![]() ![]() The screwed exhibition caseback aids in the water resistance of 100 meters, and the sapphire crystal is domed and beveled. In the new watch’s case, which measures 39mm like its historical predecessor (and 15.2mm thick) and features an array of brushed and polished finishes on its various edges and curves, the fluted crown with relief TAG Heuer shield emblem joins the pushers on the right side. (With Zenith releasing the El Primero and Seiko releasing its Caliber 6139 in that same year, 1969 was a big year for self-winding chronograph calibers.) Its chronograph pushers were placed on the right side of the case while the crown was positioned unconventionally on the left. The Monaco, named for the Monaco Grand Prix by its legendary creator, founding family scion and motorsport enthusiast Jack Heuer, was the first wristwatch with a square case that was also water-resistant, as well as one of the first chronograph watches to be equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement, namely the Caliber 11 that was jointly developed by watch companies Heuer (TAG wouldn’t become part of the name until a corporate takeover in the ‘80s), Breitling, and Büren, and movement manufacturer Dubois Dépraz. This latest edition of the TAG Heuer Monaco follows in a grand tradition of technical and aesthetic boldness that goes back to its origins in the closing days of the 1960s. This week, at Watches and Wonders in Geneva, the Swiss watchmaker has unveiled another Monaco Gulf Special Edition, this one containing its own modern in-house movement, Caliber Heuer 02. In 2017, for the 50th anniversary of the blue-and-orange Gulf racing stripes, TAG Heuer released a special edition of the Monaco bearing the Gulf logo and the distinctive color scheme seen on Gulf-sponsored cars and outfitted with the Sellia-based, Dubois-Dépraz-enhanced Caliber 11. ![]() In the film, McQueen played a driver named Michael Delaney, partly inspired by real-life Swiss motorsport legend Jo Siffert (McQueen’s driving coach for his role), and drove a Porsche 917 racecar with the livery of Gulf Oil, a longtime racing team sponsor. The TAG Heuer Monaco (at the time, called the Heuer Monaco) made its debut in 1969 but really ascended to pop cultural icon status two years later, when legendary actor and “King of Cool” Steve McQueen wore the racing-inspired wrist chronograph in the 1971 movie Le Mans. 0% interest for up to 24 months available on select brands. ![]()
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