NEW WATCHES · MOTORSPORT
Ten years with Oracle Red Bull Racing, expressed in blue, red and yellow. TAG Heuer’s new 38 mm Formula 1 Solargraph pairs a familiar silhouette with light-powered convenience.
A racing watch does not need a crowded dial to make its point. For the tenth anniversary of its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, TAG Heuer has chosen three hands, a date and the compact proportions of the Formula 1 Solargraph. The result puts the team’s colours at the centre of the design, while keeping the watch’s everyday purpose easy to understand.
Announced on 12 October 2026, the new special edition, reference WBY111F.BA0042, marks a collaboration that began in 2016. Its appeal rests on a straightforward combination: a recognisable Formula 1 shape, a steel bracelet and a movement that draws energy from light.
The team colours do the talking
The blue sunray-brushed dial is framed by a red minute track and a blue TH-Polylight bezel. A yellow seconds hand and yellow outline around the date window at three o’clock add smaller flashes of contrast. It is a lively palette, but one organised around clearly separated functions.
Black-lacquered applied indexes contain white Super-LumiNova, which glows green in the dark. The hour and minute hands carry the same luminous treatment, while the shield-shaped markers at six, nine and twelve retain a distinctive part of the Formula 1’s visual identity.
The more explicit team signature sits on the screw-down steel caseback, where the Oracle Red Bull Racing logo appears with a chequered-flag pattern. That placement lets the colour scheme establish the connection from the front without making a large team logo the dial’s focal point.
A compact steel case
The 38 mm case takes inspiration from the original Formula 1 models. Sandblasted steel gives it a matte surface, carried through to the three-row bracelet. The folding clasp includes double safety push-buttons and an adjustment-link extension.
A flat sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment covers the dial. Water resistance is rated to 100 metres, and the TH-Polylight bezel turns in both directions. Its 60-minute/second scale adds a useful visual reference, although this remains a three-hand watch with a date, rather than a chronograph.
Solargraph: powered by light
Inside is the Calibre TH50-00 Solargraph movement, which uses both natural and artificial light to recharge its accumulator. This is solar-powered quartz, with the emphasis on convenience rather than a mechanical winding ritual.
According to TAG Heuer, one minute in direct sunlight supplies enough energy for a day of operation. The brand quotes a full charge in under 40 hours of light exposure and up to ten months of running time in total darkness once fully charged. It also states that the watch can restart after ten seconds of light exposure following a stop, with an accumulator lifespan of up to fifteen years.
Those are manufacturer figures, not results from an independent test. In practical terms, the proposition is a watch that can remain ready to wear through regular exposure to light, without daily winding.
Price and availability
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing is listed for availability from October 2026. TAG Heuer’s estimated recommended retail prices are CHF 2,100 in Switzerland, €2,200 in Europe, £1,900 in Great Britain and $2,250 in North America.
It comes in dedicated packaging carrying the team’s colours and logo. TAG Heuer describes the watch as a special edition; the supplied announcement does not specify a numbered production limit.
The Superwatchman perspective
The strongest part of this release is the relationship between colour and proportion. The red minute track and yellow accents give the blue dial character, while the 38 mm case keeps the concept compact. Solargraph makes equal sense here: it supports the idea of an uncomplicated daily watch with an overt connection to racing.
For collectors, the question is how much that Formula 1 identity and Red Bull association matter at this price. The special edition’s story is carried by its design and partnership, rather than an added complication. This is a first look based on the launch material; an assessment of comfort and finishing will require time with the watch.
Key specifications
| Model | TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing |
|---|---|
| Reference | WBY111F.BA0042 |
| Case | 38 mm, sandblasted steel |
| Movement | Calibre TH50-00, solar-powered quartz |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds and date |
| Dial | Blue sunray-brushed; red flange; yellow seconds hand |
| Bezel | Blue TH-Polylight, bidirectional, 60-minute/second scale |
| Crystal | Flat sapphire with anti-reflective treatment |
| Water resistance | 100 metres |
| Bracelet | Sandblasted steel, three rows; folding clasp |
| Availability | From October 2026 |
| Estimated retail price | €2,200 / $2,250 / CHF 2,100 / £1,900 |
Source: TAG Heuer press information, 12 October 2026. All images courtesy of TAG Heuer. Technical performance and pricing figures are as supplied by the manufacturer.
