Time, Tarmac, and Speed: TAG Heuer Returns to the Monaco Grand Prix with a Trio of Daring New Monacos

It’s that time of the year again when the Monaco Grand Prix roars to life, marking the start of another electrifying race weekend. The event is more than just a Formula 1 race; it’s a high-octane ballet where precision meets decadence. Spanning 3.337 km (2.074 miles), the Circuit de Monaco winds through the narrow streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine, featuring dramatic elevation changes, a tunnel, and tight corners that demand absolute precision. As multimillion-dollar machines scream through the tight bends, billionaires toast from superyachts and celebrities drape themselves across balconies. Needless to say, the city becomes a surreal theatre of speed, status, and style. 

As TAG Heuer returns to the Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco as the event’s first-ever official title partner, the timepiece maker has unveiled three new TAG Heuer Monaco timepieces, namely TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph x Gulf (Ref. CAW218G.EB0393), TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Stopwatch (Ref. CAW218F.FC6356), and TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph (Ref. CBW2185.FC8350). Each captures a unique facet of the brand’s racing spirit and watchmaking expertise.

GMT India explores the new creations in depth.

TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph x Gulf

This 39 mm ‘destro’ watch is crafted from sandblasted Grade 2 titanium with a matte finish inspired by race car workshops and paddocks; it has the same material for the chronopushers at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock, and the crown at 9 o’clock. The model is limited to 971 pieces, a number dedicated to the 1971 film Le Mans with Steve McQueen. The silver fine-grained dial gets blue and orange vertical lines, rhodium-plated hour markers, and hour and minute hands with blue Super-LumiNova.

Monaco, Heuer, and Automatic Chronograph logos are in black. The subdials are in black too; the 3 o’clock subdial gets the 30-second subdial and the 9 o’clock subdial the 60-minute one. There is an orange lacquered central chronograph hand with an angular date window at 6 o’clock that has a black numeral and a white background with a black frame. Powering the watch is Calibre 11 with a 40-hour power reserve. Turning the watch showcases the transparent caseback with the engraving of ‘Limited Edition’ and the number of the watch out of 971. The watch is finished on a white textile strap with orange stitching crafted from the same material as McQueen’s racing suit. The additional navy blue calfskin leather strap adds to the timepiece’s racing character.

TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Stopwatch

This destro watch in the collection is sized at 39 mm. The case, the crown at 9 o’clock, and the chronograph push-buttons at 2 o’clock and 4 o'clock are all in black DLC Grade 2 titanium with sandblasted finishing. The black, silver opaline dial has hour markers with red lacquer at 12 o’clock, and hour and minute hands with blue Super-LumiNova®, all in black gold and polished. The watch features Monaco, Heuer, and Automatic Chronograph logos in white and opaline subdials in black; the 3 o’clock subdial gets the 30-second counter and 9 o’clock the 60-minute one.

Like the variant above, a red lacquered central chronograph hand with an angular date window sits at 6 o’clock; it has a black numeral and a white background with a black frame. Powering the watch is Calibre 11 with a 40-hour power reserve. The transparent caseback has the engraving of ‘Limited Edition’ and the number of the watch out of 970. Finished on a perforated black calfskin strap, the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Stopwatch channels classic racing aesthetics with a titanium buckle emblazoned with the HEUER logo and a sandblasted black DLC Grade 2 titanium folding clasp with double safety push buttons. 

TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph

This 41 mm watch has a TH-titanium sandblasted case and a polished sapphire fixed bezel. Fine brushings and polished Grade 5 titanium can be found on the crown at 3 o’clock, along with a lime-lacquered TAG HEUER shield; push-buttons are at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock. The timepiece also features a sandblasted TH-Titanium shaped split-seconds push-button protector at 8 o’clock, fine brushed polished Grade 5 titanium shaped split-seconds push-button with a lime-lacquered titanium tube at 9 o’clock, and a sandblasted TH-Titanium shaped split-seconds push-button protector at 10 o’clock. The Grade 5 titanium TH81-00 split-seconds chronograph movement gets hand finishes (e.g. the signature checkered flag pattern and hand bevelling).

The sapphire dial gets white and lime markings, and white Super-LumiNova® applied hour markers (blocks). This model also gets fine-brushed polished black DLC-coated Grade 5 titanium for the bridges and the counters; the one at 3 o’clock has a minute chronograph counter with a lime-lacquered hand and the one at 9 o’clock marking the hours has a lime-lacquered hand as well. Both these counters have black opaline finishes and white hands.

Lastly, the 6 o'clock counter has a rhodium-plated brushed and sandblasted finish for its permanent second indicator ring with a rhodium-plated hand and black markings. The openworked hour and minute hands are in black gold, with white Super-LumiNova® and white lacquered tips; the central chronograph hand is white-lacquered while the central split-seconds hand is lime-lacquered. Powering the watch is the 5 Hz Calibre TH81-00 with a power reserve of 65 hours (chrono off)/55 hours (chrono on). 

Turning the watch showcases the polished full sapphire caseback with an oscillating weight. The signature TAG Heuer shield gets a fine brushed, sandblasted finish with hand-painted, racing-inspired stripes. Individually numbered on the oscillating weight, each watch is finished on a black calfskin strap with textile embossing and black-and-lime hand-stitching, accompanied by a Grade 5 titanium butterfly folding clasp and safety push-buttons with fine adjustment and a TH-Titanium pin buckle.