Introducing: The TAG Heuer Carbon Aquaracer

September 05, 2018

What we have here is the latest in TAG Heuer's accessibly priced Aquaracer line of dive watches. They come with impressive water resistance to 300 meters and an automatic Caliber 5 movement, which is based the ETA 2824-2 (though there have been Sellita-based versions as well). ?The name attached to this watch is the Carbon Aquaracer, and indeed the bezel is made from lightweight carbon and black PVD steel, while the cases themselves are made of grade 5 titanium that's been PVD coated too. There are three different versions of this watch, and their variations are reflected in the dials, each of which features a carbon pattern and accents in either rose gold, yellow, or blue. Initial Thoughts This is a stealthy take on a classic of modern TAG Heuer design, and I'm a fan of the overall aesthetic, though I do wonder how legible this watch would be if put into service on a deep dive: the carbon fiber dial motif seems to have a kind of camouflage effect, at least to my eye. However, the bright yellow, bright blue, and rose gold indexes would seem to mitigate this effect to some degree. This watch is in fact not made from carbon fiber C just parts of the bezel are. The dial merely has a carbon motif and the case is made from PVD titanium. This does cause one to wonder why the word "carbon" features so prominently in the name of the watch, but it looks the part nonetheless. The Basics Brand: TAG HeuerModel: Carbon AquaracerReference Number: ?WBD218A.FC6445 (rose gold); WBD218B.FC6446 (yellow); WBD218C.FC6447 (blue)Diameter: 41mmCase Material: Black PVD coated grade 5 titanium with steel and carbon bezelDial Color: Carbon fiber pattern with rose gold, blue, or yellow accentsIndexes: Faceted indexes polished and lacquered in rose gold or plated with black goldLume: Yes, grey Super-LumiNova in hands and hour markersWater Resistance: 300 metersStrap/Bracelet: Black nylon strap with black, yellow, or blue topstitching to match the dial The Movement Caliber: TAG Heuer Caliber 5 (Based on the ETA 2824-2)Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, dateDiameter: 25.6mmPower Reserve: 38 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph)Jewels: 26 Pricing & Availability Price: $4,000 (yellow or blue accents), $4,050 (rose gold accents)Availability: Now, at TAG Heuer boutiques and on the TAG Heuer e-commerce site?For more click here.