TAG Heuer is attached to connotations of prestige brought by the horological advancements that the brand made as well as the association with glamorous and dangerous races and movie-star race car drivers. It’s an innovator in the field of horology, with such accolades as being the first to create a chronograph dashboard clock and incorporating a rotating bezel into the design of a watch. This so clearly demonstrates why TAG Heuer watches are often replicated on the black market. To protect yourself from falling for a fake TAG Heuer watch scam, follow this guide we’ve put together to distinguishing a real TAG Heuer from a counterfeit.

The Dial
Though TAG Heuer watches tend to run at a much more affordable price point than, say, a Rolex or an Omega, the brand never sacrifices the quality of its products for cheap production. The dial is always very telling when it comes to sussing out a counterfeit watch, and because the dials on TAG Heuer watches are made to fit the brand’s exacting specifications, even the slightest mistake will be a clear giveaway to the timepiece’s artifice.

The Face
Like all luxury watches, TAG Heuer models have sapphire crystal guarding the face of the watch. This material is scratch-resistant and incredibly refined. To test whether the material on the face of your watch is sapphire crystal or just plain old glass, smear a drop of water or two on the surface. Sapphire crystal should not disturb the water’s surface tension, so it should pool together on the crystal. On glass, however, the water would disperse unevenly.

On the actual face of the watch, you should first and foremost find the phrase “Swiss Made” at the 6 o’clock marker. Some counterfeits have “Japanese Movement” across that marker, which would never appear on a TAG Heuer, or even nothing at all.

In addition to that, make sure that the TAG Heuer logo is cleanly cut and pressed into the steel of the dial, not glued on. If you find glue residue or uneven edges on the logo, then you know that you have a counterfeit on your hands.

The Lumes
TAG Heuer uses LumiNova technology, which ensures that the lumes are incredibly bright and sharp in the dark. If your watch does not glow brilliantly in the dark, even after it’s been charged in the light, then it doesn’t have the LumiNova technology and is, therefore, a fake.

The Date Complication
Almost all TAG Heuer models have a date complication, but only some have a day-date complication. Namely, the Calibre 5 and Calibre 16 models in the TAG Heuer Carrera collection will have both the day and the date displays. It pays to make sure that you know exactly what comes with an original version of the model you’re eyeing because this can expose a watch for a counterfeit if you find a model that supposedly has more displays than it’s supposed to.

Of course, in addition to that, it pays to make sure that the numbers and letters are perfectly centered in their display windows. A poorly-made counterfeit might have crooked numbers or ones that aren’t placed properly.

The Subdials
On watches like the TAG Heuer Carrera or the Formula 1, which are renowned for their impeccably precise chronograph function, it is especially important to test out the subdials to make sure that they are operational. First of all, each subdial must have a different set of numbers that it uses to measure time, as each one has a different purpose. Secondly, each chronograph subdial must have a pusher that corresponds to it, so play around with the pushers above and below the crown of the watch to make sure that both the subdials and the pushers are all functional.

The Case
The Bezel
TAG Heuer was one of the first watchmakers to outfit their timepieces with a rotating tachymeter bezel so that drivers who use TAG Heuer watches may time themselves and gauge how far they’ve gone just by glancing at their watch. As such, the rotating bezel on a real TAG Heuer watch should be impeccably designed. Test this out by rotating it on the watch you’re looking it: an authentic watch should rotate easily and should be accompanied by the correct number of clicks. A forged TAG Heuer’s bezel might not turn as easily or click correctly.

The Crown
The same test should be conducted on the crown. Authentic TAG Heuer watches have a remarkable winding mechanism that makes it nearly effortless to wind the watch: the movement is so smooth and easy that some say it hardly even feels like you’re winding the watch at all! On a counterfeit watch, naturally, you would feel the shifting of the watch’s movement inside and experience some resistance. Depending on how difficult it is to wind the watch, it might even be indicative of a damaged or at least cheaply-made watch movement.

