Oceanus Watch: TAG Heuer Men's WAF1112.BA0801 Silver Aquaracer Watch Review

Average Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars

(More customer reviews)For the past few years my "everyday" watch was a Seiko chronograph.While there is nothing wrong with it, I decided I wanted something with a little more style.Initially, I bought a Seiko Coutura, but returned it disappointed. I decided to spend a little more, but since I'm not a watch collector, I think $1,000 was about as much as I wanted to spend for a utility watch (or a quartz), though $500 would have probably been more practical (I guess it depends on where one draws the line between utility and luxury).

I looked at Tissot, which was probably the best choice for its price, also Movado, Bulova, and a few others, but really liked the style of the Tag Aquaracer.I chose this model because it's simple yet stylish.A chronograph would have been okay too, but all the ones I looked atwere just too large for my taste. While this model is average in size, it's not too large or heavy.

I trust that Amazon Direct sells authentic, non-refurbished watches, while offering a good warranty (not sure about the third party sellers), but I decided to purchase from a local authorized dealer.They gave me a discount, so I only ended up paying about $100 more, and I have the manufacturer's warranty. (Had they not given me the discount I would have had no problem buying from Amazon Direct)

I give this watch a 5 star overall, but for those interested in buying this watch, I'll point out a couple of things.

If you're farsighted or often in dimly lit areas, the watch can be a little hard to see.The dial and date are a little small, and the hands can blend into the background.I knew thisbefore I bought it, but just mentioning it for those considering buying online.The same version of this watch with black or blue faces are much easier to read, but I really liked the look of the silver face (there is also a WAF1111 that is silver with different finish).I just think if Tag had put a black trim around the hands it would have been a little better design, but perhaps that would make it look tacky, who knows. That said,you should have absolutely no problem reading it in the office, outside, or pretty much 90% of the time, and I you're like me and don't want a huge watch, the trade-off may have to be a slightly smaller face.

The other issue is the value of Tag's brand recognition versus other "luxury" brands. I looked at the Tissot very closely, as well as Bulova and some others, and overall the quality seemed to be on par.Albeit, I'm not a watchmaker, and I did not look inside.However, quartz movements are pretty consistent (versus some of the more expensive mechanical watches), so candidly speaking, I think it's pretty obvious there is a fairly steep premium one pays for brand recognition when buying a Tag Heuer, though obviously this is subjective.

Nevertheless, without question this is a quality watch, and it looks great. Since I have only owned it for a few days, I cannot comment on its longevity, how it stands up to nicks and scratches, or its accuracy, but I'm pleased with my purchase and would recommend this watch to others.

----Update October 31, 2009----

Set to the U. S. Naval Observatory clock, the watch gained just 3 seconds in 4 months - about 9 seconds per year.

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Product Description:
The bold and sporty Aquaracer blends high performance with optimal readability and prestige styling. The 38 mm case is crafted from a solid block of stainless steel and showcases a silver dial with bold luminous hands. The dial also features a full-color TAG Heuer logo and a date display at the three o'clock hour. Framing the dial is a unidirectional rotating bezel with oversized Arabic numerals and a luminescent marker at the 12 o'clock position. The handsome link bracelet, in brushed and polished 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 of this watch include precise Swiss quartz movement, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and a screw-in crown and caseback for water resistance to 300 meters.

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