TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton in Original Blue
Beyond telling time, watches are time capsules. Why so? Consider this — the oldest watch brands came into existence in 1735, while the very first instance of watchmaking recorded, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, dated two centuries earlier in 1541. In that respect, watches encapsulate tales of lore and history and are the physical embodiment of innovation and technical know-how. For the TAG Heuer Monaco, it was the first square-cased, water-resistant, automatic chronograph that revolutionised watchmaking when it launched in 1969. Coupled with a watch named after the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix and having graced the wrists of racing legends such as Jo Siffert, Jochen Rindt, and close friend of the brand, actor Steve McQueen, the TAG Heuer Monaco shot into icon territory in double quick time. This year marks a new chapter in the TAG Heuer Monaco history books as the watchmaker strips back the icon to reveal the TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton.
Though the newly-minted watch’s design did not deviate much from the 1969 sketches, it is notably TAG Heuer’s first ever openworked Monaco in 54 years. Given TAG Heuer’s penchant for pushing boundaries, innovation and avant-garde designs, the novelty is everything you would expect in a contemporary release — cutting edge materials and technology paired with a forward-thinking design approach, much like the legendary late-1970s Monaco “Dark Lord”. As the TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton’s namesake suggests, the dial is skeletonised, offering watch connoisseurs and casual onlookers alike a glimpse of the movement.
While the legendary automatic chronograph Calibre 11 was one of the cornerstones of the TAG Heuer Monaco’s success, the baton now lies with the Calibre HEUER 02 movement. Since a rounded calibre is housed in the square case, the visual spectacle is enclosed within the dial centre. At first glance brutalist elements are interspersed with futuristic touches — the exposed gear works tick earnestly behind the dial carve out. Applied Super-LumiNova on the indexes, outlines and date aperture gives a spacecraft-like lightshow in the dark. Just as you thought TAG Heuer might push the envelope further, it reigns back on the superfluous as the TAG Heuer shield, square chronograph counters, minute track and date placements are nostalgic throwbacks of the original Monaco.
Three iterations of the TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton are released, each inspired by a unique chapter of the Monaco. The Original Blue trods the path of the first-ever TAG Heuer Monaco blue dial, featuring the quintessential blue and red-accented colourway of the original Monaco. Racing Red is born of speed, referencing racing sparks made on the hallowed Circuit de Monaco street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine. The Turquoise wraps up the collection, capturing Monaco’s picturesque coastlines while saluting the Monaco “Dark Lord” at the same time with an all-black execution.
While all three pieces are housed in a sandblasted grade 2 Titanium case with a bevelled and domed sapphire crystal, the Turquoise is DLC-coated unlike the Original Blue and Racing Red. Flipping the watch over reveals a coloured chronograph column wheel and text inscriptions on the rotor that matches dial theme as finishing touches to an icon-to-be waiting in the wings.
Once you’re done with this story about the TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton, catch up with the rest of our June/July 2023 issue here.
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