Trio Of New Monacos From TAG Heuer
On the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix, TAG Heuer released three new takes on its iconic Monaco watch, named for the most famous and glamorous Grand Prix race in the world, which was won by Lando Norris on Sunday, racing for team McLaren.
TAG Heuer was the first title partner of the race, officially named Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco 2025, and the brand’s parent company Louis Vuitton became the official partner of Formula 1 under a 10-year agreement starting this year, on the 75th anniversary of the FIA Formula One World Championship.
When the Heuer Monaco debuted in 1969, it was an iconoclast with its bold square shape, sharp angles and the crown positioned on the left side of the case, underscoring that its automatic Calibre 11 movement did not require daily winding. It’s a piece whose appeal goes beyond that of the watch world, as it had a high-profile cameo on the wrist of Steve McQueen when he portrayed fictional driver Michael Delaney in the 1971 film Le Mans. The distinctive square watch with its signature blue dial complemented McQueen's Gulf-striped suit and his Porsche 917K with its light blue and orange livery, one of motorsport’s most widely recognized identities.
As Monaco evolved over the decades, its rebellious attitude and deep connection to motorsport culture has been preserved. That spirit continues with the new Monaco Chronograph Stopwatch, Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph 2025 and Monaco Chronograph x Gulf.
Paying homage to Heuer’s legacy in producing high-precision stopwatches for motorsport in the 1960s and ’70s, the new Monaco Chronograph Stopwatch (9,600 Swiss francs, or about $11,700), offers a nod to the decade that shaped the brand and its deep roots in motorsport. Its high-contrast color scheme using black and white sub-dials and markers punctuated with hits of red references vintage stopwatches. The 39-MM durable black DLC-coated titanium case is fitted with a strap made of black perforated calfskin evoking racing gloves. It’s limited to 970 pieces.
Pushing the innovation envelope, the 41-MM Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph 2025 (about $177,000) advances last year’s red and blue versions with the debut of ultralight TH-Titanium, developed entirely in house over the course of four years. Using a proprietary thermal process, the metal is transformed at an atomic level to reveal its hidden structure, resulting in a natural and unique irregular pattern that shifts with the light. A sapphire crystal case back shows off the titanium Calibre TH81-00 split-second chronograph movement’s intricate architectural depth. The whole package weighs in at a mere 86 grams (just over three ounces) including strap and buckle.
Limited to 971 pieces, a gesture to the year Le Mans was released, the Monaco Chronograph x Gulf (about $11,300) directly draws on that history. Framed by a 39-MM sandblasted grade-2 titanium case, the dial is rendered in fine-grained silver, providing a clean base over which the signature Gulf racing stripes run vertically, mirroring those on McQueen's racing suit. Its white textile strap is made from Nomex, a fire-resistant material used in professional racing suits. Each strap from the Indiana-based manufacturer Hinchman is made from the same fabric used to create McQueen’s original racing suit.
