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All articles featuring TAG Heuer watches

TAG Heuer

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What’s All The Fuss About Custom Watches?

No, it’s not the ‘Steve McQueen Blue’ but a vibrant purple that’s calling out fans of TAG Heuer’s most popular racing chrono to try out a dashing new variation, limited to 500 numbered pieces
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TAG Heuer has launched a bold new interpretation of its iconic Monaco, which in 1969 redefined the brand's inventiveness with one of the first square cases – a truly avant-garde style with a blue dial, red second hand, and a left-positioned crown. A '70s smash hit that still remains a star attraction is all about pronounced geometries and a classy mix of vintage and contemporary design elements, a blend that gives the classic round watches a run for their money. 
 
Over the years, TAG Heuer has released Monaco's modern references with blue or black dials, a classic bet. But this year, it presents the Monaco Purple Dial Limited Edition – an edition of only 500 numbered pieces. A refreshing design that aligns with contemporary watchmaking, but at the same time pays homage to the very early Heuer Monaco reference 1113B – the chronomatic version launched at the beginning of 1969. Two years later, American actor Steve McQueen brought the Heuer Monaco watch to the big screen in his movie Le Mans, an event that connoisseurs of the TAG Heuer Monaco lineage find historic and delightful.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="TAG Frontal" data-caption="Limited to 500 numbered pieces,&amp;nbsp;the Monaco Purple Dial Limited Edition is a refreshing design that fuses together the brand's vintage codes and contemporary watchmaking skills&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b886edc-0466-4156-b966-a2f42ed73fc9" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/140/TAG%2520Frontal.jpg" width="1568" />
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TAG Heuer's love for speed and its deeply-rooted racing spirit is what all Monacos are made of, and the latest reference is a testimony to this fact. Housed in a 39mm square case in fine-brushed and polished steel, the new reference is revved by TAG Heuer's in-house chronograph movement, the Calibre Heuer 02, which is clearly visible through the sapphire caseback and features a customized oscillating mass, column wheel, and engravings with purple details.

&nbsp;
<img alt="TAG Case" data-caption="The dial gradient, from lighter purple in the center to darker purple at the edge, adds depth and sophistication to the piece&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="398a7a82-9c21-4713-a3dc-e32abf360c21" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/140/TAG%2520Case.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="TAG Caliber" data-caption="Powered by&amp;nbsp;TAG Heuer's in-house chronograph movement, the Calibre Heuer 02, this timepiece&amp;nbsp;achieves a power reserve of around 80 hours and is paired with&amp;nbsp;a black alligator strap, beautifully lined with purple on the inside&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="092b0750-e3e5-4594-b1e1-a86a80b08c18" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/140/TAG%2520Caiber.jpg" width="1568" />
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The movement achieves a power reserve of around 80 hours and the purple Monaco has been paired with a black alligator strap, elegantly lined with purple on the inside. Its purple sunray and the smoked brushed dial has a black minute chronograph counter at 3 o'clock, a permanent second indicator at 6, and a black hour chronograph counter at 9. Water-resistant up to 100 meters, its rhodium-plated applied indexes, hour, and minute hands have been treated with white Super-LumiNova® and its stainless-steel case comes with push-buttons at 2 and 4 o'clock. 
 
The limited-edition reference features a caseback engraved with the piece's number of XXX/500. As this iteration explores the vibrant new aesthetics, it reminds the Monaco enthusiasts of the model’s rich heritage and how it joined the giants of the '60s, the Autavia and the Carrera.

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<h3>Stints With Celebrities</h3>
<img alt="MONACO" data-caption="Steve McQueen on the sets of Le Mans, with a Monaco 1133 B on his wrist&amp;nbsp; Photo: Bernard Cahier" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7738bd7c-c943-4c56-abb8-abd622238f00" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/140/Steve%2520McQueen%2520on%2520the%2520sets%2520of%2520Le%2520Mans%252C%2520with%2520a%2520Monaco%25201133%2520B%2520on%2520his%2520wrist%2520%2528Image-%2520Bernard%2520Cahier%2529_0.jpeg" width="1568" />
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Monaco's big-screen appearances aren't just limited to wrapping the wrist of ‘King of Cool’ Steve McQueen. Al Pacino, one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, was also seen sporting the chronograph in the 2007 thriller film 88 Minutes.&nbsp; 
 
Another American actor who took Monaco on a movie set is Matthew McConaughey, who wore the watch in the 2003 romantic comedy film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. From Will Smith to Brad Pitt, Monaco has successfully found its place in the watch collections of many celebrities.

