelet or $575 on the leather strap.

The Series 1500 continued in production until around 1998, when the series was discontinued. Here is a 1995 TAG-Heuer catalog that shows several of the Series 1500 models. (Compare the Series 1500 watches to the Series 1000 or Series 2000 watches shown in this 1990 TAG-Heuer catalog.)

The watch shown below appears to be identical to the Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver worn by Senator Obama, except that Obama's watch has a leather strap, rather than the bracelet.










The model in TAG-Heuer's current line of watches that might be considered the closest successor to the Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver is the Reference WAF1120.BB0807, part of the Aquaracer series (shown below).

Interesting isn’t it? Finally the mystery of Obama’ watch is unfold. Finally the truth is out and finally we saw a great guy wearing these great watches that go with him into the historical book. This is a glorious moment and I am proud of the manufacturer of these watches.

To be part of the historical moment, I began to examine how can I own a piece of these watches yet do not have to pay thousand of Dollars to own these watches. Yes, I started my search on the internet.

After searching for one and a half month, I found a website selling exactly these watches at price of less than 5% of its original’s.

Since we all want to follow Barack Obama to go into the historical book, I will tell you where to buy them. You can get them at http://www.perfect-watch.com/.

Join me to celebrate this historical moment for mankind! I love Obama! I love Tag Heuer!

Read more on the biography of the US President Barack Obama at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1682433/bio




Other videos on Obama:

Watch Obama’s Speech after winning the Presidency


Watch Obama dancing in the video below