Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300 Watch Overview

Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300

The Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300 is without doubt one of the latest variations of the Aquaracer lineup, and like earlier variations by way of the years, there are modifications. Nonetheless, it’s not a completely revamped mannequin. Most would think about this a constructive as if one thing works, let’s not mess with it an excessive amount of. And like earlier variations, there are lots of completely different colours and supplies to select from, stainless-steel or titanium, blue, black, all black with lume dial, inexperienced titanium, restricted version variations, and way more. The one I’ve in hand right here right now comes from Saltzman’s Watches of Newport and is the all-blue mannequin, with a blue rubber strap. Pricing begins at $3300, and there’s a bracelet mannequin as effectively, however I selected the rubber strap for a particular cause, a particular cause that turned out to not be what I believed.

Specs:

• 43mm Stainless Metal Case
• 12.2mm Thick
• 50mm lug to lug
• 21mm Lug Width 
• 128 Grams in weight 
• Sapphire Crystal 
• Ceramic Bezel Insert
• Screw Down Crown
• 300m Water Resistant
• Calibre 5 Movement (SW200-1 OR ETA 2824)
• Rubber Strap with micro alter clasp

Worth $3300 as proven 

Name or E mail Saltzmans Watches and Point out This Overview For Pricing and Availability

jake@saltzmans-watches.com

(401) 841-0011

 I skimmed a evaluation of this watch from one other web site they usually went at this piece with What if it was your solely watch? I don’t actually consider that a lot, like what if you happen to did have just one watch, you purchased a stable engaging watch, one which may just about do something and go together with virtually something and also you went with a reputation model and one which most individuals will acknowledge as effectively, After which I began fascinated about how this watch in some previous iterations wouldn’t actually be thought-about for this, as they had been positively extra rugged and extra “dive watch”, with a extra rugged aesthetic and supplies as effectively. This Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300 has a extra traditional look with the sunburst dial with horizontal traces and the shiny ceramic insert. This isn’t the 500-meter beast it as soon as was, no, now it’s only 300m water resistant and simply over 12mm thick, a watch that may simply slide below a shirt cuff and look simply pretty much as good on the golf course in addition to that nighttime ceremonial dinner. 

I believe that is additionally doable as a result of Tag has actually modified up the Aquaracer lineup lately as effectively. If the 300 remains to be an excessive amount of look ahead to you, then there may be the 200 Solargraph. And if the 300 shouldn’t be excessive sufficient and you actually wish to appear to be you might be diving on a regular basis, even when you find yourself not, there may be the PRO 1000. The Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300 is the goldilocks of the bunch in my view, not too hardcore and nonetheless extra than simply some quartz style titanium piece. It’s slim, the machining and ending truly stay as much as a watch that can price nearer to $4000 as soon as taxes are figured in (on the bracelet a minimum of), and in a lot of the colours, it’s a very putting watch. However would I would like it to be my one and solely?

Sadly, the reply is NO. Not on this colorway or configuration a minimum of. See, typically I simply decide the improper look ahead to evaluation. The improper colour, the improper strap. This Tag Heuer Aquaracer at its core is a reasonably great-looking piece (we are going to discuss motion in a bit), however this blue configuration and the rubber strap wanted a bit extra time within the lab in my view. I speak about this within the video and it positively is an enormous detractor for me, and I hate to sound like somebody simply on the lookout for issues to knock, however actually, go take a look at the Tag Heuer website for this mannequin. Have a look at the pictures of it and the colour. Then come again right here and take a look at my pictures. If you’re curious as to who captured it because it appears to be like in actual life, like, what it’s going to appear to be after you plunk down over $3,000 for a dream watch and it arrives at the doorstep, effectively, it’s not Tag, I can inform you that a lot.

Enable me to take a swerve within the street right here so to talk, and let’s speak about what this particular watch appears to be like like on the Tag Heuer web site and social media. Think about if we didn’t have social medial, think about there have been no evaluation websites like this, however you continue to ordered watches (and different merchandise) on-line, and also you noticed these photographs and ordered one, after which the watch pictured here’s what confirmed up as a substitute? You’ll all the time really feel such as you had been scammed. As I present within the video, and this goes for lots of watches, lighting performs an enormous function in how one thing can look, and nonetheless, pictures doesn’t inform the entire story. However I’m utilizing studio lights as effectively, I’ve strobe gentle as effectively, and this watch was hit with lots of gentle. Nonetheless, it doesn’t have that vibrant blue colour that seems on the Tag web site. Corporations want to begin taking extra reasonable pictures and cease with colour correction in Photoshop.

Okay, now with that out of the best way, the 12-sided bezel remains to be right here, much less clunky than previous iterations and although it’s straightforward to show, and appears nice, it could be too straightforward to show, a minimum of on my instance. The crown then again is stable and turns very easy, and screws again down into the case good and tight. The case ending as I alluded to earlier than is totally wonderful and I caught myself wanting on the case sides of this watch greater than the dial. Take away all the things else and you continue to have a watch case that appears simply unbelievable.

