The TAG Heuer Monaco Since 1969

Linking a watch to a sport seems to increase its potential to become a cult object, so it’s no surprise that the third icon in this group is a watch tied to a specific sporting event, the Monaco Grand Prix. The watch, called the Monaco (replica TAG Heuer Monaco), was introduced in 1969 as one of the world’s first chronographs with a self-winding movement. Jack Heuer, CEO of Heuer, as it was then called, was a pioneer of sports sponsorship. He ensured that well-known racecar drivers were outfitted with the sporty-looking chronograph: that’s how Steve McQueen ended up wearing the Monaco in the 1971 film Le Mans without having any prior discussion with the Heuer watch brand. McQueen modeled his character after the Swiss driver Jo Siffert, who had recently begun wearing the Heuer logo on his racing suit and a Monaco on his wrist.

The Monaco of 1969 followed the design codes of the late ’60s and early ’70s: colorful dial, subdials in contrasting colors and a case that wasn’t round. The transverse markers were an original addition and were clearly a choice of design over legibility. The case was eye-catching not only because of its rectangular shape but also because the crown was on the left – a peculiarity of automatic Caliber 11, which Heuer developed in conjunction with Breitling, Büren Watch and Dubois Dépraz. The leather strap was perforated, which was common for watches inspired by motorsports.

In 2009 the Monaco celebrated its 40th birthday. A new model was introduced that had transverse hour markers on its dial once again. And, thanks to a module from Dubois Dépraz, the crown moved back to its original position on the left side of the case. The watch again had a sporty-looking, perforated leather strap. Even the original Heuer logo returned to the dial. You can’t do any more than that to recall the origins of an icon. The new version was considered an all-around success.