TAG Heuer unveils the latest update on its Aquaracer, with a new, sleek profile and refined, sporty details
Over the decades the diving watch has morphed from a technical instrument designed for the rigours of the deep seas to a fashion accessory in its own right. And while it’s comforting to know that your timepiece can survive a dip in the ocean, or even take on more challenging sports, it needs to look good for everyday wear.
This is something that TAG Heuer understands well with its long-standing Aquaracer line. It leans on the best of its innovative timekeeping while honing the look of the collection to meet contemporary tastes, all while staying true to the elements that have made the watch such an enduring classic. With this in mind, last year it presented the revamped Aquaracer Professional 300, to popular reception. And now with the new Aquaracer Professional 200 it delivers further subtle enhancements that bring a crisp, sartorial edge – a sports-chic watch as comfortable in the boardroom as it is on the ski slopes.
Like all models in the family, it stays true to the key tenets of the collection that speak to its diving credentials: the unidirectional rotating bezel, screw-down crown, water resistance to at least 200 metres, legible and luminous markings, a sapphire crystal cover and a double safety clasp. This has been brought up to date with a number of aesthetic changes that both follow on from those seen on the recent Aquaracer Professional 300, while providing a clear differentiation.
Uniting the two is the bezel, with its distinctive 12 facets, which has been carefully reworked for a sleeker silhouette. However, here the diving scale is engraved into a steel insert (rather than the previous ceramic), bringing a more formal feel. Meanwhile the “200” also provides an even svelter profile, available in a more compact 40mm case diameter (with two automatics and two quartz models), as well as a 30mm option in an expanded range of two automatics and five quartz in an array of sophisticated dial colours and options. The detailing is equally as refined, using straight-edged, trapezoidal hour markers, thinner sword-shaped hands, and contrasting white detailing to bring a more sartorial, yet sporty, finish.