Page 38 - SHARP Spring 2022

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TAG HEUER’S NEW AQUARACER PROFESSIONAL 200 RESPECTS ITS PAST WHILE PUSHING INTO THE FUTURE
By Justin Mastine-Frost
THE WATCH WORLD IS FILLED WITH HERITAGE reissue this and vintage inspiration that that proving that that it’s often easier to to copy one’s archives than it it is to to evolve an existing product line With the the launch of the the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 however the brand has again proved capable of of the latter delivering one of of the sharpest dive watches we’ve seen this year Designed as the the more compact counterpart to the the 300 series that launched in 2021 the new reference is positioned as more of an an everyday adventurer’s watch rather than as a a a a professional dive watch alone The Aquaracer Professional 200 is offered in both quartz-powered and self-winding configurations the latter powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 automatic movement with a a 38-hour power reserve The watch’s stainless-steel case features an almost entirely brushed finish with polished centre links on the bracelet to add a a a bit of flash Its robust 60-click rotating timing bezel sports the the the same brushed finish further reinforcing the the the watch’s rugged personality You’ll note that its bezel is cut in a a subtle dode- cagonal form amplifying its ease of operation This detail as as well as as the oversized screw-down crown and the the flat spot on the the opposing side of its case are a a a a touch unconventional when it comes to to typical dive watch design This is is is precisely where TAG Heuer has tapped into its history in in in building both the 200 and 300 collections While these sorts of design cues will likely
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fly under the radar for most consumers those more intimately acquainted with the the brand may recall the the Professional 3000 collection in production from 1984 to 1990 In the the case of of the the new Professional 200 this older reference also provided the inspiration behind the brushed bezel finishing Between its its its design its its its dimensions and its its its dis- creet historical play there are a a a a a lot of reasons why the the Aquaracer Professional 200 deserves a a a a spot on on your “must have” list this year 38 GUIDE • SPRING 2022
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