Is my TAG Heuer Authentic? All questions here please

Jim Dollares · Dec 14, 2020

Its fake. As always it is very easy to just google the reference and immediately spot the differences. Caseback is off (ref is not supposed to be there, plus finish of caseback looks funky) but the most obvious tell is the running seconds sub dial. Colors of the logo seem too strong and bright but that might just be the photo/camera.

Your brother's fake watch

A genuine TAG Heuer caz1010

Again it makes one wonder how these filthy criminals who deserve to spend the rest of their lives in jail can make such "good" copies but be so blind to miss these obvious things like a sub dial.

imagwai · Dec 14, 2020

Now I am looking on my main computer rather than my phone, I spot a couple of other issues with it as well, such as the poorly fitting end links.

Aquagraph · Dec 14, 2020

Something fishing about this card anyway, the company number is for a insurance brokers in Manchester that was dissolved in 2012.

imagwai · Dec 14, 2020

Aquagraph
Something fishing about this card anyway, the company number is for a insurance brokers in Manchester that was dissolved in 2012.

And it's called a "Trade Register Number" which doesn't make any sense. Oh, and they've also used mixed case letters in the postcode.

Aquagraph · Dec 14, 2020

And also.... TAG Heuer do not hand write warranty cards in 2020, they are done with a Q code.

Aquagraph · Dec 14, 2020

Flowerdrum · Dec 14, 2020

Thanks for the comments, All. Learnt a few things here today. Looks like my aunt is the victim here (and unfortunate for my brother) he didn't really like the watch anyway, not his style. Let's see if there is a recourse and she got the watch from.

Flowerdrum · Dec 14, 2020

Thanks to those who pointed out the differences on the dial. Now that I have done a visual comparison against the image genuine article, it does stand out and I can see the flaw alignment (TAG Heuer Formula 1) on the bottom subdial.

I thought the dealer address in UK was suss as I was not able to Google map it, did a VAT search but in vain..I have no idea what Trade register is (am not a UK resident).

I have plenty to learn from you guys

Have not had a chance to speak to aunt about this but hopefully a recourse is possible. I actually like this particular model alot, wouldn't mind to have one myself.

Speedimaster · Dec 16, 2020

Hi guys, come from Omega forum and am in the process of getting a Tag Heuer 1000. can you help me confirm the authenticity from the pictures?
And does anyone know if Tag Heuer renews the 24K gold plating?
Many thanks in advance

cmbezln · Dec 17, 2020

Can someone take a look at this watch I got from an ebay grey market dealer? Didn't realize ebay was so bad with fakes until it was too late. If it's fake, it seems good for a fake. The only thing I notice is the pearl looks off, it had plastic on the face and band, and the booklet it came with is for a "quartz chronograph, which this watch is neither quartz nor chronograph. The warranty card is plastic with the QR code. I dunno take a look and let me know what you guys think.

cmbezln · Dec 17, 2020

Also the bracelet feels like of clanky/squeeky/hollow. Not sure if that's normal on the aqua racers or not

Also also, I have yet to see ANY sort of sunburst effect on the dial what-so-ever, and then there is this as well. The divers extension on mine seems to be completely different and shorter than every review ive seen for this watch. Maybe they have changed production but the screenshot on the right is from a video that's barely half a year old.

imagwai · Dec 18, 2020

cmbezln
Also the bracelet feels like of clanky/squeeky/hollow. Not sure if that's normal on the aqua racers or not

Also also, I have yet to see ANY sort of sunburst effect on the dial what-so-ever, and then there is this as well. The divers extension on mine seems to be completely different and shorter than every review ive seen for this watch. Maybe they have changed production but the screenshot on the right is from a video that's barely half a year old.

Your posts above (and those on Facebook) show why buying used Aquaracers these days is such a minefield. I wouldn't consider buying one except direct from a boutique/AD or unless the watch had clear evidence that it was purchased from one (e.g. sales receipt and stamped warranty card - I would even call the dealer to verify the sale). If I were you, I'd be returning the watch for a refund on the basis that you are unable to establish it is genuine.

SteveP · Dec 18, 2020

Speedimaster
Hi guys, come from Omega forum and am in the process of getting a Tag Heuer 1000. can you help me confirm the authenticity from the pictures?
And does anyone know if Tag Heuer renews the 24K gold plating?
Many thanks in advance

Hi, I can't see any particular issues with this from the photos. I/we may even know the seller if you wanted to say. (or PM me?)
I believe it is 18k gold but either way, I wouldn't have thought TH would recoat it....I'm not sure who would to be honest but I'm sure someone may.
Best, Steve

cmbezln · Dec 18, 2020

imagwai
Your posts above (and those on Facebook) show why buying used Aquaracers these days is such a minefield. I wouldn't consider buying one except direct from a boutique/AD or unless the watch had clear evidence that it was purchased from one (e.g. sales receipt and stamped warranty card - I would even call the dealer to verify the sale). If I were you, I'd be returning the watch for a refund on the basis that you are unable to establish it is genuine.

It's definitely being returned. Sadly I found another gentleman who had a watch exactly like this and had used it as a basis for review vs. a christopher ward on youtube. I inquired with him and found he had purchased through a grey market dealer on amazon, likely the same one i did on ebay. I informed him of the evidence I just showed you guys but he is refusing to believe it and refusing to believe that the WAY211c should have a sunburst dial effect. :/

Edit: After speaking some more to him I showed him some pretty definitive evidence and he eventually agreed it's likely a fake. Seems like a stand up guy, feels bad to have to be the bearer of bad news but don't want people to get ripped off and can't imagine how many more have been.

