Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Day Date Bracelet Gen/Rep Comparison Photos

[SSTEEL 0]

Some of you may of noticed in my Carrera thread that I have decided to franken the hell out of it. Why? Because it's fun, and even though expensive, it still works out cheaper than a used gen.

 

In this thread I will be comparing the rep Carrera Bracelet along side the Genuine Carrera Bracelet. Expect to pay around $450+ for a new bracelet, or around $250 for a used one.

 

The genuine bracelet featured in this thread was new, and advertised as such, but due to poor packing (bracelet loose in bubble envelope) it has gained a few minor scratches in transit, which show in the photos below.

 

Ok, before we go onto the photos, I would like to add, that the rep of this bracelet is very very close to the gen indeed, and the visual differences are minor, but the feel of the rep in the hand compared to the gen is that the gen is more smooth, refined, as you would expect of a high quality bracelet.

 

The rep bracelet is identifiable with your eyes closed due to the unfinished edges, thus feeling somewhat sharper edges where as gen is butter smooth.

 

Onto the photos. I will title each photo at the top of each photo so you can identify which is which easily.

 

Gen Right

Rep Left

 

 

Gen Top

Rep Bottom

 

Gen

 

Rep

 

Rep

 

Gen

 

Rep Closest to camera

Gen furthest away from Camera

 

Rep End Links (note the inner finishing compared to gen)

 

Gen End Links (note the finishing compared to rep)

 

Gen Left

Rep Right

 

Genuine Spring Bars (pair) Top

Replica Spring Bars (pair) Bottom

 

Clasp

 

Gen Top

Rep Bottom

Note the angle the rep lays (higher) off table top compared to gen

 

Gen still top

Rep Bottom

 

Gen (note the stamping FAA044 compared to rep)

 

Rep (FAAO44)

 

Rep

 

Gen

 

Conclusion:

 

The replica Carrera bracelet is a very close match, and its only the feel, and a few key details that tell it apart from the gen. These are as follows..

 

1. Feel in the hand, the genuine feels better finished, and smoother than the rep.

 

2. Inner clasp "TAG Heuer" & "Stainless Steel" Stamping is deeper, and more refined on the Gen.

 

3. Gen has the following stamped on clasp "Y-M3" which is actually a lighter stamp than the "Y-L6" Rep stamping.

 

4. Gen has "FAA044" stamped whereas Rep a letter "O" instead of an actual number "0" in FAAO44" stamping.

 

5. Outer clasp "TAG Heuer" stamping, the gen's e's of Heuer are not rounded like the reps e's. The reps e's almost look like small o's. Gen have correct open e's, with the middle horizontal line being inline with the horizonal of the capital letter H of Heuer.

 

6. End Links. Whilst the rep is very close, its the fine detail, and finishing that tells them apart.

 

7. The Gen Carrera Bracelet is slightly heavier than the rep, but not by much (see below)..

 

Gen

 

Rep

 

That concludes my side by side comparison of the Tag Heuer Carrera Gen & Rep Bracelets.

 

I hope this proves helpful to you all who may of often wondered about the differences.

Onto the weight of each Carrera Bracelet

[TheSav 2]

Very informative. You can certainly see where the rep falls short next to the gen. Still a pretty good copy considering. I just wish they'd put a little bit more time and love into the clasp. Shame about the scratches on your gen bracelet too. I'd be pissed.

[SSTEEL 0]

I am pissed about the scratches, but luckily they will buff out with some cape cod, and considering what I paid for the bracelet I feel I got a bargain

[SSTEEL 0]

Be careful of people selling the rep version of this bracelet as Gen. Here is an example, they use a gen photo of it being worn, but the other photos of are the rep bracelet..

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tag-Heuer-Carrera-Mens-Full-Size-Stainless-Steel-Watch-Band-in-Excellent-Cond-/281047894236?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item416fc288dc

 

The tell in the above case is the e's of Heuer, they are round on the rep bracelet, and not oval, open like gen.

[E.R. 0]

Lot of thanks!

[P4GTR 0]

awesome comparo!

[TeaAnyone 99]

i love it when people do rep vs gen comparisons. The reps look so close to the real thing until you match them up against eachother. Very interesting.

 

Love the Carrera btw

[HeavyKrush 32]

Wow S, that's quite the write up. Thanks!

[SSTEEL 0]

Thanks I have several more gen parts on order, and when they arrive I shall be carrying out similar. Gen parts for this model incoming are as follows..

 

Black dial

Crown

Pushers

Hand set

Rotor

Calibre 16 movement

[ZellerFTW 0]

Treat the bracelet using the old chain lube trick and the rep bracelet is smooth like butter.

 

I can't speak for the finishing on the edges, but compared to a gen it seems close enough and hardly sharp.

[SSTEEL 0]

Treat the bracelet using the old chain lube trick and the rep bracelet is smooth like butter.

 

I can't speak for the finishing on the edges, but compared to a gen it seems close enough and hardly sharp.

 

I always remove a bracelet as soak in a WD40 bath for a few hours, then rinse, and watch in soapy water, then rinse, and the end result is a lovely smooth operating bracelet.

[dly02 0]

thanks! nice comparison!

[SSTEEL 0]

You are very welcome. More to come soon too with other gen parts from the same Carrera model

[SSTEEL 0]

Some photos are missing due to me accidentally deleting a sub-album in my photobucket account. I have managed to source the originals, and uploaded to the following flickr album for your viewing....