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<h3>A Look Back</h3>

The vintage Monaco range featured two types of automatic chronographs and two types of manual winding chronographs. One of the references, the 1133, paved the way for the chronomatic and transitional batch of Monacos. The chronomatic Monaco was produced for a very short time, giving way to the transitional version, altering the look of the watch from chronomatic blue to the standard production Reference 1133B, as worn by Steve McQueen.

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<img alt="monaco" data-caption="The Heuer Monaco 1133B&amp;nbsp; Photo: Revolution" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59b369a9-71c4-477e-899f-f24d78134716" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/140/The%2520Heuer%2520Monaco%25201133B.jpeg" width="1568" />
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In 1972, Heuer launched the Calibre 15 movement, having a 30-minute chronograph register at 3 o'clock and running seconds at 9.30 on the dial, to present an entirely new look for the Calibre 15 Monaco chronographs. In the year 1975, the Monaco was discontinued and the first re-edition of the Monaco was showcased in 1997. 
 
Since then, this celebrated timepiece has been offered in different styles, interesting colors, robust configurations, and hardy materials, following the design codes of the very first models from the 1970s. The Monaco has been ahead of its time and in the last 25 years, it has become a timeless design that collectors and enthusiasts revel in.

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<img alt="monaco" data-caption="The TAG Heuer Monaco limited edition series created for the watch’s 50th anniversary in 2019&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;©TAG Heuer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d6948ba9-fcb2-42ab-a692-ac9f620ea59b" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/140/The%2520TAG%2520Heuer%2520Monaco%2520limited%2520edition%2520series%2520created%2520for%2520the%2520watch%25E2%2580%2599s%252050th%2520anniversary%2520in%25202019.jpeg" width="1568" />
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<h3>Specifications</h3>

TAG Heuer Monaco Purple Dial Limited Edition

Reference Number: CBL2118.FC6518 
Movement: TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic 
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph 
Power Reserve: 80 hours (approx.) 
Dial: Purple sunray and smoked brushed dial 
Case Material: Polished and fine-brushed stainless-steel case 
Diameter: 39mm 
Water Resistance: Up to 100 meters&nbsp; 
Strap: Black alligator leather with steel folding clasp 
Price: HKD 57,650

For further information, visit <a href="https://www.tagheuer.com/hk/en/?mkwid=s&amp;pcrid=516047015734&amp;pdv=c&amp;pkw=tag%2520heuer&amp;pmt=p&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwwo-WBhAMEiwAV4dybbTS8TVx-Ouf8qfHcGVa-YNtZL_C2FyYAq0hWSZA3lzLqJnjm8U1ixoCvKQQAvD_BwE">TAG Heuer</a>.

Introducing TAG Heuer's Monaco Purple Dial Limited Edition

Technological prowess, raffish tobacco ads and an authentic connection to the world of racing drivers – what watch could we possibly be talking about, except for the Autavia?
&nbsp;

Earlier this January, TAG Heuer quietly celebrated the Autavia’s 60th birthday with a trio of modern releases, furthering the story of one of the all-time great chronographs sired by the Swiss watch industry. Comprising a COSC-certified travel watch and two flyback chronos (powered by the advanced calibre Heuer 02), the launch was fittingly understated – calling to mind the Autavia’s heritage as a practical, zero-bullsh**t design, purpose-built for those who know and are in turn driven by the dynamic connection between watches and motorsports.

