TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200, new for 2022
Like every year before summer, I am faced with the question of whether to buy a real work watch. A model that I won't have to worry about and that I can wear during any activity and, so to speak, at any blood alcohol level.
I don't have many watches like this in my collection, but I do have a Cartier Santos in size L. Although we can define them as sports watches, and I have even swum with them in the pool, I still can't understand their absurd tendency to collect scratches. Leather Carrera WAR201E. The FC is also a sporty-elegant model with water resistance up to 100 meters, but in combination with leather, the Carrera is impractical. I considered putting a metal bracelet on them, but the idea gives me goose bumps. The sharp technical features of the Carrera case simply deserve leather - to lighten it up.
This whole thing makes me think of diving watches, even though I have Davos watches. First of all, I'm not an extremist, I don't go diving, jumping off cliffs, or even climbing chimneys. But I want a model that I don't have to leave under the bed on vacation, camouflaged with dirty laundry, or even take a Garmin Tactix Delta—even though I can't do without them at a cycling camp in Croatia.
I simply want a watch that I can use anytime, anywhere. And so my eyes fell on the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional with caliber 5 and a new "nautilus" dial. I originally considered the MIDO Ocean Star Tribute, but since we gave it to a friend for his 30th birthday, I don't really have a choice. He said that if I buy it, he'll kill me.
TAG Heuer Aquracer Professional 200
The watch comes a year after Frédéric Arnault, the current CEO of TAG Heuer, unveiled the completely redesigned Aquaracer. A new thinner case, shorter lugs, a cyclops on the underside, a flip-over, indices... in short, many changes. The new model for 2022, the Professional 200, as the name suggests, is equipped with 200-meter water resistance instead of 300 meters. This model will be produced with a Calibre 5 automatic movement, in blue and black. Fans of quartz movements will also find something to their liking.
I was pleased with the robustness and overall balance between the thickness of the case, the size, and the ratio of the dial area. In other words, I have no complaints about the composition of the case. I really like the bezel with its matte finish towards the center of the dial, and I don't miss the ceramic. The dial is in a class of its own.
When my boss sent me the first visuals, which were not yet ready for public release, he asked me what the dial reminded me of. I immediately said Nautilus.
Lately, I've been quite lucky and have had a few Patek Philippe watches pass through my hands, gold, steel, with and without diamonds. I want to say that this dial satisfies me greatly in terms of price.
The "Deep Sea" gradient effect is nice. The overall impression is enhanced by the almost complete absence of sapphire glass, which is coated with an anti-reflective layer.
An effect I was used to seeing mainly with Breitling watches, where I always pointed out that the glass was almost invisible. SuperLuminova and its two-color distinction between the minute and hour hands contribute to readability.
For years, TAG Heuer has remained faithful to six key features in its diving watches. This means that every Aquaracer model has the following:
1. Water resistance to at least 200 meters
2. Screw-down crown
3. Double safety clasp
4. Unidirectional rotating bezel with serrations for easy operation even when wearing gloves.
5. Sapphire crystal
6. SuperLuminova.
Conclusion
I have no problem with the watch in principle, the only thing that bothers me is the reuse of the Caliber 5, or rather the Sellita Caliber SW200-1 with a power reserve of 38 hours, without silicon, without a larger power reserve. TAG Heuer is not the only alternative in this segment, and one can opt for another brand that offers more value for money in this price range. That is why the company relies on the presence of the brand's legacy and history.
The watch fits very well on the wrist. I believe that there are many people among us who can appreciate a well-made watch with a diameter of 40 mm. I must say that I have handled many models over the years, and I always make my decision based on how it feels. This is definitely a watch that I could imagine wearing every day, but the price is a limiting factor for me. However, if you are looking for a single universal watch that you can wear every day and on every occasion, then I recommend the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200.
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