TAG Heuer news at Watches and Wonders 2022
A diamond crown, a solar-powered movement, and a case water-resistant to 1,000 meters... these are the hot new products presented by TAG Heuer at this year's Watches and Wonders watch fair. Let's take a look at how they turned out.
TAG HEUER CARRERA PLASMA
I must describe the latest innovation from TAG Heuer from a slightly greater distance. It is a technological innovation that we have not yet encountered in the world of watchmaking. It is a story of carbon, carbon fibers, and diamonds. Inside the watch is an H02T movement with a tourbillon and a carbon hairspring. The case and dial feature diamond elements of unusual shapes and cuts. These are laboratory-grown diamonds that were "grown" in vacuum chambers using plasma gases. The final cuts are made with a laser and then the surface is polished. Various shapes of these diamonds are set in the aluminum case of the watch, and the crowning glory is the crown, which is carved from a single piece of diamond. Additional diamonds can be found at the index points on the dial, which is also sprinkled with diamond dust. Although TAG Heuer claims that it will actually produce this watch in very limited quantities, I consider it more of a concept that will not be widely available. Not least because of its price tag of €330,000.
TAG HEUER AQUARACER PROFESSIONAL 1000 SUPERDIVER
Let's dive deeper into the Aquaracer news – literally. The Superdiver has a titanium case and an impressive diameter of 45 mm. It is designed for divers who are not afraid of extreme depths. The watch is equipped with another new movement in the TAG Heuer portfolio, the Cal. TH30-00 with COSC certification. It was developed in collaboration with Kenissi, which supplies movements to Tudor and Norqain, among others. I consider it to be very precise, and this movement with a power reserve of 70 hours should be proof of that. Due to its large diameter and height of 15.75 mm, the watch will probably not be for everyone, but diving enthusiasts will appreciate the perfect readability of the Super-LumiNova™ elements: indices, hands, and numerals on the bezel. With a water resistance of 1000 m, a helium valve and ISO 6425:2018 certification are a matter of course. The watch should be available at the beginning of the summer season, so anyone interested will be able to enjoy summer diving with this beautiful model on their wrist.
TAG HEUER AQUARACER PROFESSIONAL 200 SOLARGRAPH
Another new product comes from a category in which TAG Heuer has long excelled: technological innovation. At a time when the whole world is talking about new energy sources and necessary ecological changes, TAG Heuer is also making its small contribution: watches with solar charging. This is not the first attempt in the watchmaking industry—watches with solar charging, mainly from Japanese manufacturers, have been on the market for some time. However, this is a relatively unusual move in Swiss watchmaking. The new movement, developed in collaboration with La Joux-Perret, has unique parameters: two minutes of sunlight is enough for a whole day's operation, after a full battery charge, the power reserve is stated as 6 months, and if you put the watch into economy mode by pulling out the crown, it will last up to 3.5 years. If the battery is completely discharged, you can recharge it in just ten seconds of sunlight thanks to the fast charging system. The case has a diameter of 40 mm, a black DLC finish, and a rubber strap. The indices and bezel decoration are made of Super-LumiNova™ material. Personally, I really like the delicate design of the dial. The horizontal lines are familiar from previous models in this series, and now there are almost imperceptible openings for the sun's rays.
TAG HEUER CARRERA x PORSCHE
The worlds of both brands, which bring a product called Carrera to the market, merged last year and, in addition to various activities in the field of motorsport, they also offer watches in special and limited series. New for this year is a chronograph that follows on from last year's series, featuring a black DLC-coated case and counters decorated with an asphalt texture. The yellow elements on the bezel, dial, and strap provide a beautiful contrast, emphasizing the "racing" feel of these watches and reminiscent of one of the iconic colors of Porsche cars. The chronograph has an in-house H02 movement inside the case and will be produced in a limited edition of only 1,500 pieces. We are delighted to be able to offer you one of them in the coming days.
TAG HEUER MONACO x GULF
Thanks to 1970s motorsport legends Steve McQueen and Jo Siffert, the Monaco model has been associated with the Gulf brand since its inception. The orange and blue stripe, typical of the Gulf logo, has appeared several times on the dial of special editions of the Monaco. This year, for the first time, the Monaco is equipped with the in-house H02 movement. In my eyes, it is a meeting of two worlds: the vintage world represented by the square case and dial with the Gulf logo, and the modern world represented by the Caliber H02 with its contemporary parameters and 80-hour power reserve. I have always leaned towards the vintage category – after all, the original Calibre 11 movement and the characteristic crown on the left side were symbols of the Monaco series for me. But from another perspective, it is understandable that having a watch with a fantastic modern movement and period Gulf elements on the dial is a great attraction. This time, the colored stripes are very subtle, and the Gulf graphics have been successfully extended to the counter at the 3 o'clock position. This is another special edition, and we hope to offer it to interested customers in May.
TAG HEUER AQUARACER PROFESSIONAL 300 ORANGE DIVER
At the beginning of the year, we saw the launch of the innovative Aquaracer Outdoor series, which my colleague Martin wrote about in previous article. Several new models will be added to this series later in the year. The Aquaracer series certainly needs no introduction. Last year, these classic divers underwent an extensive redesign – the shape of the indices and the image of the diver on the back cover were changed, the date magnifier is now located under the glass, and a new clasp allows for quick and smooth extension of the bracelet. This year's novelty is the orange color on the dial. The same shade was used on the successful Heuer diving models at the end of the 1970s. It is therefore a reminder of the long tradition that links TAG Heuer with water sports.