Following two decades of inexplicable obscurity – even amongst many enthusiasts and the TAG Heuer brand itself – it feels only right to set the record straight. Where endemic, better-known designs like the Speedy and <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/icons/the-rolex-cosmograph-daytona">Daytona</a> might evoke some element of the romance of motorsports, all along the Autavia has been the tool that racing’s legends turn to in the heat of competition. Simply put, the Autavia is motor racing.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Autavia" data-caption="The newly-released TAG Heuer Autavia models (left to right): &amp;nbsp;The Autavia Chronometer Flyback with a silver dial and bi-directional black ceramic bezel, the Autavia COSC GMT and the Autavia Chronometer Flyback with a black dial and black ceramic bezel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dee1f7e3-d579-4b7c-8c4d-7079cf0ed74c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/05.jpg" width="1568" />
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<h3>From Dashboards to Wrists : A New Era for the Autavia</h3>

Despite its centrality to Heuer’s mythos, the Autavia has always been (in relative terms) the least widely represented of its ‘Big 3’ watches. It was initially launched in 1962: not long after Jack Heuer assumed control of the eponymous company bearing his family’s name. Prior to the 1960s, Heuer S.A had mainly been in the business of manufacturing specialist timing instruments and the ‘Autavia’ was integral to that lineage. A portmanteau of the words ‘Auto’ and ‘Aviation’, the original Autavias were made to be mounted inside airborne and automotive vehicles – frequently, in tandem with an 8-day clock known as a ‘Hervue’. Himself an avid driver, Jack Heuer was reportedly incensed by how “unclear, confusing and very difficult to read correctly in a speeding rally car” these Autavia dashboard set-ups were. So, just 12 months into the job, he went back to basics: working alongside Heuer’s product development team to craft a from-scratch competition driver’s wristwatch. Except for the name.&nbsp;

This new chronograph, intended to improve upon the function and legibility of its dashboard predecessor, was also part of a wider seismic shift occurring at Heuer. Along with the Monaco and Carrera product lines, the Autavia was among the company’s first timepieces to be branded with its own name: a practice that had, until then, been shunned in favour of reference numbering. (This phenomenon wasn’t restricted to the Autavia, as shown in the bifurcation between Ref. 2447s of the ‘pre’ and ‘post-Carrera’ era.) &nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="Autavia" data-caption="A dashboard-mountable Autavia chronometer from the 1950s&amp;nbsp;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fa19f59c-5891-4f50-a666-93b5def9a0ea" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/A%2520dashboard-mountable%2520chronometer%2520produced%2520and%2520sold%2520in%2520the%25201950s%2520is%2520part%2520of%2520the%2520Autavia%2527s%2520heritage.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="autavia" data-caption="In 1973, Jack Heuer signed a deal with the biggest motorsport name of all, Enzo Ferrari, becoming the Scuderia’s official time-keeper, both in Formula One and the then recently constructed Fiorano circuit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1a2ce295-da43-45ee-a5f9-b89acc6c274b" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/Enzo-Ferrari_0.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Autavia" data-caption="Old advertisements for the Autavia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9b722db2-bc5c-4e84-86ba-87d2e0b786c1" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/Untitled-1.jpg" width="1568" />
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Prior to the Heuer brand’s acquisition by TAG Group in 1985, historians estimate that the Autavia was produced in more than 80 different permutations. What has been consistent over the decades is the inclusion of a turning bezel – again, a now-seemingly unremarkable feature that helped solidify the Autavia’s reputation as a watch for “pilots, sportsmen, divers and scientists” alike. The original models (designated Ref. 2446/3646) were outfitted with both 12-hour and 60-minute bezels, but as the line grew, an increasingly varied range of indications was introduced to cater to different professional activities. Over the years, these have included tachymetres (understandably popular, given the Autavia’s origin as an automotive instrument), 24-hour GMTs and even scales used to manage decompression – as seen so widely in the ‘Diver 100’ models. Undoubtedly, collectors think of the archetypal Autavia as a watch that’s worn whilst gunning down the straight at 300km per hour, but the robustness of its basic format has endeared it to a plethora of interesting, highly collectible permutations over the years.&nbsp;

