The Swiss luxury watchmaker is pleased to introduce the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue Limited Edition, a fresh take on the iconic square racing chronograph. This new TAG Heuer Monaco watch is a testament to the brand’s dedication to creating iconic timepieces inspired by the motorsport universe.
More than a chronograph, it is a symbol of excellence and innovation. The new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue celebrates the brand’s rich history connected to competition cars by featuring hues of blue paying tribute to the emblematic French Racing Blue…
TAG Heuer Monaco:
A Watch Inspired by an Iconic Race
TAG Heuer has always been among the timekeepers most closely associated with racing, and the Monaco collection is an embodiment of this ideal. When the brand introduced the model in 1969, it revolutionized the watchmaking industry. Unlike anything else on the market, the timepiece featured the first square cased water-resistant chronograph which housed the revolutionary Calibre 11 movement. More than a bold design statement – the Heuer Monaco was named after the legendary principality that hosts one of Formula 1’s most renowned races. This relationship has held a special place in the brand’s heart and history and remains a significant aspect of TAG Heuer’s identity to this day.
For many, the TAG Heuer Monaco will always be associated with one of the greatest actors of his generation, Steve McQueen. In 1970, while filming Le Mans, the Hollywood superstar decided to wear the same racing suit and watch as the professional driver and personal trainer, Jo Siffert. By doing so, he aimed to embody the role of an authentic racing driver, and he quickly became a style icon in his own right, proudly sporting a Heuer Monaco timepiece.
Over the years, the TAG Heuer Monaco has continued to evolve, incorporating new materials, technologies, and design elements that make it a true work of art, quickly becoming a symbol of the brand’s avant-garde spirit. This latest version of the Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue is no exception, as it pays homage to the incredible racing heritage and the indelible mark that TAG Heuer has left on the discipline.
National Racing Colours
In the summer of 2023, TAG Heuer is releasing a new TAG Heuer Monaco, drawing a line through decades of history connecting the brand to the world of motorsport. In the early days of motor racing, cars were distinguished by their national colours rather than manufacturer or sponsor liveries. Each country had its own specific hue, such as the renowned British racing green, the vibrant Italian red, Germany’s initial use of white before transitioning to silver, and the unmistakable shade of blue associated with the French. It is that particular shade of blue that serves as the inspiration for TAG Heuer’s latest creation, the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue.
The new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue features a tone that evokes the colours sported by esteemed automotive brands like Talbot-Lago, Delage and, last but not least, the famous Bugatti Type 35. The subsidiary dials and strap come in a gamut of azure tones, while the indexes are presented in a lighter shade. The watch features striking lime yellow accents that add a fresh touch to the timepiece, perfectly complementing the colour palette of the model.
The watch boasts a stunning silvered sunray brushed dial reminiscent of the engine-turned dashboard seen in sports cars in the 1920s and 1930s. The dial is adorned with eight applied, silvered hour markers and 12 blue dot markers, facilitating effortless time reading. Notably, a faceted baton marker at 12 o’clock features a vibrant yellow stripe, serving as a direct connection to the chronograph’s central hand.
The hour and minute hands are enhanced with blue Super-LumiNova® for excellent visibility in all lighting conditions. Complementing this, the lacquered central hand in lime yellow, which adds a pop of colour. Collectively, these design elements harmonize the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue, creating a striking timepiece that captures the spirit of the automotive world.
The watch is powered by the Calibre 11 automatic chronograph movement, encased within a sandblasted grade 2 titanium casing, giving both robustness and lightness to it, and featuring a sapphire caseback, allowing a glimpse into the movement inside.
The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue comes with a blue calfskin strap with perforations, a signature for watches linked to racing. The strap is secured with a titanium folding clasp, featuring the engraved Heuer logo.
The caseback of the Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue is engraved with the limited edition “One of 1000”, and the watch is presented in a specially designed vibrant blue packaging with lime yellow details.
Available from July 2023, the new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue will be sold in TAG Heuer boutiques, on the brand’s e-commerce websites, and at select retail partners.
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue Limited Edition Technical Specifications
Reference CAW218C.FC6548 – 9’000 CHF / 9.300,00 € / $9,200.00 / ¥68,300.00 / HK$ 74.100,00
Movement
- Calibre 11 Automatic
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
Dial
- Silver sunray brushed dial
- 2 counters:
- 3 o’clock: blue opalin permanent second indicator; rhodium plated hand
- 9 o’clock: blue opalin minute chronograph counter; rhodium plated hand
- 6 o’clock angled date
- Rhodium plated, polished applied indexes
- Rhodium plated hour and minute hands with blue Super-LumiNova®
- Lime yellow lacquered central hand
- Black HEUER printed logo
- MONACO AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH SWISS MADE printed
Case
- 39 mm diameter
- Dimensions
- Lug-to-lug: 47,4 mm
- Thickness: 14,35mm
- Grade 2 titanium sandblasted case
- Bevelled, domed sapphire crystal
- Grade 2 titanium crown
- Sapphire caseback
- Water resistance: 100 meters
Bracelet
- Blue perforated calfskin strap
- Grade 2 titanium folding clasp with double safety pushbuttons
About TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer, founded in 1860 by Edouard Heuer in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, is a luxury watch brand that is part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (“LVMH”), the world’s leading luxury group. Based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and with four production sites, TAG Heuer has 1,860 employees and is active in 139 countries. TAG Heuer products are available online at www.tagheuer.com for select countries and in 260 boutiques and 2,300 points of sale worldwide. The company is headed up by Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer. For 163 years, TAG Heuer has demonstrated pure avant-garde watchmaking spirit and a commitment to innovation with revolutionary technologies that have included the oscillating pinion for mechanical stopwatches in 1887, the Mikrograph in 1916, the first automatic-winding chronograph movement – Calibre 11 – in 1969, and the first luxury smartwatch in 2015. Today, the brand’s core collection consists of three iconic families designed by Jack Heuer – TAG Heuer Carrera, Monaco, and Autavia – and is rounded out with the contemporary TAG Heuer Link, Aquaracer, Formula 1, and Connected lines. Embodying TAG Heuer’s motto, “Don’t Crack Under Pressure,” are prominent partnerships and brand ambassadors that express the brand’s passion for action and high performance.