Breaking back into the haute horlogerie scene, TAG Heuer have unveiled perhaps their craziest version of the Monaco yet.
The TAG Heuer Monaco is a watch that needs no introduction. Emblematic of the brand’s rebellious, disruptive nature, it has become legendary in every facet of the horological world. Whether it’s the form, the function, or the famous individuals who wore it, the collection has cemented itself in watchmaking folklore.
Given how game-changing the Monaco was in its heyday, you’d be right to think it challenging to do much more with such a masterpiece. Yet over the years, TAG Heuer has continually found ways to innovate upon its iconic model line. The early 2000s offered hints of this with the Monaco Sixty Nine in 2005 and the highly ambitious Monaco V4 in 2009. It wasn’t until the 2020s, however, that the arrival of Carole Forestier-Kasapi brought the Monaco back to the forefront.
From skeleton dials and split-seconds chronographs to the all-new Evergraph, the Monaco has once again entered the haute horlogerie conversation. This time, though, the brand has ventured beyond the chronograph space with a spectacular new complication, all while reinterpreting the Monaco’s racing DNA.
Fair & Square
Meet the TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12, a piece that has become the collection’s most outlandish iteration yet, even among its peers. Sized at 40mm, it’s instantly recognisable by its triumphant square silhouette. While most square watches tend to wear larger than their round counterparts, the Monaco’s proportions ensure an ergonomic fit.
The case flanks are subtly rounded outwards and the lugs remain short, allowing the watch to wear much closer to its true dimensions. Furthermore, the Grade 5 titanium construction makes it significantly lighter than its appearance suggests.
Personally, I think that’s essential for a larger watch, as it creates a more balanced wrist presence rather than feeling like a forearm workout every time you wear it. Presented on a black rubber-textile strap with red stitching and secured via a butterfly clasp and buckle combination, the Monaco Speed 12 offers a contemporary interpretation of TAG Heuer’s most iconic watch.
Pushing P(istons)
While the square frame makes it instantly recognisable, the inner workings are anything but familiar. Visible through the sapphire crystal is an openworked skeleton dial, completely transparent around its perimeter.
Evoking the look of a 12-cylinder supercar engine, the central ‘block’ is slightly domed, while a white and red minute track sits atop a black outer ring. A blackened bridge with titanium accents connects the twelve and six o’clock sections, while a red-tipped minute hand sweeps around the track.
Yet as impressive as the central display is, it pales in comparison to its surroundings. Gone are the traditional hour markers, replaced instead by twelve sandblasted and brushed pistons. Their role extends far beyond aesthetics, as becomes apparent with every passing hour.
When the minute hand strikes 60, the pistons rotate to reveal the next hour, engraved and lacquered in black Arabic numerals. It’s a dynamic display of mechanical artistry, firing quickly and accurately in tribute to the high-speed nature of the supercar, one hour at a time.
Sharing The (L)o(V)e
If you’re a massive watch nerd like us, the concept, despite being a first for TAG Heuer, isn’t entirely new to the industry. To bring it to life, the brand enlisted the help of its conglomerate sibling, Louis Vuitton. At La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini reinterpreted the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time movement for TAG Heuer.
Redesigned, refined, and renamed the Calibre TH84-00, the new Monaco Speed 12 carries similar specs as the Cal. LV ST05.01, beating at the luxury standard 4Hz (28,800Vph) atop a 45-hour power reserve. With the Heuer shield rotor and a grained, hammered base plate, it’s a fresh, new take on the luxurious complication.
Initial Thoughts
Limited to just 50 pieces, the release of the TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12 couldn’t have come at a more fitting time. With the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix on the horizon, leave it to one of motorsport’s most prominent sponsors to unveil a timepiece destined to shine under the spotlight of the iconic race.
Drawing inspiration from such a masterful complication from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton and reinterpreting it through a racing lens is no easy feat, yet the craftspeople at TAG Heuer continue to find ways to challenge convention and produce remarkable timepieces like this.
When the press release for this watch landed in my inbox, I was honestly stumped. In all my years of following the brand, both I and many others have been clamouring for TAG Heuer to make a genuine splash in the haute horlogerie space once again.
Don’t get me wrong, the Monaco Split-Seconds models were spectacular, but I was still hungry for something even more ambitious, something that channelled the brand’s racing DNA while turning its own catalogue on its head. With the Monaco Speed 12, it’s safe to say TAG Heuer has succeeded, finally answering the quiet prayers of watch nerds like me.
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | WBW2180.FT8133 |
| Dimensions | 40mm case diameter |
| Case | Grade 5 titanium |
| Dial | Openworked with 12 rotating hour pistons, red & black accents |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Caseback | Open, sapphire |
| Movement | Automatic Cal. TH84-00 with La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton Spin Time jump hour complication |
| Power Reserve | 45h |
| Beat Rate | 4Hz / 28,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | 30m / 3bar |
| Strap/Bracelet | Black rubber textile strap with titanium folding clasp |