While TAG Heuer is a brand that has never been afraid of embracing new and modern technologies, it has only been within the last couple of years that solar-powered timepieces have started to play a role within its catalog. The first Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph debuted at Watches & Wonders 2022, and the series has since expanded to include several different stainless steel models, plus a version in full titanium. Now, as part of its latest new releases unveiled this year at LVMH Watch Week 2024, TAG Heuer has created a 34mm version of its solar-powered sports watch, and the new midsize TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph series makes its debut appearance in five different configurations.

In terms of their overall aesthetics, the new 34mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph watches are largely in line with the rest of the modern lineup, although the 34mm case size itself is new for the collection. Additionally, while the unidirectional rotating timing bezel offers the same fundamental shape as what you will find on other current-production Aquaracer models, it features a slightly more bold and ornate appearance, with largely polished surfaces and raised trapezoid-shaped tabs between the ten-minute markers. While the rest of the modern Aquaracer Professional 200 lineup has a flat octagonal bezel, the bezel on the 34mm Solargraph models is undeniably a bit more prominent, and the new bezel design is somewhat reminiscent of the older styles of Aquaracer bezels that TAG Heuer was using a couple of decades ago.

The five new 34mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph watches are crafted from stainless steel that is finished with linear brushed surfaces and high-polished bevels running along their lugs. In terms of their dimensions, the new midsize Aquaracer Solargraph models measure 34mm in diameter by 9.7mm thick, and the shape of their lugs has been redesigned in order to compliment their compact case size and create an overall lug-to-lug profile of just 40.6mm. Flat sapphire crystals with double anti-reflective treatment sit above their dials, while solid screwed casebacks close up the reverse side of the watches, and set between two guards at the 3 o’clock location are rather large screw-down crowns that help ensure the collection’s 200 meters of water resistance.

Among the five new 34mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph watches, the ref. WBP1311.BA0005 is the most traditional among the bunch, and it features a deep blue sunray dial with the Solargraph collection’s signature polar blue/turquoise accents. Meanwhile, the ref. WBP1315.BA0005 leans further into the Solargraph’s signature color with a dial that appears entirely in a polar blue/turquoise hue with an iridescent finish. The remaining three models all have mother of pearl dials, and the only differences among the trio are related to the quantity of diamonds set into them. The ref. WBP1312.BA0005 has a standard mother of pearl dial without any diamonds, the ref. WBP1313.BA0005 takes things up a notch with diamond-set hour markers, and the ref. WBP1314.BA0005 (not pictured) is the top of the line model that has both a diamond-set dial and a bezel adorned with additional diamonds between its raised sections.

Just like nearly all solar-powered watches, the various models from the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph lineup all feature solar panels mounted below their dials, and this means that the dials themselves needs to be semi-transparent in order to allow light to pass through their surfaces. A number of dial manufacturing and finishing techniques now exist that allow brands to use transparent dials and throughly conceal the solar panels that are mounted below them. However, TAG Heuer needed to construct the mother of pearl dials for the new 34mm Solargraph models without a solid metal sheet behind them, and with just the right thickness of the mother of pearl material to ensure that it retains its lustrous appearance, while simultaneously still allowing enough light to pass through its surface to power the watch.

All five of the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph 34mm watches are fitted with matching stainless steel bracelets that feature a flat three-link design with brushed sides and polished center links. Based upon the photos, the bracelet appears to be just a smaller version of what can be found throughout the rest of the current-production TAG Heuer Aquaracer range, and just like its larger counterparts, the bracelet for the 34mm Aquaracer Solargraph models is completed by a matching folding clasp that operates with a double push-button release and includes an integrated comfort extension system.

Inside the new 34mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph is the brand’s Caliber TH50-01 solar-powered quartz movement, which is produced exclusively for TAG Heuer in collaboration with the Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret. Capable of charging itself with either natural or artificial light, two minutes of direct sunlight exposure is enough to power the Cal. TH50-01 for an entire day, and once fully charged (which requires less than 40 hours of sunlight), the movement will run for up to 10 months without any light exposure. Additionally, if the Cal. TH50-01 movement ever stops running, ten seconds of exposure to any light source will be sufficient to get it started again due to its ultra-efficient recharge time.

Despite the wide range of case sizes available within the TAG Heuer Aquaracer collection, 34mm was somehow previously missing from the current lineup. Additionally, while 34mm can often be considered a midsize watch, the revised proportions combined with the relatively narrow bracelets fitted to the new Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph 34mm models means that they will likely wear fairly small compared to other styles of watches with the same on-paper case diameters. Given that three of the five configurations are fitted with mother of pearl dials, I have a feeling that TAG Heuer primarily has female buyers in mind with this new series, and the new 34mm Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph watches are likely intended to be slightly larger and more modern versions of the traditional women’s models from the Aquaracer collection.

Due to their smaller size, the new 34mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph watches cost slightly less than their full-size 40mm counterparts, and the official retail price for both the dark blue dial ref. WBP1311.BA0005 and polar blue dial ref. WBP1315.BA0005 is set at $2,150 USD. From there, prices increase to $2,350 USD for the ref. WBP1312.BA0005 with its standard mother of pearl dial, before jumping up to $2,950 USD for the ref. WBP1313.BA0005 with its diamond hour markers, and topping out at $5,000 USD for the ref. WBP1314.BA0005, which has both diamond hour markers and a matching diamond-set bezel. The practicality of solar-powered movements is undeniable, and it is slightly surprising how long it has taken many Swiss brands to start integrating them into their collections. However, the on-going expansion of the Solargraph series is likely a sign that TAG Heuer plans to continue increasing its light-powered models, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see additional Solargraph models released in the near future. For more information on the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph 34mm watches, please visit the brand’s website.