Did you get your money back? Hey you really didn’t do any research yourself. What are some of the tells of a fake, what are the ways of spotting it. Could have opened the back up yourself... the bracelet looks shit, at first glance. It also is missing shine and pop.
@@tancreddehauteville764 I can easily get 20% off from an AD for an Aquaracer. I mostly get deals on airports (duty free). Reputable grey market is also an option but I would never buy from craig's list or something. ☹
@@bigbrotherwatchesdannyboy306 I have an Aquaracer with a white dial. It runs at +3 seconds a day and looks 100% genuine but I can't prove that it is because it has no warranty card. Do I give a shit? Nope. To me it's genuine and that's all matters.
There is an easy way to check authenticity. The company that makes these fakes, always uses the cheap pin/tubes for the bracelet. The real ones have two indents spaced apart. And the pin will have one indent, but will not be in the center, and is meant to line up with either of the indents on the tube. The fake aquaracers have one indent on pin and one on tube, both in the center.
I'm a little confused here, so I'm not sure about the tag I just bought in ebay, so I took out a link to check the pin and it is the cheap looking one with only one I sent in the middle. Now that being said I asked on my friend that sells used watches and he said he believes that automatic aquaracers don't use the same pins as the quartz one . What do you think ?
@@downsouth1678 unfortunately, I do not know how it should be in quartz, but probably in the automatic and quartz there is the same bracelet. You'd better ask on the watchuseek forum in the topic "tag heuer and heuer fake busters thread: ask about authenticity in this thread!"
I have this exact same watch. Wow that's a great replica. But after reading some of the comments I've come to the conclusion that the lume pip on the bezel on mine is indeed slightly different from what your rep appears to look like. The lume on a real one appears to have a dark ring around it as if the hole was drilled first then the lume pip was placed into the bezel if that makes sense. Versus on the rep, it looks like the lume was filled in. Also the lume pip should touch all 3 sides on the triangle. Lastly the TAG logo is higher on yours than mine. The pointy bottom of the logo shield should almost touch the middle "R" in Aquaracer.
These videos always fascinate me...they really all leave me with the same feeling. Watch values have very little to do with objective/intrinsic merit. You likely would have gone on, enjoying your new watch, perhaps for years to come, getting the exact same enjoyment out of it as if it were legit (assuming they centered the cyclops better). That's why I love microbrands, because I don't care a whole lot about names, but I do care a whole lot about design, materials, & execution. Aside from those pesky "in-house" movements, it's the execution that people used to be able to point to & say "that's why...that's why we pay 10-20 times more, it's for this sweet sweet case finishing", that gets trashed if you actually wear the watch. But now, you can buy a $700 - $1,500 microbrand, or even a grey market Oris, & you get an intrinsically equal to & often better than watch vs. a watch from one of the big boys. The finishing, a Swiss movement, often better & more nimble design, better materials, & better technology as well like the push-button/logo quick adjust on a Halios Fairwind for example. Yes, it sucks that you ended up with a fake, but what really sucks is that the genuine article is so hyper-inflated (I concede that this isn't the best example of a watch that is hyper-inflated, but you get my point)...& I don't want to hear about company history blah blah blah, I'll pay another 20% for that, but not 2,000% more. There are micros out there now with cosc certified & better than cosc movements...& isn't that what should really matter about a movement...how durable it is, how accurate it is, & the power reserve? Not that it's in-house.
Hyper inflated? These fakes just copy the designs after the genuine companies put a significant amount into design research and development. All fakes have to do is copy.
If I am able to buy direct from the maker, I WILL ALWAYS opt for that. This way, if it turns out fake, they will make it right. When spending upwards of 4k on a watch, it’s not worth saving money buying from a reseller. Just my opinion. Thanks for sharing.
When comparing catalog pictures with the real watch, keep in mind that those images are renderings from the 3D modeling software, not real photos. So the geometry there is pixel-perfect. Real watches have small imperfections that come from the imperfection of the material or the metal/glass work. So pictures in a catalog are not the best benchmark.
I have a cal7 aquaracer and I had the very same issue of the scale not being perfectly centered. catalog pictures are perfectly centered but it didnt bother me until i saw this video just now. Now my mind is divided :S
It’s reputable for 2 reasons. The fact that Chrono holds the money in escrow before you decide it’s real. 2. You really should buy from businesses not private sellers.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think you handled this very well. And, good to hear Chrono 24 is supporting resolution. We repeatedly hear shop the dealer, seller before you shop the watch. Your story is a serious reminder for all of us.
I don't understand Chrono24 and their responsibility. They should have reimbursed you the watch and the settle the case with the seller. Also, the watch should have been destroyed in order to avoid that another one buys it thinking it is an genuine....
Exact same thing just happened to me, though the watch was brand new from a jewelry store (not AD). Incorrect papers and the lume pip in the bezel were red flags, so I sent to Tag Heuer service centre and it was found to be not genuine. Working through the return process with Chrono24. The replicas are very good, the TAG retail staff claimed it was genuine before I sent it off for a proper inspection.
The logo is incorrect for the 41mm. If you look at the genuine one the bottom of the logo touches the 'R' on aquaracer. Black ring around the 12 o clock pip.
The watch in the video looks like a 43mm to me. The shuttered dial and date magnifier are only on the 43 AFAIK. I have the same watch. Looks like a pretty good fake to me. I wouldn’t have known other than checking the serial and the warranty card online and comparing to original proof of purchase.
Lume pip should have a dark ring around it. Most fakes are missing this detail. Also, the Tag Heuer emblem on the outside of the box as seen ar 1:10 looked off.
That's got to be the best counterfeit I've ever seen. One thing I wonder about is if it is grey market, and not authorized for sale in USA, hence the price difference and the response from the manufacturer of "counterfeit".
That’s actually what it probably is. Tag Heuer will only verify what was sold through their authorized dealers. So it could be a real watch but sold through outside channel so that’s why it can’t be verified.
Just found your channel and like it. That said, Tag Aquaracers use bottom of the barrel Sellita movements which only cost a couple of hundred dollars. The fake watchmaker can absolutely purchase the same movement which would explain the quick date. Tag also holds the movement in plastic inside the case. The watch looks better than it runs.
