TAG Heuer celebrates 10 years with Red Bull, releasing a new Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing
TAG Heuer and Formula 1 have been connected for decades, and over the years, the brand has become just as familiar around the racetrack as it is on the wrist. One of its more prominent partnerships in recent times is with Oracle Red Bull Racing, which it has partnered with since 2016. Now, to celebrate ten years of that partnership, TAG Heuer has released a new Formula 1 Solargraph that brings the team’s colours into the mix, along with the 38 mm case and a movement powered by light.
The Formula 1 collection has its roots going back to the 1980s when the brand introduced a more colourful, sport-focused range aimed at a new generation of watch buyers. That connection to motorsport has stuck around ever since, and this latest release is a good example of how TAG Heuer continues to use the collection to celebrate its racing partnerships.
As you would expect, the new model takes plenty of inspiration from Oracle Red Bull Racing, with a blue dial, red detailing and yellow accents that will be familiar to anyone who follows the team.
The TAG Heuer Designed To Win
Starting with the dial, TAG Heuer has gone with a blue sunray-brushed finish, with a red flange carrying the 60-second and minute scale around the outside. The yellow central seconds hand adds another splash of colour, while the date window at three o’clock also gets a yellow background. It is a fairly bold combination, but given the colours associated with Oracle Red Bull Racing, it makes sense for a watch celebrating the partnership.
The black lacquered indexes and hour and minute hands are filled with white Super-LumiNova, which glows green in the dark, and TAG Heuer has kept the familiar shield-shaped markers at six, nine and twelve o’clock. So, while the colours may be a little different, the dial still has the look of a Formula 1.
What TAG Heuer does well with the Formula 1 range is the way it can adapt the colours to keep the watch fun. Out of all the collections, the Formula 1 Solargraph is perhaps the most versatile in this sense, with a myriad of colour combinations that can be used to suit the theme TAG Heuer is going for.
The 38mm stainless steel case has a sandblasted finish, which works nicely with the blue bi-directional TH-Polylight bezel and gives the watch a bit of contrast. Being a sports watch, it’s also water-resistant to 100 metres, handy for those summer days, and on the back, you’ll find the Oracle Red Bull Racing logo and a checkered flag pattern.
To complete the package, the stainless steel bracelet carries the same sandblasted finish, and at 38 mm, the watch should suit those who like the Formula 1 design but want something a little more compact on the wrist.
Solargraph Technology
Inside is the TH50-00 Solargraph movement, which takes energy from really any light source. The idea is pretty straightforward: rather than relying on a conventional battery that needs to be replaced, the watch charges through exposure to light, making it a practical option for everyday wear.
The Calibre TH50-00 requires just one minute of direct sunlight to provide enough energy for a full day of operation, while less than 40 hours of light exposure is enough to fully charge the watch. Once charged, it can run for up to ten months in total darkness, and if the watch does stop, just ten seconds of light exposure is enough to get it going again. The accumulator is also designed to last up to 15 years.
Initial Thoughts
The new Formula 1 Solargraph is a fitting way for TAG Heuer to mark its decade with Oracle Red Bull Racing, particularly given how closely the two brands are associated with performance. The watch itself, while not a major departure from the current lineup, does enough to distinguish it from the other models in the collection via the use of the Red Bull colours.
The TH50-00 movement also means you are getting a pretty fail-safe watch. The collection has always been about sporty, everyday watches, and the Solargraph adds a level of convenience that suits that purpose. You can wear it regularly, let it pick up light throughout the day, and not have to worry about changing a battery every few years.
All up, it is, as I mentioned, a fitting watch to celebrate the TAG Heuer x Red Bull partnership, and now, given TAG Heuer’s partnership with Formula 1 overall as the timing partner for the sport, can we potentially expect to see a larger version of this on the grid as we wait for lights out at the U.S. Grand Prix in Texas? We’ll see!
Reference & Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Reference | WBY111F.BA0042 |
| Dimensions | 38mm diameter x 10.2mm thick |
| Case | Sandblasted stainless steel with a blue TH-Polylight bidirectional turning bezel with 60-second/minute scale |
| Crystal | Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment |
| Dial | Blue sunray-brushed dial with red flange, black lacquered hands and applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova; yellow central seconds hand |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Movement | TAG Heuer Calibre TH50-00 Solargraph |
| Case back | Stainless steel screw-down case back with Oracle Red Bull Racing logo and checkered flag pattern |
| Water resistance | 100 metres |
| Bracelet | Sandblasted stainless steel three-row bracelet with a stainless steel folding clasp with double safety push-buttons and adjustment link extension |