WBP1180.BF0000
It seems slightly bizarre to me that while the original black Solargraph was announced last March and supposedly launched last September I am still yet to see one* and here we are in the middle of January 2023 talking about a new version of TAG Heuer's first solar powered Aquaracer. TAG Heuer have certainly taken a completely different approach to this one, creating quite a different aesthetic compared to the original. This time we're working with titanium and once again like the previous Ti Aquaracers the watch has a sandblasted finish which is quite attractive (though I have heard mutterings that it's the cheapest way to finish a titianium watch on the THF Forum).
*I actually got to see both Solargraphs a few days after writing this post.
As with the green bezel Calibre 5 version this watch is incredibly light (in fact probably lighter given that it has a quartz movement) and that pale blue second hand really pops - almost a little too much in my humble opinion. I still can't make my mind up whether I actually like that blue second hand or not. But at least it marks the watch out as something different, and makes it instantly recognisable as a Solargraph.
I was somewhat disappointed to note that the titanium Solargraph has no lume on the bezel, rendering it unsuitable for diving. Given that the lumed bezel on the original version was such a selling point this seems a curious decision. Okay, I could probably live without having all the numbers on the bezel filled with lume (although in an ideal world they would) but I really expected the triangle to be visible after dark.
It's a very smart watch though, and the 15 year battery life is very appealing. I hear that TAG Heuer are intending to roll out more solar powered watches over the coming years so it will be interesting to see how that progresses. It would be great to see this in the Formula 1 range and would be an excellent selling point for people who want to get on the luxury watch ladder.
A Blog to Watch pointed out that people who love to put TAG Heuer down were always going to jump on the Solargraph and say it's powered by a movement from a £300 Casio, but while TAG Heuer have adopted a pre-existing movement they say they have improved it and added a larger solar panel, this means the watch can run for a year on about 3 seconds of sunlight (okay not strictly true but it's not far off). Besides, anyone who thinks you can justify a Swiss luxury watch based on it's component parts is barking up the wrong tree. If that's your approach then you're probably better off just buying the Casio.
Overall, from the pictures I think I would prefer the original blacked out version with the lumed bezel, but this is a very smart looking watch and I bet it wears great for pretty much everyone given the slender case and 40mm diameter. And you could probably argue that at £2550, which is exactly the same price as the previous WBP1112 this probably represents better value for money given the materials used.
Okay, let's turn this one over to the C.O.C.O. Council and see what their take on it is... hopefully they've calmed down after the carbon Monza debacle?
164.5 / 23 = 7.15 (Rounded up to 7.2)
8/10: "I really like the black version with lumed carbon bezel, but then I am also a sucker for titanium. I think it’s a solid addition to the range."
7/10: "I like the utilitarian look and pop of blue on the seconds hand. The price is its Achilles heel as it’s about $1000 too much in my opinion."
6/10: "I aint got much to say about this more than that it ain't making me feel something. Just a big meh."
7/10: "I like this one more than first Solargraph."
9/10: "I prefer the previous design. The first solargraph."
7/10: "I like the fact it's titanium and the solar technology is cool. Size is good. Quite like the colour scheme. But despite the material used, I think it's overpriced for essentially a quartz. And the sandblasted look could just be because it's harder (or more expensive) to finish titanium to a high standard in other finishes. Bear in mind you can get a Grand Seiko quartz for less than this, and the movement and finishing are next level on those."
6/10: "I'm of much the same opinion, except my comparison is with the hand-finished G-Shock MR-G that costs less."
6.5/10: "I like the concept and the look is growing on me. I would have scored it a little higher but for the price."
7/10: "This seems like the perfect everyday ‘adventure’ watch, lightweight titanium with quartz durability and accuracy. I still don’t love the Aquaracer without the bezel grip lugs, and worry that the titanium bezel would scratch very easily and visibly, so this lost a point because it doesn’t have the bezel insert of the back solar graph. I’m really looking forward to getting this on the wrist and seeing how it feels."
8/10: "A wonderful watch. The matte titanium case works so well in the smaller 40mm size. Loses a point because the hard truth is, luxury brand or not this is just too much money for a quartz."
7/10: "A clear improvement over last year's offering. However, still not compelling enough."
8.5/10: "At first glance a nice watch. I quite like sandblasted versions. Unfortunately I don't have the option to try it on. I'm going to call a few retailers and see if they have one in stock. Difficult here in NL because there is no official boutique. Very high price indeed. Don't know if I'm willing to pay for this."
7/10: "Good looking watch. Vibe of the original 40mm which I like, but more stealth, badass. Blue accents are great. Steep price and quartz are my only real complaints."
7/10: "I love the finish on the case and the light blue second hand is unusual and stands out well against the dial."
7/10: "Not sure about the sandblast finish, or the price, £1995 would be better."
5/10: "I like the look of this watch and appreciate the fact that it came out at a reasonable price despite it has a titanium case. But even though Casio and Seiko sell ridiculously cheap solar radio-controlled watches, just because it's a Swiss movement, it's extremely expensive."
7/10: "This is a straight and ice-cool titanium watch. I like the Bamford better though."
8/10: "I like these new models and tech behind it. Solar power is such an interesting beast. Round for a long time but not fully exploited in my humble opinion. Not good if you are locked in a dark room being help captive against your will though I must admit. But then, they don't need to tell the time."
7/10: "I like the look and that's what my score is based on. But a part of me wants to deduct points for its excessively expensive price. Just can't see paying $3000 for quartz, even if solar. Since I didn't penalize the the all black DLC version for this reason, wouldn't be fair to do it here."
8/10: "Hard to fault this watch. I like it a lot and now with the added addition of Titanium, it's a pretty perfect watch. (I am a big fan of titanium watches anyway). I don't know enough about the movement yet to judge it on that but generally I have no issues with solar powered watches. I love the lume and the blue second hand and markers look great to me. I wish they had lumed the bezel like the carbon one, but no big deal."
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