TAG Heuer is looking to capture some of old-school magic with a new Monaco collection that taps into the watch’s illustrious roots. Taking inspiration from the classic reference 1133, TAG Heuer is introducing a trio of new Monaco examples that look to serve as something of a reset for the famous square design. That doesn’t mean the brand’s modern ambitions for the design are being left behind, however, as a new Monaco Evergraph house the brand’s TH80-00is being released alongside. Together, the watches represent a modern vision of the Monaco that incorporates both its past, and its future.
The Monaco was of course a part of the original trio of watches to introduce automatic chronograph calibers in 1969, in this case using the caliber 11. The original square design didn’t quite make the long term impact that the brand needed, with Heuer discontinuing the design by the late ‘70s. The watch would make a comeback in 1997, but this was well before the throwback craze would go mainstream, and the design took a more independent route. The sheer volume of Monaco iterations we’ve seen in the intervening generations has diluted the watch’s identity, but the bones remain strong.
Getting the Monaco right is no small feat, as the square case must be approached with the small details in mind so that ergonomics don’t suffer. With this new generation, TAG Heuer has put an emphasis on these small details. The design will look comfortably familiar at glance, but the 39mm case has been re-profiled with comfort in mind, and the standard material is titanium to keep heft to a minimum. The result should be the most approachable Monaco, maybe ever, and if you’ve ever worn a square watch, you’ll know exactly what that means.
Visually, the new Monaco hits on a lot of the notes found in the original iterations of the design, with applied hour markers arranged horizontally, and the crown situated on the left with the pushers on the right. This watch is using TAG Heuer’s TH20-11 (an evolution of the TH20-00) movement which is visible around the back providing 80 hours of reserve. Moving to the Evergraph will get you the TH80-00 inside a 40mm case, with much more of the movement visible through the dial side. This is a more premium, COSC certified 5Hz movement that makes use of the TH-Carbonspring balance previously discussed here.
The design of the Evergraph is more conceptual in nature, but still manages to catch some of that OG Monaco charm through its colorways and dial configuration. This one will run you $25,000, while the standard Monaco being released will start at $9,350. If you weren’t a fan of the Monaco before this, I’m not sure these will win you over, but if you’ve been curious about the design I think TAG Heuer has made the watch more compelling than it’s been in years. TAG Heuer