Thank you for tuning in! Based on what you’re saying I guess it’s pretty darn easy to make a counterfeit Aquaracer. It’s scary how close these reps are these days!
I am astonished that they can produce such a good fake - and kind of surprised someone would bother. I mean, it must require a lot of tech and skill to do that - and how many can you sell this way? And I am disappointed that TAG did not detail what aspects of the watch were illegitimate. I can understand someone swapping out a cheap movement and the low chance of that being exposed, but to actually make a case or bezel or band - that requires high quality work!
I also have realised that the second reference number and the dents on the cover look slightly different. But you can only see them side by side. I'm glad you had the feeling about it and found the truth.
Just go to your local AD, negotiate a bit on price, and buy it directly from them. They get to make a few bucks, you know its authentic, it has factory warranty, and you get to enjoy the experience of buying.
Nothing about this indicates it’s a fake. When the service center says “not our product” they simply mean it’s an unregistered/unwarranted serial number (i.e., a gray-market watch). Why would anyone fake a Tag case and dial so you couldn’t discern the difference, and then substitute a perfectly running ETA 2824 movement for the standard ETA 2824 (or SW200) movement that Tag already uses? Makes no sense. BTW: The “off-center” date is simply based on the slight angle you’re looking at it from. Relax and enjoy your gray-market Tag.
No. When Tag Heuer Service center says "Not our product" it means Fake. How do I know? Because this exact thing happened to me. Tag Heuer service centers dont use the word fake or counterfeit. They say "not our product" IF you ask them of its fake. Then they say yes. They are extremely respectful. They actually called me to tell me. The watch was purchased gray market. Tag Heuer will work on all their watches even Grey market. As long as the watch is genuine.
@@WINDINGCROWNS I don’t think it’s counterfeit lol it doesn’t make sense to make such a perfect replica for an inexpensive watch. This is most definitely grey market and mfg will never admit to grey market watches as their products. If you send it in for service and pay them, they will work on it.
@@arshdawg8243 I know what you're thinking but this quartz watch is still well over $1000 retail. The one I had was automatic and $2750 retail. Good automatic replicas can be had for $200-300. I looked up all the info. There is a whole subculture on Reddit just dedicated to high quality reps. Heck, the make a Casio F91-W replica!!!! And the real F91-W is like $15-20 !! Yet they still make fakes. There are many RUclips videos on the matter.
@@WINDINGCROWNS those fakes are easy to spot. There’s absolutely no way you can find a fake like the one in this video without spending more than you would got an authentic watch. It’s called industries of scale. In theory you could be correct but all the signs point to mfg denying grey market watch is their product. If you can show me fakes anywhere near as good as this I will admit I was wrong. I’ve been looking at fake tags they are $500 and look like crap.
I read a comment from someone mentioning that when a replica factory has a waiting list, its a sign that their products are superior to the originals. In this case, Swissarex is that factory.
I have just had a Tag F1 come back from the manufacturer stating it is non genuine. Everything as this video, box, warranty card (still in date). Bought over 12 months ago as a Christmas present for my son. As I paid by credit card the purchase is insured. Ebay, Police notified of fraud. I was shocked at how good fakes are nowadays.
Tag may have declared "not ours" simply because it was a gray market watch, but not necessarily fake. The fact that it was sent to be authenticated in particular may have forced them to disown the gray market watch.
Hmm.. I can see where you’re coming from in terms of manufacturers disapproving of the grey market. But in this case I think they were really looking at whether the parts of the watch, I.e. exterior, movement were authentic
@@watchyourstyle I wonder, if hypothetically the watch was sent for some movement service without any particular note on its authenticity, would they have come back and said fake? Moroever, shouldnt they have confiscated the watch if it was indeed counterfeit?
@@greekysshawarma2107 no, because that would be stealing. And yes, tag will see very quickly it’s a fake. I’ve sent them a few, and I’ve never mentioned fake. They always come to that conclusion themselves.
Oh my sorry to hear that ! I bought recently an Tag heure 2005 aquaracer similar to your watch however my watch is classy and old version than comparing to 2018 ag heure aqua version watches luckily my watch is definetly authentic had it verfied to tag heure retail store, hope you found a better authentic watch for you
The obvious thing to me is the lume pip. Always the first port of call for these Aquaracers. For some reason the fakers forget the surround of the lume pip, it is just painted onto the bezel. Seen so many on eBay obviously missing this feature you can see on any genuine. Maybe some have it and are still fake, but the amount I see missing it suggests to me that it's a seriously common flaw, and looks to be the case here.
That is a shockingly good fake. It looks beautiful. I suspect it is a frankenwatch. The movement is probably the same (2824/SW200 are easy to buy for $200), but the case and bracelet are going to be fake. They could buy real dial, bezel and hands. Such a watch would be very difficult to spot.
Tag Heuer tag it as unauthorized as serial and warranty wasnt probably registered and/or serial inquiry results probably produced 4+ yrs ago.They know it was in grey market. but to me it looks legit. I have same color 41mm with canvas band bought from Tag Heuer outlet in Vegas. I zoomed at your piece and could find anything off.
It looks legit, but it’s my understanding that tag opens up the caseback and inspects everything. I don’t know what their threshold is for confirming the authenticity, but there were enough counterfeit parts on the watch for them to deem that it was indeed a fake
@@watchyourstyle It was VERY easy for tag heuer to see this watch is a fake. There are many very easily identifiable tell tale signs they can see just by holding the watch in their hands. You can put one in my hand, and I'll tell you almost instantly, and we are talking about people that handle 100's or 1000's of these watches.
According to the warranty card it is a quartz Aquaracer. According to the manual booklet it is a quartz chronograph Aquaracer. According to the plastic warranty card this watch does not exist... Maybe just the fault of the camera, but the color of the bezel is way too light for a black ceramic...
Even on a legit, bought from AD, the date wheel is not very centered. I bought one from Ben Bridge and the date closer to the left, they said it was normal and Tag confirms the watch is Authentic
I think this is NOT fake watch, this is a quality of Tag Heuer:) a lot of people say about that. Why? I have also automatic Aquaracer but 43mm. The cyclops lens is also not perfectly centered. My watch was in a original servis of Tag Haeuer in Germany after two years exploatation and they said nothing about fake parts or fake watch. I looked also on others Aquaracers in a jewelery store and some watches have this same problem. So Tag Heuer is not perfectly accurate.
