Sunday Morning Showdown: Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 Vs. TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date
Another Sunday morning, another showdown! This week, Thomas and Daan pit two popular dive watches against each other. Thomas fights for the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400, while Daan defends the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date. These two watches are similar in price, function, and concept but are worlds apart in style and execution. Let’s dive in!
These watches share a 300m water resistance rating, ceramic bezel insert, date at 6 o’clock, and steel bracelet as well as rubber strap options. Even the prices are incredibly close. The Aquis Date Calibre 400 is €3,500, while the Aquaracer Professional 300 Date comes in at €3,750. With all of that similarity, let’s see what Thomas and Daan can point out as the differences that make one better than the other.
But first, back to last Sunday
Before we do that, let’s revisit last Sunday’s showdown. Daan and RJ took the new Omega Aqua Terra 38 and the 36mm Explorer into the ring. Daan threw punches at the Omega, pointing at a lack of identity and a collection with too many options. RJ replied that Daan’s description of the Explorer as the ultimate no-nonsense watch was a bit arbitrary. He felt the Explorer had lost some appeal as it hadn’t modernized much aesthetically.
The vote went right down the middle. The Omega Aqua Terra won by a hair with 51% of the votes. The comments were extremely diverse in the arguments provided, showing this was a tight one. There weren’t many returning points that showed a clear strength or weakness of either — well, except maybe the date feature. For some, it remains a must; for others, it remains an eyesore.
The result surprised us somewhat because the Aqua Terra Shades models usually catch quite some flack in our comments section. We were expecting a relatively easy win for the Explorer, but it goes to show you Fratelli are still full of surprises. That is a good thing; otherwise, we might as well stop doing these showdowns. Now, with that out of the way, let’s dive into today’s battle.
Thomas: Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
Most of the time, I could defend either contestant in these showdowns. My last fight, for instance, saw me defending the Oyster bracelet, but I would have happily taken the Jubilee’s side as well. That’s not true this time. Today, I am defending a watch I really like against a watch I really don’t. So, my dear Fratelli, it is personal this time!
Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against TAG Heuer or the broader Aquaracer line. I would happily wear the titanium solar-powered model, for instance. It is the latest update to the Professional 300 that I dislike in particular.
For starters, the new wave dial seems to have been added without any regard for the design language set before. No matter how I look at it, I just don’t see any way that it works with the rest of the watch. The Aquaracer, with all of its complicated angles, is already quite contrived. The last thing it needs is a super busy decorative dial. Add to that a round date magnifier in a dodecagon-themed design, and you have a look that, in my opinion, just falls apart.
The Oris Aquis is refined and cohesive
Let me refrain from bashing my opponent too much and focus instead on my candidate’s strengths. The Oris Aquis is much easier on the eye, which is the result of restraint and cohesive design. This is an art form that watch enthusiasts often overlook in favor of comparing cold specs, so I put extra focus on it as a matter of principle. Every single element on the Aquis is there for a purpose, and it all comes together in a clear, concise, and natural-looking fashion.
This refinement in its design is amplified by its originality. The Aquis leans on dive-watch history, but it doesn’t directly refer to anything historical specifically. This is a strength because it makes the watch feel contemporary, original, and fresh. The shape is instantly recognizable to those “in the know.” It is so clearly an archetypal dive watch yet something of its own at the same time.
I suspect you might make the same case for the Aquaracer, Daan. However, I would argue that the TAG is much more familiar in its design cues. It looks like a generic dive watch pressed into a dodecagonal mold.
Living in a realm of its own
The Oris Aquis is a watch that does not get much attention. This is, in part, because Oris is somehow free of status and hype. The brand seems to exist on its very own island in this way. Nobody will approach you and say, “Oh, man, is that a real Aquis?” This, to me, is a virtue, not a shortcoming. I sometimes tire of all of the pomp and circumstance and pretentious fluff of the watch world. Oris does not engage in all this, and my appreciation of it grows correspondingly.
What you get, instead, is a very solid and well-thought-out dive watch. It is handsome and ready to be taken into the water, where it feels most at home.