 

 

In addition to the functional aspect of the crown, it is also imperative to examine the aesthetic aspect of it. The TAG Heuer logo on the crown should be embossed into the steel. It should not be a separate piece of metal pressed into the steel and certainly not glued onto the steel like it would be on a counterfeit.

The Caseback
Unlike Rolex, TAG Heuer’s casebacks are not uniform, so their design differs based on the model you’re looking at. One thing that they all have in common, however, is that somewhere on the caseback you will find engraved the following: the watch’s model number, its unique serial number, and its water resistance. All TAG Heuer watches are water resistant to at least 100 meters, so a watch that says it’s resistant to less than 100m (barring the brand’s authentic smartwatches, of course) is not an authentic TAG Heuer.

On a metal caseback, the model number, serial number, and water resistance will also be accompanied by a high-quality laser engraving of the TAG Heuer logo. On a crystal caseback, the watch’s information will be engraved on the rim around the sides of the crystal.

When checking a watch’s authenticity, it is also helpful to double check the model and serial numbers on the watch. This chart will allow you to cross-reference the model number on the watch you’re looking at with the official model number codes that the brand uses so that you can authenticate your watch. You could also call on your local TAG Heuer retailer to look up the watch’s serial number for you.

The Bracelet
TAG Heuer’s bracelets, like the rest of the watch, are impeccably made. As such, you can expect them to be expertly crafted, with high-quality parts. Counterfeiters often won’t take the time to make this part of the watch accurate to the brand’s specifications, so pay attention to this, as well. Every single part of each link should be made with separate, high-quality pieces of metal.

This is especially important to remember when it comes to the TAG Heuer Link collection. These watches are fitted with unique “S-shaped” bracelets that are made with separate pieces of metal made to fit together perfectly. Instead of using separate pieces of metal, forgers will often just etch a line in the middle of each link to make it look like they’re separate, but they really aren’t. This is a significant clue to a counterfeit watch, so examine the bracelet carefully if you’re thinking about purchasing a watch that may look like a TAG Heuer Link.

The Papers
Though a box and papers of certification usually mean that a watch is authentic, even these can be forged or faked. One way to tell whether a TAG Heuer watch’s certification is real is to look for the embossed holographic seal on the document. It should also carry the unique serial number that matches the one engraved on the watch’s caseback. This serial number should also be able to be cross-referenced with TAG Heuer’s records to authenticate the watch.

If you are still uncertain about the authenticity of your watch, we recommend that you take it to a professional watchmaker who can open the caseback and, by examining the watch’s movement, should be able to verify the authenticity of the timepiece. And if you have any other questions, TrueFacet’s support team is here to help! Find their contact information here.

Established in 1860, TAG Heuer (TAG is an abbreviation for Techniques d’Avant Garde) is a Swiss luxury watch brand and manufacturing company known for its roots in automobile racing, innovative thinking in the evolution of the chronograph, and their remarkable innovations in the watchmaking industry. Even if you’re already a TAG Heuer devotee, here are 10 odd facts you should know about TAG Heuer.

1. TAG Heuer was the Official Timekeeper of three Olympic Games.

With their inimitable expertise in precision timekeeping and modular technical innovations, TAG Heuer has become an unparalleled specialist in the world of timing sporting events. TAG Heuer watches were used in the 1920 Antwerp, 1924 Paris, and 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

 

2. TAG Heuer has been perfecting their stopwatch for 136 years.

In 1882, Edouard Heuer launched his first chronograph. Later, in 1887, he registered the patent for the oscillating pinion, which, without getting too technical, simplified the chronograph movement. From then on, TAG Heuer became synonymous with the the development of the chronograph and the invaluable timekeeping gear that powers it.

 

3. The TAG Heuer Mikrograph served as the first stopwatch in the 1920 Olympic Games.

In 1916, Charles-Auguste Heuer introduced the original Mikrograph, the first stopwatch with the capacity to measure 1/100th of a second, offering incredible readability and unprecedented precision. The Mikrograph served as the first stopwatch in the 1920 Olympic Games and has been revolutionizing sports timekeeping since.