This is from a Chinese factory known as "original factory" it will come with "OF" stickers. It has an sw200 movement inside and is frankly a quite mind blowing replica.
That might be an AAAAA replica, but it doesnt even come close to the excellence of a Ziarex Swiss replica. You can spend less in China, but quality is worth the investment.
Thanks for video, chrono24 is fairly safe. I always buy from dealer from them, unless I pull trigger on something like Tissot, but recently bought TAG Formula1 Calibre5 and Speedmaster and all went smooth. Usually all you have to do is open back case. Even fakes r good, it will never be as good as original...
brought a longine off facebook for my wife that came with certificate for the watch and daimond.. turned out to be fake when i took it to the ad to check.. i was so glad i was to be able to return it back to the seller... it was a big waste of my time...
I ONLY buy in person, authorized dealers only....I bet 3/4 of the people out there have fake watches, or designer products, and have NO clue....It's extremely bad. I won't even buy my sunglasses online! I go straight to the Oakley dealer....don't care about the mark-up, I don't want the headaches of "wondering" if it's fake....Never again.
I just ordered aquaracer on ebay. Serial number on the caseback checks out. Only thing worrying me, on some aquaracer pictures, minute arm seems just a milimetre or two longer... but its ebay, paid with paypal, so if tag says its fake, im pretty sure my money is safe.
This vid didn’t clearly identify the physical evidence that it is “fake”. The cyclops is wha? Unclear. No close ups to show. The clasp is wha? No demonstration of this claim. I think it is 100% authentic and this vid is the only fake thing going on here.
Hello. It was actually unclear which parts of the watch were counterfeit, but according to the tag heuer official assessment the watch was deemed “not our product - counterfeit”. I’m curious to know which parts of the watch are fake, or if it is 100% fake.
@@watchyourstyle watch was probably bought in grey market. warranty and serial wasnt registered and not in their database. They probabaly tag Greys as fake.
@@MitsuFQ400 Ugh, no, they don't actually do that. Don't make shit up. They will work on any watch that is theirs. You will get charged for it. You think they won't work on a watch because it's grey market? You think they'd rather do warranty work for free, instead of fixing watches for money? ok.
Quickest way to spot a fake are numerals in the cyclops. Immediately you can see how lazy they were with the “1”. It should always match the existing numeral style on the exterior of the watch. Notice there’s no tail in the 1 in the cyclops later in the video
I just checked this and every picture of an aquaracer on google with a 1 in the date window also shows the tailless 1. So either their all fakes or this isn’t a tell.
Nowadays the Swiss made Replica Watches are using the original parts and box. The only time you will know it's not legit is when you open the back of the watch and check the movement it is not authentic, they are using the cheap swiss movement or japan movement. Lesson learn is to buy the watch to an authorized dealer😊
I've had an Aquaracer 300m since May 2006 and to this day it still works perfectly. I dont know exactly why, but I had the curiosity to check the warranty and it showed me a Carrera of 2015. What should I do?
Replica watches really tweak me off. I have had 2 in 30 plus years. One was a 18K Rolex Daytona the other was an AP Offshore. So the next time I purchased a Daytona I made sure it was real by getting it verified immediately. The AP Offshore I purchased later was new in a well known store in NYC. But I feel your pain. It took forever to get reimbursed for the replica Daytona. It only took a couple of days for the replica AP. But that Daytona was such a back and forth battle right up to when I had him served. Total waste of time. Like we all have that kind of money just lying around. It took me some serious saving to be able to finally afford one. It it turned out to be a fake. The real 18K that I have now actually was also purchased off of Chrono 24. They are a pretty decent group of folks and what happen to you is kinda rare IMHO.
“Like we all have that kind of money laying around” We’ll you obviously do if you’re spending it on jewelry, lol. Nobody spends money they actually need on watches unless they have some kind of spending addiction.
In the end, a new era of watches has come. Some illegal company from EU started making mega clones called ziarex. Basically, what they are doing is buying original parts from workers in Rolex who flag that part as damaged and sell them. But thats not the
😀the promotional photo always shows the watch as more perfect than it really is, it should not be compared to the real watch. The movement and the QR code on the warranty card must be checked, because they cannot be faked
A slightly misaligned cyclops is not a sign of a fake on a watch like this. Neither is a slightly lose clasp. I would be interested to know what Tag has identified as signalling this to be a fake. Maybe it’s not a fake and the person looking at it just couldn’t be bothered.
I agree. QC isn't perfect for most brands and watches that are mass produced. However, I would ask TH for reasons why it didn't pass authentication check.
Yeah, they didn’t specify what was fake. The paperwork only stated the watch was “not our product”. Could be a Frankenwatch, could be 100% counterfeit.
Look at the dial. The tag heuer logo and the words tag heuer. The gap in between is supposed to flow together. The fake has a line bisecting the two. Look at the bezel lume. The real one is inside of a hole in the bezel, with a very tiny gap all around it. The fake, is just liquid lume poured in. No gap, and is usually a nice little bubble. The center part on the end link that attaches to the case, is shaped different on the fakes. The pin and tubes used for the links, are the cheap kind with one center indent, while the real ones have pins with offset indents and tubes with two indents. I can go on and on. Someone at tag, can EASILY see this is a fake without having to do ANY work at all. Last but not least, look at the completely nasty logo on the outer box. Color is wrong. Printing is off, because they just copied the original, but copies always lose quality. Someone with experience can tell you your watch is fake before even opening the box.
@@egeniojaramillo9048 which “line bisecting the two” are you talking about? The horizontal one that separates the word TAG from the word HEUER underneath it?
