Buying a used TAG Heuer 2000: fakes, replacement parts and repairs

A used TAG Heuer 2000 can be a brilliant buy: tough, good-looking and far cheaper than a modern equivalent. But after 20 to 40 years on wrists, plenty have been polished, repaired or fitted with non-original parts, and a few are outright copies. This guide covers both halves of buying well: checking that a watch is what it claims to be, and understanding the parts that most often need replacing.

Fake or replaced parts? Know the difference

No single detail proves a TAG Heuer 2000 is genuine. The most reliable approach is to check that everything about the watch tells the same story: the reference, the movement, the case size, the dial and the bracelet should all belong together. Most problems show up as something that doesn't fit.

It's worth separating two different issues:

• Counterfeits, made to deceive from the start.
• Genuine watches with replacement parts, such as an aftermarket bezel insert, a non-original bracelet, or a dial or hands swapped during a service. These aren't fakes, but they affect value and should be described honestly.

Quick checks before you buy

• Ask for the reference and check it. Look it up in the reference list in our complete TAG Heuer 2000 guide and decode it using our mnemonics. Does it match the size, movement and case material in the photos?
• Ask for a clear caseback photo. You want to see the reference and the serial.
• Search the serial number online. Counterfeiters often reuse the same serial on many watches.
• Compare the paperwork. The serial and reference on any card or receipt should match the caseback. (A 1990s watch with an old-style number on the box and a new one on the caseback is normal.)
• Ask for a movement photo, especially for chronographs. A seller who can't or won't provide one is a reason for caution.

Does the reference match the watch?

This is the most useful check of all, because counterfeiters often get it wrong. Using the "Tom's Shark Makes Swimmers Move Down Below" mnemonic for a reference like WK1110:

• A W should be a three-hand watch. A chronograph should start with C.
• A 1 in the movement position means quartz. If the seconds hand sweeps smoothly like an automatic, something is wrong.
• The size digit should match the case. A men's reference on a small ladies' case doesn't add up.
• A steel reference shouldn't be on a gold-plated case, and the other way round.

Checking the dial and hands

• First generation (1982 to about 1994): expect a Mercedes-style hour hand and a "lollipop" seconds hand.
• Second generation (from 1995): look for metal surrounds on the hour markers and an oversized 12.
• Branding: early watches say Heuer, later ones TAG Heuer. Watches with a mixture of Heuer and TAG Heuer branding belong to the 1985 to 1987 changeover and should be treated with care unless well documented.
• Printing should be crisp and even under magnification, with no fuzzy edges or uneven spacing.

Bear in mind that TAG Heuer service centres have replaced dials and hands on some watches over the years, so a later part on an earlier watch can be genuine.

Checking the bezel

The 2000's bezel is unidirectional and ratchets with firm, even clicks. It should turn only anticlockwise.

• First generation: either a flat bezel with an aluminium insert and knurled edge, or a steel bezel with six raised grips.
• Second generation: a 12-sided bezel.

Aftermarket bezel inserts are widely sold. Tell-tale signs include heavier numerals than the original, whiter luminous pips, and an insert that doesn't sit flush with the bezel.

Checking the case, caseback and crown

• The reference and serial should be cleanly marked, with the reference at the top and the serial beneath.
• A missing serial isn't proof of a fake on its own, as some older watches were made without one. But a missing serial alongside other doubts is a reason to walk away.
• Check that the case shape, crown guards and lug design match genuine examples of the same reference.

The crown should screw down smoothly and firmly onto the case, and any logo on it should be crisply formed. Compare it with photos of a known genuine example of the same reference. A crown that won't screw down, or that looks generic, needs a closer look and may also affect water resistance.

Checking the bracelet and clasp

The classic 2000 bracelet is a three-link design with a raised centre link, folded end links and a folding safety clasp. Check that:

• the end links fit snugly against the case with no gaps,
• the clasp is signed and closes securely,
• the bracelet style matches the generation (the 2000 Exclusive has its own bracelet).

A non-original bracelet doesn't make the watch a fake, but it does affect value.

Checking the movement

Only open a caseback if you know what you're doing. Ideally, have a watchmaker do it. Inside, the movement should match the reference: quartz references should have quartz movements, and automatic references should have the expected automatic calibre. Many quartz movements have a date stamp on the coil (for example "4.88" for April 1988), which should fit the age of the watch.

