FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 7 GMT Watch

 

WBP2010.BA0632

It's funny, here in the watch community we often get to see leaked pictures of watches before they come out, it's an inevitable side effect of authorised distributors having access to images and showing them to potential customers to try and presell watches before they come out. But in the case of this new Aquaracer GMT it wasn't so much that images were leaked (although they were, this one has been known about for a very long time) but that certain European AD's have been selling this in store for weeks before the official launch. 

So when TAG Heuer started their teaser campaign on Instagram on Monday it was hard to take it seriously... and to be honest, posting a photo of the bezel and asking if you can 'work out what's coming', well it was hardly 'smoke and mirrors'. Maybe they realised the game was up and it wasn't worth the effort of breaking out the high-def camera and shooting the watch from obscure, misleading angles? :)

 

But enough about such shenanigans, here we have the new Aquaracer Calibre 7 GMT and if nothing else you'd have to say it's striking! Perhaps a bit too striking for some people, I can imagine that white half bezel isn't going to appeal to everyone. Personally I quite like it, but then I'm not exactly someone who (always) goes for tasteful and under the radar. 

I'm drawn to the rubber strap over the bracelet, but my first instinct would be to buy it on the bracelet and then order the rubber. Only problem with that is that I believe you need to order the rubber strap complete with the (super adjustable) fancy clasp which makes it rather expensive. And by 'expensive' I understand we are talking nearly £500! Presumably you can order the rubber strap on it's own as a replacement, but I don't think you can use the clasp off your bracelet (happy to be proven wrong here if anyone knows different). 

I'm told the pictures don't do this one justice, and I must say some of the photos do come across as a little dull. I think an awful lot is going to hinge on the exact tone of blue featured on the top half of that bezel. If it's too dark it's not going to work, I guess what I'm saying is it needs to look obviously blue and not black. 

Funnily enough my main gripe with the current all blue Aquaracer is the darkness of the blue bezel and the mismatch between that and the dial (which is why I was so approving of the black bezel / blue dial 'Ibiza' limited edition.... pity there were only 20 pieces made!) and this new variation on that kind of distracts your eye from that little issue, so again this could definitely be one for me. I also like the yellow highlights on the second and GMT hands, although it seems a bit odd as the GMT hand have previously been colour coded to the bezel on these models.

Inevitably with the slow demise of the WAY series Aquaracer the 'Batman' and 'Pepsi' bezel GMT's days are numbered, and I'm having a hard time deciding if I'd rather take the old style 'Batman' or the new style.... umm, what are we calling this? I have no idea. Blue and white bezel is a mouthful, can we think of something please? Right now I can't think of anything that is obviously blue and white with hints of yellow.... answers in the comments.

As ever being a poor independent blogger with no access to new models before release I will definitely have to reserve judgement until I see this one. I really think this one could go either way based almost entirely on the colour of that bezel, which makes it rather hard to score. Good job we don't have to give our final score until December, hopefully I will have seen it at least a couple of times by then. Or maybe it will be on my wrist? 

In the meantime let's throw it on the mercy of the COCO Council... 

WBP2010.BA0632 (Bracelet): 6.9/10 

WBP2010.FT6198 (Rubber): 7.1/10

Visually looks lovely, although a bit step RRP for a caller GMT. 7/10 for the bracelet. 8/10 for the rubber option as a nicer contrast.

I really like the rubber strap version, I give that one an 8 as well. 7/10 for the bracelet version.

The white part of the bezel doesn't speak to me. Maybe this is one that you actually have to see in the metal to appreciate. 6/10

Not offensive but I'm not drooling either. It looks better on the rubber strap so: 6/10 for the rubber and 5/10 for the bracelet

6/10, nice like the other Aquaracers but the cheapo Sellita GMT movement is a serious letdown at this price in a way that the regular 3-hander avoids being. With so many microbrand offerings using the exact same movement at 1/3rd the price (or using the new Miyota true GMT movement for even less) this is just not gonna fly (pun intended)

I gave 9/10 to the 844 and to the Night Diver, and I like both more than this GMT (which is nice anyway), so it’s a 8/10 on the rubber strap and 7/10 on the bracelet

Both a strong nine from me! Only size keeps me from scoring it a 10. The calibre siete always feels better to wind and handle so that is a plus compared to the cinco cinco cinco!

8/10 for bracelet, 7/10 for rubber - If you purchase the bracelet one but straight away changed it to rubber, congratulations, you are the 1% smartest people on this planet.

My score is 7/10. The combination of blue and white is fresh and likeable.

6/10. bracelet, 5.5/10. rubber strap... Proper GMT movement needed.

5/10 Bracelet, 6/10 Rubber strap. The dark blue & white bezel is not to my liking. Too much contrast and too shiny, my eyes kind of hurt looking at it. Overall, it's just another average looking Aquaracer as far as I'm concerned. But the rubber strap does enhance the look a little, perhaps because it draws my eyes away from the bezel.

5 Bracelet, 5 Rubber. Not really impressed. Its Same Same.

I like it, the colours work for me, but as usual, not the size. 6.5/10 for both.

I really like them both and love the yellow GMT hand! The rubber strap edges it for me, just makes the watch look so much nicer, hence my scores; GMT Aquaracer on rubber strap 8/10. GMT Aquaracer on Bracelet 7.5/10