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Introducing the Time+Tide x TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph ‘Sundowner’

Introducing the Time+Tide x TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph ‘Sundowner’

Andrew McUtchen

When the Solargraph was first released in 2022, it was a surprise hit. I remember being immediately drawn to its translucent dial, which gave the impression of looking through a dark mirror. The way it seems to both absorb and reflect light, the green shreds of luminous material in the bezel, the stealthy combination of a DLC case and integrated black rubber strap… The aesthetics, combined with the impressive solar technology – touted by TAG Heuer as offering months of power reserve on just hours of exposure to light, natural or otherwise – and the attractive price positioning pushed it up the ranks in Australia to quickly become the brand’s best selling model.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph bezel
The standard Solargraph released last year.

I was super impressed. Perhaps because of this technological layer, and the reassuring La Joux-Perret manufacture tie-in with the original plans bought from Citizen, it well and truly circumvented my inbuilt quartz cringe. The fact that it doesn’t have a regular changeable battery, rather a rechargeable cell that gets its energy from the sun and only one minute of light exposure to get going, moved it into a territory that made me want one. But I didn’t move on this model, as curious as I was. Strangely, it was the weight of that first model that dissuaded me. In my head, a non-mechanical movement with solar tricks up its sleeve should be lighter on wrist, and tougher than steel.

In my head, this model would be best served in a titanium case. My wishes were answered in 2023, when a grade 2 sandblasted titanium model was launched, with a popping teal second hand. I’m not sure if the dial was lighter, but it appeared so. Righto. No excuses left. I ordered one, not quite sure how long delivery would be. The first model had proven so popular in Aus that six month delays for orders were common.

TAG HEUER AQUARACER SOLARGRAPH STEEL 1
We found it hard to look at this and not think about the possibilities it offered with just a couple of small tweaks.

The allocation gods were on my side this time – it was on my wrist quickly. And that’s where it stayed for most of 2023. When Teddy Baldassare asked me to join a “most worn watch of the year” video, I proudly featured my Solargraph on a superior quality Bark & Jack fabric strap, which is the only way I have ever worn it. The titanium version suits this style of strap so perfectly because it’s light enough not to weigh down on the less structured strap, and it amps the tactical look of the sandblasted case material. The matt appearance of the material contrasts with the glossy, always sparkling translucent dial. It’s a superb combination.

I can’t give too much away here, but my loyalty to the watch and the combination caught the attention of the name on the dial. Over dinner at an event in Geneva, a conversation started with then-CEO Frederic Arnault – questions were asked. Why wear it on a fabric strap, and not the supplied titanium bracelet or integrated rubber? This conversation with a brand can actually be a little terse, as hacking a watch off the factory strap implies that it wasn’t good enough. What would an Australian version of the watch look like? Could we think of something that melded our two worlds, at TAG Heuer and Time+Tide?

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 1
Aussie tones, but still Swiss made.

The idea of the ultimate Australian adventurer’s watch was born. A watch that could withstand our harsh, beautiful environment, and that could capture it in miniature on the dial. The way that the Australian sun turns to a rose gold tone at sunset, especially against a backdrop of a storming sky. A watch that could be powered by that same sun, but also a watch that could present a more tactical look than ever – via a khaki strap.

Importantly, we also talked about a sports luxe appearance, with the gold elements being more than just coloured – but actual 18k rose gold. The indices, handset and double-signed shields of TAG Heuer and Time+Tide should be plated in 5N rose gold. With these luxurious touches added to the palate, we had a winner. A watch that is both dressed up and ready for action. A watch that will give you a different dial shot every day. A watch that can be changed onto a titanium bracelet if desired.

tag heuer aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner box

Lastly, before we get into the particulars of the watch, I want to mention that there’s a double entendre in the name. In Australia, a “sundowner” is slang for a drink you have while you watch the sun set. Catching up for a sundowner is a thing. It’s an occasion for celebration. There’s no coincidence in the fact that our biggest-ever limited edition in terms of number of watches is timed as the sun rises on a new chapter for the business in London. Because, when our day of writing about, selling, and capturing footage of watches ends in Australia, it begins in London, in both our Chiswick Media HQ, and in The Watch Discovery Studio in Oxford Circus. It’s the most exciting time in the 10-year history of Time+Tide, and now we have this brilliant watch to commemorate it.

The case

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 3

It’s interesting. People have quite divergent reactions to this watch in the hand. The case, in grade 2 titanium is lightweight, but it has enough weight to feel like a “real” watch. When I handed it to George Bamford, he said, “Oh nice, this feels heavy for titanium.” Whereas, the more common response is, “that’s super light.” As a geeky side note, grade 2 titanium actually is lighter than grade 5, and it’s more corrosion-resistant. However, its downside is that it is not as scratch-resistant. This is well-covered by the sandblasted finish of the titanium, which after many months of wear is completely scratch-free as well as I can see. The downside of that sandblasting is that it mutes the bevelling on the lug shoulders, if you want a more pronounced shape to the case.

