How To Spot Fake Tag Heuer Watches (2023)

Last Updated on December 3, 2023 by Ch David

Counterfeiters have gotten smarter over the years, but there’s one flaw they still haven’t managed to perfect — find out this surprisingly overlooked detail in this ultimate guide.

Want to learn how to spot fake Tag Heuer watches? Afraid of getting scammed with the fake Tag Heuer watches?

Then you are in the right place, as we’ve compiled this genuine vs replica Tag Heuer authenticity check guide that will teach you everything you need to know about this watch.

How to tell if your Tag Heuer is real or fake

Fake Tag Heuer watches very often present inconsistencies when it comes to the details that are part of the dials.

On the other hand, the genuine Tag Heuer watches must always be flawless.

Let’s check it out!

1. Dial

Make sure to get familiar with specifics of your Tag Heuer watch and make sure every item on your dial is correct.

• The 12 o’clock hour marker on the replica Tag Heuer watch is badly attached to the dial.
• It isn’t perfectly aligned so as to be in the middle of the triangle above it.
• In fact, the big 12 o’clock hour marker from above is tilted too much to the left side.

Want the expert's opinion? Let our Tag Heuer authenticators check your watch:

2. Sub-dials

Just like the Rolex Daytona, you’ll see three sub-dials on your Tag Heuer.

• The fake watch has its sub-dials crooked.
• The replica watch’s line shows you how it strikes the centre of the sub-dials.
• Important: Make sure that the sub-dials actually work.
• Some replica Tag Heuer watches don’t have their sub-dials working.

As a bottom line of this step, the fake watch has its sub-dials placed too low on the main dial, while the authentic watch’s sub-dials are placed higher.

3. Date window

Some watches also have a day window. This step goes for both the day + date windows.

3.1. Date

• Looking at the number “1” on the fake Tag Heuer watch, you can see how it is too tall and big.
• The fake number “1” looks too thin.

3.2. Day & Date

• The “TUE” text on the replica watch is too thick, while the “THU” text on the genuine watch is thinner and slimmer.
• The fake watch’s “TUE” inscription is tilted too much to the bottom right corner of the rectangle.
  • The genuine watch has its “THU” text centred right in the middle of the patch.
• The number “9” on the fake watch looks too thin.

Let’s check out another comparison:

• The fake watch has its “THU” text crooked once again.
• It is placed too much on the right side of the patch.
  • The authentic watch has the same text aligned perfectly.
• The fake watch has the “31” text too thin.

4. Mechanism

• Check if your specific Tag Heuer watch model offers an automatic or quartz mechanism, then make sure yours is the proper one.
• There are authentic watches of the same model, with very similar designs, that come equipped with both a quartz mechanism OR an automatic mechanism – like the Aquaracer model above.

Replica manufacturers often tend to mismatch the automatic and the quartz mechanisms, while these little details never slip off the genuine factories.

A quick mention:

• The steps we’ve written so far are the BEST ways to authenticate this item
• The next few steps are still reliable methods…
• … but they apply to non-top-versions of replicas available for this item

If in doubt, we recommend double-checking the steps we’ve explained above this line.

5. Lume effect

First charge your watch in the light for a bit, then switch off the lights and look at the glowing.

• The fake Tag Heuer watch doesn’t shine as powerful as the genuine watch.
• When put into the dark, the fake watch presents the wrong color.
• The fake watch reflects blue light, while the genuine watch shines in a green shade.
• The replica watch doesn’t shine as much as it has to, while the genuine watch shines more powerful.

6. Bezel

6.1. Authentic example

• Above you can see what the bezel of an authentic Tag Heuer has to look like.

6.2 Real vs fake

• The fake Tag Heuer watch has its bezel’s number “150” placed higher than what it should be.
• The fake watch’s number “150” also has two extra white spots: in the bottom right corner of the number “5” and inside the number “0”.
• Genuine watches will never present such manufacturing errors.

On the other hand, the authentic Tag Heuer watch has all of its numbers placed at the same level, without any sort of imperfections.

7. Packaging

7.1. Authentic example

• These are all of the details and extra accessories that should come along with a fully packaged authentic Tag Heuer watch.
• Make sure nothing is missing from your package and everything is of high quality.
• Furthermore, make sure that the serial number matches all documents.

7.2. Real vs fake

• The fake watch doesn’t have the right authenticity card.
• There is no bill or customer invoice in the fake packaging.

Shortlist: Quickly authenticate your watch

1. Assess the intricate details on your watch’s dial, ensuring they align perfectly with the specifications of your model.
2. Inspect the placement of sub-dials; counterfeit Tag Heuer watches often misplace these.
3. Examine the date (and day, if applicable) display(s). Imitations often exhibit misaligned characters or incorrect font weights.
4. Review your watch’s movement mechanism, confirming it aligns with the official Tag Heuer specifications, whether it’s automatic or quartz.
5. Analyze the luminosity effect; counterfeits often glow in blue instead of genuine green and may not be as bright.
6. Survey the bezel to ensure all numerals are correctly positioned and devoid of manufacturing flaws.
7. Lastly, examine the packaging details for accuracy and precision.

While the comprehensive 7-step guide to discerning genuine vs. counterfeit Tag Heuer watches provided in the full guide above is insightful, it might not be the most convenient when you’re pressed for time or shopping online.

For these reasons, we’ve distilled this knowledge into a rapid 60-second guide to validate your Tag Heuer watch.

Above are the top 7 key signs to help you ascertain whether you possess an authentic or imitation Tag Heuer timepiece.

Expert Tag Heuer authentication

Should you require assistance in verifying the authenticity of your Tag Heuer watch, rest assured, we’re here to help.

Simply forward us clear photos of your Tag Heuer timepiece, and we’ll provide feedback within 48 hours. Along with our assessment, you’ll receive a detailed report explaining the reasons behind our verdict, whether genuine or imitation.

With that, we conclude our guide on differentiating genuine Tag Heuer watches from counterfeits. Stay tuned, as we’ll consistently refine this article with fresh and improved comparisons.

Need our opinion in regards to the authenticity of your watch? It’s a service we provide.

Alternatively, we have free authentication resources for watches: written guides and video tutorials.

Thank you for reading this,

Ch Alex