A New Generation Of The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Watches
Specifically for the standard production models, the 2021 Aquaracer collection is divided into two categories, 43mm and 36mm. All seven new Aquaracers feature a handsome new hand, a simplified dial design, a newly designed ceramic bezel insert, water resistance to 300 meters, a screw-down crown, and a sturdy case back. Likewise, all new WBP2XX iterations use TAG Heuer’s Caliber 5, an automatic movement based on ETA 2824-2. With a 42-hour power reserve and a date display placed at six o’clock, the Caliber 5 is a fully known quantity that offers a lot in terms of reliable performance, timekeeping ability, and ultimately service cost.
The general style of the two size options is identical, but you can quickly distinguish one from the other, as the standard 43mm model has yellow text on the dial and yellow accents at the position of the second’s hand.
While full and specific dimensions have not been disclosed, TAG Heuer has said that the new Aquaracers are thinner, lighter, and have shorter lugs. TAG Heuer has also fitted a new strap with a tool-free micro-adjustment system to the clasp. It offers a 1.5 cm extension and can be adjusted without removing the replica watch from the wrist. This thoughtful strap design is not common in the dive watch world and I can’t wait to see the mechanism and try it out on my own wrist.
While certainly similar to the previous WAY2XX reference, these new Aquaracers don’t look as fussy. The dial has been simplified with new markers and less text, the hands are less complicated, and the date has been moved to the six o’clock position and covered by a Cyclops mounted inside the crystal. Likewise, the design of the bezel has been improved with a more elegant font inserted and a bezel along with the profile for better grip.
Putting all this together, this looks like a positive step forward for the Aquaracer collection, but I can’t help but scratch my head a little at its size. A brand like TAG Heuer has to offer an attractive dive watch for everyone, and it’s hard to argue with the fact that the 40mm has been a success throughout the history of cheap replica watches.
While I don’t necessarily think a 43mm version would be too big, I do think the Aquatimer needs to exist in the 39-40mm range, and that need will only become more pressing in the coming years. That said, who knows, maybe the middle ground is already being chosen. It seems like a blown issue – arguing about the difference between 40 and 43mm – but think about how much a 2mm change has meant to Tudor over the last few years.