WBP201D.FT6197
Tustains / Leamington Spa, 16th October 2021
The new for 2021 Aquaracer got something of a lukewarm reaction from me to start with, but as time goes by and I get used to the new look I can definitely feel myself warming to it. I still find the regular steel models a little on the bland side, but in all fairness I was never overly excited by the 'run of the mill' Aquaracers in the previous series; it was always the PVD models, the limited editions and the unusual dial colours that got me truly excited.
Back in September I saw the 'Night Diver' in Harrods, but due to time constraints I never got to try it on - instead I plumped for the limited edition 'Tribute to 844', sensibly reasoning that I may never come across that particular watch again and that the 'Night Diver' would be a much easier piece to source for an 'On the Wrist' post. And sure enough, the next time I visited a watch shop, there it was...
First of all I have to say that the whole aesthetic of the 'Night Diver' is very cool and I was very pleased to see that the dial does look pretty white (rather than the silvery white hue of the quartz model released a few years ago), although I am told that in certain lights it does have a green tint to it. I say this because I have seen some photographs where it looked very 'creamy' and I did not like the thought of that one bit. I know some people liked that idea because it echoed the look of the old Heuer 1000 models but I have no such affinity and would much prefer a stark black and white colour scheme. And on the face of it, that is what we have here.
Once again I was struck by the cool rubber strap, which like on the 'Tribute to 844' is fitted with TAG Heuer's new 'adjustable-on-the-go' clasp and seems very pliable and comfortable but also chunky and substantial enough to keep the solid 43mm Aquaracer in place on the wrist. I really like the straps and I'm pretty sure when I finally take the plunge into this new Aquaracer it will be on a rubber strap. Possibly a blue one... :)
I'm still not really sold on the octagonal hour markers. People say that on the wrist these aren't particularly noticeable, that they look round at a normal viewing distance. I don't know, maybe my eyesight is exceptionally good for my age, but I think they stand out a mile and particularly on this watch (rendered in solid black against the white luminous dial) I feel they are extremely noticeable. Probably not a deal breaker, but definitely not a 'plus' in my eyes.
The black PVD case looks great, albeit some have raised concerns about the durability of coated steel versus titanium. I must admit that bewilders me slightly, but working in the engineering sector I could well believe that it could have an effect since there are all sorts of quirks you need to know when working with different kinds of metals.
The Aquaracer 'Night Diver' is currently priced at £2750, which is right at the top end of what I would be prepared to pay for a dive watch with a Calibre 5 movement in it to be honest. I did enjoy trying this one on but it isn't the model for me. For one thing, now that I have my WAY208C on a rubber strap it's far too similar for my to consider owning both, but that aside, while I like this watch it doesn't quite hit the spot.
No, I'm going to keep saving and wait for something more exciting to arrive in the new Aquaracer family. Sure as eggs is eggs you know it won't be long before TAG Heuer will be dangling the carrot again...
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