ReviewThe Iconic TAG Heuer Monaco Collection

TAG Heuer’s incredible passion for sports has inspired them to focus on creating some of the finest watches in the world. Their innovative spirit and the eternal quest for precision, combined with their love for sports, brought about the 1969 Heuer Monaco, and the man who made the watch famous was the legendary, Steve McQueen.

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The distinctive Monaco collection is truly revolutionary, as it is part of the series of automatic chronograph wristwatches originally introduced in 1969, honouring the famous Monaco Grand Prix. TAG Heuer Monaco 2015 ticks all the boxes to be considered as a true reincarnation of the 1969 Monaco, with only the case and pusher design being different from the original design. Its square form and block hands continue to remain unique even today.

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The narrative of 2015 Heuer Monaco would remain incomplete without mentioning its association with the Hollywood film star Steve McQueen, who wore it in the famous 1971 movie Le Mans. Decades later, Monaco, McQueen and Le Mans have become synonymous with each other. McQueen’s association with Monaco began while he was preparing himself for the role of a racing driver, during which he asked for an advice from his friend, real racing driver, Jo Siffert. Siffert, at that time, was the spokesperson for Heuer and Gulf Oil. McQueen borrowed Siffert’s racing suit, which was in Gulf Oil’s orange and blue colors and had an embroidered “Chronograph HEUER” crest over the right breast. In order, to complete the look, McQueen himself chose the newly introduced Calibre 12 Monaco.

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This watch comes with two different colour schemes, blue and black. The printed Monaco logo can be seen on top with Automatic Chronograph at the bottom. After more than 40 years of existence, it still remains as the most iconic watch from Tag’s collection. Even today, it is one of the TAG’s bestselling watches.

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Updated yet retro as ever!

This version of Monaco is very similar to the original 1969 version that was worn by Steve McQueen. This watch is stunning in the blue grainy flat dial with hints of silver and red tint. The 39mm case houses the Swiss-made Calibre 11 movement, which is the perfect size in today’s world of overly large timepieces. It is an automatic chronograph with a balance frequency of 28’800 vibrations per hour or 4 Hz and with an impressive power reserve of about 40 hours.

The ridged pushers and crown are at the 2 and 4 o’clock positions and act as a bit of a protector against accidental activation or shock. The beautiful deep blue grainy dial provides an excellent contrast against the two white chronograph sub-dials, with a minute chronograph at 9 o’clock and a running seconds counter at 3 o’clock with horizontal baton markers decorated with luminescent red-tipped hours and minute hands. The dial displays the date at 6 o’ clock and a printed vintage Heuer logo at 12.

The watch is not heavy and is comfortable to wear. Although, it may seem that square watches are bigger than round watches of the same size, this one looks great and is perfectly fitting to go with any attire – Be it a t-shirt, jeans or a suit. The Monaco has always prided itself to be a cool, funky, and a futuristic looking watch.

The watch is fitted with a high-quality perforated calfskin strap, which is the best fit on your wrist with a steel folding clasp that ensures the safety of the watch from falling.  The push button on the folding clasp is home to the iconic Heuer logo. Protected with a sapphire crystal, the new TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 is water-resistant up to 100m.

Best in black

The overall design of this watch very much evokes today’s era, yet has a unique old school appearance.  The stunning opaline black dial is covered and protected by a polished steel case.  It presents a great combination of colors – black, white and red. The new take on the retro Monaco is driven by Calibre 12 chronograph movement, which surpasses all expectations with regard to the style and functionality. The 39 mm black dial looks smart and manages to satisfy every function of the watch with legibility and resilience.

Even though the dial consists of three counters, it does not look overly crowded. The watch features a 30-minute chronograph at 9 o’clock and a date window at 6 o’clock. The hour and minute hands are steel and filled with super-luminova. It has a great power reserve of 40 hours with a balance frequency of 4 Hz or 28’800 vibrations per hour. The glowing material can also be found around hour indices.

The bracelet has been constructed out of high-quality black leather and is water resistant up to 100m. The case back is secured with four screws. The notable eye-appeal makes the watch a definite conversation piece.

The Monaco is already regarded as a cultural icon, being in demand for over 40 years, recreated to perfection every time by engineers at TAG Heuer who deliver the same unique design and trusted automatic movement. Everyone wants a distinctive watch on the wrist, and TAG Heuer, as always, has delivered one here…

A cult- classic design with its square chronograph design, a distinctive dial and a trusted automatic calibre makes this a watch that is not easily forgotten and simply desired by everyone.

“In many ways the Monaco is the “heart and soul” of TAG Heuer’s code-cracking heritage”

- Rob Diver, TAG Heuer's' European MD

Image Courtesy: Calibre 11 and GQwatch.com