 

4. Astronaut John Glenn wore a Heuer 2915A stopwatch strapped to his wrist when he orbited the Earth.

In 1962, astronaut John Glenn manned the first American space flight on the Mercury “Friendship 7” mission, orbiting Earth three times in six hours. On his wrist was a Heuer 2915A stopwatch that served as a mission back-up timer and the first Swiss watch in space.

 

5. TAG Heuer’s signature model, the Carrera, was inspired by the most dangerous car race in the history of sport.

The Carrera Panamericana auto race is a 2,096-mile-long border-to-border race across Mexico and it has one of the highest sports-related mortality rates in the world after 27 drivers died attempting to finish this treacherous race course. Jack Heuer was fascinated by this deadly race and chose to name TAG Heuer’s first chronograph specifically designed for professional drivers after the infamous Carrera race. To learn more about the Carrera race and watch, read our post “The Dark History of the TAG Heuer Carrera” here.

 

6. Actor and style icon Steve McQueen popularized the TAG Heuer Monaco.

In the famous 1970s film “Le Mans,” Steve McQueen wore a timepiece that is closely identified with automobile racing, the Heuer Monaco. With a “Chronograph Heuer” crest on his racing suit and the square-dial Heuer Monaco on his wrist, the watch was propelled into immortality and forever coined as the “McQueen Monaco.”

McQueen’s Monaco may have shaken Swiss watchmakers to their core with its rule-breaking square design in 1971, but years of research and makeovers produced the unveiling of the groundbreaking Monaco V4 at Baselworld in 2004. The new Monaco is TAG Heuer’s latest technological coup and the wearable manifestation of the brand’s avant garde design, passion for racing, and innovative spirit.

 

7. The 2017 Revolution Watchmaker of the year hailed from TAG Heuer but is, in fact, not a watchmaker.  

TAG Heuer’s general director, Guy Sémon, is credited as the driving force behind many of the brand’s technical achievements— so much so that he was awarded the prestigious honor of Watchmaker of the Year in 2017. However, Sémon is actually not a watchmaker. He’s a trained jet pilot for the French Navy. With a primary interest in science, he left the Navy to work as a lecturer for the French Ministry of Research. As fate would have it, in January 2004, a friend of his asked if he could do him the favor of replacing a sick pilot and transporting a passenger who worked in the watchmaking industry. At TAG Heuer, to be specific. Ten days later, Sémon had produced the first belts for the progress of the movement of the TAG Heuer V4.

 

8. TAG Heuer’s master watchmakers developed a chronograph so precise, its accuracy can be read all the way down to the 1/2,000th of a second.

Over the years, Guy Sémon has predominantly addressed improvements to TAG Heuer’s existing challenges, one of which being the production of TAG Heuer’s Monaco V4 belt-driven movement. The belt is thinner than a single human hair, operating so quickly and smoothly that the watch’s timekeeping capabilities will never be compromised.

 

9. TAG Heuer released the first ever water-resistant automatic chronograph.

At Basel, on March 3rd, 1969, TAG Heuer released what was then the first ever water-resistant automatic chronograph powered by the Chronomatic Caliber 11. The Calibre 11 movement took roughly four years to develop. Jack Heuer, then-TAG Heuer CEO, explained what made this such a monumental release: “Chronographs, when they took water, it was a terrible drama because everything rusted and it cost a fortune to get clean. Once they had invented the water resistant push-buttons, we never made any non-watertight chronographs anymore.” The Calibre 11 was included in the newest Monaco design and elevated it to a new level of exclusivity.

 

10. TAG Heuer has been in the Heuer family for four generations.

Jack Heuer, great-grandson of the brand’s original founder Edouard Heuer, retired from TAG Heuer the day before his 81st birthday, on November 18, 2013 and inaugurated Jean-Claude Biver as the head of the TAG Heuer team. Jack Heuer has established some of the most significant visions and timepieces into the world. With inexorable enthusiasm, he is an icon in the industry he’s helped build.