Will TAG Heuer awaken with the ultimate diver's watch? The new Aquaracer with 1000m water resistance

TAG Heuer's Aquaracer is a classic diver's watch. While it lacks outstanding performance, its flawless construction makes it a versatile diver's watch for everyday use. However, the 2022 Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver is a completely different beast, boasting high water resistance and a Kenissi movement.

What makes the Aquaracer Professional 1000 Super Diver so great?

The movement is actually made by Kenissi!

The new Aquaracer Professional 1000 Super Diver is not only water resistant to 1000m, but also features a completely different movement. It's powered by a Kenissi automatic, rather than the previous Sellita (Elaboré grade). The TAG Heuer name is Cal. TH30-00. Who would have thought that TAG Heuer would choose this outstanding automatic, used by Tudor, Chanel, Norqain, and Breitling? With a free-sprung balance, a highly efficient reverse-winding mechanism, and a long power reserve of approximately 70 hours, the Kenissi automatic is one of the finest examples of basic mass-produced automatic movements.

Incidentally, Kenissi recently relocated its factory from Geneva to Le Locle, possibly in anticipation of being hired by TAG Heuer. In fact, Kenissi's new factory is just a stone's throw from TAG Heuer's headquarters. Carol Kazapi, head of the company's R&D department, stated publicly to Chronos Japan that "TAG Heuer is interested in all of Kenissi's movements." It's highly likely that TAG Heuer will expand its collection with automatic movements made by Kenissi in the future, and if that happens, the company will have a very strong competitive advantage.

1000m water resistant, but surprisingly thick case

Just as Omega's "Ultra Deep" aimed for a usable thickness, the new Aquaracer also has a case so thin (relatively speaking) that it's hard to believe it's waterproof to 1000m. It's comparable in thickness to the 300m water-resistant divers of the past. While the conventional wisdom in the watch industry has been that high water resistance and case thickness are a trade-off, this doesn't apply to the new Aquaracer. Despite the large Kenissi automatic movement and the 1000m water-resistant case, this model also adheres well to the golden mean, which is the beauty of the Aquaracer.

The exterior emphasizes practicality rather than luxury.

The 1000m water-resistant Aquaracer is TAG Heuer's first professional diver's watch to comply with ISO 6425 (2018 edition). It meets the standards for nighttime visibility at a distance of 25cm, shock resistance to 5000G/ms, and magnetic resistance of 4800A/m or more. Furthermore, this model achieves even greater magnetic resistance by using a brass alloy for the inner case. Naturally, every watch is subjected to water-resistance testing.

What surprised me was how light the watch was. Thanks to the use of grade 5 titanium for the exterior, it's not as heavy as it looks. While TAG Heuer calls this the "ultimate luxury diver's watch," I personally prefer its tool-like feel. However, the level of finish is certainly improved compared to existing Aquaracers.

Conclusion: Is it an option for high-spec divers?

Equipped with a Kenissi automatic movement and 1000m water resistance, this model will significantly change the Aquaracer. Kenissi's particularly well-made automatic movement has the potential to give TAG Heuer a competitive edge in the future. In fact, Carol Kazapi, head of development, stated to me, "TAG Heuer is interested in all of Kenissi's movements." The Aquaracer Professional 1000 Super Diver will foretell not only the future of the Aquaracer, but also of TAG Heuer itself. I'd like to evaluate it once I've had a chance to properly handle the finished product.