There is no better place to kick off the 50th Anniversary of TAG Heuer’s iconic Monaco timepiece than at the place that started it all—the annually held, legendary Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix—which gave the watch its name back in 1969. Here, TAG Heuer unveiled the first of the five limited edition, collector’s timepieces inspired by the original Monaco.
The Monaco’s daring design put it ahead of its time when it was first presented on March of 1969, where the first of its kind water-resistant square case and automatic-winding chronograph movement made waves among the press and watch aficionados worldwide.
The Swiss timemaker has also debuted the three other pieces in New York, Le Mans, and Tokyo in the past month with the fifth one yet to be revealed. Each design is inspired by different decades from 1969-2019, paying tribute to its classic, timeless design and revisiting its rich history.
Each timepiece is only limited to 169 pieces. Their casebacks are engraved with the original Monaco Heuer logo, the decade it draws inspiration from, and ‘one of 169’. Inside, it features the renowned Calibre 11, a modern version of the automatic-winding chronograph movement that made its debut inside the original Monaco in 1969.
The first 50th anniversary edition Monaco pays tribute to the 1970’s with its emblematic geometric shapes and colors. Fitted on a brown leather strap, the stainless-steel timepiece plays with brown and yellow touches on its dial paired with a classic Côtes de Genève pattern. It points back to its racing history and pays homage to the classic Monaco’s unconventional design.
Revealed in Le Mans, France, where the Monaco was worn in the 1971 film Le Mans Steve McQueen, the second limited-edition timepiece draws inspiration from 1979-1989 and features a fiery design with a bold red dial. Set on a black calfskin strap, it contrasts the bold, red accents on the timepiece. It features a red sunray dial and two rhodium-plated subdials with curved edges while black and white accents on the dial complements the black-tipped hour and minute hands, giving it a geometric look. Its caseback features vertical and circular brushed pattern and as with the original, the pushers are on the right of the case while the crown is on the left—an unconventional feature that has distinguished the Monaco over the past 50 years.
In time for the New York City E-Prix, the third limited-edition timepiece was unveiled, inspired by the 90’s. It features a steely industrial appearance reflecting the straightforward street style characteristic of the decade. With tones of blue and silver accented by touches of red elements, the stainless-steel square chronograph also sports a grained rhodium-plated dial with sandblasted subdials featuring blue counters. The flange and Heuer logo are in blue, while the indexes and central seconds hand are red. To finish, it is set in a blue perforated calfskin strap with red stitching.
And just last month, the latest addition to the Monaco limited-edition collection was debuted in Tokyo, Japan. Capturing the bold architecture and daring design codes of the decade from 1999 to 2009, the fourth wristwatch in the Monaco Through Time line-up is a classic black and white appearance that lets the unconventional shape of the watch truly shine. The white opaline seconds sub-dial and chronograph minutes counter stand out from the pitch-black background while striking red and orange are the only colors that cut through the black and white motif. The stainless steel watch is presented on a perforated black calfskin strap with black lining and crisp white stitching.
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