Is my TAG Heuer Authentic? All questions here please

SteveP
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Sorry, should have shown this above too-albeit in German-

So it is a watch category. I guess it's because it's a foreign listing, although I have been able to report it in the past...
 
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Aquagraph
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Anyone would think eBay wanted to make it difficult to report dodgy items....🙄
 
Turpinr
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Aquagraph Aquagraph
Anyone would think eBay wanted to make it difficult to report dodgy items....🙄
Surely not
 
T
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Hi all,
Just after some thoughts on this watch.
I picked it up from a lost property sale quite cheap.
I paid the local Tag Heuer store for a new link to make it larger and never thought to ask about authenticity. They sent it to main repair centre and there were no questions raised.
However I have since noticed the 12 hour mark appears to be upside down. Every other image I've found for this series shows the marker/shield shape the other way up. This is bugging the hell out of me.
Everything about the watch seems high quality. Almost certainly sapphire or mineral glass, right number of clicks on the bezel, in my untrained opinion the face, hands and lume are all spot on. Bracelet is as complicated and well finished as you should expect. There is also the "right" amount of wear on the watch for something made in the 90s.
As I understand it, this series isn't exactly very valuable these days and I don't imagine anyone going to the trouble of doing such a well formed fake for so little money.
Any info greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Tom
20201111_134300.jpg 20201111_134207.jpg 20201111_131026.jpg 20201111_131004.jpg 20201111_130940.jpg 20201111_130817.jpg 20201112_124943.jpg 20201111_134300.jpg 20201111_131202.jpg
 
Mr_Orange
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T Tom101
However I have since noticed the 12 hour mark appears to be upside down.

There are others on here who know more than me about these models but I'm fairly certain your 12 o'clock marker is correct. It is supposed to be the outline of the TAG Heuer shield.
 
T
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Mr_Orange Mr_Orange
There are others on here who know more than me about these models but I'm fairly certain your 12 o'clock marker is correct. It is supposed to be the outline of the TAG Heuer shield.

Hi Mr Orange,
Thanks for your reply, to clarify I believe my example to be inverted compared to all others I've seen.
Have a look at the orientation of the 12 hour mark in this screen shot from the ultimate guide.
Screenshot_20201112-135406_Chrome.jpg
 
Mr_Orange
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Ok, I see what you mean now. Could be a red flag but I can't say for sure. There will be other members who will chime in when they are awake and can probably give you some better advice.
 
huecobros
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Hi Tom

Im not sure but among the red flags, logos etched on the case look to be low quality, cover of the back of the watch looks cheap, logo on clasp looks sketchy

i could be wrong but looks fake to me



T Tom101
Hi all,
Just after some thoughts on this watch.
I picked it up from a lost property sale quite cheap.
I paid the local Tag Heuer store for a new link to make it larger and never thought to ask about authenticity. They sent it to main repair centre and there were no questions raised.
However I have since noticed the 12 hour mark appears to be upside down. Every other image I've found for this series shows the marker/shield shape the other way up. This is bugging the hell out of me.
Everything about the watch seems high quality. Almost certainly sapphire or mineral glass, right number of clicks on the bezel, in my untrained opinion the face, hands and lume are all spot on. Bracelet is as complicated and well finished as you should expect. There is also the "right" amount of wear on the watch for something made in the 90s.
As I understand it, this series isn't exactly very valuable these days and I don't imagine anyone going to the trouble of doing such a well formed fake for so little money.
Any info greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Tom
20201111_134300.jpg 20201111_134207.jpg 20201111_131026.jpg 20201111_131004.jpg 20201111_130940.jpg 20201111_130817.jpg 20201112_124943.jpg 20201111_134300.jpg 20201111_131202.jpg
Edited:
 
T
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Hi huecobros thanks for your input and for highlighting your concerns.
 
imagwai
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My first thought was fake too for the same reasons huecobros pointed out. However, looking at pictures of the real thing doesn't actually show any red flags to me - I think, therefore, that the watch is probably genuine. Could it simply be that the marker fell off and whoever fixed it installed it upside down?!

