The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Reimagined
By Amanda Evans | 4 minute read
Founded in 1860, TAG Heuer has a strong history of watchmaking innovation combined with a pioneering spirit that has led to the design and manufacture of some of the world’s leading watches and chronographs. With a commitment to technical innovation and a passion for action and high performance, it is no surprise that TAG Heuer became synonymous with the world of sport. Today the luxury Swiss brand demonstrates iconic design in the TAG Heuer Carrera, Monaco and Autavia collections whilst the Aquaracer, Formula 1 and Connected express a more contemporary style.
The Aquaracer collection represents ultimate precision in the most challenging circumstances. Uniquely engineered and designed to survive the most extreme adventures whilst exploring the depths. Instantly recognisable for its 12-faceted unidirectional bezel, it is resistant to water, sweat and humidity and presents timeless style and reliability in all conditions. With a collection that includes both automatic and quartz models for both men and women in an array of stylish designs, we were excited to discover that the Aquaracer has been reinvented once again, with the return of the Aquaracer Professional 300, reimagined for 2021.
The beloved Aquaracer first introduced by TAG Heuer nearly 40 years ago returns for Watches & Wonders Geneva 2021, revealing a versatile timepiece for modern-day adventurers. Utilizing the Calibre 5 Automatic movement, the fresh take suggests endless adaptability of the Aquaracer for years to come.
First created as a tool watch for divers in 1974, the redesigned Aquaracer adds ceramic bezels, sunray dials, and a new bracelet with a fine adjustment system. In four colours and two sizes, 43mm and 36mm, three colour dials (black, blue, and silver) get paired with stainless steel and a distinctive green dial with titanium further enlarges the line’s versatility.
The Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref.844, a limited edition within the collection, updates a reference from 1978 in Grade 5 titanium while taking visual cues from its predecessor.
All water-resistant to 300 meters (30 bar), the new Aquaracer can go anywhere at any time, land or sea. Stephen Watson, Watch Editor
A robust watch with a luxury feel, the Aquaracer is back with a bright new look and new lease of life. Skilfully engineered and combined with the most stunning design aesthetics, it encapsulates TAG Heuer’s avant-garde spirit, with a versatility that combines both work and play. The new-generation Aquaracer 300 Professional moves forward with the most significant step for the collection in many years. TAG Heuer’s accomplished designers have harnessed a design with a distinct concept. A bold, high-performance, and ergonomic watch respecting the heritage of the divers watch whilst making refinements to the design and materials. This stunning new timepiece acknowledges the sophisticated profile often sought by the new generation of wearers who turn to divers’ watches for their vigorous performance yet seek a watch for work and play. Functionality and adaptability are key, and the Aquaracer 300 Professional truly has achieved the ‘go anywhere’ standard.
The result is quite simply an upgrade of the original Aquaracer’s six signature features, the unidirectional rotating bezel; screw-down crown; a minimum of 200 metres water resistance; luminous markings; sapphire crystal and a double safety clasp. The unidirectional rotating bezel with its visually appealing multi-faceted bezel has evolved to include a scratch-resistant ceramic insert with fluted facets for an easier grip. The bezel’s rotating mechanism is smoother and easier to set, and the sapphire crystal integrates a magnifier beneath the crystal over the date window at 6 o’clock to allow for a level surface. The silhouette of the bezel also now influences the design of the hour markers and crown with eight octagonal hour markers and a 12-sided crown giving uniformity to the design. Legibility of the watch face has been improved with the application of green and blue Super-LumiNova® for the watch hands and hour markers and the newly integrated bracelet design allows for fine adjustments to be made to suit the conditions without removing the watch.
Aside from the upgrades to the Aquaracer’s core performance features, we cannot help but be drawn to the attention to detail that has been encapsulated in the redesign. The new Aquaracer 300 Professional has an aesthetic appeal that adds consistency and finesse to the watch design which will no doubt gain interest from those looking for the perfect combination of function and form.
*UPDATE TO ARTICLE - 7TH SEPTEMBER 2021*
After the hugely successful launch of the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 series in April 2021 to coincide with Watches & Wonders Geneva, we are delighted to discover that the brand has added a further three additions to the Aquaracer family taking the revered collection to a total of 11 references. All three new additions have a 43mm case and are presented on a rubber strap with TAG Heuer’s innovative adjustable folding clasp, cut to a made-to-measure length as part of the fitting process upon purchase.
The black and blue models complement their stainless-steel counterparts with matching ceramic bezels, dials, and rubber straps. These models are accompanied by the Night Diver, which is the standout model of this release, joining the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844 as the hero pieces of the entire collection.
TAG HEUER AQUARACER Professional 300 NIGHT DIVER - Calibre 5 Automatic
The “Night Diver” was first introduced in the 1980s when it gained a following by TAG Heuer enthusiasts who sought a combination of style and function whilst pushing beyond their limits. The Night Diver became one of the most renowned sports watches of that time and has now been reimagined to bring it in line with the updated collection of this year. Today, the new iteration stays true to its roots but with improved signature details such as the 12-sided bezel and horizontal engraved lines on the dial, creating an altogether more refined version of this iconic classic. The stainless-steel case, ceramic bezel, crown, caseback, and clasp are coated in black DLC, a matt diamond-like carbon with a robust finish that makes it ideal for use in extreme conditions. The ceramic bezel is also highly resistant to corrosion and the fully luminescent dial gives remarkable glow-in-the-dark performance in low visibility.
TAG HEUER AQUARACER Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844 - Calibre 5 Automatic
Introduced back in April, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844. Is reflective of the historic Ref. 844 watch of 1978. This piece is limited to 844 pieces, made and launched in September 2021.
This completes this year’s TAG Aquaracer Professional 300 series with a total of 11 high performance timepieces designed for divers, adventurers, and urban explorers.
Discover the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 series here at Mappin & Webb..