The internet is filthy with criminals. If you are looking for 'deals' on the web, you are susceptible to becoming a victim. Deal only with authorized dealers. Remember that and be safe.
when i bought this watch from authorities retailer i saw many online and claim to be authentic but the price was only S$1200 where in Singapore it retail for S$3400... indeed very detail clone
You wouldn't expect to find this a listing from Amazon and sold by Amazon not a third party seller but they had a TAG Heuer Aquaracer listed there for very low price. So if you can't trust Amazon to sell authentic watches who do you trust? I understand there are less than reputable sellers out there in the marketplace but Amazon selling under their own name? It seems odd and brings up the question of are all of their watches good or bad and how do you know the difference now?
IMO, without the details their assessment of the watch of being fake is worthless. I'm not really into mechanical watches, the ETA 2824 is an excellent movement , the question is whether it is a actual ETA or a Chineses clone. If I recall correctly, the caliber 5 was found to be developed by Seiko not Tag Heuer. In-house is more of a status than function. When an entity specializes they tend to be exceptionally good at what they do. I've been in the manufacturing sector virtually all my life. I'm a small collector of Tag Heuer analog quartz dating around the 1980s (1000 series) and around 2000 (2000 series). I had a, bought new, Heuer mechanical chronograph back around the early 70s. I suspect mineral based oil was used because the watch stopped running around 3 years. Their quality was terrible, the back cover of the watch body misaligned. I've seen the same with the brand Marathon. That type of error is only corrected by junking the part during production, IMO. Just prior to and after the change to Tag Heuer they had models (1000 series) that resembled the iconic Submariner. A move that probably saved their bacon and was allowed for a while. I no longer desire Tag Heuer watches. The focus is jewelry and not longterm function. Others have noted a $2000 Tag Heuer quartz has a zero jewel $10 quartz movement. Many models have the Ronda movement, cheaper alternative to ETA. My Sport 2000 uses the ETA 955.112, a 7 jewel quartz movement, still going strong at 20+ years. Others have watches that use the same movement for 28+ years, still going strong. The last time I bought a spare brand new ETA 955.112, the cost was $35. The equivalent Ronda would be 4 jewel and closer to $20. The 2000 series was their move more toward jewelry. I frequently use the rotating bezel. Get grim or sand within the bezel and the click spring becomes history. I do my own work but sourcing the spring, cost and the frequency of repair makes this function useless.
such an analysis can lead to insanity, considering that it may be a very good fake. I also see differences in the build quality of the box itself. In the original, the font on the lining is much thinner, more delicate and lighter, more brown than black. The wall thickness of the cream lining is thinner and tight, in the original there is no joining of the individual black packaging sections on the left side (in the corner of the box).
I just got a Tag heuer 01 skeleton... its soooo beautiful and complicated and well made i cant imagine it could ever be fake without costing a tun to even make a fake one... but there is one part that kinda fits off in the face.. a little cosmic part around the inside bezel, it doesn't line up quite perfectly....i checked the warranty and it checked out, it was registered to this watch and everything at the correct time... do you think i should still actually send it in? How much did you have to pay? I really dont wanna spend anymore than i have too :(
Thank you for this.. So I will only buy from an AD then. 🤷🏻♂️
Did you get your money back? Hey you really didn’t do any research yourself. What are some of the tells of a fake, what are the ways of spotting it. Could have opened the back up yourself... the bracelet looks shit, at first glance. It also is missing shine and pop.
@@jimsteen911 I never got scammed. I only buy from an AD. 👍
Buy from an AD and you'll pay top price. I think it's worth the risk of buying grey market.
@@tancreddehauteville764 I can easily get 20% off from an AD for an Aquaracer. I mostly get deals on airports (duty free). Reputable grey market is also an option but I would never buy from craig's list or something. ☹
@@bigbrotherwatchesdannyboy306 I have an Aquaracer with a white dial. It runs at +3 seconds a day and looks 100% genuine but I can't prove that it is because it has no warranty card. Do I give a shit? Nope. To me it's genuine and that's all matters.
There is an easy way to check authenticity. The company that makes these fakes, always uses the cheap pin/tubes for the bracelet. The real ones have two indents spaced apart. And the pin will have one indent, but will not be in the center, and is meant to line up with either of the indents on the tube. The fake aquaracers have one indent on pin and one on tube, both in the center.
I'm a little confused here, so I'm not sure about the tag I just bought in ebay, so I took out a link to check the pin and it is the cheap looking one with only one I sent in the middle. Now that being said I asked on my friend that sells used watches and he said he believes that automatic aquaracers don't use the same pins as the quartz one . What do you think ?
@@downsouth1678 unfortunately, I do not know how it should be in quartz, but probably in the automatic and quartz there is the same bracelet. You'd better ask on the watchuseek forum in the topic "tag heuer and heuer fake busters thread: ask about authenticity in this thread!"
you are right, pins of the real deal are special ones, fake ones of usual pins which are not working on these tag heuer
Wish I knew what you’re talking about.
Noted
Before selling fakes, invest in authentic pin tubes.
Ie..OK info...but don't judge authenticity of expensive watch on easily replaced pin tubes.
I have this exact same watch. Wow that's a great replica. But after reading some of the comments I've come to the conclusion that the lume pip on the bezel on mine is indeed slightly different from what your rep appears to look like. The lume on a real one appears to have a dark ring around it as if the hole was drilled first then the lume pip was placed into the bezel if that makes sense. Versus on the rep, it looks like the lume was filled in. Also the lume pip should touch all 3 sides on the triangle. Lastly the TAG logo is higher on yours than mine. The pointy bottom of the logo shield should almost touch the middle "R" in Aquaracer.
These videos always fascinate me...they really all leave me with the same feeling. Watch values have very little to do with objective/intrinsic merit. You likely would have gone on, enjoying your new watch, perhaps for years to come, getting the exact same enjoyment out of it as if it were legit (assuming they centered the cyclops better). That's why I love microbrands, because I don't care a whole lot about names, but I do care a whole lot about design, materials, & execution. Aside from those pesky "in-house" movements, it's the execution that people used to be able to point to & say "that's why...that's why we pay 10-20 times more, it's for this sweet sweet case finishing", that gets trashed if you actually wear the watch. But now, you can buy a $700 - $1,500 microbrand, or even a grey market Oris, & you get an intrinsically equal to & often better than watch vs. a watch from one of the big boys. The finishing, a Swiss movement, often better & more nimble design, better materials, & better technology as well like the push-button/logo quick adjust on a Halios Fairwind for example.
