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Despite almost half a century having passed since the legendary Steve McQueen departed for the great big racetrack in the sky, the Hollywood icon’s singular take on men’s style has lost none of its allure. He remains securely perched at the top of the sartorial podium as our collective appetite for the Baracuta Harrington jackets, Persol 714 sunglasses, and shawl-collar cardigans synonymous with the “King of Cool” shows no sign of diminishing.
Of course, the Steve McQueen effect extends to his choice of wristwear as well, and when it came to selecting a timepiece, McQueen was as discerning as they come. The most famous watch to make the cut for the actor was undoubtedly the Monaco, an example of race-ready timekeeping perfection introduced by Heuer in 1969 and famously worn by McQueen while filming the 1971 racing film Le Mans.
In the decades since, the Monaco has subtly evolved, but its signature square design, unquestionable motorsport pedigree, and association with one of Hollywood’s true greats have never gone out of style. Let’s take a closer look at the history of this enduring icon and discover how TAG Heuer’s latest incarnations have elevated it further still.
It’s Hip to Be Square
Created to commemorate the Monaco Grand Prix and launched on March 3, 1969, the Monaco was both an outlier and an exercise in mechanical ambition from the start. Designed by Jack Heuer and engineered around the groundbreaking Calibre 11 movement, it was one of the world’s first automatic chronographs and among the most identifiable thanks to that stunning square design.
The watch was intentionally positioned to stand in contrast to the Carrera, another Heuer racing icon, and while it adapted design codes common to watches inspired by motorsports (the perforated leather strap, the colourful dial, and contrasting subdials), it also captured the spirit of the era and its accelerating progress across technology, architecture, culture, and more.
A Movie Star and His Watch
The Monaco’s visibility took a steep upward turn when McQueen donned his blue-dialled reference 1133B while filming Le Mans. It came about after the actor consulted with his friend, the Swiss racing driver Jo Siffert, as to how he might make his role in the film more authentic. Siffert, being a spokesperson for Heuer and Gulf Oil, responded by loaning McQueen his racing suit adorned with Gulf Oil’s colours and an embroidered “Chronograph Heuer” crest on the upper-right chest.
Next, McQueen needed a watch to match his new ensemble. However, while Siffert was closely associated with Heuer‘s Autavia chronographs, McQueen opted for the more recognisable Monaco. As a result, prop master Don Nunley acquired seven blue-dialled Heuer Monacos to use on set from Jack Heuer, then-CEO of Heuer.
While the Monaco was not a commercial success for Heuer out of the gate, this association with McQueen and Le Mans cemented its singular place within our popular culture. It helped set the stage for a 1997 comeback that would deliver the runaway success that had eluded the Monaco on debut.
Lap of Honour
Before you can make a comeback, you first have to take some time away from the spotlight. And so it was with the Monaco. Despite its striking aesthetic and undeniable racing pedigree, the watch was discontinued in 1975 amid low sales and the turmoil of the quartz crisis rocking the Swiss watch industry.
For over 20 years, the square stunner vanished from boutiques. Then, in 1997, a limited-edition Monaco was released to celebrate the original’s legacy. The success of the launch (accompanied by advertising campaigns featuring McQueen’s image from Le Mans) inspired Heuer (by then TAG Heuer) to make its return permanent.
Since then, the Monaco has remained one of the maison’s signature timepieces, with regular releases that have captured the imagination of racing enthusiasts and watch lovers in equal measure. This culminated in the release of five new references at Watches and Wonders 2026. Collectively, these continued to push the Monaco’s limits in terms of materials and design, embodying the spirit that’s been integral to the Monaco from the very beginning.
Meet the Next Generation
TAG Heuer’s 2026 Monacos, unveiled in Geneva earlier this year, are its most compelling yet: occupying the space where exquisite style, intricate design, and material innovation meet.
Consisting of a trio of slimmed-down titanium Monaco Chronographs, now equipped with a more ergonomic case housing the TH20-11 in-house movement, and a pair of titanium Monaco Evergraph timepieces powered by a new avant-garde Calibre TH80-00 movement, the latest Monacos are nothing short of exceptional. I’ve no doubt Steve McQueen would have approved.
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph (Ref: CDW2181.FC8360)
The classic Monaco colourway returns with TAG Heuer’s latest collection, and for purists, this is the one that can never be surpassed. The refined square 39mm case has been constructed using grade 5 titanium, delivering the lightness, durability, and refined shape one would expect of a watch so closely associated with motorsports. The racing heritage of the original Heuer Monaco is front and centre, while modern design codes and the in-house automatic Calibre TH20-11 movement ensure this is also a watch with an eye to the future.
