During an exclusive event in Le Mans, TAG Heuer presented the second of five limited-edition Monaco timepieces that mark the icon’s 50th anniversary.
Introduced in 1969, every aspect of the Monaco timepieces design was radical, and went where no other watch had ever gone before in terms of design and technology. Not only was the TAG Heuer Monaco the first ever water-resistant square watch, it was also the first to feature an automatic-winding chronograph movement.
In honour of the Monaco’s 50th anniversary, five limited editions will be successively revealed throughout the year. These new models are inspired by the different decades from 1969 to 2019 and pay tribute to a style icon now more contemporary than ever. The special collector’s editions unveiled in 2019 pay tribute to the Monaco’s timeless design and TAG Heuer’s never-ending innovation.
After the unveiling of the first model at the Monaco Grand Prix in May, TAG Heuer revealed the next limited-edition model celebrating the period from 1979 to 1989 in Le Mans, France. The first model took inspiration from the years 1969 to 1979 – the first decade of the Monaco’s history.
Hot on the heels of the first of the five timepieces, the second model reveals a fiery design with a bold red dial synonymous with cutting-edge design and racing victory. Presented on a black calfskin strap punctured with holes lined in red, this special edition captures the speed and style of the Monaco’s second decade. The stainless-steel model, with its iconic square case, features a red sunray dial and two rhodium-plated subdials with curved edges. Black and white accents on the dial perfectly complement the black-tipped hour and minute hands. The hands and indexes are coated with Super-LumiNova® for improved legibility.
As with the original, the pushers are on the right of the case while the crown is on the left – an unconventional feature that has distinguished the Monaco over the past 50 years.
The caseback of this 1980s-inspired wristwatch is engraved with the “Monaco Heuer” logo as well as “1979-1989 Special Edition” and “One of 169”. Sporting a design inspired by the original model, the stainless-steel caseback has vertical and circular brushed patterns.
The case houses the renowned Calibre 11, a modern version of the automatic-winding chronograph movement that made its debut inside the original Monaco in 1969. This watch has been produced in an edition limited to 169 pieces.
Technical details
Model: Tag Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 Limited Edition
Reference CAW211W.FC6467
Movement
TAG Heuer Automatic Calibre 11, diameter 30 mm, 59 jewels, balance oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), 40-hour power reserve
Functions
Chronograph with seconds and minutes; date, hours, minutes and small seconds at 3 o’clock
Case
Diameter 39 mm, case in stainless steel, fixed bezel in stainless steel, sapphire crystal, polished steel crown at 9 o’clock and push buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock, water resistant to 100 metres (10 bar), steel caseback with “1979- 1989 Special Edition” and “One of 169” engravings
Dial
Red dial with sunray finishing, fine brushed rhodium-plated counters, polished, facetted indexes, black and white touches on hands and indexes
Strap
Black calfskin leather strap, polished folding clasp in stainless steel
Edition
Limited to 169 watches
Special packaging
Like the watch itself, the watch box is also inspired by the original. Each of the special-edition models comes in a box with colours that match the watch and the decade it represents. The 1980s-inspired model is packaged in a dark blue box decorated with the Heuer logo and a horizontal chequer-pattern stripe. The watch is placed on a grey cushion and surrounded by a red interior – the same colour found on the dial.