Yes, it sucks that you ended up with a fake, but what really sucks is that the genuine article is so hyper-inflated (I concede that this isn't the best example of a watch that is hyper-inflated, but you get my point)...& I don't want to hear about company history blah blah blah, I'll pay another 20% for that, but not 2,000% more. There are micros out there now with cosc certified & better than cosc movements...& isn't that what should really matter about a movement...how durable it is, how accurate it is, & the power reserve? Not that it's in-house.
Hyper inflated? These fakes just copy the designs after the genuine companies put a significant amount into design research and development. All fakes have to do is copy.
then buy a citizen eco drive.
If I am able to buy direct from the maker, I WILL ALWAYS opt for that. This way, if it turns out fake, they will make it right. When spending upwards of 4k on a watch, it’s not worth saving money buying from a reseller. Just my opinion. Thanks for sharing.
When comparing catalog pictures with the real watch, keep in mind that those images are renderings from the 3D modeling software, not real photos. So the geometry there is pixel-perfect. Real watches have small imperfections that come from the imperfection of the material or the metal/glass work. So pictures in a catalog are not the best benchmark.
I have a cal7 aquaracer and I had the very same issue of the scale not being perfectly centered. catalog pictures are perfectly centered but it didnt bother me until i saw this video just now. Now my mind is divided :S
Great video! Very informative. My favorite part is when you were holding the watch
😂 what’s up brotha
@Ezekiel Khalid no one. Literally no one, gives a damn, you fucken spammer scum bag
It’s reputable for 2 reasons. The fact that Chrono holds the money in escrow before you decide it’s real. 2. You really should buy from businesses not private sellers.
You could also bring it to a jewelry repair shop to check the movement. And you can also tell by the links and pin barrels if it's a fake.
The high quality fake aquaracers have legit sellita movements. Jewelers won't be able to identify those fakes.
When I spend a lot of money on watches, I pay retail in store. I don’t flirt with the risk of walking away with a fake.
2 Words - Authorized Dealer .....
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think you handled this very well. And, good to hear Chrono 24 is supporting resolution. We repeatedly hear shop the dealer, seller before you shop the watch. Your story is a serious reminder for all of us.
I don't understand Chrono24 and their responsibility. They should have reimbursed you the watch and the settle the case with the seller. Also, the watch should have been destroyed in order to avoid that another one buys it thinking it is an genuine....
Destroyed by who?
Really sorry this happened to you but glad you were made whole and thanks for warning others.
Thanks for the kind words!
Exact same thing just happened to me, though the watch was brand new from a jewelry store (not AD). Incorrect papers and the lume pip in the bezel were red flags, so I sent to Tag Heuer service centre and it was found to be not genuine. Working through the return process with Chrono24. The replicas are very good, the TAG retail staff claimed it was genuine before I sent it off for a proper inspection.
How did you identify the issue on the lume pip?
@@wasilqayyum It should have a surround which is missing on the one in this video
The logo is incorrect for the 41mm. If you look at the genuine one the bottom of the logo touches the 'R' on aquaracer. Black ring around the 12 o clock pip.
I noticed this also: can you confirm that the missing black ring EQUALS a probably fake? Thanks
The watch in the video looks like a 43mm to me. The shuttered dial and date magnifier are only on the 43 AFAIK. I have the same watch. Looks like a pretty good fake to me. I wouldn’t have known other than checking the serial and the warranty card online and comparing to original proof of purchase.
That is the BEST fake I have ever seen!!!!!!
He’s wanting too much from a fake watch!
Lume pip should have a dark ring around it. Most fakes are missing this detail. Also, the Tag Heuer emblem on the outside of the box as seen ar 1:10 looked off.
Not really a ring. But, a gap. Real ones have a separate lume pip that is put INTO the bezel. Fakes have lume material filled into the bezel.
That's got to be the best counterfeit I've ever seen. One thing I wonder about is if it is grey market, and not authorized for sale in USA, hence the price difference and the response from the manufacturer of "counterfeit".
That’s actually what it probably is. Tag Heuer will only verify what was sold through their authorized dealers. So it could be a real watch but sold through outside channel so that’s why it can’t be verified.
That is crazy! That looks legit as heck. I have the same watch, lucky it was checked before purchase.
How did you checked it?
I have the same watch and cant believe how much this one looks like it!
Just found your channel and like it. That said, Tag Aquaracers use bottom of the barrel Sellita movements which only cost a couple of hundred dollars. The fake watchmaker can absolutely purchase the same movement which would explain the quick date. Tag also holds the movement in plastic inside the case. The watch looks better than it runs.
Thank you for tuning in! Based on what you’re saying I guess it’s pretty darn easy to make a counterfeit Aquaracer. It’s scary how close these reps are these days!
@@watchyourstyle Correct
I am astonished that they can produce such a good fake - and kind of surprised someone would bother. I mean, it must require a lot of tech and skill to do that - and how many can you sell this way? And I am disappointed that TAG did not detail what aspects of the watch were illegitimate. I can understand someone swapping out a cheap movement and the low chance of that being exposed, but to actually make a case or bezel or band - that requires high quality work!
I also have realised that the second reference number and the dents on the cover look slightly different. But you can only see them side by side. I'm glad you had the feeling about it and found the truth.
Just go to your local AD, negotiate a bit on price, and buy it directly from them. They get to make a few bucks, you know its authentic, it has factory warranty, and you get to enjoy the experience of buying.
great video!!! totally unbiased opinion
Nothing about this indicates it’s a fake. When the service center says “not our product” they simply mean it’s an unregistered/unwarranted serial number (i.e., a gray-market watch). Why would anyone fake a Tag case and dial so you couldn’t discern the difference, and then substitute a perfectly running ETA 2824 movement for the standard ETA 2824 (or SW200) movement that Tag already uses? Makes no sense. BTW: The “off-center” date is simply based on the slight angle you’re looking at it from. Relax and enjoy your gray-market Tag.