The bracelet clasp was a concern for me, since it has the newer-style TAG Heuer writing and the old style logo on the front. But again, this could be a later replacement (maybe old one broke?) since I found clasps that do have this arrangement: https://www.chrono24.co.uk/tagheuer...12-ch5113-wh1111-wh1112---id12732995.htm#gref
 
T
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Hey, thanks for your insight and link.
That is certainly a possibility, even a probability regarding the hour marker. From an aesthetic point of view, if I hadn't seen its original orientation, that is the way I would logically think to orient it.
The bracelet replacement idea seems probable to as I've read (in the ultimate guide) that the earlier ones were prone to breaking.

Does the movement look ok or are they easy to replicate/source?
 
imagwai
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T Tom101
Hey, thanks for your insight and link.
That is certainly a possibility, even a probability regarding the hour marker. From an aesthetic point of view, if I hadn't seen its original orientation, that is the way I would logically think to orient it.
The bracelet replacement idea seems probable to as I've read (in the ultimate guide) that the earlier ones were prone to breaking.

Does the movement look ok or are they easy to replicate/source?
I can't say for sure that is the right movement for this watch. However, it does appear to be a Swiss quartz movement which isn't commonly put into fakes.
 
Aquagraph
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Okay, there's three things here that are questionable, the upside down marker, the clasp text and the movement.

The movement should have TAG Heuer stamped on it, but it's not unusual for them to be replaced with much cheaper non-TAG movements.

Secondly the text on the clasp, again the clasp could have been replaced. It certainly has the right bracelet number on it BA0675.

The marker is unquestionably upside down, but...

Weighed against all this, the rest of the watch looks 100% genuine to me. The bracelet is definitely not fake, that is the most complicated bracelet TAG Heuer ever made and the fakes are terrible. The backplate looks right, the dial looks right and the case, crown and pushers looks right too.

So personally I would say this is a watch that's been refurbished by someone outside of the TH service centre, and to be honest a new movement, service, clasp and dial (I don't think they would glue the marker back on, they would replace with a new dial if they had them) would have cost more than the watch is worth, so fair enough.
 
T
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Thank you for that Aquagraph, that might be the mystery solved unless anyone else can come up with something better.
The story all seems logical to me and although it could be argued I was in denial about having a fake, I am pretty sure of the quality and feel.
If what I actually have is a reasonable quality movement inside a genuine watch that I love the look of then I'm happy.
I really appreciate everyone's input.
Thank you
P.S
If anyone ever turns up looking for a lost watch and can give me the serial number and what is scratched inside the back case and cover my costs, which were not that great, they can have it back.
 
Aquagraph
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Hope you stick around Tom, it's a nice watch you have got yourself.
 
T
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Ok, sorry to drag this up again, but I feel you guys like doing the detective work.
Regarding the suspect movement in my 6000 series above. It was pointed out that the movement it isn't stamped with Tag Heuer.
I was perusing Aquagraph's blog page (nice work by the way) and came across this image in a recent post.
Screenshot_20201115-132930_Chrome.jpg

To my eyes, this looks to be the identical movement to mine and not stamped Tag either.
The watches seem to be of a similar vintage and close model number.
Could it be that this also had a cheaper replacement or is it possible that they are both the correct movements?
Is there anybody with a 6000 series out there willing to open up the back and confirm for me/us ?
Edited:
 
Aquagraph
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That photo is from my Link Searacer, so it certainly isn't the same movement - the Searacer is a Regatta Chronograph with a countdown function (unless maybe there is some kind of module that turns one into the other). There's no way that watch is fake either. I will open my 6000 up for you though, no problem.
 
T
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Hi Aquagraph,
Thank you very much for taking the time to post these.
The white face version looks great.
I will open my watch up again in the daylight tomorrow and have a good look.
At this stage they seem to be very similar movements so I may have an original after all.
Regards
Tom
 
Aquagraph
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Thank Tom, it's silver actually
IMG_5592.JPG

I think your watch is genuine. As far as I know there aren't any 'good' 6000 fakes. You have to remember the 6000 was made in the 90s, when fakes were generally very poor. Of course it would be possible to make a great 6000 fake now, but why would anyone bother? The 6000 isn't at the top of most people's wants list, which is why the Aquaracer is faked so much, because it's saleable.
 
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