The TAG Heuer Monaco Goes Ultra-Light
TAG Heuer launched a slew of interesting new watches in January at LVMH Watch Week, but the Swiss luxury watchmaker has clearly left the best of them for Watches & Wonders 2024, the annual fete of Swiss watchmaking currently taking place in Geneva. There are a slew of new Carreras, including a chronograph version of the coveted “Skipperera” redux and a slick new copper-toned dial for the 36mm model, but the newest Monaco is the watch that’s drawing the big crowds. Nearly sixty years after its launch as the world’s first water-resistant square chronograph wristwatch, its angular case remains as distinctive in 2024 as it was in 1969, and even more so in its newest variant, the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph.
“TAG Heuer has always been committed to pushing the boundaries of timekeeping, and with the introduction of the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph, we are not only embracing our rich heritage but also redefining the future of Haute Horlogerie d’Avant-Garde,” says Julien Tornare, CEO of TAG Heuer. “This timepiece is the epitome of precision and innovation, a perfect fusion of tradition and cutting-edge technology, showcasing our expertise in watchmaking craftsmanship.”
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
It’s part of a watch brand CEO’s job to build hype but fortunately for Tornare, who joined the brand from LVMH sibling Zenith at the start of the year, he doesn’t have much heavy lifting to do here. The newest Monaco is quite unlike anything we’ve seen before, both in terms of looks and engineering, and represents a major advancement for one of TAG Heuer’s most iconic models. This is obvious from a glance at its sapphire crystal dial dominated by a pair of titanium arches in gradients of red or blue, held in place by a set of hexagonal screws. This treatment allows a view of the watch’s star feature: a new Calibre TH81-00 mechanical split-seconds chronograph made entirely out of titanium. Created in partnership with revered movement specialist Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, it’s TAG Heuer’s lightest-ever automatic chronograph movement and a major factor in the watch’s featherlight overall weight of 85 grams.
“Every component of the watch reflects our passion for horological artistry,” says Carole Forestier-Kasapi, TAG Heuer’s movements director, indicating hand-finished elements like the checkerboard pattern on the centre bridge (a subtle call-out to motorsports), the fine-brushed balance wheel bridge, and the polished screws, as well as a case back entirely from sapphire crystal (all the better to admire these flourishes).
At a brand that’s been synonymous with motorsports for the better part of a century, the Monaco has been the most petrol-infused piece in TAG Heuer’s lineup since 1969. As such, the Monaco’s new split-seconds chronograph movement calls back to other famous references like the 1/10th of a second 11.402, used by Scuderia Ferrari in the 1960s and the quartz split-seconds chronograph favoured by racing legends like Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in the 1990s.
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph
As a worthy follow-up to these historic models in both looks and performance, the new Monaco comes with a price to match: $172,000, or more with customization options.
