Back in 2013, TAG Heuer found PR gold in a now-celebrated photograph of 10 actress Bo Derek kneeling on a sun-kissed beach beside Utah’s Lake Powell wearing nothing more than a smile and her Heuer Reference 765 dive watch.
The scene was a far cry from our image, which shows the brand’s latest underwater model – the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph – resting on an unforgiving lump of Scottish granite.
But every picture tells a story, and this one highlights the fact that this all-new Aquaracer is a whole lot tougher than its ancestors, considerably more technically accomplished and a good deal more versatile.
Its lightweight, scratch-resistant titanium case makes it ideal for exploring Scotland’s rugged landscapes, while its 200-metre water resistance rating means it would laugh in the face of a deep dive into the chillier bits of the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean that lap the country’s shores.
The fact that Scotland enjoys limited sunshine per year won’t be a problem for the Solargraph, either – because, while its electronic movement is ostensibly “solar powered”, it is capable of taking energy from any light source, natural or artificial.
And when the gloom really does descend, you’ll still be able to tell the time on your Solargraph’s dial because its hands and markers glow in green and blue – evoking the very colours of the shimmering Aurora Borealis, which is regularly visible from some of Scotland’s most northerly points.
Ready to take the high road? We certainly are….
The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph, £2,550; tagheuer.com
By Simon de Burton. Simon is a journalist and author who writes for the FT’s How to Spend It, British GQ and Boat International, among others
