Tag Heuer Aquaracer - Tag Heuer Watch

Ideal for dress or office wear, the Aquaracer Watch #WAF2110.BA0806 from TAG Heuer combines the sophistication of brushed and polished stainless steel with the traditional feel of automatic self-wind movement. This handsome timepiece features a 40-millimeter case, bracelet band with fold-over clasp and safety, and a sapphire crystal to protect against wear and tear. An elegant black dial showcases luminous hands and hour markers, as well as a convenient date display at three o'clock. Water resistant to 300 meters (984 feet), this well-made accessory features hand-wind automatic movement.

I ordered this watch from Amazon, and within 10 minutes of receipt, the crown (winding knob) had fallen off. I followed the instructions in the manual to the letter, so I do not believe it was my fault.

From the minute I unscrewed the crown -- this watch features a crown that screws in for watertightness -- it felt flimsy and poorly secured.

Furthermore, Amazon will not replace this product. The best they will do is a refund, which takes 7-14 days from the time they receive the returned product. And they require you to go to the post office and mail it via insured USPS mail, instead of having UPS (the delivery company) pick it up.

Amazon's price is great, as is TAG's reputation, but this situation has left a bad taste in my mouth with regard to both companies.

Think twice before buying this (or any other TAG) from a non-Authorized retailer, like Amazon.

-- UPDATE --
I ordered a second watch from Amazon in hopes that the first one was a fluke. I'm pleased to report that the second watch meets all the expectations I had of a TAG Heuer.

I still wish Amazon would allow for exchanges instead of having return/repurchase, but that's the only negative aspect of this purchase. I can't update my rating, but I would give this product 4 stars, with the 1 star deduction being due to Amazon's exchange policy and lack of telephone support.

I'm very pleased with this purchase, and I recommend the watch and Amazon, but do keep in mind everything I've written above. There are definitely some drawbacks when not purchasing from an authorized dealer.

I had always wanted a Tag watch and finally received this Aquaracer as a gift. First off, it looks and feels good. However, the luminous dial is very small and weak. It is nearly impossible to see the hands even after just turning off the lights in a completely dark room. The second problem is that the automatic movement stops if not worn for 10 hours or so. This is a bit inconvenient, I put mine on first thing in the morning to make sure it keeps running. I would not get the automatic if I was buying this watch again. Hope this is helpful for other Tag fans.

Great watch thing look forward to wearing it. Some reservation to warranty since Amazon didn't sign warranty card and doesn't appear to be authorized retailer. Hope there own warranty is sufficient should anything go wrong.

I bought this watch for my husband as a wedding gift. I did a lot of research in jewelry stores and online and this was BY FAR the lowest price I could find ANYWHERE, including [...]. I saved at least [...] from the next lowest price I could find. In addition, I received free shipping. The watch came beautifully packaged in Tag's original box. We took it the day it arrived to an authorized Tag Heuer dealer and they verified the authenticity and sized it for [...]. The watch is beautiful!

I recently purchased the WAF2110.BA0806 Aquaracer from Amazon. Before I move on, let's get the fact right: the size of this watch is 38.4mm, not 43mm. You can get the definitive information from Tag Heuer's web site.

The Calibre 5 automatic movement inside this watch is the same ETA 2824-2 that powers numerous mess-produced watches that cost less than one-fifth as much as the Aquaracer. If you want the most movement for your money, go get an Omega or Oris. Tag Heuer have a high level of brand recognition here in the US but that's not because they have the best movements (hint: smart marketing). I bought this watch because: 1) it looks good on my wrist (tried it on at my local mall). 2) it's less expensive than, say, the SeaMaster.

Right out of the box I sync'ed it up with the offical us time website. Three days later I check it again and I couldn't believe my eyes - it gained only 2 seconds! Let me tell you this: this is THE most accurate mechanical watch I've ever heard of, period. Well, it may be just dumb luck. Maybe as time goes by it's accuracy will drift away. But as of now, I am a happy-as-a-clam Tag owner.

