TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer Professional 200 Slims Down and Stands Out
TAG Heuer is revamping its lineup of dive watches, and the latest update, the new Aquaracer Professional 200, is an ideal pick for any weekend warrior. It’s refined enough for the office, but durable and reliable for whatever outdoor adventures you have planned once you clock out. With eleven new models on offer, there’s a TAG Aquaracer to suit just about every wrist—and they’re all designed to be eye-catching, easy to wear, and tough enough for a wide range of activities.
“If you look at the Aquaracer Professional 200,” Guy Bove, TAG Heuer creative director, said in a press release, “you can see our intention to create an everyday watch that still has the tool watch look that TAG Heuer lovers came to expect from the icons of the past.”
Unlike TAG Heuer’s last dive watch release, the Aquaracer Professional 300, the new TAG Aquaracer 200s come in eleven versions. Compared with the outgoing models they replace, they’re slimmed down and sleeker, and they’re all made from stainless steel. You can pick between two case sizes—40mm or 30mm—and a variety of automatic and quartz movements. On the watch face, you’ll have even more options: Some models come with diamonds set in the dial and the bezel, and dial colors include black, dark blue, silver, and mother of pearl.
It’s a lot to choose from, but all the watches have a few key details in common. They all come with a unidirectional rotating bezel (a dive watch staple) with the brand’s signature 12-sided shape, a screw-down crown, and water resistance to 200 meters, so you don’t have to worry about splashes or swims upsetting the delicate inner workings. Better yet, the bezel and crown feature deeply grooved fluting to make them easier to grip and manipulate—a small feature that makes a big difference for everyday usability.
In addition, every Aquaracer Professional 200 is paired with a stainless steel link bracelet. The bracelets feature a polished center link, which gives these watches a more formal, upscale look, and they’re equipped with a quick-adjust system to help you dial in a comfortable fit on your wrist. If you flip the watches over, another unique detail reveals itself: The case back features an engraved compass rose, a departure from the diving helmet engraved on the Aquaracer 300. It’s a hint that the 200 isn’t just a dive watch, but rather an all-purpose, everyday adventure watch.
Of the eleven total Aquaracer Professional 200 models, there are four 40mm watches (two quartz and two automatic mechanical), and seven 30mm options (two automatics and five quartz-powered models). Although they share plenty of style DNA, there are a few distinguishing features between them. The quartz watches have a more minimalist look, while their mechanical siblings come with extra details like fumé dials (a smoky gradient color pattern), date windows at 6 o’clock, and more detailed minute tracks.
But no matter which one you choose, you’ll have a dependable timepiece that pairs well with a suit—wool, linen, or even neoprene.
[Starting at $1,950; tagheuer.com]