On occasion of Watches & Wonders, TAG Heuer is launching the new-generation of its diving watch collection, the Aquaracer Professional 300. Prices
TAG Heuer is launching the new-generation of its famous diving watch collection, now called Aquaracer Professional 300.
A true go-anywhere luxury tool watch, the Aquaracer Professional 300 is a versatile timepiece that combines robustness with a refined look and excellent performances.
Its appearance is characterised by the signature 12-sided unidirectional rotating bezel. The designers kept the basic form and evolved it, integrating a scratch-resistant ceramic insert across the collection and fluting each of the 12 facets so the bezel would be easy to grip and turn, no matter which facets the wearer is holding.
To make the rotating mechanism even smoother to set, TAG Heuer's designers re-engineered the bezel’s internal tooth profile. They also upgraded the sapphire crystal, integrating a magnifier over the date at 6 o’clock into the underside of the crystal so that the surface is smooth to the touch. A clever approach that also offers the advantage of making the date easier to read from wider angles.
The bezel’s silhouette influenced the design of other elements of the Aquaracer Professional 300’s design, like the eight octagonal hour markers and a 12-sided crown.
The new model has a wider, more sword-shaped hour hand and a narrower minutes hand accentuating the difference between the two hands, especially in low-light conditions. For improved readability, the hour hand uses green Super-LumiNova while the minutes hand glows in blue.
The Aquaracer Professional 300 is now thinner and lighter for improved wearability. The case, bezel and metal bracelet have all been slimmed down, but without affecting robustness.
The caseback is decorated with the scaphandre diving suit that first appeared on the Aquaracer case back in 2004.
At launch, TAG Heuer presented seven references in two sizes - 43 mm and 36 mm - in the core collection.
Six of these are crafted from stainless steel, with the choice of black, blue or silver dials. There will also be a 43 mm piece in high-tech matte Grade 2 titanium with a green dial.
The dials of the 43 mm models feature the typical engraved horizontal lines while the dials on the smaller 36 mm models are engraved with a wave pattern, which was introduced in 2019. The blue 36 mm model also has eight diamond hour markers and polished central bracelet links.
Each reference is equipped with an integrated metal bracelet completed by a fine adjustment system that can extend or reduce the bracelet length by up to 1.5 cm.
TAG Heuer is also introducing the Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844, a limited edition inspired to the Heuer Ref. 844 divers’ watch introduced in 1978.
The Heuer Ref. 844 - 1978
Crafted from Grade 5 titanium (a titanium alloy that offers a brighter appearance compared to Grade 2 titanium used for the green version), the case frames a flat black dial carrying the Ref. 844’s red 24-hour scale, which was originally intended as a quick conversion chart for on-the-field professionals reporting the time against the 24-hour clock.
The look is completed by vintage lume and a black perforated rubber strap based on an original design created to allow water to swiftly pass between the watch and the wearer’s wrist.
Only 844 examples of the Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844 will be made.
References and pricing of the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 Professional 300 are detailed below:
Ref. WBP201A.BA0632: 43 mm, stainless steel, black dial, steel bracelet - Euro 2,850
Ref. WBP201B.BA0632: 43 mm, stainless steel, blue dial, steel bracelet - Euro 2,850
Ref. WBP201C.BA0632: 43 mm, stainless steel, silver dial, steel bracelet - Euro 2,850
Ref. WBP208B.BF0631: 43 mm, titanium, green dial, titanium bracelet - Euro 4,000
Ref. WBP208C.FT6201: 43 mm, titanium, black dial, rubber strap, 844-piece limited edition - Euro 4,100
Ref. WBP231C.BA0626: 36 mm, stainless steel, silver dial, steel bracelet - Euro 2,650
Ref. WBP231D.BA0626: 36 mm, stainless steel, black dial, steel bracelet - Euro 2,650
Ref. WBP231B.BA0618: 36 mm, stainless steel, blue dial with 8 diamonds, steel bracelet - Euro 3,150
All eight references in the new Aquaracer Professional 300 collection are powered by TAG Heuer’s Calibre 5, a 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) Swiss-made, automatic mechanical movement that drives hour, minute and seconds hands and a date, which is now positioned at 6 o’clock. Every model has a solid case back and guarantees water- resistance to a pressure of up to 30 bar (300 metres / 1,000 feet). tagheuer.com
Love the tribute version
ReplyDelete