Designed for optimal performance both in and out of the water, this handsome automatic watch blends sporty prestige styling with optimal readability. The 41 mm case is crafted from a solid block of stainless steel and showcases a black dial with bold luminous hands and markers and a red-tipped seconds hand. The dial also features a tonal TAG Heuer logo and a date display at the three o'clock hour. Framing the dial is a unidirectional rotating bezel, in matching black, with oversized Arabic numerals and a luminescent marker at the 12 o'clock position. The handsome link bracelet, in brushed steel, fastens securely with a fold-over-clasp with safety and features an extension system so that the watch can be worn over a diving suit. Other notable features include a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and a screw-in crown and caseback for water resistance to 300 meters. Calibre 5 automatic movement means that this watch winds itself with the natural motion of your wrist and does not require a battery.

In terms of design and ergonomic (is very confortable on the wrist) I am very happy.
The big negative surprise is the accuracy, each 24hours it adds 20 seconds , what is unacceptable for a $1000 watch.
Because I order from USA to Europe the return is a problem and the warranty is not valid because Amazon (seller) is not an authorized agent.
It seems that this problem is common with TAG watches.

Found this watch as a Christmas gift to myself in 12/08. Great price and less expensive than the same model I found locally -- that was used! So I ordered and was glad to see sold and shipped by Amazon. Watch arrives in GREAT packaging, looks wonderful, seems to be working fine... then BAM. Five days later the date locks. Can't even move it with the crown. So I call Amazon customer service, provide my info and ship to Kentucky for repairs. I'm skeptical at this point. Amazon provided me the contact info for the repair shop in KY, so I called and spoke to them once my watch arrived (I had to pay shipping to KY, and I purchased insurance. Amazon paid the shipping back to me, which was nice.) Repairman said it wasn't that big of a concern (the date not switching) and they should have my piece back to me in 6-8 weeks. It arrived back in five weeks. I'M VERY HAPPY NOW! Watch is working great, the experience was great, and dealing with Amazon customer service for a significant purchase like this really turned out to be easy and efficient.

The watch looks great - a gift for my husband - so no complaints there!! It is a bit bigger than expected - the dimensions could have been listed. However the mail experience with UPS was terrible. I had to track the watch myself (a month after I ordered it)to get any kind of info. I received 2 e-mail from Perfect Timing telling me they were sending the watch back because duties had not been paid. The first time I had not received any info on this and the second time I had already paid the duty a week earlier!! Lots of phone calls and e-mails before the watch finally arrived too late for the birthday.

This watch is very verstile & will help you "look the part" when you need to without being over-the-top as to distract. Very surprised with how comfortable this watch is. It is heavy, but I don't feel it on my wrist as much as I do my other watches.

Mine is gaining a consistent 7 seconds per day, which is very acceptable.

This watch is an automatic, meaning that it contains a mechanical movement powered by the action of the wearer's wrist. Some mechanical movements must be wound manually by the user. Neither type require a battery as a quartz watch would. The payoff is that all mechanical watches, however much they might cost, are less accurate than any quartz watch one might buy for $20 from a local garage. The reason that one might pay upwards of $1000 for such a watch is that the movement is a precise, finely engineered example of the watchmaker's craft, and not a simple piece of electronics produced by the millions as might be found in a cheap Casio (to take nothing away from Casio).

The highest quality automatic watches are known as 'chronometers', and must contain a movement that has passed a rigorous set of tests laid down by the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (www.cosc.ch). Such a movement will have an accuracy of 99.99%, which is the maximum obtainable. Only 3% of all watches produced in Switzerland each year are certified as chronometers. Briefly, the COSC standard states that a certified movement must be accurate to within -4/+6 seconds per day. Most high-quality mechanical watches can be adjusted by a good watchmaker to meet that level of accuracy. As far as I am aware, this movement (a Tag-modified ETA 2824-2 for the technically inclined) is not COSC certified; however, this does not mean that it cannot meet the standard, but simply that Tag Heuer have not submitted it for testing.

