At the intersection of audacity and mastery, Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer introduces a new release of its TAG Heuer Monaco Split- Seconds Chronograph. This 2025 edition reveals a new expression of material innovation: it is presented in a visually striking form of titanium, for which the process has been entirely developed in-house. This texturized titanium, named TH-Titanium, brings a new visual identity that feels elemental, singular, almost alive.
The Shape of Innovation
Since its inception in 1969, the TAG Heuer Monaco has been a symbol of contrarian design. With its distinctive square shape, left crown and signature blue dial, the TAG Heuer Monaco shattered conventions in the watchmaking world. Notably, it became the first water-resistant and automatic square chronograph wristwatch, further solidifying its status as an icon. Ahead of its time with its avant-garde aesthetics, it found admiration among creative visionaries like Sammy Davis Jr., Stanley Kubrick, and Steve McQueen.
The Shape of Innovation
Since its inception in 1969, the TAG Heuer Monaco has been a symbol of contrarian design. With its distinctive square shape, left crown and signature blue dial, the TAG Heuer Monaco shattered conventions in the watchmaking world. Notably, it became the first water-resistant and automatic square chronograph wristwatch, further solidifying its status as an icon. Ahead of its time with its avant-garde aesthetics, it found admiration among creative visionaries like Sammy Davis Jr., Stanley Kubrick, and Steve McQueen.
In the 1960s, Heuer stopwatches became a staple in motorsport paddocks, like the memorable reference 11.402 that featured a split-seconds chronograph capable of measuring time with 1/10th of a second accuracy. Used by Jean Campiche, a Heuer timekeeper working with Scuderia Ferrari, this model became iconic. In 1989, TAG Heuer introduced a quartz split-seconds chronograph wristwatch, gaining immense popularity, especially among racing legends like Ayrton Senna, Gerhard Berger and Michael Schumacher.
In 2024, TAG Heuer brought this complication back and expanded the TAG Heuer Monaco collection with the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph in original blue and racing red, two interpretations that set the stage for this year’s latest evolution, where craftsmanship meets a radical new approach to material design.
The Depth of Movement
Crafted entirely in titanium for exceptional lightness and framed in sapphire to expose its movement’s architectural depth, the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph is driven by the Calibre TH81-00, developed in partnership with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and also crafted in titanium, weighing only 30 grams.
The split-seconds function, also called “rattrapante” in French, is a highly sophisticated and intricate mechanism that requires the most expert of watchmakers due to its complexity. It is capable of measuring two separate time intervals concurrently, providing a level of functionality that exceeds that of a regular chronograph. Whether timing laps on the racetrack or tracking multiple sporting events, the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph offers unparalleled accuracy and versatility in its usage.
This movement contributes to the watch’s exceptional weight: a mere 86 grams in total, including strap and buckle.
The Birth of TH-Titanium
What further elevates this new timepiece is its case, sculpted from a new form of titanium that transforms the essence of the metal itself. Developed over four years, this innovative take on titanium marks a significant material breakthrough. This project was led by the TAG Heuer Lab, the Maison’s in-house R&D institute based in La Chaux-de- Fonds. Led by a team of experts and scientists specialized in a wide range of disciplines and benefiting from state-of- the-art equipment, the TAG Heuer Lab is driven by innovation, always pushing the boundaries of watchmaking.
Using a proprietary thermal process, the metal is transformed at an atomic level to reveal its hidden structure. The result is a natural, irregular pattern that shifts with light. The pattern on each case is therefore entirely unique, shaped by the intrinsic structure of the metal rather than the human hand.
The metal used to craft TH-Titanium is a specific type of titanium alloy, known for its strength, corrosion resistance, and ability to retain energy. This form of titanium is typically reserved for aerospace components, turbine elements, and high-performance automotive parts.
To create this one-of-a-kind faceted effect on the metal’s surface, the TAG Heuer Lab has developed a series of specially designed thermal treatments, reorganizing the alloy’s atomic structure. Through this process, the unique visual identity of TH-titanium is revealed, refined, and preserved. What appears on the case is the alloy’s own character, captured at a moment of transformation, and secured for lasting performance.
Precision Exposed
To match the depth and dimensionality of the new case, the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph retains its remarkable sapphire bezel and dial. This transparency deliberately invites to observe the interplay between form and function.
Beneath the dial, the black opaline chronograph counters create a striking contrast, while the rattrapante hand is finished in a vibrant lime green. That same lime hue appears on the titanium rattrapante pusher and the counters’ hands, guaranteeing maximum legibility and drawing a subtle but unmistakable connection to the world of racing, where these tones are often used to signal speed and performance. The balance struck between the darkened bridges and hand-made polished bevels, the shadow and the shine, underlines the sense of mechanical drama.
Adding to this effect, the caseback is crafted entirely in sapphire crystal, offering unobstructed views of the Calibre TH81-00. The oscillating weight, shaped in the signature TAG Heuer shield, appears to hover within the movement, enhancing the sense of depth and lightness. Perfectly symmetrical, it is hand-finished with fine brushing that highlights its contours. The hand-engraved checkered flag pattern, a TAG Heuer signature finish, adds a layer of detail, reinforcing the visual complexity of the watch’s inner mechanics.
Hand-painted stripes bring a distinct graphic identity to the timepiece, as a subtle nod to racing liveries. The adjacent balance wheel bridge is finely brushed with polished bevels, carefully finished by hand, continuing the watch’s quiet dialogue between technical precision and expert craftsmanship.
Each individually numbered on the oscillating weight, these timepieces are accompanied by a hand-stitched black calfskin strap with a textile pattern, secured with a titanium clasp.
The finished result of the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph reflects TAG Heuer’s avant-garde DNA, and the brand’s refusal to accept matter as static, reimagining it instead as alive, reactive, and expressive.
The TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph stands as a clear expression of what happens when vision and innovation are allowed to lead.
