The TAG Heuer Aquaracer has long been one of the most underrated, unfairly maligned watches ever. Full stop. Since the 2022 refresh, the Aquaracer has been a serious contender, hampered only, it seems, by its admittedly ho-hum past that people cannot let go of. Earlier this year TAG again upgraded its flagship tool watch collection, with new case sizes and movements and attractive patterned dials. And while TAG has been on a streak of sorts lately with a few exceptional Monaco releases and the incredible Carrera Glassbox chronographs, the Aquaracer still isn’t getting its due. Well, here’s a double feature review of the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT that will hopefully help to change that.
On the wrist, the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300s both wear well. Sized down from the previous model to 42mm, the diver’s 12mm-thick case with a 48mm lug-to-lug sits easily with the fitted bracelet or the fitted strap, and the GMT adds just 1.45mm for a thickness of 13.45mm. The design of the case might be described as sporty and blocky, in the best way possible, but that does make it more prominent than a watch with lines that flow more organically. That said, neither the GMT nor the diver comes close to the limit of wearability for a watch with 300m water resistance. The watches both feature color-matched ceramic bezels, 120-click for the diver, 48-click for the GMT. While both bezels operate smoothly and have quite satisfying clicks, I would have preferred just a hair more tension on the diver; there was an instance where I looked down to find the bezel had been nudged around a few clicks and while I’m more forgetful with each day, I’m fairly certain I hadn’t done it intentionally. Completing the case is a flat sapphire crystal and an exceptional deep-ridged crown that was very smooth in operation and easy to use.
While the black and blue divers and the blue GMT come on a choice of steel bracelet or fitted rubber strap, TAG for some reason chose not to offer the rubber on the green dials. I would’ve loved to have seen a matching green strap but here we are. The rubber strap is cut to size, so you’d better get it right the first time; the bracelet features two half-links for fine-tuning. In both cases, you’ll have a small bit of leeway as both come with TAG Heuer’s proprietary microadjustable clasp. It’s secure and easy to use: Just push the round side buttons in, slide to your desired size, and go. Sadly, TAG has still not implemented a quick-release system. Perhaps it’s not sad per se, but it’s inexplicable as it’s become the industry standard save for a few other holdouts.
The dials on the new Aquaracers feature a wave pattern that seems to be making the rounds. Popularized by Omega with its Seamaster, TAG follows Grand Seiko, Oris, Mido, and others in using such a dial design. The Aquaracer dial — available in green, black, and blue for the diver and green and blue for the GMT — leans towards the realism of the Grand Seiko instead of the minimalism of the Omegas and the Oris. The dimensional pattern shifts as the light hits it, and contrary to how the watch is presented on the brand’s site and in initial press photos, it is not “always on.” That was a relief for me, as I thought the dials were too pronounced and would be a novelty that would eventually wear thin. Instead, the pattern gets almost entirely lost at times, while splashing out of the dial at other angles, keeping it fresh longer.
The rest of the dial contributes to a balanced, highly legible display. The high-polished, angled edges of the applied indices catch even the faintest light, while the new, larger handset can’t be missed. On the dive models, the seconds hand is in a contrasting color (the green dial’s yellow hand can play a bit neon green, and I wish it were just a bright yellow instead), while the GMT’s 24-hour hand is given a contrasting color. If the dial didn’t put you off (it shouldn’t, but to each their own), then perhaps you’ll take issue with the cyclops date. Personally, I’m indifferent, and think the execution here works: It’s in a location that doesn’t throw off the dial’s symmetry, and the roundness of the hour markers makes it stand out just a bit less.
The lume on the Aquaracers is exactly what you should expect at this price point: bright and even. These days, I’d argue that any watch above $500 should have no issues with its lume, yet that’s not always the case. Even into the thousands of dollars, you get sloppy applications, stark differences between the hands and indices, and barely visible bezel markers. Here, TAG applies the Super-LumiNova perfectly and enhances legibility on both with dual-color lume schemes. On the GMT, the bezel triangle and the GMT hand are blue while the rest is green; on the diver, the triangle, seconds hand, and minute hand get the blue. This lume design allows the most important features of each watch to stand out.
TAG has also upgraded the movements, getting away from previous ETA-based movements. Both Tag Heuer Aquaracers are now equipped with automatic manufacture movements: the Calibre TH31-00 (date) and Calibre TH31-03 (GMT). The TH31-00 was introduced last year in the solid gold Aquaracer 200s and is the result of collaboration with Sellita’s AMT customization arm. AMT lets brands take full advantage of Sellita’s movement manufacturing and tailor calibers to their needs — TAG Heuer designs it, AMT builds it, and it stays exclusive to TAG. The TH31s come with an impressive 80-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph, COSC-certified chronometer accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day, and a 5-year warranty from TAG Heuer.
The GMT movement is what is usually referred to as a “caller GMT.” It is a true GMT because any watch that has a 24-hour hand with which you can track GMT (or any second timezone) is a true GMT. The argument against caller GMTs, and the suggestion that they are somehow lesser than flyer GMTs, is tantamount to the pedantry around water resistance. Much like the masses that say their watches need 200m+ water resistance and that 50m or 100m simply won’t suffice for their non-aquatic commutes and almost entirely dry career and lifestyle, the majority of those who argue that a caller GMT is inferior to a flyer GMT don’t actually need a GMT, much less one they need to adjust with a frequency that might necessitate an independently adjustable hour hand. In fact, I’d go as far as to argue that for most people, the quick-set date that caller GMTs afford is a more practical convenience than an independent hour hand. (Of course, if you’re one of those few who travel so often and to so many different places that a flyer is truly a must, you are to GMT watches what saturation divers are to dive watches, and I wish you happy travels.)
Quod erat demonstrandum. The newest iterations of the Aquaracer are the best iterations of the Aquaracer. While the collection may have struggled toward perfection, it’s gotten as close as anything could get while still maintaining a distinct personality. Though one could say so about many watches, the new Aquaracers don’t do anything wrong or poorly, and any issues will be down to the individual, not the watch itself. The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date is priced at $3,600 USD on a rubber strap and $3,800 USD on a bracelet. The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT is priced at $4,000 USD on a rubber strap and $4,200 USD on a bracelet. For more information, please visit the TAG Heuer website.
