FIRST IMPRESSIONS: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 'Green Dial' Solargraph

 

I guess we should have seen this coming, shouldn't we? Given the ever expanding Solargraph range and TAG Heuer's current obsession with the colour green, it was surely only a matter of time until the two were put together and voila... I give you the green dial Solargraph! Must have been a long day at work thinking that one up, eh?

Still, that doesn't really matter if the finished product works and on the face of it this one looks quite successful. I'm not entirely sure about the combination of green and pale blue, I honestly think the black and blue dials provide a better colour base for the usual 'Solargraph' highlight colour. Perhaps, as we've seen with some of the ladies 34mm Aquaracers, a polished steel hand would have been a better fit?

And speaking as the proud owner of a current edition WBP2115 green fumé dial Calibre 5 Aquaracer I wonder how this green dial will compare? The blue Solargraph certainly disappointed in person, with its weird, dull metallic slats and I can't help thinking the green might follow suit. One thing is for sure, I will be wearing my green Aquaracer next time I visit the TAG Heuer boutique to get a side by side comparison.

I must say though, the idea of a sun-powered quartz Aquaracer with a green dial and a fifteen year battery life certainly appeals. And I wonder if, had I not already taken the plunge, I would be tempted to go with this one over the one I actually bought? I think that question will only be answerable once I get them next to each other honestly, because for me on this one the dial is pretty much everything.

I have to say though, I am really starting to tire of the endless green watches. I mean this year we've already seen the green glassbox tourbillon, the green Dato, the green Calibre 16 Formula 1, two green GMT Aquaracers and the European limited edition Carrera, the new 'Racing Green' Monaco, plus three of the Kith Formula 1's having varying amounts of green on them. Not to mention the two KSA limitd edition Carreras.... it's all just getting a bit too much. 

Green isn't a blue or black, it's not something you want to see over and over again, so I think they perhaps need to think carefully before they make any more... but I guess if there wasn't a market for them they wouldn't make them. So we'll see, but in the meantime, let's toss this one into the C.O.C.O. cage and see whether they hold it aloft or rip it to pieces.

8/10: "Wonderful shade of green on the dial; design is very clean and legible."

5/10: "Just a bit meh with the Solargraphs."

7/10: "What's not to like here? A beautiful green dial on a lovely Solargraph watch. Not sure the blue second hand works for me, maybe yellow would have looked better but I think this seems to be the Solargraphs running theme."

7/10: "The blue second hand looks good against the green dial."

9/10: "The Solargraph’s are really popular and I’m sure the green will do well."

4/10: "The blue second hand is a shame, but sadly it has to be used in anything electric orientated these days, cars, bikes, Solargraphs… Not sure whether it’s due to the finish required to make the dual opaque for charging but the colour tone is weird, just like the blue."

4/10: "Don't like the blue hand."

4/10: "Based on the renders, this looks like a nice release with a wonderful shade of green. Unfortunately, so far, pictures don't seem to match the renders."

4/10: "Why would anyone approve to release such strange dial colour. Nothing appealing about this watch. As with most TAG Heuer watches, the watch in reality looks nothing like the digital renders shown on the TAG website."

4/10: "To me it has the same effect as the strange colors that some car manufacturers give their brake calipers. Too different for me."

3.5/10: "The dial looks nasty! Reminds me of the thick green paint used to on park benches."

6.5/10: "Steel Solargraph with black dial and with blue dial were 7/10 for me, and I like those more than this green version, so it’s a 6.5/10."

7/10: "I love the solargraph, but I’m still not sold on green dials… this is a 7/10 for me!"

5/10: "A handsome entry level model but without the titanium these aren't as attractive."

6/10: "I like it, but a bit too plain."

8/10: "Maybe this is the green AR Rob has been searching for all these years?"

7/10: "Judging this one purely on its aesthetic merits…"

7/10: "I really love the green Aquaracers, especially the ones with a steel bezel. This one gets extra points for the 40mm. It's a simple, handsome, well balanced three-hander."