Even chronometer-certified movements are still less accurate than a quartz watch. This is not a problem specific to Tag Heuer, but is common to any mechnical watch, whether it be from Rolex, Omega, Breitling or any other manufacturer. Even Omega's new co-axial movement is not designed to increase accuracy, but rather stability over time. Stability is often considered to be a more desirable characteristic than pure accuracy in a mechanical timepiece (which is in any case impossible); that is, that it constantly gains 6 seconds a day, rather than gaining one day and losing time the next.

Many people (and websites) confuse chronometers with chronographs. A chronograph is a watch that has extra functions and displays allowing the timing of individual events, similar to a stopwatch. This watch is not a chronograph.

When buying an expensive watch, or any other valuable item, it pays to do a small amount of research and understand what exactly it is one is paying for.

I have always been very impressed with the build quality of Tag Heuers; their finishing and reliability is excellent and they are very reasonably priced when compared to other high-grade Swiss watches.

Designed with professional divers in mind, the Aquaracer Automatic CAF2110.BA0809 from TAG Heuer combines state-of-the-art timekeeping technology with sporty, prestige styling. Equipped with calibre 16 automatic movement, this watch winds itself with the natural motion of your wrist and does not require a battery. It features a round black dial with luminescent hands and markers, a monochrome TAG Heuer logo, and an automatic date calendar at the three o'clock position. Three subdials display 1/10 second, small seconds, and 30-minute registers. A stationary inner bezel, with a seconds ruler, frames the dial, surrounded by a unidirectional rotating outer bezel with a dive time scale and a luminous marker. Set in a 41 mm brushed steel case that fits comfortably to the contours of your wrist, this watch presents on a handsome and durable steel link bracelet with brushed and polished pieces. The bracelet features an extension system for divers and fastens with a fold over clasp with safety.

The look and feel of the watch are great. This is the 1st non-quartz watch I have owned - it losses about 6 seconds per day (hence the 4 stars). I have no issue with adjusting the time every week or two, but if accuracy is critical for you - go for the quartz options. I have the watch about a month and have had no issues with it stopping - as one or two other reviewers had.

Price wise dealing with Amazon implied huge savings for me.

I order this model from Amazon, for US$1,299.00 the only difference was that it was in white. I was unsure because the price was too low, but decided to go ahead, the watch is original & Brand New, and in perfect conditions, LOVE IT!!! Specially the price. Of course from Amazon you do not get an international warranty, just the Amazon one which I think is enough, I think in this issue consists the price reduction becuase Amazon is not an authorized retailer from TAG, but in this kind of watches rarely you'll need to repair them, ans you have a warranty for it... The delivery was amazing, right on the spot.

The Watch:
At first I was not too keen on the shinny markers of the rotating crown, until I gave it a very strong hit against a pool bottom, while diving, this markers are an excellent protection against this kind of accidents. Sapphire crystal has already been given various tests and pass with flying colors. Of course this is an automatic, do not expect the accuracy of a quartz, but if you know about watches you'll get an automatic, well worth timepiece. What I liked most about this watch is the disposition of the chronometer, very similar to the Link (200m Water Resistance), and Carrera models(50m Water Resistance), but with 300 meters resistance to water and with lower price.

On the down sides, the crown rotates to easy for my taste, the bracelet polished parts will get scratched as well as the shiny markers on the rotating crown and the security clasp will wear down over time, but still FIVE STARS for the watch, TAG HEUER and AMAZON are my personal favorites...

Be sure to check all offers, this watches become available from time to time in the great deals around $1,300.00 from AMAZON... I surely will buy another one for my collection.

After considering more costly watches such as Rolex and Breitling, since receiving it as a gift from my wife, I have been totally thrilled with this watch. Admittedly its larger than many watches, but the durability is unparalleled. The accuracy is perfectly accurate. The style and appearance, though subjective and individual, is stunning... etc,. I am convinced this is as perfect a watch as one can buy.

