The 1960s and 1970s are revered as a golden era, not just for motor racing but also for haute horologie. During this era, the two cults severely influenced each other in terms of design, brand vision and mutual passion of their respective fields, take Breitling and Bentley for this instance. The marriage of watchmaking and motoring began with the requirement of timekeeping in sports like racing, which glorified the chronograph as an appealing timepiece complication. With Steve McQueen’s 1971 Le Mans debut, the TAG Heuer Monaco was the watch every enthusiast desired, which lead to the genesis of the Monaco cult. After half-a-century of mechanical prowess, the TAG Heuer Monaco is still revered as one of the most iconic chronographs of all time. To mark this model’s golden jubilee, TAG debuts the first of five collector focused timepieces, the limited edition TAG Heuer Monaco 1969-1979.
Staying true to the original worn by The King of Cool, Steve McQueen in 1971, the updated Monaco 1969-1979 edition is powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre 11, an automatic chronograph movement that offers a power reserve of 40 hours, with a maximum chronographic check of 30 minutes.
It’s the Monaco that popularized the square case in its time an the new TAG simply embraces that. The square stainless steel case has a slightly brushed texture to is strapped on by a brown calfskin leather strap and a stainless steel folding clasp.
On its dial, a bold Monaco Heuer branding is seen at 12 o’clock, with two chronographic sub-dials at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock. The indexes are luminescent along with the hands. Although, the hands are white, the indexes boast a striking neon orange hue. A tiny date window appears at 6 o’clock. The dial creates an alluring contrast with browns, greens and the index colours. The vertical striped texture simply mimics the side air-vents of race cars.
The TAG Heuer Monaco 1969-1979 is currently priced at $6,550 and is limited to just 169 units, a nod to its original year of debut. For admirers of both cults, this timepiece would be simply perfect for the history it holds as well as its timeless design.
All Images: Courtesy brand
Mikhail Gomes
Features Editor, Lifestyle Asia India & Contributor - Augustman
A watch aficionado, Mikhail also enjoys learning about fine whiskies, and one day hopes to establish his own menswear label. At Lifestyle Asia India, he writes on watches, menswear, auto and tech.
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