No. When Tag Heuer Service center says "Not our product" it means Fake. How do I know? Because this exact thing happened to me. Tag Heuer service centers dont use the word fake or counterfeit. They say "not our product" IF you ask them of its fake. Then they say yes. They are extremely respectful. They actually called me to tell me. The watch was purchased gray market. Tag Heuer will work on all their watches even Grey market. As long as the watch is genuine.
Believe it or not they know fake the aqua racer.
@@WINDINGCROWNS I don’t think it’s counterfeit lol it doesn’t make sense to make such a perfect replica for an inexpensive watch. This is most definitely grey market and mfg will never admit to grey market watches as their products. If you send it in for service and pay them, they will work on it.
@@arshdawg8243 I know what you're thinking but this quartz watch is still well over $1000 retail. The one I had was automatic and $2750 retail. Good automatic replicas can be had for $200-300. I looked up all the info. There is a whole subculture on Reddit just dedicated to high quality reps. Heck, the make a Casio F91-W replica!!!! And the real F91-W is like $15-20 !! Yet they still make fakes. There are many RUclips videos on the matter.
@@WINDINGCROWNS those fakes are easy to spot. There’s absolutely no way you can find a fake like the one in this video without spending more than you would got an authentic watch. It’s called industries of scale. In theory you could be correct but all the signs point to mfg denying grey market watch is their product. If you can show me fakes anywhere near as good as this I will admit I was wrong. I’ve been looking at fake tags they are $500 and look like crap.
when i heard private seller, that is where I knew it was a problem....
I read a comment from someone mentioning that when a replica factory has a waiting list, its a sign that their products are superior to the originals. In this case, Swissarex is that factory.
I dont know what Tag did but this one is 100% genuine. Doesnt look 1% replica.
I have just had a Tag F1 come back from the manufacturer stating it is non genuine. Everything as this video, box, warranty card (still in date). Bought over 12 months ago as a Christmas present for my son. As I paid by credit card the purchase is insured. Ebay, Police notified of fraud. I was shocked at how good fakes are nowadays.
Bro that’s wild that thing looks legit
Tag may have declared "not ours" simply because it was a gray market watch, but not necessarily fake. The fact that it was sent to be authenticated in particular may have forced them to disown the gray market watch.
Hmm.. I can see where you’re coming from in terms of manufacturers disapproving of the grey market. But in this case I think they were really looking at whether the parts of the watch, I.e. exterior, movement were authentic
@@watchyourstyle I wonder, if hypothetically the watch was sent for some movement service without any particular note on its authenticity, would they have come back and said fake?
Moroever, shouldnt they have confiscated the watch if it was indeed counterfeit?
I bought a gray market Aquaracer years ago and had it repaired by Tag and mine checked out.
Yeah; no. That’s not how tag does things. You think they wouldn’t work on a watch that is gray market? For what possible reason?
@@greekysshawarma2107 no, because that would be stealing. And yes, tag will see very quickly it’s a fake. I’ve sent them a few, and I’ve never mentioned fake. They always come to that conclusion themselves.
That's why I only buy watches in the store physical and a real dealer store .
Oh my sorry to hear that ! I bought recently an Tag heure 2005 aquaracer similar to your watch however my watch is classy and old version than comparing to 2018 ag heure aqua version watches luckily my watch is definetly authentic had it verfied to tag heure retail store, hope you found a better authentic watch for you
I was gifted a fake, and am embarrassed to tell my friend
Thank you for sharing
Feel for you man.but thanks for sharing you experience so we may not suffer the same fate.good luck buddy. Subbed to the channel now...
The obvious thing to me is the lume pip. Always the first port of call for these Aquaracers. For some reason the fakers forget the surround of the lume pip, it is just painted onto the bezel. Seen so many on eBay obviously missing this feature you can see on any genuine. Maybe some have it and are still fake, but the amount I see missing it suggests to me that it's a seriously common flaw, and looks to be the case here.
That is a shockingly good fake. It looks beautiful. I suspect it is a frankenwatch. The movement is probably the same (2824/SW200 are easy to buy for $200), but the case and bracelet are going to be fake. They could buy real dial, bezel and hands. Such a watch would be very difficult to spot.
Thats crazy! So close that its scary! I wonder if someone put a gen crystal and date wheel on this... That would be crazy hard to catch
Tag Heuer tag it as unauthorized as serial and warranty wasnt probably registered and/or serial inquiry results probably produced 4+ yrs ago.They know it was in grey market. but to me it looks legit. I have same color 41mm with canvas band bought from Tag Heuer outlet in Vegas. I zoomed at your piece and could find anything off.
It looks legit, but it’s my understanding that tag opens up the caseback and inspects everything. I don’t know what their threshold is for confirming the authenticity, but there were enough counterfeit parts on the watch for them to deem that it was indeed a fake
@@watchyourstyle It was VERY easy for tag heuer to see this watch is a fake. There are many very easily identifiable tell tale signs they can see just by holding the watch in their hands. You can put one in my hand, and I'll tell you almost instantly, and we are talking about people that handle 100's or 1000's of these watches.
Crap, I need to look into my two watches now. One was from Joma so I should be ok.
at 1:17 there's a good shot if the back. ZERO detail a dead giveaway of a fake.
According to the warranty card it is a quartz Aquaracer.
According to the manual booklet it is a quartz chronograph Aquaracer.
According to the plastic warranty card this watch does not exist...
Maybe just the fault of the camera, but the color of the bezel is way too light for a black ceramic...
He was very right about Tag's responsiveness, expect at least 4 to 8 weeks.
I think the real tag just uses an ETA movement, so it makes sense that the fake one seems to operate correctly
They use the SW 200-1 movement very cheap movement
The spacing between the logo and the hour marker is also a giveaway. Too many damn scammers out there.
Very true
Even on a legit, bought from AD, the date wheel is not very centered. I bought one from Ben Bridge and the date closer to the left, they said it was normal and Tag confirms the watch is Authentic
It’s probably like you said. A gray market repair with standard ETA mvmt. Either way, good eye on the date window..
Shocked they are making Knockoff Aquaracers. BTW, you are correct about the Tag Service Center.
@@PepRex pretty cheap watch to begin with.
Great vlog well done hope you get your money back. Enjoy
Thank you Mike!