Everything was perfekt, fast delivery, perfekt condition and boxes and watch with serialnumber. Live in Sweden and this was a really good price :-)

Made a mistake and ordered this watch. Called the next day and they were extremely helpful. Cancelled the order with not problem. Made me want to shop with them in the future.
Ultimately ordered the watch. It is beautiful and runs flawlessly so far (with a valjoux 7750) I would expect it to. This is one of the main reasons I ordered the watch aside from price was to get this movement in a less than gigantic watch that can dress up or down. Amazon's service is great -- no problems. Two amendments: The first time I ordered it I received a used watch (links removed, no plastic wraping). They took it back immediately and sent a new one. Also the price quoted is the price without tax. I am not used to paying tax on the net and amazon should alert you to this added expense.

Designed to meet the demanding criteria of professional divers, the durable and sporty Aquaracer combines precise timekeeping technology with TAG Heuer's signature prestige styling. The 41 mm brushed steel case showcases a black dial with a full-color TAG Heuer logo and an automatic date calendar at the 4:30 position. Chronograph subdials at 2 and 10 o'clock display the 1/10 second counter and 12-hour counter respectively, and an additional subdial at 6 o'clock registers the seconds. Luminous hands and hour markers, a chronograph seconds hand, and a red chronograph minute hand with an arrow tip are all designed for optimal radiance and readability. The dial is framed by a unidirectional rotating bezel with an Arabic numeral scale for timing dives and other limited events. The watch presents on a handsome and durable brushed steel link bracelet that features an extension system for divers and fastens with a fold over clasp with safety.

Much has been said about this watch and you can learn a lot more on the TAG HEUER website.

What may not be obvious though is this watch is somewhat unique in the Aquaracer Quartz Chrono series, in that it has a brushed finished throughout. The only polished items are the pushers and the crown. All band links and even the bolsters on the bezel are fine brushed - which gives the watch a subdued look.

The other two watches in this series (blue face and white face) have polished center links on the band and polished bezel bolsters. If you are looking for a little more blingy look, then this model may not be for you, check out the other two. Don't be fooled though - this is an understated style that still exudes quality and class.

The good news about this model is that you will worry less about scratches. This watch is no hangar queen - it should be worn liberally while at play.

As usual with TAG, the fit & finish are superb. All materials are of the highest quality. Amazon delivered the watch overnight and in brand new, unused condition.

It's a fine addition to any collection.

I just turned 50 and decided, on a whim in lieu of a Porsche, to invest in an upscale timepiece to quench my midlife crisis thirst.

While I am on my third Casio dive watch over the past 20 years, I wanted something with some sport as well as class. I wanted something I could wear when I dive (the bracelet has an extension mechanism to help get it over a wetsuit or gloved hand), with creased jeans and a polo or a tuxedo. I have to say, this chronograph fits the bill (even though it is way too nice to dive with). It is sporty, but elegant. Eye catching but not in your face. And the TAG color logo just adds to the aura of this timepiece and the TAG brand.

TAG does not consider Amazon an "authorized" reseller so the TAG two-year warranty is not available. But a warranty of sorts from Amazon is. I decided to take the chance. The same watch from an authorized dealer is several hundred dollars heavier.

I'm happy that I made the plunge. TAG and hybrid cars are the wave of the future...

Just got this watch. Looks amazing. Great packaging. Looking forward to enjoying it for many years. Would highly recommend for the quality and price. Also, shipping was handled by UPS not USPS, nice upgrade.

Love the watch. Love the service. Really love the price. A couple of months ago, I bought another watch from Amazon. Once I got it, I changed my mind on the style and returned it to Amazon. No problems. Easy return. All my money back. Then later, I decided to buy a more expensive watch (the Tag) and bought it knowing that Amazon would back it if I was not happy for any reason. Also, I felt secure that Amazon would not risk their reputation in selling me a replica/fake Tag. I bought it and love the watch even more than I thought. I like the styling and the brand. I am definitely keeping this one. This is my first experience in buying from Amazon and I will plan on more future purchases. What more could you ask for in an online store?

My husband has always wanted a Tag watch, but I knew I didnt want to spend thousands of dollars on it. He was graduating CRNA school and I wanted to get the perfect gift for a job well done. I googled TAG watches and went to their website and then I remember that Amazon might sell them. I found this one and got it for a great price. The watch is awesome. It came just like it came from TAG in the big box and everything(minus the warranty) I am very pleased with my purchase. This watch looks great and it is just like I paid the original $2000 for it but instead I paid a $1000 less.

