Logo for obvy's consumer magazine

Advice and tips on buying and selling between private individuals
  • Mode

TAG Heuer watches: how to spot a counterfeit?

  • 22 February 23

Founded in 1960, TAG Heuer is a brand of great importance in the history of watchmaking. TAG Heuer has been at the origin of major technological and aesthetic revolutions, such as the launch of the TAG Heuer Carrera in 1963. Today, Heuer represents more than 160 years of expertise and innovation. The watchmaking brand is known for its avant-garde vision and deep love of sports that combine precision and speed, particularly motorsport. The brand is constantly projecting itself into the future by offering watch models that are each more impressive than the last. However, some crooks are trying to capitalise on TAG Heuer's reputation by replicating their iconic watches. So if you're buying your watch second-hand or off the shelf, here are a few tips to help you tell the difference between a genuine TAG Heuer watch and a fake.

Sub-dials :

First of all, to be able to certify the authenticity of your watch, it is important that you pay particular attention to its sub-dials.

The sub-dials on a replica TAG Heuer watch are generally poorly positioned. They are set too low. The centres of the sub-dial hands should be slightly higher than the centre of the main dial hand.

It's also not uncommon to find that the sub-dials on a counterfeit don't work. You should therefore check that they are working properly. Genuine sub-dials are always supposed to work perfectly.

On the left, authentic subframes, on the right, replicated subframes

The day/date window :

If your TAG Heuer watch has a window showing the day and date, it is important that you pay close attention to this part of the luxury accessory. Replica factories cannot match the expertise of the great watch brand. This lack of skill is particularly visible on this part of the watch.

The date window on a counterfeit watch is defective, and the numerals are much larger than they should be. The finishing of the numerals is also poorly done.

On a Heuer model, the finish is perfect, without a single flaw. The window perfectly matches the size of the letters and vice versa. The numerals on a real watch are also thicker than on a replica.

Also look at the spaces between the letters and numbers in the window in which they appear. The spaces between the bottom of the window and the bottom of the letter or number should be similar to the spaces between the top of the window and the top of the letter or number. This is rarely the case with imitation Heuer watches.

On the left, a counterfeit watch, on the right, a genuine model

Want to find out more about the authenticity of designer jewellery? Read our articles on the Clou de Cartier bracelet, the Tudor watch or the Hermès bracelet.

The main dial :

Also check the main dial of your luxury watch. This dial is the first thing you see when you look at the watch, so the brand pays particular attention to it. Every detail is done with precision. Pay attention to the spaces between each line, which must be perfectly similar.

Counterfeit factories botch the production of watches. As a result, it is not uncommon for parts of the watch to come unstuck or for gaps to be left open.

The watch mechanism :

Also analyse the mechanism of your TAG Heuer watch. This involves checking whether your watch has an automatic or quartz mechanism. To check that you have the right mechanism, refer to the brand's official website. There are genuine watches of the same model, with very similar designs, that are equipped with both a quartz mechanism and an automatic mechanism.

Counterfeiters often tend not to match automatic and quartz mechanisms, giving you a direct indication that the brand is not authentic.

Secure the purchase of your pre-owned TAG Heuer watch with Obvy:

Obvy offers a payment method specially designed to secure transactions between private individuals. Whether you're buying or selling between private individuals on ad platforms such as Leboncoin or Vinted, Obvy acts as a trusted third party to help you avoid any scams.

In the event of a counterfeiting scam, you can quickly and easily return the product to the seller and get your money back. What's more, you'll have all the information you need about the seller in the event of legal action.