For the first time, TAG Heuer has presented a solid gold version of its legendary Aquaracer Professional 200 watch. Combining 18K 5N solid rose gold and black DLC titanium grade 2 with rubber, the new Heuer Aquaracer makes sheer elegance go hand in hand with extreme performance and versatility. Equipped with a 40 mm case and a sunray finished grey —between gray and brown— dial, this new solid gold piece reaches uncharted territory as far as pricing for a solid gold piece.
Things to Know About the Watch
This new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 in 18K Rose Gold is genuinely a very good-looking watch but somewhat rough around the edges if you know what we mean by that. The 18K 5N rose gold case is mostly satin-brushed finished —referred to as fine brushed by TAG Heuer— with a few highly polished chamfers here and there and so is the unidirectional rotating bezel with engraved numbers and markers on it.
While the overall appearance of the case is good, the bezel doesn’t look as well finished, and to the naked eye appears like a bad satin-brushed job was done to it. Could it be that the prototype we perused looks like that? It might well be. Nevertheless, while this is a relatively inexpensive solid gold watch, at this pricepoint we would’ve expected better finishing.
The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 18K Rose Gold features a gray dial —more gray-brownish— somewhat reminiscent of the dials on a Patek Philippe Nautilus with its unique gradient and grooves. The dial features trapezoidal applied markers 18K rose gold hands and a discreet date aperture with a black calendar disc at 6 o’clock. One thing we love about this watch is the rose gold imprint on the TAG Heuer logo.
As far as the dial goes, we do have to say that it is exquisitely finished and extremely nice for a TAG Heuer watch.
The Aquaracer Professional 200 18K Rose Gold is equipped with a black rubber strap with a heavy-duty black DLC titanium grade 2 deployant buckle with a comfort extension link and a black DLC titanium screw-down crown to guarantee water resistance to 200 meters —660 feet.
The rubber strap is of very high quality and its thickness is in line with its high-grade construction. The strap features two types of textures with smooth edges and a grainy texture in the center.
The Movement
Turning the watch over reveals a display case back with a black DLC titanium ring, allowing full views of the TAG Heuer calibre TH31-00 COSC automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve. The 30-jewel movement is not the fanciest looking as far as its finishes, but still relatively well-finished and it features a skeletonized oscillating weight with the shape of TAG Heuer’s logo and satin-brushed finished.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 18K Rose Gold wears slightly smaller than its actual size and more like a 39 mm watch. Despite its solid gold construction and great look, the watch wears too light on the wrist with a total weight of only 112 grams, which makes us think that the solid gold case is somewhat hollow.
In comparison, a stainless steel watch of similar proportions on a rubber strap with such a clasp would have a total weight of around 100-105 grams or so, therefore, you can tell that the amount of solid gold you are getting on this watch is relatively minimal but not bad for the price considering it is under $20K USD.
The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 18K Rose Gold is exclusively sold at TAG Heuer Boutiques.
Sticker Price $18,450 USD. For more info on TAG Heuer click here.