Boasting an eye-catching analog time display with central hour, minute, and second hands, as well as a digital time display with backlit dial, the Aquaracer Chronotimer Watch #CAF1010.FT8011 from TAG Heuer will keep your day on track. A 46-millimeter stainless steel case combines with a sturdy rubber strap for a sleek, sporty look. There's also a countdown with alarm option that's great for traveling and workouts, as well as a daily and diary alarm function to keep you organized. It also features a convenient perpetual calendar. This rugged accessory is water resistant to 984 feet, and it sports a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal to guard against wear and tear.

Watch came with a dead battery. Owner's manual states battery is good for 2 to 5 years. I had to replace the battery for $10 and then the watch was defective. Bought the same watch from another online retainer and had no problems. Rec Amazon investigate why the secondary vendor is selling watches without ensuring they have a good battery and work. This was no cheap purchase so this is the minimum level of customer service I would expect.

I've been looking for a nice high end ana/digi watch for daily plus sports use, and thought this was the ticket. A nice upgrade from my traditional Timex/Suunto style.

I received it an immediately noticed something: the hour and minute hands are split polished metal, with a dab of lum on the ends. The watch face is so busy that it is virtually impossible to see the position of the thin split metal hands at a glance, and I found myself always having to rotate the face to get the right light to see where they were. Perhaps I'm just spoiled after MUCH cheaper digital watches with big digits on them!

I tried for several days to get used to it, but no luck. The watch was returned today. I'll look for something else with fat solid hands.

I have been looking for a feature rich watch (ie alarm, stop watch, count down timer etc... a digital watch), but wanted a watch that I could use for work especially with travel. I do 90% of my travel outside the US, so a second time zone and an always with me alarm is a blessing. This watch is a very classy, yet practical and functional watch. It has a rubber strap so it is more sporty vs. the bracelet style. It is quiet (some are loud when they tick) and it has a host of features (some listed above, all shown in the demo at [...] The operation is simple once you read the instructions (don't lose them). A very nice bonus feature that I am surprised more watches don't have is the diary feature, you can set an alarm for a future date (a month, 2 or 3 from now to go off at an appointed time). In this day of PDA, iPods, and BlackBerry, it is nice to know that if you simply have your watch (which some of us never leave home with out) you won't miss the important call, meeting or what ever it is you don't want to forget!).

Key features you don't see in the book, the hour markers and hands are treated with a light activated luminous material (maybe Super Luminova - but not sure). They glow - not as bright as my Luminox, but continue to glow for 7 hours on my longest 'test' and were easily visible from about 2 feet away with my poor uncorrected vision (that is I could see it with out my eye glasses on!). They also do list the digital watch having a light, this is needed in dim light as the LCD display is not visible in anything modest amounts of ambient room light. The buttons require a firm push to cause an action and give a satisfying tactile feedback (click) to let you know you pushed it in for the function to happen. I do not see these buttons accidently being pushed due the the force needed to activate. The same is true for the crown, which when pushed activates the digital light feature. One caution, the crown must be pulled out to set various functions (time, countdown timer, alarm etc..) and if left in the out position, you run the very real risk of having water or other undesired debris in to the watch, so keep it pushed in at all times.

The design is very clean and considering all that it can do, is not too cluttered. The lower digital window appears more prominent in the pictures then it does in real life due to the angle of the light. If it catches it just right, the window border is easily seen, otherwise it just fades into the face of the watch (not the case with the yellow face). The bezel is easy to rotate with good tactile feedback, and not lose or prone to accidental rotation. It has a lum dot at the top for night time use. The hour hand is long enough that the lum tip does over lap the hour markers so at night it takes an extra second to identify the longer hour marker so you now where the hour hand is. Alternatively you can just use the digital light to read the time.

