Everything
At the recent 80th anniversary of the Monaco Grand Prix, TAG Heuer unveiled what might be one of their most striking launches of the year: a new TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton Chronograph with titanium casing.
The release marks the first official skeleton edition of the Monaco (note the term official – back in 2021, the house did indeed create a skeletonised version of the watch for Only Watch but this was a one-off creation for charity whereas the new Chronographs are up for grabs for for the general public) and available in three colourways that speak to both the history of the timepiece and its longterm connection to the Grand Prix itself.
There’s Original Blue, a nod to the very first TAG Heuer Monaco blue dial that was launched in 1969 and comes with a blue embossed calfskin and rubber strap; Racing Red, alluding to the racing sparks that occur on track with black embossed calfskin and rubber strap; and perhaps the most striking of the trinity, the Turquoise complete with black DLC titanium casing, which pays homage to the turquoise waters along the Monaco coastline. A similar black and rubber strap to the Red, this one comes with a matching DLC titanium folding clasp.
Flip the watch over for a better look under the hood and you’ll see in all three the signature Caliber Heuer 02 Automatic integrated movement that comes with 80 hours power reserve plus the promise of 100 metres water resistance.
Specs for the new series of TAG Heuer Monaco retain traditional sizing but the use of titanium for all three adds a welcome lightness to its muscular bulk.
Originally designed back in the 60s, the Monaco was already an icon among timepieces, it’s square face instantly recognisable in a sea of round dials. This unforgettable face has become a metaphoric canvas for the Swiss watchmaker, incorporating radical colourways, the aforementioned one-off carbon edition and even a V4 concept piece.
