The 55mm chrome-plated brass case weighs in at 120g, making it about the same weight as a standard TAG-Heuer watch case (without bracelet). The movement encompasses 9 jewels, and features a tough anti-magnetic spring and reasonable shock protection. The crystal is Plexiglass.
Each stopwatch comes with LE numbering on the back, and the series is limited to 1,860 pieces worldwide.
The TAG Heuer 2000 series is being re-released as the new Aquaracer series with an interesting new addition: the Calibre S.
The most striking feature of the Aquaracer Calibre S is the sub-dials. The Calibre S actually uses two semi-circular sub-dials, inspired by sports cars' tachometers. Since the sub-dials are not circular, as you might have guessed by now, the Calibre S uses bi-directional motors to position the tiny hands. The point isn't just to be different, but to create a much more readable and intuitive interface. Chronograph sub-dials are not particularly easy to read, especially to the untrained eye, so the Calibre S takes a completely new approach by using the main three hands to display time, elapsed time in chronograph mode, and time remaining in countdown mode, the theory being that the three main hands are by far the easiest to read (as opposed to tiny hands on sub-dials.). The right sub-dial shows 1/10 in chronograph mode (when time is stopped), and in time mode, both sub-dials, work together to indicate the date. In any other mode, the left sub-dial indicates which mode you are in.
The most sailing-specific feature on the watch is the regatta countdown timer. A regatta is a fancy word for a boat race, and apparently most sail boat races allow 10 minutes for the boats to maneuver into the optimal starting position. When the 10 minutes are up, the race begins. The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre S has a regatta countdown timer which automatically starts counting down from 10 minutes, can be re-synchronized at 5 minutes (apparently there's a 5-minute warning), and when the full 10 minutes have elapsed, the mode automatically switches to chronograph so that you can time the race. Very slick, in an aristocratic, sailboat-racing kind of way.
