Typically we lose sight of the truth that our fanatic romance related to a mechanical motion may be one other’s annoyance. Our beloved rituals of winding and setting, feeling the grinding clicks in your fingertips, and double-checking you’ve set it accurately can act as a barrier to entry for some, leaving a mechanical watch inside a dresser drawer. That’s the reason I’m a proponent of luxurious manufacturers exploring quartz calibers, notably inside their extra in style collections. Eradicating that barrier and infrequently reducing its value level signifies that the watch and the interest as a complete may be accessed by extra folks, which is the final word objective, in any case. All that being mentioned, if a luxurious model goes to make a quartz watch and cost a luxurious value, you must make it a very good one.
Stepping off of my cleaning soap field, I’ll fortunately admit that when TAG Heuer launched the Aquaracer with a photo voltaic quartz caliber inside, I too scoffed on the value and questioned its function. Whereas the design language spoke to me with its warmly hued titanium building and tasteful accents, I simply didn’t perceive why TAG Heuer would cost a value many multiples of what different photo voltaic quartz calibers generally promote for. That was till I had the chance to have a interval of hands-on time with it. I discovered myself having fun with its light-weight but stable building, the enjoyable utility of lume, and even turned a bit enamored by the angular case traces, which had beforehand been a bit off-putting. So after I noticed that TAG Heuer was releasing the mannequin in metal and an much more accessible value level I used to be and waited for the editorial critiques to hit the online. Few ever did.
So right here we’re, metal photo voltaic quartz Aquaracer on wrist for a assessment of a watch that the fanatic group appears to have zoomed previous. However ought to they’ve?
My first impression of the long-titled TAG Heuer Aquaracer Skilled 200 Solargraph was that it felt a bit cheaper than I used to be anticipating. The polished centerlinks, the visually tender faceted case edge, the rounded inside fringe of the lugs, and the marginally clunky articulation of the bracelet all felt borrowed from a lesser model than I’d count on from one with such historic pedigree. Whereas a whole lot of fanatics might not regard TAG Heuer as an influence home luxurious model, it stays probably the most recognizable names within the trade worldwide and stands as an entry into luxurious watches for a lot of. So when arguably the most important touchpoint of the watch, the bracelet, doesn’t really feel fairly the way you need it to, it’s a huge deal. However in opening up the clasp and sliding it onto the wrist, the watch instantly begins to make a whole lot of sense.
It simply wears extremely nicely. Barely lighter and noticeably thinner than its contemporaries by the use of the Solarquartz TH50-00 caliber, the Aquaracer Skilled 200 is supposed to be a cushty grab-and-go choice for individuals who need a dressier diver. The combined ending of the general bundle is nicely fitted to a boardroom-to-beach method which cleverly aligns with TAG Heuer’s goal demographic of “sporty professionals”. At 40mm in diameter, the case gives ample presence carrying true to dimension however does conform to the wrist properly because of its barely curved structure. Its 9.97mm thickness means the watch can simply slide beneath a shirt cuff, leaving a few of its angled design seen for a little bit of showiness. Measuring 48mm from lug to lug, it doesn’t overextend itself and stays versatile for these with medium to large-sized wrists. An oddly asymmetrical case, TAG Heuer leans on a raised case aspect to counterweight the big crown guards flanking the big screw-down crown at 3 o’clock. It’s round these two options although that the case ending transitions a bit in another way than I’d have anticipated.
Operating the size of every case edge is a small faceted polished edge breaking apart the positive vertical brushing in any other case dominating its look. On the case’s heart, the polished line is at its slimmest, slowly broadening because it runs towards the lugs and ultimately falling off its aspect edge. Oddly sufficient although, when trying on the watch head-on, the side nearly seems largest at its heart as a result of side slowly rotating from the case’s high floor in favor of the case aspect. I do know that description might not translate to textual content all that nicely, however belief me after I say that it has the impact of softening the perimeters and making it not seem as visually crisp as you may want from a watch of this stature. Other than this slight annoyance, case ending is on par with others in its class if not barely higher. If it issues to you, and to be clear it does to me, the caseback on this mannequin is kind of good with its deeply embossed compass.