Jim Dollares · Dec 18, 2020

cmbezln
It's definitely being returned. Sadly I found another gentleman who had a watch exactly like this and had used it as a basis for review vs. a christopher ward on youtube. I inquired with him and found he had purchased through a grey market dealer on amazon, likely the same one i did on ebay. I informed him of the evidence I just showed you guys but he is refusing to believe it and refusing to believe that the WAY211c should have a sunburst dial effect. :/

Found the video, left him a comment as well.

jamesbizs · Dec 18, 2020

cmbezln
Also the bracelet feels like of clanky/squeeky/hollow. Not sure if that's normal on the aqua racers or not

Also also, I have yet to see ANY sort of sunburst effect on the dial what-so-ever, and then there is this as well. The divers extension on mine seems to be completely different and shorter than every review ive seen for this watch. Maybe they have changed production but the screenshot on the right is from a video that's barely half a year old.

Yes, this watch is super fake. Same manufacturer as all these other ultra fake watches I've been after.

cmbezln · Dec 18, 2020

Another update for the sake of record keeping, the watch from "watchingo" was indeed a fake. The final nail in the coffin came after some close inspection of the dial. If you look at some of the replicas out there for the 41mm WAY211c, they all seem to have the NEW (and incorrect) tag logo on them, whereas genuine have the OLD (correct) tag logo...it looks like they simply scaled down the 43mm dial, as this was already a popular and common rep and that dial has the new logo and a space and groove between the logo and the "aquaracer" text (See attached image for reference of these fakes with the wrong logo). This watch watchingo is selling must be the next iteration of that replica watch where they corrected the logo, but didnt bother to change the space in the dial where the previous logo had been, which is a much shorter logo and hence the longer logo is too big for that space and runs into the grooves in the dail. I erased the outline of the tag logo on my watch dial in photoshop and overlayed the incorrect, new logo that had previously been on the fakes and you can see it fits exactly. Also notice how crappy the the printing is vs the two real dials.

The final, final nail in the coffin is that I remembered that these dials should have a sunburst effect, whereas mine is completely matte with no sunburst effect.

To sum up the inconsistencies on mine:
-wrong box, wrong manual (manual for quartz chronograph)
-pearl is more bulbous with no defined ring around it
-dial has no sunburst
-logo on dial doesnt fit in the space and runs into the indentations on the dial
-groove inbetween the tag logo and the "aquaracer font" where there should be none
-bracelet is very clanky, squeeky and almost hollow feeling

dps1st · Dec 18, 2020

cmbezln
It's definitely being returned. Sadly I found another gentleman who had a watch exactly like this and had used it as a basis for review vs. a christopher ward on youtube. I inquired with him and found he had purchased through a grey market dealer on amazon, likely the same one i did on ebay. I informed him of the evidence I just showed you guys but he is refusing to believe it and refusing to believe that the WAY211c should have a sunburst dial effect. :/

Edit: After speaking some more to him I showed him some pretty definitive evidence and he eventually agreed it's likely a fake. Seems like a stand up guy, feels bad to have to be the bearer of bad news but don't want people to get ripped off and can't imagine how many more have been.

Hi, I am the other guy - don't feel bad. I am glad your attention to detail discovered the fake and am grateful for you letting me know that mine is the same. Thanks to Jim for his input too. The replica is so well built, I really did not suspect it was anything but genuine but this is the risk you take when buying online from a non AD - even if it is Amazon - and this was not from an Amazon seller. It was their own Prime deal. I'm happy to report that after discussing this with them, they have already agreed to refund me in full which is good but the fact they agreed without inspecting the watch first or asking for proof that it's fake, tells me that they may have been down this road before. Despite all this, I shall miss the watch - I really did like it but how can I enjoy it now, knowing it's true identity! It's like finding out that your loving wife of 20 years is actually a very sophisticated cyborg.

cmbezln · Dec 18, 2020

dps1st
Hi, I am the other guy - don't feel bad. I am glad your attention to detail discovered the fake and am grateful for you letting me know that mine is the same. Thanks to Jim for his input too. The replica is so well built, I really did not suspect it was anything but genuine but this is the risk you take when buying online from a non AD - even if it is Amazon - and this was not from an Amazon seller. It was their own Prime deal. I'm happy to report that after discussing this with them, they have already agreed to refund me in full which is good but the fact they agreed without inspecting the watch first or asking for proof that it's fake, tells me that they may have been down this road before. Despite all this, I shall miss the watch - I really did like it but how can I enjoy it now, knowing it's true identity! It's like finding out that your loving wife of 20 years is actually a very sophisticated cyborg.

Lol @ the cyborg bit. Glad to hear it worked out for you with amazon. Hopefully my return goes smoothly as well, having to deal directly with the scammers themselves via ebay.

Jim Dollares · Dec 19, 2020

dps1st
they have already agreed to refund me in full which is good but the fact they agreed without inspecting the watch first or asking for proof that it's fake, tells me that they may have been down this road before

Glad to hear you will get your money back! And yes indeed it makes you wonder how many out there are enjoying their fakes on wrist thinking its genuine... are these still sold on Amazon by Amazon themselves?

Is my TAG Heuer Authentic? All questions here please

Jim Dollares

imagwai

Aquagraph

imagwai

Aquagraph

Aquagraph

Flowerdrum

Flowerdrum

Speedimaster

cmbezln

cmbezln

imagwai

SteveP

cmbezln

Jim Dollares

jamesbizs

cmbezln

dps1st

cmbezln

Jim Dollares

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