When discussing the icons of TAG Heuer, or indeed its forerunner Heuer, the names often mentioned are the automotive- and aviation-inspired stars among the company’s collection – the Carrera, Monaco and Autavia.
But for those that don’t mind their icons having more contemporary origins while also seeking purpose-built design for water sports, then it is the TAG Heuer Aquaracer – with its emblematic 12-facet ceramic bezel and lumed pointers – that fits the bill.
And so, as the Aquaracer name approaches its 20th anniversary and many of us approach summer, the brand has unveiled some tantalising updates for its Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and Professional 300 GMT.
The alluring new models feature revised dial details and colours and refined case proportions, as well as the expanded roll-out of the chronometer-grade TH31 family of movements, which now includes a variation with GMT function.
Wavy Finish
Let’s start with the faces of these new Professional 300s, where of a lot of the evolution is taking place. Rather than rigid, straight-lined grooves, the dials bear a sculptural texture of uneven waves, evoking the marine environment in which these watches are intended to be worn.
That wavy finish helps lend a certain vivacity to the trio of dial colours available: Black, blue and green, with each one meant to be paying tribute to the ocean depths and their corresponding shades.
These are Professional 300s and so on both the Date and GMT models we see lume-filled hands, pointers and indexes, and a magnifying lens in the crystal above the date at 6 o’clock. But the hour hand is now beefier and incorporates the shape of the TAG Heuer shield.
Each Date model’s seconds hand is distinguished by a vibrant hue that contrasts with the main dial tone beneath, while for the GMT editions, it is the second-time zone hand that receives a touch of colour with the seconds hand rhodium-treated.
In the dark, the minute hand, seconds hand and bezel-borne triangle are distinguished by a lume that glows blue, while the rest of the indications are lit up in glowing green.
Looks the Business
Talking of the bezel, this of course wouldn’t be a modern-day Aquaracer without the signature dodecagonal rotating notched bezel with ceramic insert.
The bezel is unidirectional with a minute scale for the Date model, and bidirectional with a 24-hour scale for the GMT version. The latter also has a bicolour day/night indicator in blue and black or green and black, depending on the dial colour.
In either case, the bezel looks the business. How it frames the dial and how it marries with the rest of the case, TAG Heuer has got its execution and proportions spot on here.
And proportions are where the other main updates lie. The brushed and polished steel case is now 42mm in diameter instead of the usual 43mm, and 12mm high rather than 12.5mm. It’s not that much, but enough to make a difference both in terms of visuals and how it feels on the wrist.
Capping off the case characteristics, flanked by a pair of protruding crown guards, the screw-down crown helps to offer 300 metres of water resistance. To reinforce the subaquatic credentials, the caseback is engraved with a deep-sea diver, complete with 12-sided porthole face mask.
COSC-Certified Calibre
Inside the new models are variations of the COSC-certified, automatic TH31 family of calibres that was introduced last year. It was jointly developed with AMT who produces and assembles these movements exclusively for TAG Heuer.
For the Professional 300 Date we have the TH31-00, and for the GMT it is the TH31-03, both with 80-hour power reserve. So convinced is it of their reliability, TAG Heuer offers a five-year extended warranty on these watches.
Colour & Strap Options
The Aquaracer Professional 300 Date is available with black, blue or green dial. All three versions can be paired with a steel three-link bracelet, while the first two can be paired with sporty rubber straps to match the dial tone.
As for the Professional 300 GMT, just the blue and green dial are available right now, with a rubber strap option only available for the blue model as things stand.
For more information, please visit the TAG Heuer website.