That dial of the Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300 is not any slouch both, with a fantastic hue of blue ( I do love the blue used for the dial), and people horizontal traces actually do make for an attention-grabbing dial for a watch that may look relatively plain if they simply went normal sunray or gloss. The indices are a mixture of octagons and what I assume I’ll name a cross between a rectangle and a trapezoid form, and no matter they’re known as, they give the impression of being nice on the dial. And that date magnifier? I like it. Sure, I really like a date magnifier! Why? As a result of it’s below the crystal, not an ugly wart on high. The one factor on the dial that actually stands out to me although is the mannequin identify above the Tag Heuer defend brand. This was not all the time the case and unsure why they determined to vary it up, and although it’s minor, it’s odd to me and I don’t actually prefer it. 

Then we come again to the colours. I do know, I already had a protracted rant, however it’s not simply that the colour of this watch doesn’t match the web site and promo pictures, however presumably much more importantly, the colours don’t match themselves both. The colour of the bezel, dial, and strap are all completely different shades of blue, with the dial being a darkish blue, the bezel extra blueish/inexperienced and the strap having virtually a purple hue. And once more, sure, none of this matches what they present on the web site, and it’s a massive letdown on this instance.

The strap appears to be like nothing prefer it does on the web site, and sure, it bothers me. However, let’s transfer away from colours as there are a minimum of 10 different colour choices of this mannequin out there, and Im certain some look higher than this. How is the fitted rubber strap with the brand new sliding micro-adjustment clasp? The strap itself appears to be like good, I just like the traces, they match up with the dial and permit the strap to face out a bit, and it isn’t too stiff neither is it too floppy. As this can be a mortgage pattern I used to be not in a position to truly put on this piece although, so I actually can’t touch upon day-to-day consolation. It’s possible you’ll be questioning although, why couldn’t I put on it? Properly this can be a cut-to-size strap, and a really lengthy strap at that, and this could match as much as a 9-inch (22.86cm) wrist out of the field. I cannot imagine main manufacturers are nonetheless doing cut-to-size straps in 2023. However, that new clasp appears to be like nice and is just about the identical clasp on the bracelet mannequin, and naturally may be very purposeful and straightforward to make use of.

I do want this strap didn’t must be lower, as I selected this strap particularly over the bracelet mannequin, pondering that Tag was doing much like Oris and some others and I didn’t want to chop this piece to regulate to my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. With a 43mm case, that’s fairly skinny, I assume if this strap was sized proper for my wrist, it could be fairly comfy to put on all day. Once more, that’s one thing I’m assuming, and it very effectively may very well be, or it may very well be digging into my wrist from the clasp or crown after a couple of hours of wear and tear. However that’s nonetheless not the worst facet of this piece.

The evaluation I learn on this Tag Heuer Aquaracer 300 tried to spin the motion on this watch, your one and solely watch, as a professional. See that Calibre 5 motion isn’t in-house, it’s a Sellita SW200-1 or ETA 2824 motion, Prime motion grade I’m advised, with a Tag labeled rotor. This isn’t a $1000 Swatch watch like a Mido, this can be a $3300 watch, and you aren’t even getting COSC, not to mention an in-house or closely modified motion. And also you gained’t know what motion you even have till you had been to open the watch up. The motion might or might not have a plastic motion holder as effectively. That one I cannot verify (once more with out opening it up), however this was the case previously. I hope they a minimum of upgraded that on this new era.

Not all the things is bitter grapes (that may very well be the colour identify of this strap although), as the twin Tremendous-LumiNova not solely appears to be like unbelievable at nighttime, it does maintain a good cost for a couple of hours as effectively. No, the ceramic bezel insert isn’t absolutely lumed (its solely 300m water-resistant in any case 😉) however the triangle is, so you may nonetheless use this at nighttime to time your fish on the grill, or you understand, within the water as your backup dive watch. No matter you favor.

So to summarize, I don’t like quite a bit about this piece. 😂 I imply, studying this again, I actually took a chunk out of this Tag Heuer Aquarcer 300, didn’t I? No less than on this instance, I believe I had each proper to. There are a myriad of different colours out there, and naturally, a bracelet is an possibility as effectively, and I firmly imagine if I received the stainless black model of this watch on a bracelet, it could have been a really completely different evaluation, effectively, minus the motion that belongs in a a lot inexpensive watch.

However then again, I’m glad that is the one I reviewed. I don’t love having to be this vital, however on the identical time I used to be very hyped to get this watch in hand for evaluation, however afterward, I used to be very blue. What shade of blue, effectively that’s exhausting to inform, however you get the place I’m coming from. This may very well be a beautiful watch with a couple of corrections, however in any case, I’m only one man and that is my opinion, so if you happen to do like this piece or any of the Tag Heuer lineup, don’t overlook to hit up Saltzmans Watches and point out this evaluation whenever you do.