One of the new brands participating in the new digital platform of the Watch and Wonders 2021 is TAG Heuer. After an already positive start in the 2021 with the Porsche collaboration, the brand released a new highly sportive wristwatch, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer. Built to last, the new Aquaracer bears an impressive list of features and a 40 years heritage. We have a look today at the green dial version, the Ref. WBP208B.BF0631.
With a slight regret for the defunct Baselworld and a bit overwhelmed by the impressive number of brands participating in the Watches and Wonders 2021, I was still impressed to see what TAG Heuer prepared. With a colourful presentation predominated by a combination of blue and red (as in the case of the release of the Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition), the sporty oriented brand released the new Aquaracer – a 300m water-resistant beast built to last in a sand-blasted titanium case. The new diver brings the 12 faceted bezel with a brushed ceramic insert in the colour of the dial: blue, black and green. In the spirit of today’s trend, I chose the green dial for the review.
Review TAG Heuer Aquaracer
When I first heard that TAG Heuer is releasing an Aquaracer for W&W I was not “moved”. But I opened the press release and I was taken by surprise. A pure modern Aquaracer presented in several dial colours, including a Tribute to Ref. 844. So they actually really prepared.
TAG Heuer is winning his way into our hearts and to our wrists – nice watches released with a care for details and a common idea to make them easier recognisable. Good for them…
Titanium at your service
The new TAG Heuer Aquaracer comes with a light and mat 43mm titanium case. All the case details are sandblasted leaving a nice to touch surface. The Aquaracer case in titanium gave me the impression of shorter lugs and slightly more rounded edges. No sharp ages or angles could compromise the view or make the wear uncomfortable.
Even the crown received the sand-blasting finish but without compromising the well defined engraved logo. The crown gained in this way an improved grip, due to its matt finish. The screwed crown is not imposing difficulties or adjusting time, it works easy and the set and winding positions are intuitive and well defined (fact visible in the hands-on video).
The bracelet is a bliss – well manufactured and nicely integrated into the case. The bracelet is light and comfortable. But the most interesting and useful detail is the very generous fine adjustment system. The new system with two pushers leaves room for up to 1.5 cm. The adjustment can be realised with a simple gesture by simultaneously pushing those two buttons.
The thighing can be easily done if the watch is of the wrist. I have tried several times to tighten it up on the wrist and I needed several trials to be successful. It needs accommodation time – a usual fact for the fine adjustments, regardless the brand, with the mention that it can be done on the wrist after several trials. Check the video in the conclusions paraghraph for a wrist-roll in which I release and tighten the strap with the watch on the wrist.
The back of the watch reveals a closed caseback also manufactures in grade two titanium. A nice engraving depicts a heavy-duty diving helmet. The details follow the 12 faceted motives find on the bezel. I love how TAG Heuer integrated the geometrical theme into all the visible details.
Bezel and Dial
The front of the TAG Heuer Aquaracer presents a 12 sides bezel, specific to the Aquaracer models. Specific to the Ref. WBP208B.BF0631 is the green ceramic insert. This brushed element contributed to the watch’s theme: 12 sides on the exterior and rounded interior. A minute register was engraved and filled with blue Super-LumiNova®. Specific to this models is also the yellow triangle that keeps company to the central running seconds’ hand with a yellow tip.
The low light experience is complex and attractive. The minutes engraved on the bezel and the minutes’ hand (and the central seconds) feature blue luminescent. The bezel 12 o’clock triangle and the hour indexes feature green luminescent. In this way, a very distinct image is fast formed about the exact time.
The new Aquaracer received extra detail for its dial. The hours’ indexes are now more elaborate: a three-dimensional octagonal shape present a three faceted design (wall, bevel and top face) with white luminescent shinning green). The twelve a clock index was also changed with a faceted applied shape.
The 3 and 9 o’clock present a slimmer version fo the 12 o’clock index, while the 6 o’clock is a miniature design due to the date window. The date window was moved from 3 to 6 o’clock and received a new round loupe. The legibility is OK.
The green face of the dial bears an iridescent green visible on the subtle brushing on the known linear pattern. Depending on the light conditions, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer dial will present various shades of green.
TAG Heuer Calibre 5
Even if it is not visible on the back, the Calibre 5 is the one putting the new Aquaracer into motion. This robust calibre is well known to the TAG Heuer fans. Even ladies can remember it from the 36mm Carrera pieces. The movement is a 4Hz automatic beater with 38 hours power reserve.
Conclusion
The new TAG Heuer Aquaracer is a light and sporty watch that does not run away from anything. Not even from a more serious attire. It has very comfortable wear due to its medium size dimensions (for a sports watch), the lightness of the case and bracelet (with the fast and generous fine adjustment system).
The lume show is impressive and does not miss any opportunity to shine to impress. The overall impression is great – TAG Heuer Aquaracer is a proper sports watch well priced and with a lot to offer…
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Technical Specifications and Price
Ref. WBP208B.BF0631
Movement
- Caliber: 5 Automatic
- MovementAutomatic Watch
- Power reserve38 H
- Balance Frequency28’800 (4 Hz)
Case
- Size: 43 mm
- Water resistance: 300 m
- Case: Titanium Sand-Blasted
- Bezel: Turning Bezel Titanium & Ceramic
- Case back: Titanium grade 2
Dial
- Green
Bracelet
- Material: Titanium
- Finishing: Sand-Blasted
- Buckle: Folding Clasp Push-Buttons – Fine Brushed Steel
Price
- 4.000,00 €
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Gallery
I have owned a Tag Heuer Aquaracer for less than 4 years. However,the crown failed whilst I was changing the time when the clocks changed. Despite complaining to Tag Heuer that this was a design failure as I found many owners online who had experienced the same crown failure, I was informed that the repair would be around 25% of the initail cost of the watch. If I had wanted a watch that would only last me 4 years, I would have paid $200, not $1800. I totally refute the claim on the Tag Heuer website that this watch is “durable”. Shame on Tag Heuer for its cheap componentry and poor after sales service. My previous Tag Heuer lasted me for 25 years with no such problems. As a result I will never purchase another Tag Heuer again and would not recommend the Aquaracer to anyone.
Hi Jim,
Sorry to hear about your negative experience. Can you please share us the exact model (reference).
Of course, a watch that is meant to last a life, should not failed miserably after 4 years.
What did you finally do? Repair it? Sold it?
Cheers,
Andrei