The TAG Heuer Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Limited Edition.
TAG Heuer is the official sponsor and timekeeper of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and last week the Swiss watchmakers announced they would also be the sponsor of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique race.
Ever since appearing on the wrist of Steve McQueen in the 1971 racing film “Le Mans,” the TAG Heuer Monaco has been closely associated with the world of classic motorsports. There’s always been a whiff of the glamour of ‘60s and ‘70s racing about the model, and when the brand announced its partnership as the official sponsor and timekeeper of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, held in conjunction with the world-famous Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, the namesake model line was an obvious choice to lead the charge. Although the 2020 Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is one of countless events canceled in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the brand has pressed on with its release of the commemorative model, the TAG Heuer Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Limited to only 1000 pieces, this unique version adds a racy new color palette and a subtle Monegasque touch to the modern Monaco formula.
The limited-edition watch bears all the familiar hallmarks of the classic Monaco style, though it’s differentiated from others foremost by its red-and-white colorway, with its various commemorative accents, a contrast to the classical model’s all-blue dial. The watch has the 39-mm square case common to the Monaco, with right-side-integrated pushers and crown; historical caliber 11 models often use a left-mounted crown instead.
The Monaco dial has an unusual red-and-white colorway.
Underneath the fitted square sapphire crystal is red-accented Monaco dial with an outer red square background surrounding an inner silvered white circle. On the outer edges of the face is located applied hour markers accented with applied red dots and broken up by a subtle black printed minute ring, as well as the outline of small, vintage formula 1 car on its top right. Closer to the center of the dial are two sunken red subdials for the 12-hour and 30-minute chronograph counters, while a non-sunken, subtle register appears just above a 6 o’clock date window to count the running seconds. The modern TAG Heuer logo and a simple “Monaco” script occupy the top of the dial, while sweeping over the face are two elongated, lume-filled sword hands and a red lance-shaped pointer for the chronograph seconds.
TAG Heuer’s Caliber 02 appears behind the decorative caseback.
Inside the new commemorative model is the Caliber Heuer 02, a reliable automatic mechanism produced in-house by the brand and one that supplies power to many of its modern three-register chronographs. The movement is capable of an 80-hour power reserve and features a black skeletonized rotor with red engraved accents. The caliber is visible via a sapphire caseback with “Monaco Grand Prix Historique” overlaying it in red, black, and gray print, while other watch details are engraved around the circular window, including its edition number.
This model is produced in a limited edition of 1,000 watches, each of which is engraved with its unique number and the words “One of 1000.” The timepiece comes on a black perforated calfskin leather strap with a folding clasp in polished stainless steel. A boxed sapphire glass protects the dial and water-resistance is rated to 100 meters. The TAG Heuer Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Limited Edition (Ref. CBL2114.FC6486) will retail for approximately $6,750.
