INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 collection
Fergus NashThe Aquaracer line from TAG Heuer has become as iconic to the history of the brand as the Monaco and the Carrera, given that it can trace its roots all the way back to the 1978 Reference 488. Although the name wasn’t conceived until 2004, it’s almost impossible now to leave them out of the discussion when talking about some of the best looking Swiss divers, particularly give their aggressive sportiness and unique facets. Now in 2022, we’re treated to the next evolution of the Aquaracer in the Professional 200 collection that reduces the model’s diameter and thickness while increasing the comfort.
Without getting into the minute specifications of every single model, there are a total of 11 new references. The first four flagship models are 40mm in diameter, with either the Calibre 5 automatic movement or a quartz. The automatics come in either grey or blue gradient dials, while the quartz models stick to a more simplistic monochromatic colour scheme in black and silver. The silver dial version looks particularly sporty, with the brushed steel bezel blending into the dial and the black-outlined hour markers being super legible.
The remaining five references are all 30mm, which offers a great amount of variety to women and the smaller-wristed. Two automatic models echo the smoky fumé grey and blue dials of the 40mm models, but have been given the “feminine sparkle” of diamonds as hour markers. The date display at 6 o’clock may be difficult to read on the diminutive dial, but it’s still great to see that no functionality has been sacrificed for the sake of size. The next two quartz 30mm Aquaracer Professional 200s are variations on the same watch with a glacial white mother of pearl dial, and your choice of either the standard or a diamond-set bezel.
The final three entrants into the Aquaracer Professional 200 collection are possibly my favourites, as they appear in the 30mm female-friendly size but without any of the overly feminine traits that can alienate some wearers while patronising others. The black and white dials are fairly self-explanatory, but the ice-blue dial version is a serious stunner. All of these quartz models do sacrifice the date window, but I could see a lot of people challenging their diameter-based preconceptions by trying them on.
The argument could be made that these watches are a step backwards in their water resistance, moving from 300m to 200m, but in all practicality you are still more than capable of diving casually with these watches. Considering that most dive watch owners often don’t even swim in their watches, I think it’s pretty clear that the size reduction and new dial colours are only positive things that give the Aquaracer range much more versatility.