TAG Heuer is the official partner of Oracle Team USA, 34th America's Cup Defender. Special editions of the Aquaracer chronograph are dedicated to the Team.
For this year's America's Cup, every crew member of the Oracle Team USA wears a special edition of the Aquaracer 72. Indeed, the R&D departments of TAG Heuer and Oracle Team USA worked together to develop onboard connectivity equipment and an innovative and intelligent smartwatch that give all the crew members instant access to crucial race condition data in real-time.
Special editions of the commercial Aquaracer 500M Calibre 72 Countdown chronograph were customized for each sailor’s specific tasks and wirelessly linked directly to the boat’s onboard computers.
Stéphane Linder commented: “This was a first for sailing and a first for Swiss watchmaking. It represents the next-generation of competitive sport technology. We’re looking forward to participating in similar ventures with teams across the full spectrum of professional sports.”
The extreme-tech and exceptionally resilient digital chronograph is the first watch designed specifically for and by a professional sailing team.
Even though TAG Heuer's classic aquatic design codes were respected, the technology is innovative. The LED screen displays constantly updated information on the behavior of the boat and its sails such as boat speed, foil balance, sail pressure, true wind speed, true wind direction and true wind angle.
Only 50 of the special Aquaracer 72 were produced and none are available commercially.
But, to celebrate its ongoing partnership with Oracle Team, TAG Heuer launched a limited edition version of the Oracle Team USA crew’s Aquaracer 72: the Aquaracer 500M Calibre 72 Countdown Automatic Chronograph 43 MM. The timepiece is named after the official length of Oracle Team USA racing boat, is stamped with the official “Team USA” logo on the dial and features the iconic AC72 boat on its case back and it is waterproof to 500 meters. With its unscratchable ceramic bezel, rubber coated pushers and screw-in crown, it is a true sailing countdown instrument, made to withstand the most extreme sailing conditions. The countdown function at 12 o’clock makes for instantaneous visualization of the 5 minutes before the official start of the race.
Two other limited edition Aquaracers honor Oracle Team USA: Aquaracer 500M Calibre 16 Chronograph and the Aquaracer 500M Calibre 5. All three have helium valves and bear the official colors of Oracle Team USA -red, black, and white- on the hands, pusher, and face.
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