TAG Heuer Gives the Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm a Dutch Orange Send-Off

TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm has moved from soft colour to full grandstand energy.

The latest limited edition arrives in vivid orange for Zandvoort’s final Dutch Grand Prix weekend, scheduled for 21-23 August 2026, and it’s clearly tuned to the Max Verstappen crowd that has turned the dunes into one of Formula 1’s most recognisable scenes.

It also gives the compact Solargraph line a sportier edge after April’s pastel run.

At a glance

Orange Army energy without going fully tonal

The colour choice is the obvious headline, but TAG Heuer has avoided making the watch feel like a novelty object.

Instead of carrying orange across every visible surface, the brand sets the colour against a grey opaline dial, which gives the design more restraint than a fully matched dial, bezel and strap combination.

The minute track mixes orange and red, while the red lacquered hands and indexes add a sharper motorsport feel.

Eggshell Super-LumiNova fills the hands and markers, softening the contrast slightly and keeping the watch legible in the familiar Formula 1 style.

The three TAG Heuer shield markers at 6, 9 and 12 remain in place, with the date window sitting at 3 o’clock.

A 38mm Formula 1 case with 1980s roots

The 38mm case is an important part of the watch’s appeal, particularly for anyone who finds modern motorsport watches too large or too visually heavy.

The original Formula 1 from 1986 was the first watch released under the TAG Heuer name, and this compact case keeps that connection visible without turning the piece into a strict retro exercise.

The case is sandblasted stainless steel, giving the watch a tool-like finish that suits the collection.

A bidirectional bezel brings in the Formula 1 line’s signature daisy-shaped form, executed here in TH-Polylight, a lightweight and hard-wearing material used to add colour and resilience.

Practical details are handled sensibly, with a flat anti-reflective sapphire crystal, screw-down steel caseback and 100 metres of water resistance.

Solargraph is the practical play

Inside is TAG Heuer’s Calibre TH50-00 Solargraph movement, which is powered by light rather than a conventional disposable battery system.

One minute of direct sunlight is enough for a full day of running, while a complete charge takes under 40 hours of light and can keep the watch operating for up to ten months in darkness.

If the watch stops, ten seconds of light is enough to restart it.

The accumulator is rated to last up to fifteen years, which makes this one of the more convenient Formula 1 models for daily wear or occasional rotation.

Two limited editions for Zandvoort’s farewell year

TAG Heuer is offering the watch in two versions, each with its own production cap.

The orange rubber strap model, reference WBY111H.FT8128, is limited to 1,500 pieces and comes with a steel pin buckle.

The bracelet model, reference WBY111L.BA0042, is limited to 1,000 pieces and is sold online only.

That version uses a sandblasted stainless steel three-link bracelet with a folding clasp and double safety push-buttons.

Pricing starts at £1,800 for the rubber strap model and rises to £1,900 for the bracelet edition.

Those prices place the watch above the earlier pastel rubber models, while still undercutting the steel version from that previous colour series.

Details & Specifications

The Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm Orange works because it doesn’t overcomplicate the idea.

It’s a compact, wearable TAG Heuer with real Formula 1 timing context, a colour story that belongs unmistakably to Zandvoort, and a solar movement that makes it easy to keep in regular use.