Latest Review
Our friends at Time+Tide have launched their latest collaborative limited edition, a new version of one of our favorite TAG Heuer references, the Aquaracer Solargraph. The Solargraph builds on decades of Aquaracer heritage by incorporating state of the art solar technology that makes it something akin to the ultimate grand and go sports watch. The new LE from Time+Tide trades on the media outlet’s Australian roots to great effect – the end result is a watch straddles the line between the high end and a pure tool, offering something just a little big extra for Time+Tide readers.
The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph x Time+Tide “Sundowner,” as it’s known, features a number of design cues inspired by the Australian outback. The reputation of the outback is as a wilderness environment that’s both beautiful and treacherous, so a sandblasted titanium case makes a ton of thematic sense and offers a level of robustness that you’d want if you found yourself in one of Australia’s most remote regions. The barren, desert-like aesthetic is also evoked by the khaki strap and the rose gold dial accents, which provide the Sundowner with a sense of utility and refinement. I’ve never been to the outback, personally, but the watch has a warmth to it that is both uncommon in quartz powered sports watches and feels very much tied to the landscape it’s inspired by.
The Solargraph is ostensibly a dive watch, and features a unidirectional rotating bezel in a tone matching that of the case along with a screw down crown and a water resistance rating of 200 meters. The key to really understanding the Solargraph, though, is the movement. It runs on the TH50-00 caliber and features solar cells placed behind the semi-translucent dial, which features the same horizontal striping that other non-solar Aquaracers of late have incorporated, this one in a complementary anthracite, sunray brushed execution. The cells charge on both natural and artificial light, and take roughly 40 hours of exposure to fill. Once fully charged, the watch can run for 10 months, although of course in practice you will almost always be charging it as you go about your day to day activities. In any event, the movement also features a power saving mode (activated by disengaging the crown) that will keep the battery juiced for 4 years. TAG says the total battery life is about 15 years, which means once you set and charge the watch, it’ll easily be good to go for well over a decade.
The Solargraph has a 40mm case and measures about 10mm tall. It’s an incredibly easy watch to wear thanks to the flexible proportions and the incredibly lightweight case, made possible by Grade 2 titanium material and quartz movement within. We went hands-on with an early version of the Solargraph, so you can see wearing impressions and additional commentary right here.
This limited edition release comes at a time of growth for Time+Tide. Now in their tenth year, Time+Tide has expanded their reach with “Watch Discovery Studios” in Melbourne and London, and has shown increasing interest in engaging the watch community at in-person events throughout the world. Take, for example, their recent collaboration with Studio Underd0g, a pizza themed watch that is only available at in-person watch events, where you’re likely to be sold a watch by Time+Tide founder Andrew McUtchen clad in a pizza chef’s outfit. This type of direct outreach to the enthusiast community is obviously something those of us at Worn & Wound value a great deal as well, and it’s exciting to see Time+Tide pursue similar goals in their own way, providing a direct route for their readers to engage with the team, the brands they cover, and the watches themselves.
The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph x Time+Tide “Sundowner” will be available for purchase beginning on November 18 at TAG Heuer boutiques in Australia and New Zealand, the TAG Heuer website, and via Time+Tide’s website and Discovery Studios. This edition is limited to 250 pieces, and carries a retail price of $3,050. TAG Heuer