The lightness of the watch on-wrist is not just about the material, it’s also a reflection of the TH50-00 movement. It feels much lighter on the wrist compared to your average mechanical titanium watch. This is beneficial for activities like gymming and for tennis, two daily and weekly habits of mine, and it also sets it up for a great life on a fabric strap, which offers less structure on the wrist than all other straps. It moves around as little as a MoonSwatch on the wrist in my experience.

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 4

The case measures 40mm in diameter, 11.5mm thick, and 47mm lug-to-lug – not too small for larger wrists, just right for average wrist sizes, and comfortable even for smaller wrists. The watch is 200 metres water-resistant with a screw-down crown – so swim away! The dodecagonal uni-directional bezel frames each hour index, gives the watch shape, and has easy-to-grip knurling and nice tactile response/experience. The bezel action is tight, and has no give. It feels good, and has a resonant rather than tinny click. The timing scale inlay is in a rose gold tone to match sundown-inspired dial accents. There is no lume in the scale.

The dial

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 6

Hands down the best feature of the watch, the anthracite dial itself, as a colour, is not new. But it is the first-ever Solargraph of any size to have 18k 5N rose gold-plated hands and indices. This adds yet more depth and sparkle, with the high-polished elements of indices, handset and double shields contrasting against the tone of the dial.

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 5

The hands and all 12 hour indices have Super-LumiNova, and all glow orange with the exception of the minutes hand that glows green. The distinction of green luminous material for the minutes hand allows the hand to be more easily discerned – useful, as the hand can be used in conjunction with the timing scale. The central seconds hand has no lume, as it’s fully rose gold-plated.

The date complication is placed at the uncontentious 3 o’clock position, with a thoughtfully coloured white-on-black disc to blend into the dial. We love a sympathetic date disc – it was a must-have. There is a raised and subtly sloped outer minutes track – white hashes with orange/peach/rose boxes every 5th minute.

Horizontal channels across the dial not only play into a nautical theme, but also allow sunlight to pass through the dial and charge the solar movement. The striations are actually tinted transparent slits that allow sun and artificial light to charge the movement within the watch. At 12, you have the TAG Heuer logo applied in rose gold, with the Time+Tide shield applied at 6. This is a huge honour. If you watch the video review on YouTube, you’ll see how much it means to me.

The strap

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 7

This is the first Solargraph to be offered on a fabric strap, and it’s key to the personality of the watch. Brushed rose gold (coloured) hardware on the strap features polished loopholes and a sandblasted pin buckle closure. A note about the fabric strap – it is stiff when you first try it on. It will raise off the wrist for the first few wears. Over time, I can confirm that it will begin to soften and take the shape of your wrist. The hardware is heavy and hard-wearing. The lug width is 20mm in case buyers are interested in playing with aftermarket options. TAG Heuer’s rubber straps and titanium bracelet offered on other Solargraphs are compatible if you want to change it up.

The movement

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 8

TH50-00 movement is designed with La Joux-Perret, which is owned by the Citizen Group who are experts in solar movements such as Eco-Drive. It’s just dawning on me that a sandblasted grey titanium Citizen Eco Drive was given to me on my 21st. And guess what. It had rose gold-coloured accents… I guess history is well and truly repeating for me with this watch, but on a decidedly more luxurious (and Swiss) level! As for accuracy, speaking personally, since I have had the proto delivered to me, it has gained maybe a second, so it’s clearly very accurate. The watch starts running after ten seconds of light exposure – both natural and artificial light work. To power the watch for a full day, it only requires a minute of exposure to light.

TAG heuer Aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner 9

40 hours under light, and the battery will find itself fully charged with a power reserve of up to 10 months. If you pull the crown out, the watch will even enter a power-saving mode that allows it to last four years before it needs a charge. One of the benefits of this movement is that there is no need for a battery change every few years like standard quartz. Due to the nature of the quartz movement, there is also minimal risk of shock causing the watch to be less precise.

The caseback

tag heuer aquaracer solargraph time tide sundowner caseback

And the cherry on top. In place of the standard nautical star caseback engraving, you have a raised Time+Tide logo set within a sunken honeycomb backdrop. The text on the caseback includes Time+Tide Watches Limited Edition, with each edition numbered X/250.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph x Time+Tide ‘Sundowner’ pricing and availability

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph x Time+Tide ‘Sundowner’ is limited to 250 pieces, and will be available on 18th of November, 21:00 CET, 19th of November 07:00 AEDT. Price: A$4,450, £2,700

Brand TAG Heuer x Time+Tide
Model Aquaracer Solargraph ‘Sundowner’
Case Dimensions 40m (D) x 11.5mm (T) x 47mm (LTL)
Case Material Grade 2 titanium
Water Resistance 200 metres, screw-down crown
Crystal(s) Sapphire
Dial Black
Lug Width 20mm
Strap Khaki green NATO, 18k 5N rose gold-plated hardware
Movement TH50-00, in collaboration with La Joux-Perret, solar quartz
Power Reserve 10 months (four years in power saving mode)
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Availability 250 pieces
Price A$4,450
£2,750