Quartz is Cool: The Appeal of the Tag Heuer 2000

The Tag Heuer 2000 series was an important line of watches for Heuer beginning in the early 1980s through their merger with TAG and into the early 2000s. Widely available in a number of configurations and reasonably affordable, I picked one up recently after digging into the less collectible, polarizing quartz years of the Heuer brand.

I’ve always had a thing for vintage Heuer Carreras. One of my grail watches is the 2447S, with its clean, utilitarian design, and its significance as one of the first widely adopted chronographs. The allure of this heritage coupled with the brand’s ties to motorsport and icons like Steve McQueen calls forth an undeniable coolness from a bygone era. My love for the early Carreras fueled a spontaneous purchase of the 160th Anniversary Carrera model on a vacation a few years back, and the rabbit hole into the brand began.

Here’s a well-researched and put-together history of the Heuer 2000 series models through the years.

Table Of Contents

The Case of the Tag Heuer 2000
The Moondust Dial
The Bracelet
Tag Heuer 2000: The Verdict
The Specs

The Case of the Tag Heuer 2000

The standard Tag Heuer Professional 2000 came in four sizes, denoted by the last two numbers in the reference number that can be found on the caseback. My watch, the 972.606, falls under the men’s size, and the largest at an official case size of 38mm, however, there was a .X13 “midsize”, a .X15 “boy’s” size, and a .X08 “women’s” offered as well.

Heuer 2000 Moondust Catalog — *Original catalog showcases the four sizes of the Moondust Tag Heuer 2000*

There’s no mistaking the case of a Tag Heuer 2000 series watch. While the case measures 37mm or so from the point the bezel meets the side of the watch, there are unique “hips” at 3 and 9 o’clock that measure 40mm, not including the crown. Those extra millimeters give this midsize watch more wrist presence than you may suspect from the initial sub-40mm measurement.

The stainless steel case has a matte finish with a slightly dark tone that almost looks titanium. What I love most about this watch is how it wears. From the first time I put it on, I was delighted by how lightweight and sleek it feels. It’s wafer-thin at just 8.7mm, a feat achieved largely by its quartz movement. It contours and sits so flat on the wrist, and weighs just 88.5g including the bracelet. I’ll often forget I’m wearing it at all.

Introduced just before the Tag Heuer merger, the 2000 series continued production afterward, resulting in watches with both Heuer and Tag Heuer branded parts. My watch, being an early merger model, features an earlier “Heuer” stamped crown and bracelet clasp.

The Moondust Dial

The 972 model boasts the coveted “moondust” dial, which captivates with its shimmering particles under the right light. The navy blue is complemented by gold-toned Mercedes luminous hands, date wheel, and TAG logo. Later versions would feature a full-color TAG logo, in my opinion ruining much of the visual cohesion.

The Bracelet

With link design reminiscent of the design of a Rolex president bracelet, the Tag’s is finished in that titanium tone noted earlier. Like most bracelets from Tag and other brands of the era, it’s lightweight, cheap, and rattly, but I think that really encapsulates the vibe of this watch. It’s so unapologetically 80s and harkens to a time of bold designs, neon colors, and a sense of carefree fun that defined an entire generation’s style.

Once more, owing to the parts reused during the merger, this watch has a less common “Heuer” stamped clasp – another reason I had to have this specific example.

Tag Heuer 2000: The Verdict

I never expected to find myself reaching for this watch as much as I do. Its affordability prompted me to give it a try, yet I consistently find myself drawn to it for its comfort, ready-to-go quartz movement, and under-the-radar factor. I often scan online marketplaces in search of other iterations of the Heuer 2000 series to add to my collection.

I’d love to acquire a clean black dial variant with Heuer branding, and although these only come up every so often, part of the fun is in the hunt! The price is such that these earlier Tag Heuer quartz models are still attractive for collectors of all backgrounds.