# Tag Heuer Aquaracer 500m rubber strap question



## carybee123 (Jun 6, 2011)

I just bought my first "serious" watch  A Tag Aquaracer 500m on a bracelet.

I am really interested in picking up a rubber strap to be able to change the look of the watch.

Does anyone have any info on where best to find a replacement strap? Cost?

Any thoughts on how easy it is to change? (says the rookie...) 

Looking forward to hearing some thoughts.

Thanks all.


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## tribe125 (Mar 7, 2006)

Moved to Tag-Heuer forum.


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## gabs2012 (Sep 20, 2011)

Bumping... I'm curious as well. TIA


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2011)

Are you looking at buying a genuine strap or after-market? Whenever I've bought genuine TAG Heuer straps I've found the AD's to be about the same price as any grey market dealer. Just done a quick google search, you'll be looking around $500 for a genuine strap and deployment clasp (they are sold separately). If you bought your Aquaracer from an AD maybe they'll cut you some discount on the strap and clasp due to your watch purchase. Swapping the bracelet for the strap is fairly straight forward, just get yourself a decent spring bar tool. Hope this helps, cheers.


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## travicon6694 (Jan 31, 2012)

Damn, I'm having this same issue. Can't find one online and would rather have that than the steel bracelet I have :/


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## ard92 (Dec 8, 2011)

Odd right now im the opposite, my aquaracer came with a rubber band but i would like a bracelet.

Here are some links to an online retailer, but as said before most AD's should be about the same or cheaper.

band Black Rubber Strap

2x of these end links End Piece for FT6015

and the deployment clasp Stainless Steel Deployant Clasp

All together $490 plus s&h


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## travicon6694 (Jan 31, 2012)

How about a trade?


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## travicon6694 (Jan 31, 2012)

I'm actually quite baffled as to why the rubber costs more than the steel; I dot know how often this is the case but I find it odd. And calling customer service is no good because all they want you to do is mail your watch in for an estimate(ludicrous when they could easily quote over the phone) or go to my AD. Plenty of companies send replacement parts to customers and this situation has kind of got me re-thinking how bad I want a Monaco considering how sticky it is to deal with Tag. Very disappointed thus far.


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## Rachdanon (Jan 30, 2012)

In Singapore the rubber version retails at $4200, bracelet at $4300, in SGD. Auto non-chrono model of course....


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## travicon6694 (Jan 31, 2012)

Ya but if you price them as far buying separately, it is inversed. I've consistently seen $300-350 for the steel and the rubber for $250-285($245 clasp is a separate cost, as are the end links)Which brings rubber to $495+ the end link price. That's out of control. I've bought a Movado rubber strap for a limited edition Movado and it was only $250. Tag's price is thievery.


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## ard92 (Dec 8, 2011)

travicon6694 said:


> How about a trade?


I have an aquaracer 300m so my strap wouldn't fit yours, if you were thinking of trading watches then sure but i dont think you will fair to well on the trade 

With nearly every other brand of watch the rule of thumb is buy the watch with the metal bracelet since its the most expensive to replace. With Tag heuer a leather strap with deployment is more expensive than the bracelet and same goes for the rubber strap.


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## travicon6694 (Jan 31, 2012)

ard92 said:


> With nearly every other brand of watch the rule of thumb is buy the watch with the metal bracelet since its the most expensive to replace. With Tag heuer a leather strap with deployment is more expensive than the bracelet and same goes for the rubber strap.


My point exactly, why is this?!?!


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## ard92 (Dec 8, 2011)

travicon6694 said:


> My point exactly, why is this?!?!


Profit. A metal band has a very small chance of breaking or wearing out so the chances of them selling another metal strap to you is very slim (if your anal about scratches but at the same time is very hard on the band). A rubber or leather strap will fall apart long before a metal bracelet so they charge more for it knowing that you will come back and buy it.


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## Dr_Gonzo (Mar 1, 2011)

You can also put it on a NATO or a Maratac Elite Series Composite Strap (Highly recommended, I love mine) for around $20. I have put my 500m on a NATO and leather to change it up and they both looked great. There are pics in the Aquaracer - 2000 Club sticky thread here .


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## gigi_cro (Mar 17, 2010)

hi, lol i am on the same line here as everyone, i bought it with steel thinking i'll get the rubber pretty cheap later on...

but i must tell u something the AD i bought the watch from in Italy sells the rubber strap for 80€ and the togheter with clasp and everything a total of 230€. he would probably give me some discount, i am hoping it could go for 200€.
anyway i still think this is criminaly expensive, your price for about 500$ it's absolutely out of reason. can't belive it, because usually in europe everything is more expensive.

i talked to the ad, about alternatives i told him it's 2 expensive, he said it's not 2 expensive it's the links and the clasp that are an investment, but he said that's only the 1st time, next time u just need to buy the rubber strap for 80€. 
he said he will prepare me the TAG original and some alternative for me to chose from, but he said it cannot be compared to the original. 
in the meantime i've been googling and i bumped into this one HIRSCH bracelet assortment - HIRSCH Armbänder GmbH , the design is not far from the TAG's original and it looks really well made. i've looked it on ebay and it sells around 50-60$, that''s much more resonable. this design also ain't bad, very smooth and clean HIRSCH bracelet assortment - HIRSCH Armbänder GmbH...
wondering how would a white strap fit in. would it be 2 much?

i still have 2 think about it.


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