@@watchyourstyle anytime
I think this is NOT fake watch, this is a quality of Tag Heuer:) a lot of people say about that. Why? I have also automatic Aquaracer but 43mm. The cyclops lens is also not perfectly centered. My watch was in a original servis of Tag Haeuer in Germany after two years exploatation and they said nothing about fake parts or fake watch. I looked also on others Aquaracers in a jewelery store and some watches have this same problem. So Tag Heuer is not perfectly accurate.
I really appreciated your video it give me a big warning 😢 im about to buy a second hand TAG HEUER
The back plate gives it away as well. The writing, the tag logo and deep diver helmet aren't as deeply embossed into the plate.
Thank God I watched your channel on this. I am about to do a purchase on a new same model like you are showing here.
the helmet on the back of that watch looks etched, real ones are engraved deep. Look online at the difference on the Aqua Racer.
This is from a Chinese factory known as "original factory" it will come with "OF" stickers. It has an sw200 movement inside and is frankly a quite mind blowing replica.
That might be an AAAAA replica, but it doesnt even come close to the excellence of a Ziarex Swiss replica. You can spend less in China, but quality is worth the investment.
I would check the movement myself. Its the only way to find if the watch is authentic or not. I dont depend on card, boxes, manual etc etc.
Thanks for video, chrono24 is fairly safe. I always buy from dealer from them, unless I pull trigger on something like Tissot, but recently bought TAG Formula1 Calibre5 and Speedmaster and all went smooth. Usually all you have to do is open back case. Even fakes r good, it will never be as good as original...
why would someone make a reproduction of a tag? they arent exactly super expensive to buy from a tag retailer
Thanks for the video. Now i’m convinced only to buy it from official store of Tag
brought a longine off facebook for my wife that came with certificate for the watch and daimond.. turned out to be fake when i took it to the ad to check.. i was so glad i was to be able to return it back to the seller... it was a big waste of my time...
Great video mate I nearly got stung myself same watch 😮 thanks 👍
I ONLY buy in person, authorized dealers only....I bet 3/4 of the people out there have fake watches, or designer products, and have NO clue....It's extremely bad. I won't even buy my sunglasses online! I go straight to the Oakley dealer....don't care about the mark-up, I don't want the headaches of "wondering" if it's fake....Never again.
I just ordered aquaracer on ebay. Serial number on the caseback checks out. Only thing worrying me, on some aquaracer pictures, minute arm seems just a milimetre or two longer... but its ebay, paid with paypal, so if tag says its fake, im pretty sure my money is safe.
He is a Agent for the ADs
epic replica
There are watches with the same serial numbers as the originals, and only one company, called Ziarex, sells them.
This vid didn’t clearly identify the physical evidence that it is “fake”. The cyclops is wha? Unclear. No close ups to show. The clasp is wha? No demonstration of this claim. I think it is 100% authentic and this vid is the only fake thing going on here.
Hello. It was actually unclear which parts of the watch were counterfeit, but according to the tag heuer official assessment the watch was deemed “not our product - counterfeit”. I’m curious to know which parts of the watch are fake, or if it is 100% fake.
@@watchyourstyle watch was probably bought in grey market. warranty and serial wasnt registered and not in their database. They probabaly tag Greys as fake.
while the video didn't explain it, this watch is 100% FAKE. IN every way.
@@MitsuFQ400 Ugh, no, they don't actually do that. Don't make shit up. They will work on any watch that is theirs. You will get charged for it. You think they won't work on a watch because it's grey market? You think they'd rather do warranty work for free, instead of fixing watches for money? ok.
Scary that an AD couldn't even tell that it was a fake!
Usually the salespeople at the ADs don’t know for sure. Unless there’s a watchmaker on staff
Quickest way to spot a fake are numerals in the cyclops. Immediately you can see how lazy they were with the “1”. It should always match the existing numeral style on the exterior of the watch. Notice there’s no tail in the 1 in the cyclops later in the video
I just checked this and every picture of an aquaracer on google with a 1 in the date window also shows the tailless 1. So either their all fakes or this isn’t a tell.
Nowadays the Swiss made Replica Watches are using the original parts and box. The only time you will know it's not legit is when you open the back of the watch and check the movement it is not authentic, they are using the cheap swiss movement or japan movement. Lesson learn is to buy the watch to an authorized dealer😊
High end fake Aquaracers will be build with Sellita sw-200 movement, which the gen use too..
As soon as you said, it was a 41mm I could tell it was fake. Only the 43mm has the yellow second hand. The 41mm is red.
No it's not lol, 41mm is yellow as well
@@butts4653 yes for a black dial .
I've had an Aquaracer 300m since May 2006 and to this day it still works perfectly. I dont know exactly why, but I had the curiosity to check the warranty and it showed me a Carrera of 2015. What should I do?
LoL
This comment really cracked me up
Same issue with mine but checked it to watchmaker no bad issue
@@HAYABUSA4EVER Is it an Aquaracer as well?
The lume pip doesn't look the same as a genuine one.
On a pukka AR the clasp on the bracelet is of a high standard.
Fakes have very good clasps too. I highly doubt you’d be able to pick out a fake from real from just the feel of it in your hand. Trust me.
gussl’s Franck Muller replica shows extraordinary attention to detail.
Beatifull watch tag heuer good Swiss watch the best wold quarz automatic good video
Replica watches really tweak me off. I have had 2 in 30 plus years. One was a 18K Rolex Daytona the other was an AP Offshore.
So the next time I purchased a Daytona I made sure it was real by getting it verified immediately. The AP Offshore I purchased later was new in a well known store in NYC.
But I feel your pain. It took forever to get reimbursed for the replica Daytona. It only took a couple of days for the replica AP.
But that Daytona was such a back and forth battle right up to when I had him served. Total waste of time. Like we all have that kind of money just lying around. It took me some serious saving to be able to finally afford one. It it turned out to be a fake.
The real 18K that I have now actually was also purchased off of Chrono 24. They are a pretty decent group of folks and what happen to you is kinda rare IMHO.
“Like we all have that kind of money laying around”
We’ll you obviously do if you’re spending it on jewelry, lol. Nobody spends money they actually need on watches unless they have some kind of spending addiction.
