Tag Heuer 1000 Dial/Bezel Colour

[shug89]

Hello all, first post here and i'm looking for some advice. I have a Tag Heuer 1000 which i've found some inconsistencies with. First of all the model number on the caseback is 980.613b which should be blue dial and bezel and mine has a black dial and bezel as shown. Secondly, the dial says 'swiss made' and not 'T swiss made T'. Is this a service dial?

Thanks

 

[automobilia42]

Great watch! You are correct, 980.613B on the caseback-plate indicates indeed it should be a blue version. Can't answer that one for you, besides the obvious things as that the wrong caseback-plate was installed, or build up out of more than one watch, or new dial and bezel installed.
The T Swiss Made T vs the Swiss Made dial did ring a bell to me, the Super 1000M TAG Heuer had dials with and without, the reason was that in the early 90's a lot of swiss watch company's switched from tritium based lume to "Super-Luminova" lume because of the toxic content of tritium.
So I looked it up in the Catalogue section of this website Calibre11.com (see here: http://www.calibre11.com/catalogues/).
And I found this model 1000 in the 1991 Catalogue, not the same one as yours but without the T Swiss Made T:

My opinion: Dials for the last 1000 series have been made with "Super Luminova" lume during the time the watches were in production in the early 90's.
Enjoy your watch!

Edited: Nov 24, 2016

 

[shug89]

Thanks for the reply, very informative! Love the watch, such a great size the 38mm version. The wrong caseback is strange and one i can't really figure out! The watch has been refurbished with a new dial bezel and hands just wondering why they aren't blue?

 

[automobilia42]

Ok.
I have no clue though, are you the original owner from new? Or did the original owner prefer black over blue, which happens more.
Or did TAG Heuer run out of blue parts for the 1000 while refurbishing it, or even at all as parts for the 1000 are obsolete now.
I wouldn't worry too much about it, as it is a great watch in stunning condition!
A bit off-topic: During the Heuer/ TAG Heuer transition in 1984-1985 it happened a lot in the factory that they produced mixed up watches, I know, different times than today but it shouldn't really matter that much in the end. They're called now "Transition watches"

 

[shug89]

No I've only had the watch a few weeks and got looking at the different models then realised about the model number. Thanks for the info, very helpful!

 

[OttoWilliam]

Did you inspired to get the watch after watching wolf of wall street ?

leonardo di caprio as jordan belfort wear that watch but the gold colored one.

Enjoy your watch

 

[shug89]

The film wasn't the inspiration no, i'd been after one for a while and then this one came for sale locally so i went for it

 

[OttoWilliam]

If it is in automatic movement i will be pulling trigger on it without thinking twice.

Still a great watch. enjoy !

 

[automobilia42]

OttoWilliam

If it is in automatic movement i will be pulling trigger on it without thinking twice.

Still a great watch. enjoy !

Actualy, you can make a 980.013 "automatic", if you have an older Heuer/ TAG Heuer model with the ESA 536.121 movement and replace it with an ETA 2824.
Straight fit.
Would I do it? I don't know, but what I do know is that I still can get batteries for the ESA 536.121 (386) so I think I will pass

 

[OttoWilliam]

Wow thanks for the info. i didnt know both movement can be straight fit.

 

[SteveP]

I have to agree I wouldn't worry too much about the caseback-it is more than likely a switch as the old one was worn or lost. As yours seems to be in such good condition -) ) I'd say it's more likely it WAS a switch at manufacturing, but there's no way to say for sure! The 'TSwiss MadeT' is much less likely on a model this 'young'-so it seems correct too. I don't think anyone has actually stated, but with the black dial and bezel, yours is a 980.013(b). They are great watches, I have one or two...or three! Enjoy it. Steve

 

[relaxer7]

good info