This Monaco Calibre 11 is the latest special edition release by Tag Heuer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original 1970s Monaco Calibre 11. One of five limited editions to be released by Tag representing decades from 1969-2019, the Monaco Calibre 11 1970s edition is a great start to one of the most famous chronographs on the market. The Monaco initially gained fame from the 1971 movie “Le Mans”. The Monaco was briefly worn by Steve McQueen in his role as a racing driver.
The 1970s special edition measures 39mm x 39mm in size and is composed of a fine-brushed and polished steel casing. The dial on this piece was done as a tribute by Tag Heuer to the original 1970s Monaco editions. The dial has a beautiful green cotes de Geneve finish with Rhodium-plated indexes and hands. The markings are done in a contrasting white which against the green backdrop stands out beautifully. The sub-dials on the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions are made with black gold-plated sunray finish. The date sits at the 6 o’clock position with ample amounts of space for easy legibility.
The caseback of this Monaco Calibre 11 special edition has the original “Monaco Heuer” engraving. This is followed by the “1969-1979 Special Edition” and “One of 169” engravings. The movement powering the limited edition hasn’t deviated from the modern Monaco editions with it being the standard Calibre 11. Coupled with a 40-hour power reserve, the Calibre 11 movement also features a fast date correction and stop-second feature.
Referring back to the 1970s edition, the Monaco Calibre 11 special edition comes with a brown calfskin leather strap. The strap combined with the cotes de Geneve finish on the dial makes the watch very aesthetically pleasing. Limited to just 169 models (as a reference to its creation year 1969) the Tag Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 50th anniversary 1970s Special edition retails for $8,600 AUD.