The TAG Heuer Monaco watch was launched in 1969 at simultaneous press conferences held in Geneva and New York. It was revolutionary at the time as the world’s first watch with a square case that was water resistant. The calibre 11 automatic chronograph movement used in the TAG Heuer Monaco would also have been the world’s first automatic chronograph, had Zenith not presented its El Primero movement just two months earlier. The original Monaco watch bore the “Chronomatic” movement name on the dial, in reference to the name of the calibre that Heuer developed in conjunction with Hamilton-Buren, Breitling and Dubois-Dépraz.
The most striking element in the TAG Heuer Monaco was the square case, which had previously been the preserve of dress watches, since it could not be made water resistant. The original Monaco watches also came with the crown in an unusual position on the left-hand side of the case, with the chronograph pushers on the right-hand side of the case. The metallic blue dial on the original watch was also unusual for the era. The only thing about the Monaco that could be considered normal for the period was the perforated black leather strap that was the fashion at the time for driver’s watches.
To say that the Monaco watches did not enjoy universal appeal is almost an understatement. Even in the view of Jack Heuer, the company’s boss at the time, the audacious new design was something of a risk. But the TAG Heuer Monaco was made famous just two years after its launch when Steve McQueen wore the watch in the legendary film Le Mans. Steve McQueen went to great lengths to ensure that his character – a racing car driver in the 24-hour race – was accurate. His racing driver friend Jo Siffert, who just happened to be a spokesman for Heuer watches, lent him his own racing overalls with the “Chronograph Heuer” badge and the Monaco was the natural watch to complete the look. The overalls also included the Gulf racing livery, which has since found its way on to the blue dial of the steel Monaco watch and was re-issued in 2018 to celebrate the union between Heuer, Gulf Oil, Steve McQueen and the Porsche 917 in the legendary Gulf livery. TAG Heuer continues to use still images of Steve McQueen wearing the watch in the film to promote the Monaco chronograph. The original watch with blue dial was reissued in 1998 as a limited edition of 5,000 watches.
Although the original blue McQueen watches are highly sought-after among collectors, another watch that received less publicity is equally as rare and in demand. The “Dark Lord” Monaco was one of the earliest watches to use a PVD black coating. With a black dial with “Monaco HEUER” inscription and a matching black leather strap, the Heuer Monaco “Dark Lord” chronograph ushered in the era of the all-black watch.
Halfway through the 1970s it became clear that the Monaco’s design was too avant-garde for watch fans. The appetite for the Monaco waned and the watches disappeared from the Heuer catalogue in around 1975, not to be revived until the late 1990s, when Heuer had become TAG Heuer in the meantime. A Monaco re-edition in 1998 with the reference CS2210 had a black dial and black leather strap with double chronograph registers and the original Monaco HEUER inscription.
In 2004, the Monaco regained its avant-garde spirit when the Monaco V4 was presented at the Baselworld watch fair. The V4’s unique movement was driven by belts rather than gear wheels and had a linear winding mass aligned vertically in the centre of the case back. Another unusual development followed the next year, when the Monaco Sixty Nine introduced a two-faced watch with the conventional dial on one side, powered by the automatic Calibre 2, and the back side with a digital display driven by a quartz movement. In 2009 the Monaco 24 watch introduced a calibre 36 movement that was suspended from the four corners of the square case and was reputed to be capable of withstand an impact of 24,000g.
Echoes of the Dark Lord Monaco can be found in one of the current best sellers, ref. CAL2113.FC6536 with is slightly larger and slightly more curved case, black dial and black calfskin leather strap (price: CHF 6,750).
The original TAG Heuer Monaco in stainless steel with the blue dial and the calibre 11 automatic chronograph movement (ref. CAW211P.FC6356) is still one of the brand’s best sellers today, price: CHF 5,700. The same watch in stainless steel with a blue dial but with the calibre 12 automatic chronograph movement (with the crown on the right-hand side of the case – ref. CAW2111.FC6183) is equally popular and comes in slightly cheaper at a price of CHF 5,200.
As proof of just how versatile the square case of this watch is, the TAG Heuer Monaco is also available in a ladies’ version with a slightly smaller 37mm case and a quartz movement. Dressed entirely in white or entirely in black, with variations in between (including a special edition Kingsman model in brown with a matching brown calfskin leather strap) and with the option of diamonds on the dial, the Monaco has proved universally popular despite the initial doubts half a century ago.