An immediately recognizable staple of the mannequin, the dodecagonal bezel sits atop the case with shallow grooves nonetheless providing respectable grip. As a result of its straight traces not matching the marginally curved angles of the case, they don’t fairly line up at their factors which visually bothers me however doesn’t inhibit your finger’s grip like some others on the market with angled designs. Regardless of the skinny general design, the bezel nonetheless retains a pleasing thickness and tactile really feel. Confidently snapping into place, the 60-click unidirectional bezel has wonderful motion using its flat parts as stable resting factors. Set inside, the metal bezel insert with black recessed markers is well-finished with radial brushing that involves life earlier than the case does in direct gentle. The impact elevates the look of the Aquaracer as in lower-lit circumstances you possibly can actually begin to admire these small particulars.
A flat sapphire crystal with a good antireflective coating holds guard over the dial beneath. The standout characteristic for me, this dial blends texture and coloration in a well-balanced approach that contrasts the remainder of the design. Darkish gray with an ever so slight blue tone, the dial is separated into two ranges with a raised minute observe holding printed minute markers surrounding the remainder of the dial particulars. Deep horizontal striations run throughout the semi-translucent floor including depth with the topmost floor being additional completed with a positive sunburst impact. The polished utilized hour markers with a central side are generously crammed with white lume contrasting the darker particulars surrounding them. At 3, the index is minimize brief in favor of a date window revealing a color-matched date wheel beneath. Following swimsuit, the hour and minute fingers are polished with a central side and beneficiant portion of lume whereas the pale blue tapering seconds hand ticks above. Dial textual content is kind of heavy although makes use of a mix of purposes to decrease its presence. At 12, the TAG Heuer emblem is polished and utilized with Aquaracer printed in white above whereas at 6, “Solargraph” is printed in pale blue above a white-printed water resistance callout of 200 meters or 660 ft. Legibility is improbable because of the heavy distinction intimately whereas the pale blue seconds, five-minute marks, and dial textual content add a enjoyable pop of coloration with out overpowering the design. The identical is true at night time when the white lume shines brightly. The hour indices and hour hand shine a pale inexperienced whereas the minute hand and absolutely lumed second hand shine in blue to help in faster legibility. It’s each an enthralling and efficient show that screams of its years of refinement.
Although you might not discover at first, the dial is semitranslucent to permit the photo voltaic cells hidden beneath to assemble and generate energy for the quartz caliber inside. Borrowing know-how from the Citizen model, the TH50-00 is predicated on the E168, a tried and true dependable caliber powered by any gentle supply. They declare that simply 20 hours of charging is sufficient to maintain this watch ticking for six months, once more enjoying into its grab-and-go nature and including peace of thoughts. This additionally comes with an accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per 30 days making it actually set it and neglect it, that’s till the dreaded daylight financial savings time shakes issues up twice a 12 months. Some have been fast to criticize the caliber’s origins versus the asking value, although personally, I see it as a optimistic that it’s a confirmed caliber, developed by the confirmed maker La Joux-Perret, in a light-weight bundle.
Regardless of my gripes, I discover myself having fun with the Aquaracer Skilled 200 fairly a bit. Whereas the model title might include some baggage within the fanatic enviornment, TAG Heuer nonetheless produces stable choices with distinctive visuals. Positive, this explicit Aquaracer is probably not the hardcore dive watch that some might want, however what it lacks in ruggedness it makes up for with dressy particulars that in the end serve the higher market higher. To boil all of it down, this mannequin simply wears so extremely nicely. Once I put it on my wrist, I neglect that it’s there till I would like the time, after which discover myself actually having fun with its visuals.
At $2,500, there’s a ton of competitors on the market that in some ways outstacks the Aquaracer by way of specs and maybe your choice in design. But when this mannequin resonates with you, it’s a completely stable selection and definitely one which I consider others ought to return and try. Don’t let the titanium mannequin proceed to outshine it, the Aquaracer Skilled 200 Solarquartz is simply nearly as good in metal. TAG Heuer
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