- Case Material: Grade 5 titanium
- Case Diameter: 39 mm
- Case Thickness: 13.9 mm
- Crown: Grade 5 titanium
- Caseback: Sapphire – Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Blue
- Movement: Automatic Calibre TH20-11
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Chronograph: 1/4 second, 30 minutes counter
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Balance Frequency: 28800 (4Hz)
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Strap: Perforated black leather with pin buckle folding clasp with push-buttons – Fine-brushed/polished grade 5 titanium
- Price: AUD$14,050
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph (Ref: CDW2180.FC8360)
This is my personal favourite of the new Monaco lineup. Having gone hands-on with all the references in Geneva, this watch’s superb dial recalls British Racing Green in a way that couldn’t be more perfect, given the line’s longstanding association with motorsport.
- Case Material: Grade 5 titanium
- Case Diameter: 39 mm
- Case Thickness: 13.9 mm
- Crown: Grade 5 titanium
- Caseback: Sapphire – Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Green
- Movement: Automatic Calibre TH20-11
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Chronograph: 1/4 second, 30 minutes counter
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Balance Frequency: 28800 (4Hz)
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Strap: Perforated black leather with pin buckle folding clasp with push-buttons – Fine-brushed/polished grade 5 titanium
- Price: AUD$14,050
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph (Ref: CDW2150.FC8360)
The final release in TAG Heuer’s trio of titanium Monaco Chronographs also introduces precious metal into the equation, pairing titanium with 18K 5N rose gold. The dual tone of the case construction and its contrast with the black dial make this watch a whiplash-inducing head-turner, even within a line as full of unforgettable releases as the Monaco.
- Case Material: Grade 5 titanium & 18k 5N rose gold – fine-brushed/polished/sand-blasted
- Case Diameter: 39 mm
- Case Thickness: 13.9 mm
- Crown: 18K 5N rose gold
- Caseback: Sapphire – Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Black
- Movement: Automatic Calibre TH20-11
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Chronograph: 1/4 second, 30 minutes counter
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Balance Frequency: 28800 (4Hz)
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Strap: Perforated black leather with pin buckle folding clasp with push-buttons – Fine-brushed/polished grade 5 titanium
- Price: AUD$19,650
TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph (Ref: CEW5181.FT8123)
A perfect demonstration of TAG Heuer’s commitment to innovation and evolution, both incarnations of the Monaco Evergraph are triumphs in materials and engineering expertise. As with its black DLC-coated sibling (below), this blue reference’s open-worked architecture and reversed movement construction ensure the complexity and craftsmanship that went into crafting each of the 322 components within these COSC-certified movements is on full display.
- Case Material: Grade 5 titanium
- Case Diameter: 40 mm
- Case Thickness: 14.51 mm
- Crown: Grade 5 titanium
- Caseback: Sapphire – Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Transparent
- Movement: Automatic Calibre TH80-00
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Chronograph: 1/10 second, seconds, 30 minutes counter
- Power Reserve: 70 hours
- Balance Frequency: 36000 (5Hz)
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Strap: Blue rubber – Pin buckle folding clasp with push-buttons – Fine-brushed/polished grade 5 titanium
- Price: AUD$42,000
TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph (Ref: CEW5180.FT8122)
In addition to the open-worked architecture and reversed movement construction, the twin Monaco Evergraph timepieces draw inspiration from TAG Heuer’s Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph’s dynamic lines, which convey a sense of speed within the watch’s ergonomic shape. This tribute continues via the shape of the new movement’s bridges, which echoes the Split-Seconds Chronograph’s TH81-00, and the use of a transparent dial to showcase the technical wizardry of each piece.
- Case Material: Titanium coated with black DLC Fine-brushed/polished/sand-blasted
- Case Diameter: 40 mm
- Case Thickness: 14.51 mm
- Crown: Titanium coated with black DLC
- Caseback: Sapphire – Titanium coated with black DLC
- Dial: Transparent
- Movement: Automatic Calibre TH80-00
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Chronograph: 1/10 second, seconds, 30 minutes counter
- Power Reserve: 70 hours
- Balance Frequency: 36000 (5Hz)
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Strap: Black rubber – Folding clasp push-buttons – Fine-brushed/polished Titanium coated with black DLC
- Price: AUD$42,000
Still Pushing the Needle
Much like the man who donned it over 50 years ago, the Monaco’s status as a menswear icon continues undiminished. The latest references boast all the flair that was present from the very beginning, and pair it with a renewed dedication to creating ever more refined and sophisticated timepieces through elevated design and cutting-edge materials.
Whether worn to the racetrack, the boardroom, or by contemporary stars taking a leaf out of Steve McQueen’s book, the TAG Heuer Monaco has secured its place as the ultimate racing timepiece and one of the undisputed icons of modern horology.
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