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<h3>Generation Game</h3>

Among astute collectors of the ‘pre-TAG’ era, it’s generally agreed that Heuer manufactured the Autavia in three generations. The forerunners of this lineage, made between 1962-1969, are revered by purists: consisting of screwback cases; Singer-manufactured dials; and one of two manual-wind chronograph movements (i.e. calibres 92 and 72) supplied by Valjoux. Even here the conversation diverges, with the very earliest executions considered the most representative of what many deem Heuer’s golden age of motorsport-inspired design. ‘First execution’ versions of the two-register 3646, as an illustration, now often sell for upwards of US$25,000: a figure that is somewhat attributable to the inclusion of dauphine hands and ‘oversized’ chronograph registers – details that wouldn’t be widely replicated in any successive generation.

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<img alt="Autavia" data-caption="The 'First execution’ versions of the two-register Autavia Ref. 3646 often sell for upwards of US$25,000. Seen here is the Heuer Autavia “Mario Andretti” Reference 3646 &amp;nbsp;©timeandtidewatches" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="79c8445d-abb7-474d-9194-d941b53370a4" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/Autavia-Chronograph-1965-Mario-Andretti-197.jpg" width="1568" />
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Those early references overlapped with the Autavia’s second generation – best remembered as the era of the ‘compressor’ case. In 1968, Heuer introduced the aforementioned construction in an upsized 40mm diameter; and with it, several minor aesthetic refinements centering on the watch’s handset and lug profile. Owing to the brief interlude for which they were available (less than two years), these second-gen Autavias are frequently regarded as being part of a transitional era.

While the line between the first and second epoch of Autavia design can occasionally be blurry, the watch’s look during the 1970s proved immediately distinctive. “The change from first to second generation may have been evolutionary,” says <a href="https://www.calibre11.com">Calibre 11</a> founder David Chalmers, “[but] the third generation was a revolution, both inside and out”. In 1969, Heuer unveiled the now-iconic Ref. 1163 – the first in four references to comprise the Autavia’s most populous, well-known generation. At a glance, it was already a major departure from orthodoxy: sporting a C-shaped 42mm case and brutish integrated lugs. Inside, these models were equipped with the new ‘Chronomatic’ calibre 11 – a self-winding chronograph that – like many of the era’s great watchmaking inventions – had been developed in secret, with simultaneous backing from Breitling and Hamilton. To emphasise the Chronomatic’s mechanical sophistication, Heuer designers even moved the Autavia’s crown to the left-hand side. Their message was clear: “the only winding you’ll be doing is to set the time”.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Autavia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1463e209-9d27-44be-9248-f9d9af748edb" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/14-Heuer-Monaco-WF.jpg" width="1568" />
<img alt="autavia" data-caption="An early 1970s Heuer Autavia 1163 with a bright orange dial &amp;nbsp;©Calibre11" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="394c2348-0101-41e1-b804-ba640029fe36" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/DSC_0555.jpg" width="1568" />
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Owing to its production lifespan (i.e. 1969-1985) and sheer variety, the third generation of Autavias is frequently recommended as a jumping-off point for enthusiasts looking to dip their toe into vintage Heuer. With the arrival of Ref. 1163 and its subsequent variants, the company eagerly embraced the spirit of the 1970s: resulting in the addition to the line of prismatic colours like yellow and orange; plus marketing partnerships that spawned some pretty nifty special editions.&nbsp;

In 1972, Heuer executives working in the company’s Americas branch devised an ingenious ploy to sell the Chronomatic Autavias via tobacco advertising – culminating in the production of the much-loved ‘Viceroy’ run. The eponymous tobacco brand (owned by U.S. giant Brown &amp; Williamson) sold 5,000 branded Autavia chronographs to its smokers at the cutthroat price of US$88 apiece – provided they presented one of the promotional vouchers attached to a carton of Viceroy cigarettes. To pacify existing retailers who were already having trouble selling the standard US$200 Autavia, Heuer gave these Viceroy-branded models three cosmetic distinctions – ostensibly, to emphasise their ‘economy’ status. The handset was fitted with red triangular inserts; the hour totaliser sported 12 divisions; and the tachymetre itself was copied from the Ref. 1163T (famously worn by Jo Siffert).&nbsp;