The Oris Calibre 400
Let me end with a few words on the movement inside. I have to admit, in this segment, I strongly prefer ébauche calibers. Give me a good old Sellita or La Joux-Perret that any watchmaker can service with tons of spare parts floating around. Both contestants here feature proprietary calibers. Yes, the Aquaracer’s is made by Sellita, but it isn’t a generic Sellita caliber. To me, this complicates the owning experience, which I don’t want unless we are talking about fancy Haute Horlogerie movements.
The Oris, however, at least gives you a serious upside. Calibre 400 has some unique selling points that set it apart from ébauche movements. You get a 120-hour power reserve and a 10-year service interval with a 10-year warranty. It has a unique brutalist aesthetic that I rather like too. And, of course, Oris offers Sellita-powered versions for people like me as well. Unfortunately, the brand is now pushing buyers toward the Calibre 400 models by adding more upgrades, such as quick-release bracelets, and keeping these from the Sellita versions.
Still, if we have to go down the path of proprietary movements, I would rather have the Oris Calibre 400 over the AMT Sellita TH31-00. Now, Daan, tell us why I am all wrong and the Aquaracer is the watch to get!
Daan: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date
Thanks, Thomas, for that motivating interlude. I have to say, I’m also a fan of Oris as a brand, and I like most of its watches a lot. My first luxury watch was an Oris Art Blakey, which I still wear with pride. I also own the Fratello × Oris Big Crown Pointer Date, and I feel it’s just a matter of time before I add a Divers Sixty-Five to my collection as well. However, for some reason, the Aquis is one of my least favorite models in the Oris portfolio. You describe it as clean, concise, natural-looking, contemporary, original, and fresh. I’d simply describe it as a little bland.
I must admit, I do like the long service interval and the 10-year warranty of the Aquis Calibre 400. However, the watch’s design feels like a very safe bet. It’s true that the case shape, crown guards, and short, beefy lugs give it a bit of muscle. To me, though, the dial and bezel designs are just not that exciting. Maybe that’s why the Oris Aquis has never caught my attention. I know it’s Oris’s bestselling watch, so there must be a lot of fans out there — I’m just not one of them.
Consistently inconsistent
You, Thomas, called the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300’s design inconsistent, especially because of those waves on the dial. To start, those waves aren’t actually new. They already appeared on the 36mm version of the Aquaracer. I agree that together with the contrasting seconds hand, it looks a little over the top, but I feel like that suits TAG Heuer’s brand image. The same goes for the 12-sided bezel and the matching eight-sided hour markers. Overall, the design is a bit far-fetched and vain, but that’s exactly why I like TAG Heuer.
Some might call it tacky, but I’d say it’s brave and makes the brand’s watches stand out from ones like the Oris Aquis. Isn’t that what you want when you buy a watch at this price level? Indeed, the Aquis is clean and concise, but don’t you want the watch on your wrist to excite you a bit? The unusual bezel design of the Aquaracer and the thoughtful hour markers do just that for me. Some people might feel something’s always a little off with the Aquaracer’s design. I’d say it’s just very consistently inconsistent.
An integrated date magnifier
Another feature that stirs up a lot of discussion is the integrated magnifier over the date window at 6 o’clock. I applaud the designers for moving the date to that position because it makes the dial feel much more symmetrical. Yes, I know that the date window on the Aquis is in the same position. However, that watch doesn’t feature a date magnifier on the crystal. It almost looks like the date window isn’t even there — it’s playing incognito. That certainly won’t come in handy when you want to know the date quickly.
I’m sure the readability of the Aquaracer’s date window is much better. Yes, the magnifier makes the date more prominent than without it. In the end, though, you’re buying a watch with a date window because you think it’ll come in handy, right? If that’s true, then at least make sure you can properly read it when you need to. Furthermore, the way TAG Heuer integrated it on the underside of the crystal ensures it won’t collect dust like the one on your Rolex does. By the way, with its bigger, elongated markers at 3, 9, and 12 o’clock, I feel the Aquaracer offers better readability than the Aquis’s clean and concise dial. On that watch, it’s very hard to distinguish the quarters from the other.
Get ready to vote
So, there you have it, dear Fratelli — two very capable divers that cost almost the same but are made by brands standing quite far away from each other. One has a cleaner, more consistent design language, while the other is more conflicting and daring. Which watch would you choose to buy if you were in the position to do so? Vote for your favorite below, and let us know in the comments why you voted the way you did. And make sure to come back next week for another Sunday Morning Showdown!
