It is a highly competitive model series for a particularly fiercely contested genre. After all, steel diver’s watches have been extremely popular for decades, and the range of different brands is almost unmanageable. TAG Heuer has been a player in this segment since the late 1970s. Its Aquaracer collection is now a key component of its success – and it is precisely this model series that has now been fundamentally revised, improved and made significantly more attractive in several respects. The new Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and the Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT are aimed at customers who place high expectations on their timepieces in terms of resilience, performance and aesthetics.
Aquaracer Professional 300 Date
Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT
As a watch brand, TAG Heuer has traditionally been associated with motorsport as well as aviation, as evidenced by models such as the Carrera, Monaco and Autavia. But the watches from La Chaux-de-Fonds also have a long history in and under water. In 1978, the first diving watches were presented in the form of the 1000 series, followed by the first generation of the 2000 series in 1982. Over the next two decades, this series was presented in a wide variety of versions and materials, as evidenced by the later subdivision into the ‘Classic’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Exclusive’ sub-collections.
The first TAG Heuer diving watch from 1978
In 2004, the watch was renamed ‘2000 Aquaracer’. At that time, however, only the word ‘Professional’ appeared on the dial; it was only referred to as the ‘Aquaracer’ in the catalogue. The models at the time, with their aluminium bezels and water resistance to 300 metres (even then!) proved to be a great sales success with their dynamic nickname, leading to the entire 2000 series being renamed Aquaracer in 2005.
Following the launch of the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and the Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT, the collection is now being expanded to include two models that will occupy a position at the very top of the collection. The names of the two timepieces are as straightforward as they are unambiguous: the customer can choose between a classic diver’s watch with a date display and a sports watch for long-distance travellers. The latter is equipped with a GMT function, which means it can display up to three time zones. Both models are equipped with the TH31 calibre, which was developed by TAG Heuer together with AMT, the premium brand of movement manufacturer Sellita.
The new calibre TH31
The movement has an impressive power reserve of 80 hours, is certified by the COSC, and comes with a five-year extended warranty. The case of the new Aquaracer models is water-resistant to 300 metres, although the diameter of the Professional 300 has been reduced from 43 to 42 mm compared to the previous model, which makes the overall proportions of the watch appear more harmonious and ultimately also reflects the trend towards smaller watches. The faceted ceramic bezel with twelve edges and the wave pattern on the dial are typical Aquaracer features. On the back of the case, the owner of the watch will find an engraved diver’s helmet.
The Aquaracer Professional 300 Date is available with a black bezel and black sunburst dial with a black rubber or metal strap, with a blue bezel and blue sunburst dial with a blue rubber or metal strap, or with a green ceramic bezel and green sunburst dial with a metal strap. The price of these watches starts at 3,550 euros.
The Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT is available either in blue with a black and blue ceramic bezel with a blue rubber strap or metal bracelet, or in green with a black and green ceramic bezel and metal bracelet. Price: from 3,950 euros. This puts the new Aquaracer in good company with similarly positioned models such as the Tudor Black Bay GMT (from 4,050 euros) or the Longines Hydroconquest GMT (from 3,000 euros).
Which variation of the Aquaracer looks the most attractive is, of course, completely subjective. For fans of the colour green, however, the two corresponding editions are likely to be of great interest. Incidentally, the rubber strap has a special charm; it gives both the Date and GMT a sportier look, and at the same time takes away the hardness of the steel bracelet. All in all, however, all eight models look extremely appealing and also feel notably high-quality and very well-produced.
Within the Aquaracer collection, the two new Professional 300 models are the best of the best in every respect. They are joined by the Aquaracer Professional 200 Date (40 and 30 millimetres) and the Aquaracer Professional 300 models, which are available in a wide range of sizes from 36 to 45 mm and in materials such as titanium or DLC-coated steel.
Aquaracer Professional 200
For those looking for the ultimate luxury diver’s watch, TAG Heuer offers the Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver. It is water-resistant to a depth of 1,000 metres and, with a height of 15.75 mm, is one of the thinnest deep-divers on the market.
Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver
The Aquaracer line currently comprises a total of 58 models and is correspondingly diverse, ranging from typically sporty to feminine and stone-set. It may be in the nature of watch enthusiasm to automatically pay the most attention to the youngest members of the watch line. However, when you look at the entire collection, the very latest Professional 300 models show the path that TAG Heuer is taking with the Aquaracer family. These are extremely robust models that are highly contemporary in terms of both colour and technology, which confidently move the entire collection back to where it has actually been heading for decades: bang in the middle of the high-end diver segment, where these steely sports watches can, in addition to their reliability, also bring a good dose of style and status.
The new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and GMT models, as well as all other Aquaracer diver’s watches, are available via the online boutique at tagheuer.com.