In the end, a new era of watches has come. Some illegal company from EU started making mega clones called ziarex. Basically, what they are doing is buying original parts from workers in Rolex who flag that part as damaged and sell them. But thats not the
Нормально!! Выглядит отлично.. не парься!! Там внутри одно и тоже.. ета или selita )
😀the promotional photo always shows the watch as more perfect than it really is, it should not be compared to the real watch.
The movement and the QR code on the warranty card must be checked, because they cannot be faked
That videos watch is a mere imitation, not a real clone. Ziarex replica watches are on next level.
A slightly misaligned cyclops is not a sign of a fake on a watch like this. Neither is a slightly lose clasp. I would be interested to know what Tag has identified as signalling this to be a fake. Maybe it’s not a fake and the person looking at it just couldn’t be bothered.
I agree. QC isn't perfect for most brands and watches that are mass produced. However, I would ask TH for reasons why it didn't pass authentication check.
Yeah, they didn’t specify what was fake. The paperwork only stated the watch was “not our product”. Could be a Frankenwatch, could be 100% counterfeit.
It is fake. Completely.
Look at the dial. The tag heuer logo and the words tag heuer. The gap in between is supposed to flow together. The fake has a line bisecting the two. Look at the bezel lume. The real one is inside of a hole in the bezel, with a very tiny gap all around it. The fake, is just liquid lume poured in. No gap, and is usually a nice little bubble. The center part on the end link that attaches to the case, is shaped different on the fakes. The pin and tubes used for the links, are the cheap kind with one center indent, while the real ones have pins with offset indents and tubes with two indents. I can go on and on. Someone at tag, can EASILY see this is a fake without having to do ANY work at all. Last but not least, look at the completely nasty logo on the outer box. Color is wrong. Printing is off, because they just copied the original, but copies always lose quality. Someone with experience can tell you your watch is fake before even opening the box.
@@egeniojaramillo9048 which “line bisecting the two” are you talking about? The horizontal one that separates the word TAG from the word HEUER underneath it?
The internet is filthy with criminals. If you are looking for 'deals' on the web, you are susceptible to becoming a victim. Deal only with authorized dealers. Remember that and be safe.
Always be cautious!
How do you know that the authorised dealer hasn’t accepted a return where someone swapped out a genuine one for a fake?
Did you swim in this watch? Interesting how good (unfortunately) fakes nowadays.
when i bought this watch from authorities retailer i saw many online and claim to be authentic but the price was only S$1200 where in Singapore it retail for S$3400... indeed very detail clone
AD/Boutique only! Hope lesson has been learned!
The luminous material usually sucks on clones......
You wouldn't expect to find this a listing from Amazon and sold by Amazon not a third party seller but they had a TAG Heuer Aquaracer listed there for very low price. So if you can't trust Amazon to sell authentic watches who do you trust? I understand there are less than reputable sellers out there in the marketplace but Amazon selling under their own name? It seems odd and brings up the question of are all of their watches good or bad and how do you know the difference now?
The watch in that video cant hold a candle to a Ziarex. Ziarex sets the gold standard.
You can see it on the G on the box and the warranty
Experience is what you find when looking for something else.
looks good to me....I’ll give you $100 for it.
IMO, without the details their assessment of the watch of being fake is worthless. I'm not really into mechanical watches, the ETA 2824 is an excellent movement , the question is whether it is a actual ETA or a Chineses clone. If I recall correctly, the caliber 5 was found to be developed by Seiko not Tag Heuer. In-house is more of a status than function. When an entity specializes they tend to be exceptionally good at what they do. I've been in the manufacturing sector virtually all my life.
I'm a small collector of Tag Heuer analog quartz dating around the 1980s (1000 series) and around 2000 (2000 series). I had a, bought new, Heuer mechanical chronograph back around the early 70s. I suspect mineral based oil was used because the watch stopped running around 3 years. Their quality was terrible, the back cover of the watch body misaligned. I've seen the same with the brand Marathon. That type of error is only corrected by junking the part during production, IMO. Just prior to and after the change to Tag Heuer they had models (1000 series) that resembled the iconic Submariner. A move that probably saved their bacon and was allowed for a while.
I no longer desire Tag Heuer watches. The focus is jewelry and not longterm function. Others have noted a $2000 Tag Heuer quartz has a zero jewel $10 quartz movement. Many models have the Ronda movement, cheaper alternative to ETA. My Sport 2000 uses the ETA 955.112, a 7 jewel quartz movement, still going strong at 20+ years. Others have watches that use the same movement for 28+ years, still going strong. The last time I bought a spare brand new ETA 955.112, the cost was $35. The equivalent Ronda would be 4 jewel and closer to $20.
The 2000 series was their move more toward jewelry. I frequently use the rotating bezel. Get grim or sand within the bezel and the click spring becomes history. I do my own work but sourcing the spring, cost and the frequency of repair makes this function useless.
Why didn't you remove the back and take a look see at the movement? Takes 30 seconds.
Ziarex must be stopped at all costs. People are losing money since their mega clone watches started to be sold as originals on the aftermarket.
such an analysis can lead to insanity, considering that it may be a very good fake. I also see differences in the build quality of the box itself. In the original, the font on the lining is much thinner, more delicate and lighter, more brown than black.
The wall thickness of the cream lining is thinner and tight, in the original there is no joining of the individual black packaging sections on the left side (in the corner of the box).
I just got a Tag heuer 01 skeleton... its soooo beautiful and complicated and well made i cant imagine it could ever be fake without costing a tun to even make a fake one... but there is one part that kinda fits off in the face.. a little cosmic part around the inside bezel, it doesn't line up quite perfectly....i checked the warranty and it checked out, it was registered to this watch and everything at the correct time... do you think i should still actually send it in? How much did you have to pay? I really dont wanna spend anymore than i have too :(
The watch is pretty affordable so going to an AD dealer wouldn’t hurt, I would never buy from any private seller
I’m late, but that QR code reveals the number that you’re blocking with your thumb
I'm not really a TH fan but I have to watch this video. I didn't know they made fakes.
Yeah it’s scary how close the fakes are becoming.