In honour of this year’s 80th edition of the Monaco Grand Prix, TAG Heuer released the Monaco Skeleton chronograph. Notably, this marks the first time that a skeletonized dial has featured in the Monaco collection. The original model quickly became one of the brand’s most iconic watches after its release in 1969. Now, with the Original Blue, Racing Red, and Turquoise, the novelty is appearing in the form of three models. All of them feature a different colour scheme and each was inspired by the brand’s close connection to sports car races.
Since its introduction by Jack Heuer in 1969, the Monaco’s iconic square case has graced the wrists of many famous racing drivers, such as Joe Siffert’s or Steve McQueen’s in the motor racing movie Le Mans from 1971. The new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Skeleton also features this memorable case design. Its case spans 39 mm in diameter and has a thickness of 14.7 mm.
Sandblasted titanium grade 2, which has become a trademark of the brand, makes this timepiece’s case and crown corrosion resistant and lightweight. Whereas both the Original Blue and Racing Red share this appearance, the Turquoise’scase and crown have a different aesthetic, consisting of black DLC titanium. Moreover, bevelled and domed sapphire crystal protects the skeletonised dial, while the engraved oscillating mass is displayed through the caseback. Meanwhile, engravings of the brand’s name, the water resistance of 100 metres, ‘Monaco’ and ‘Swiss made since 1860’ encircle the screwed caseback.
All three models play host to the same skeletonized dial and functions. However, the colours vary as there is a different source of inspiration for every model. While the Original Blue takes inspiration from the blue and white colour scheme of the original Monaco, the Turquoise presents itself as a modern reinterpretation of its design origins with turquoise elements that allude to Monaco’s coastline. The Racing Red taps into TAG Heuer’s history from a slightly different point of view. Its red accents are a homage to the racing tracks and the red sparks that are created from the sheer speed.
The sandblasted dial of the Monaco Chronograph Skeleton is characterised by its prominent linear design in blue for the Original Blue and black for the Racing Red and Turquoise. A square in blue (Original Blue) or black (Racing Red, Turquoise) frames the minute ring of the same colour. Matching metal lines on the upper and bottom half seem to radiate towards the frame. A rhodium label with “Monaco” and the TAG Heuer logo hovers above the centre of the dial.
The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Skeleton provides its wearer with the hours, minutes, seconds date, and a chronograph with three counters. Super-LumiNova is used to highlight the carved indexes, facetted hands and, for the first time on a Monaco, the date window in low-light conditions. While the Original Blue’s hour and minute hands are rhodium plated, the Racing Red and Turquoise’s are gold-plated and black. Similarly, the first two models have white-lacquered indexes, and the latter has ones in turquoise. Blue Super-LumiNova coats the hands and indexes of all the models with one nuanced exception: the hands on the Turquoise are covered with a light-blue luminescent. All three models have a red lacquered central hand and a date window at 6 o’clock that glows blue in the dark.
What makes the Monaco stand out is its chronograph function. Each one of the new models has three counters. There are two opaline counters in blue (Original Blue), black (Racing Red), or black and turquoise (Turquoise). While the one at 9 o’clock indicates up to 12 hours, the one at 3 o’clock counts up to 30 minutes with a red lacquered hand. By 6 o’clock, a permanent indicator presents 1/4 seconds with a rhodium plated (Original Blue) or black lacquered (Racing Red, Turquoise) hand.
Over the past few decades since its debut, the Monaco timepieces have been driven by a variety of calibres – from the calibre 11 in 1969 to calibre 360 in 2003. The Heuer 02 automatic movement powers the Monaco Chronograph Skeleton models. A conventional column wheel activates the chronograph. Serving as colourful details, the column wheel and the oscillating mass engravings are coloured in blue (Original Blue), red (Racing Red), and turquoise (Turquoise).This chronograph has a solid power reserve of 80 hours, accompanied by a frequency of 4 Hz.
All models come with a bi-material strap which is made of a combination of rubber and calf skin leather. While the Original Blue comes with a blue strap, the Racing Red and Turquoise models boast a black strap. Double safety pushbuttons on the sandblasted titanium grade 2 folding clasp offer additional stability. The price slightly varies from model to model. The Original Blue and Racing Red are available for 10,850 euros. The Turquoise costs 11,400 euros.
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