Introducing: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph × Time+Tide “Sundowner”

Our Aussie friends at Time+Tide collaborated with TAG Heuer, resulting in a new version of the Aquaracer Solargraph. Style-wise, this is Time+Tide through and through. The Sundowner takes inspiration from the watch that has almost become synonymous with Time+Tide founder Andrew McUtchen, the Aquaracer Solargraph, and it pours on some Australian Outback sauce. Let’s have a closer look!

If you dig it, you may want to rush to get your hands on one of the 250 pieces that will be produced. You can find them at Time+Tide’s Watch Discovery Studios in London and Melbourne, on the T+T website, and through the TAG Heuer boutiques in Australia and New Zealand. Lastly, a small number is offered on TAG Heuer’s website.

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph × Time+Tide “Sundowner”

If you ran into Time+Tide founder Andrew McUtchen recently, there is a good chance you have spotted a Solargraph Aquaracer on his wrist. He wears his on a Bark & Jack ribbed NATO strap, and it is a great look. In fact, I snatched it off his wrist and tried it on at Watches and Wonders this year. I immediately saw the appeal. The watch is light and has this very subdued, ominous matte texture. Paired with the ease of use of a solar-powered quartz movement and the resulting slim profile, you have a winning recipe. The ribbed NATO strap also suits it to a tee.

So when TAG Heuer and Time+Tide team up, it makes all the sense in the world that the result would be what you see here. The Sundowner features aesthetic tweaks inspired by the Australian Outback. While Andrew’s Solargraph looks cool with its combination of titanium, black, and pale blue, the Sundowner warms it up with rose-tone accents and an army-green strap.

I was lucky enough to go camping in the Outback some years ago. I walked around Uluru (otherwise known as Ayers Rock) and spent several nights in a sleeping bag next to a campfire. Never was I so hot and dusty, but I have also never felt so small. I drove for hours through desolate, bright terracotta emptiness. The sky seemed to be filled with 10 times more stars than anywhere else I have been. I didn’t drink a drop of alcohol, but a good sundowner would sure have gone down well after rounding Ayers Rock. I could see this watch on my wrist while chugging it down too.

Sundowner specs

The Aquaracer Solargraph Sundowner features a 40mm Grade 2 titanium case with a fully sandblasted finish. The result is a subdued, Spartan surface that feels silky to the touch. The titanium unidirectional bezel comes with rose-gold-tone markers. Naturally, you get the modern dive-watch recipe of a screw-down crown, sapphire crystal, and screw-in case back. TAG Heuer rates the water resistance at 200 meters.

Inside ticks caliber TH50-00, which is based on a solar quartz movement from the La Joux-Perret/Citizen family. The movement’s power comes from solar cells behind the semitranslucent dial. It will work on both sunlight and artificial light. Forty hours of sun exposure provides a full charge, lasting 10 months. The battery should be good for 15 years of continuous use, keeping servicing costs to a minimum.

The black dial features 18K 5N rose-gold-plated applied indices, double logos, and hands. You will find an applied TAG Heuer logo below 12 and a Time+Tide logo above 6 o’clock. As mentioned, the watch comes on a ribbed NATO strap. The army-green fabric nicely offsets the Grade 2 titanium gold-tone PVD-treated hardware.

Initial impressions

I have always been a big fan of the Aquaracer Solargraph. It is a watch with an identity of its own, which is rare in the realm of dive watches. The negligible weight, subdued looks, and solar-powered movement make it a perfect grab-and-forget watch. I can see it performing the role of the worry-free weekend watch in a collection, doubling as a reference time when setting your mechanical watches.

When I tried Andrew’s Solargraph, I could certainly see the charm of pairing it with the ribbed NATO strap. I think it works even better here with the rose gold/green theme. The subtle hints of rose gold add warmth to an otherwise rather clinical watch. Conceptually, you might wonder why you would need a dive watch in the Outback. Well…maybe you want to go swimming in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Or maybe you just like an over-specced watch on your forearm when you go on adventures.

What do you think of the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph × Time+Tide “Sundowner”? Let us know in the comments section below!