First of all, a big thanks to Hummerboy (RG) for the smooth transaction. Being in the UK too, I had to buy this from the SC!
The Review
It’s no secret that I like a good diving watch. From Seiko Monsters to IWC Aquatimers, there is something reassuring about a good chunk of metal. However, perhaps one of my favourites is in fact also the most elegant….the Omega Seamaster 2254.
Over the past year or so, Tag has really raised the bar in the design department. The Grand Carrera, the Carrera Day-Date, and now this new Aquaracer 500m, they’re all so easy on the eye.
The black 500m not only has a beautiful design, but it also resembles slightly the 2254, so therefore the Tag immediately went onto my want list….so welcome to my review of the Tag Aquaracer 500m…..
History
The Tag Heuer Aquaracer 2000 was first released in 2004 as a successor to the Tag 2000. It was very much designed to be a subtle sports watch that was versatile enough to be worn as a diving watch, but also as a watch under a shirt sleeve.
Then in 2009, Tag overhauled the watch and gave it a complete overhaul. The slim line look was ditched in favour of a more masculine tool watch look. It keeps true to its heritage in terms of shape and design, however, Tag really has utilised every single detail to make what is in my opinion, one of the nicest looking divers watches on the market.
Background Information
The Aquaracer currently comes in three main variations;
The light dial is actually a silvery/white, whereas the replica is more of a pure white. The replica blue is reportedly slightly different to the genuine, so the black is the most accurate, but I must say, the blue does look striking in the flesh!
Vital Stats
Case Diameter – 43mm
Water Resistance – 500m
Power Reserve – 42 Hours (self winding, 25 jewels)
Crystal – Sapphire Crystal with inner AR coating
Caliber ETA 2836-2
Accuracy to the Genuine
Front
From the front, the Tag Heuer is very hard to fault. The date mag is very good as is the date font. The dial is beautifully finished, and in some lights, the dial seems to pop due to the texture that is applied. If you have seen a genuine Bond SMP in the sunlight, you’ll know what I mean….the effect is similar to that.
The bezel texture and numbers are well replicated, as are the CG’s and crown.
The hands and lume markers are also accurate to the eye, although the lume on the rep is weaker than a gen Tag, it’s not the worst I’ve ever seen.
There is no AR coating on the inside of the replica. However, a single coating is not very obvious, so although it is a flaw, it is not obvious. If the genuine had a double AR, and this had none at all, then that would be a massive difference. However, the crystal on the 500m doesn’t suffer from massive glare anyway, so AR really isn’t an issue.
Some have reported issues of a misaligned Tag Heuer logo on the dial. The ones I have seen are misaligned only very slightly, and as with all replicas, sometimes it’s just something you have to live with.
Genuine on the left in all pictures
Back
In recent years, Tag has gone for the open caseback design. It’s a nice touch in my opinion, as an automatic movement is something that should be shown off….who doesn’t like seeing a nicely branded rotor spinning around on a nicely finished movement!?
The replica makes a good job in the replication of the back, with the major flaw being that the movement isn’t finished in the same pearl pattern as the genuine.
Another flaw is the rotor bearing. The genuine has a slightly toothed edge, whereas the replica has a smooth edge to it.
Apart from these minor differences, the open back is a nice aesthetical touch on the genuine, and the replica does a great job in copying it.
Other
The clasp on the replica has good solid feel to it, and it certainly closes with authority, presenting no chance of it coming open whilst on the wrist.
As you can see from the picture below, there is the ability to make micro adjustments to the length of the bracelet, so you can make the watch fit to exactly how you want it.
When I tried the genuine on, the bracelet felt very light, and quite flimsy (but not cheap!). The replica feels almost exactly the same. The 500m uses a bracelet that is similar in feel to a Submariner bracelet, rather than an Omega SMP bracelet, which is heavier and slinkier in comparison.
Conclusion of flaws
Conclusion of flaws on front
Lack of AR
Some reports of misaligned logo’s (not all watches)
Conclusion of flaws on rear
Lack of perlage on movement
Smooth instead of toothed rotor bearing edge
Conclusion of other flaws
None
Final Thoughts
Before buying the replica, I took the opportunity to try the real thing on at a local AD. As soon as I strapped it on, I knew immediately that I needed to buy this watch, be it the gen or the rep….in the end I went for the rep!
The watch has a really nice look to it, Tag has done a really good job in the design department with this one. Not only that, but for the price (gen), I feel it really does put up some stiff competition to other brands such as Omega and Breitling. I would still buy an Omega Seamaster over this 500m if given the choice, however, it’s not a choice that I would make without some hesitation.
Now that I own the replica of the watch, I can safely say that this is a very nice watch to be worn every day. It’s not too bulky, but on the other hand, it doesn’t just fade into the background when on the wrist. It is quite subtle, but seems to provoke me to keep glancing at it, just for the sake of looking at the watch, not the time.
So how does it wear….well it’s chunkier than my SMP, but it is just as comfortable. Thickness wise, it wears more like a Rolex SD.
Truly, if you are on the fence about this one, I would recommend buying it. Not only is it an accurate replica….it’s one hell of a good looking piece of metal, with a great design, and a nice open caseback for those movements when you want a glimpse of the heartbeat of the watch!
Thank you for reading the review
Closing Pictures