Box and papers

Boxes and warranty cards can be bought separately, so on their own they don't prove anything. They're useful when the numbers match the watch, and they add to value, but always judge the watch first and the paperwork second.

Replacing the crystal

The 2000 series uses a sapphire crystal, which is very scratch resistant but can chip or crack after a hard knock.

Signs it needs replacing: a chip at the edge, a crack, or damage you can feel with a fingernail. Fine scuffs on a sapphire crystal are rare, so marks that look like scratches are sometimes on the bezel or dial instead.

Why it's a job for a watchmaker: the crystal is held in the case under pressure with a gasket. Removing it and fitting a new one needs a crystal press, the correct size and thickness of crystal, and a new gasket. Fitting it badly risks damaging the case, letting in moisture or having the crystal pop out. A watchmaker will also pressure test the watch afterwards.

Replacing the bezel insert

The bezel is unidirectional and ratchets as it turns. First-generation watches came with either a flat bezel with an aluminium insert or a steel bezel with six raised grips, and second-generation watches have a 12-sided bezel. Inserts fade and get scratched, and replacements are widely available.

Choosing an insert:

• Make sure it's for the right generation and case size.
• Genuine inserts are hard to find. Aftermarket inserts often have heavier numerals and whiter luminous pips than the original, and don't always sit perfectly flush. That matters to collectors and affects value.

What's involved: the bezel is removed from the case (usually by levering it off carefully at the gap between bezel and case), the old insert is taken out, and the new one is fitted with suitable adhesive. The bezel sits on a spring or click mechanism that gives it its ratchet, and it's easy to lose or bend when the bezel comes off. If you haven't done it before, it's worth asking a watchmaker.

Replacing or adjusting the bracelet

Finding the right bracelet

The classic 2000 bracelet is a three-link design with a raised centre link, folded end links and a folding safety clasp. The 2000 Exclusive has its own bracelet. The bracelet code after the full stop in your reference (such as .BA0337) identifies the bracelet it was sold with: BA codes are steel and BD codes are two-tone.

The most important detail is the end links, the pieces that fit against the case. They must match your case exactly. Lug width also varies by case size: for example, a 962.006-2 is recorded with 20mm lugs. Measure yours before buying.

Poorly fitting third-party end links leave gaps against the case, look wrong, and can put strain on the spring bars. If you can't find an original bracelet, a good quality strap is often a better choice than a badly fitting bracelet.

Removing and fitting the bracelet

1. Lay the watch face down on a soft cloth.
2. Use a spring bar tool to push in the spring bar where the end link meets the lug.
3. Ease the end link away from the case and repeat on the other side.
4. To fit, put a spring bar into the new end link, line up one end with the lug hole, compress the other end with the tool and slide it into place.
5. Tug gently on the bracelet to check both ends have clicked home.

Use new spring bars of the right size if the old ones are worn.

Adjusting the length

Links are held by pins or screws. Push pins out in the direction of the arrow on the inside of the link, using a pin pusher. Remove links evenly from both sides of the clasp so it stays centred under your wrist. A stretched bracelet, where links have worn and sag, can't really be fixed, and is one reason original bracelets in good condition are valued.

Genuine or aftermarket parts?

Genuine TAG Heuer parts keep the watch original, which matters for value. Aftermarket parts are cheaper and easier to find, and they can make a tired watch wearable again, but they should always be mentioned when you sell. We take originality into account in our offers, but we're happy to buy watches with replacement parts too.

Water resistance

The 2000 series was rated water resistant to 200 metres when new. Any work that disturbs the crystal, caseback or crown should be followed by a pressure test, and gaskets should be replaced where needed. Don't swim with an older 2000 unless it has been tested recently, however good it looks.

Buying and selling safely

• Buy from sellers who describe condition honestly and show the caseback, the movement and any flaws.
• If something doesn't add up, ask questions before paying.
• Check every reference in the full list in our complete TAG Heuer 2000 guide.
• Browse TAG Heuer 2000 watches for sale, each described honestly with any replaced parts listed.

If you own a 2000 and aren't sure what's original, or it needs a crystal, bezel or bracelet you'd rather not deal with, you don't have to fix it first. Send us photos and we'll make an offer within 24 to 48 hours, whatever its condition.