On the negative side and why it is not 5/5, the lum on the hour/minute hands are very faint vs. the hour markers and can be hard to see. This is mitigated as described above with the digital option. A bigger concern is the band build quality. The band itself seems to be well made, but the small piece that the strap tucks into seems to be very thin and I am concerned over time it may rip and come off. It also is a textured rubber so that it seems to 'stick' to itself so moving the band on top of itself when you are putting it on is somewhat difficult vs. other strap watches I have (rubber or leather). I looked on Amazon.com for replacement Tag bands for this model and they were in the $200 range! Lastly the alarm is fairly quiet. I think this has to do with the substantial case that the chime must pass from to make it to my ear, but it is quiet enough that one may not hear it.

This is an absolutely beautiful watch. It has a very nice heft to it, as you would expect from a Tag. The anti-reflective coating of the Sapphire crystal gives off a nice blue hue as you would expect from a high quality timepiece. The digital portion of the display is backlit by a blue light with a press of the crown. You can turn off or change the function of the analog display with a few turns of the crown.

I suggest that anyone considering this watch should try the interactive Chronotimer demo at the Tag website, which lets you try the functions of the watch and gives you a great overview of the features and operation.

[...]

The pushers have a very solid feel with good feedback, as does the rotating bezel ratchet. The rubber strap is high quality, very comfortable and elegantly executed.

As other reviewers have stated, the hands of this watch are very hard to discern with a quick glance. In the dark, you can totally lose the minute hand if it rests directly over a 5 minute marker, because the lume of the hand is the same size and color as the marker. I only deducted one star for the hands because I knew it was an issue and so I was not surprised. Yet the beauty and functionality of this watch far outweighs that downside.

I have this same watch with the metal band. As of this writing, AMAZON has a mislabeled model number (same model number except for the last two digits ending in 15 vice 21...and there seems to be no such thing as a "MICROTIMER"), yet the metal band CAF1010.BA0821 on AMAZON does not have the proper specs annotated on that page for this model number. This is why I am writing the review here (same time-piece, but band made of rubber).
My work as an international airline pilot takes me overseas four to five times per month and this watch fits the bill. With a twist of the crown, and the push of one button, I have the second time zone (T2) displayed in the bottom window. There is also the option of easily changing T1 home time to the new local time you just arrived in, as the analog clock hands will zip to the digital time you place for the hour in the digital display without affecting minutes and seconds (useful if you'd like T2 to be ZULU or GMT). You can also change the minute hand (i.e. trip to India) forward 30 minutes and the seconds are unaffected (lesser known fact: you can also look at any Greenwich Time set analog time display upside down and get local Mumbai, India time). One push of the crown, and all the windows are backlit (btw, the face and hands are luminescent with the lights out). This watch also includes a daily alarm (synchronized to time zone one or T1...you'll have to do the math to use it in different time zones unless you shifted T1 time to your location time zone, obviously). It also features a diary alarm which allows you to set alarms a well into the future. The chronograph is great to time your workout runs, as well. So far this watch is on the high end of accuracy for a quartz time-piece. Mine loses only 1/2 second per week and two seconds per month variation in accuracy for a non-atomic watch is fine by me. If this watch were light/solar powered like a CITIZEN or CASIO, it would be the ultimate package in a watch. But I'm not complaining if two to five years is what the battery will give me and like other lifetime lasting high end watches, a battery change is a good time to get the mechanism lubed up and inspected...especially a watch I will certainly take down to 70 feet or so on my dive vacation.
Automatic watches have completely unacceptable "accuracy" for my needs and they must often be serviced as often as battery run watches need battery changes due to the complexities of the moving parts.
Also, this watch has an energy saving mode if you need to put it away for a while.
Regarding the operation of the watch, it does take a little getting use to. If you see this watch in a jewelry store, good luck if you can get the person behind the glass case to explain it to you. But if you want to see how the thing operates before buying or to avoid sapping battery life as you figure it out, you can get a true to life interactive demo here: http://www.tagheuer.com/the-news/new-products/chronotimer-demo/index.lbl .
And don't lose the instruction booklet. I couldn't find one on the web anywhere when I had temporarily misplaced it right after purchasing the watch.