Watches & Wonders 2021 New Release. The Aquaracer Professional 300: Honoring Tradition with a Geometric Update

TAG HEUER

Watches & Wonders 2021 New Release. Robust, High-Performance, and Versatile for Daily Wear

TAG Heuer has unveiled its new 2021 release, the Aquaracer Professional 300. This is a luxury tool watch that is robust, highly functional, and versatile enough for daily use. It is available in two case sizes, 43mm and 36mm, and in stainless steel or Grade 2 titanium. All sizes come with a choice of blue, black, or silver dials in stainless steel, totaling six models. Additionally, a 43mm Grade 2 titanium model with a green dial is offered, bringing the total to seven. Furthermore, a limited edition, the Aquaracer Professional 300 Ref. 844 Tribute, will be produced in a limited run of 844 pieces, honoring the legacy of the legendary 1978 dive watch, Ref. 844.

Text by OZAKI Sayaka | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi

An Iconic Watch Combining Slimness, Lightness, High Functionality, and Refined Design

TAG Heuer's new Aquaracer Professional 300 is a bold, elegant, highly functional, and exceptionally robust dive watch with remarkable versatility. While engineered to withstand harsh natural environments, its geometric design, exemplified by the distinctive 12-sided bezel, makes it adaptable to various settings. This collection embodies TAG Heuer's avant-garde spirit.

The history of this collection can be traced back to the dive watch Ref. 844, released in 1978. The original model featured a distinctive red 24-hour scale, highly legible hour markers, and a rotating dive bezel with clear minute markings for calculating safe dive times. These elements set the industry standard for reliable dive watches and were cherished by professional and amateur divers worldwide.

Honoring Tradition with a Geometric Update. The Aquaracer Professional 300 | TAG HEUER

The dial has been refined for improved aesthetics and legibility. The hour hand is broad and sword-shaped, while the minute hand is thinner, reminiscent of the final iteration of the TAG Heuer 2000 series introduced in 2004. This design ensures easy readability of both hands, even in low light. Green Super-LumiNova® is applied to the hour hand, and blue Super-LumiNova® to the minute hand, for enhanced clarity. The crown guard has also been redesigned, featuring a softer, more rounded contour similar to that of the Ref. 844.

While maintaining core dive watch performance, including 300-meter water resistance, the case, bezel, and bracelet have all been slimmed down, enhancing durability. The lugs are shorter, and the chamfered and polished edges of the case harmonize with the watch's overall visual appeal, accentuating its refined impression.

The case back is not screwed on but secured by four screws hidden from the outside, joining the case and bezel. This allows the case back design to maintain its correct orientation even after being opened.

The case back is engraved with a diving helmet motif, a familiar symbol since the Aquaracer's debut in 2004, which continues to convey the watch's value to new users. This motif has been updated to reflect the new design's facets, with the addition of a faceted, 12-sided faceplate. A repeating hexagonal pattern in the background adds to the geometric aesthetic. Through these technical and aesthetic upgrades, the new Aquaracer Professional 300 is born as a model that pays homage to the past while embracing a modern design prepared for the future.

The limited edition Aquaracer Professional 300 Ref. 844 Tribute, as its name suggests, carries forward the narrative of the legendary 1978 dive watch, Ref. 844. In creating this timepiece, designers combined a high-tech Grade 5 titanium case with numerous visual elements inherited from the archival piece. The flat black dial features the original model's red 24-hour scale, paired with vintage-inspired luminous paint. It is equipped with a perforated black rubber strap designed to quickly shed water from the watch and wrist. These perforations are also octagonal, echoing the facets and ensuring design coherence. This model is produced in a limited edition of 844 pieces.

Aquaracer Professional 300

Ref. | WBP201B.BA0632, WBP201A.BA0632, WBP208B.BF0631, WBP201C.BA0632, WBP231D.BA0626, WBP231C.BA0626, WBP231B.BA0618
Movement | Automatic (Caliber 5)
Power Reserve | Approx. 38 hours
Case and Bracelet Material | Stainless Steel or Grade 2 Titanium
Case Diameter | 43mm, 36mm
Water Resistance | 30 bar
Price | ¥325,000 (WBP201B.BA0632, WBP201A.BA0632, WBP201C.BA0632), ¥450,000 (WBP208B.BF0631), ¥305,000 (WBP231C.BA0626, WBP231D.BA0626), ¥360,000 (WBP231B.BA0618) *All prices are pre-tax estimates.
Release | Scheduled for late June 2021