Aesthetics aside, from quality of construction it’s clear these Viceroy chronographs are every inch a part of the Autavia lineage. More importantly, the ‘Auto Racer’ campaign utilised in their marketing – populated by dashing, thrillseeker<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7piqKHepNEk"> personas from the Parnelli Jones racing team</a> – brought Heuer to the dais of popular culture, exposing the brand to 70 percent of the American adult population in 1972. In the words of <a href="http://www.onthedash.com">On The Dash</a> founder Jeff Stein, “Viceroy took the Heuer chronograph from a limited market at the racetrack to a much broader audience”.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Autavia" data-caption="An example of the Autavia 1163 &quot;Viceroy&quot; sold by Phillips at their Geneva Watch Auction X in 2019 &amp;nbsp;©phillipswatches.com" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c58e19d5-d77d-4191-aafd-4a13964023eb" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/TAG-Heuer-x-Fragment-Design-Calibre-Heuer-02-Automatic-Chronograph.jpg" width="1568" />
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<h3 class="hytPlayerWrap">Drive to Thrive: The Autavia, Jo Siffert and Acclaim in Motorsports</h3>
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&nbsp;If Viceroy brought the Heuer name to wider cultural attention in the 1970s, then Jo Siffert immortalised the Autavia – in a mere handful of years – within the motorsports community. Described by Stein as “the ultimate racer in the Heuer constellation”, Siffert made his bones driving for the Porsche factory sportscar team during the 1960s. In 1968, the Swiss driver claimed victory at not one, but two of the most vaunted endurance races in professional motorsports (namely, Daytona and Sebring) behind the wheel of the Porsche 907. Then, later that year, he parked himself permanently in racing’s hall of fame by going on to win the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch – all whilst doing so as Formula One’s “last genuine privateer”. This status, as a scrappy, self-reliant contender who so often maintained his own vehicles, endeared Siffert to Jack Heuer; with their friendship leading to a guerilla sales strategy that would win applause even by the standards of modern ad executives.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Autavia" data-caption="Legendary Swiss driver, Jo Siffert, wore the Autavia Ref.1163T, featuring a white dial and black sub-dials with a central blue chronograph hand and highlights. Known as the “Siffert Autavia&quot;, this is now one of the most sought-after vintage Heuer models in the market" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd19d5be-2bc0-4cb0-b461-1d894c040f13" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/jo%2520siffert_0.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Autavia" data-caption="The Heuer Autavia Jo Siffert Collector’s Edition by Calibre 11" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0f7a9000-c6ed-498d-bfe2-eb7ca2a54fbd" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/Heuer-Autavia-Jo-Siffert-Collector%25E2%2580%2599s-Edition-by-Calibre-11-3.jpg" width="1568" />
<img alt="Autavia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58633e18-2c6c-4829-9436-1b2ed29a4f8c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/99/Heuer-Autavia-Jo-Siffert-Collector%25E2%2580%2599s-Edition-by-Calibre-11-5.jpg" width="1568" />

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To offset the cost of Siffert’s privateer expenses, Heuer supplied a range of its chronographs to the Swiss driver at wholesale prices. Siffert then took these into the paddock at formula racing circuits and, in a brilliantly straightforward move, began selling them directly to fellow drivers. Between legendary competitors the likes of Jochen Rindt, Clay Regazzoni and Mario Andretti, throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Autavia is documented exhaustively as the ‘it’ watch of international racing.&nbsp;

These formidable credentials, it goes without saying, were down to Siffert’s passion for watches and a spot of entrepreneurship. Indeed, so great is Siffert’s legacy in the shared arena of Heuer and racing that collectors simply refer to the Ref. 1163T as the ‘Siffert’ Autavia. These executions are typified by a panda-style black-on-white dial, accented by a chronograph hand in the most electrifying shade of medium blue. Well-known to be Siffert’s own Autavia of choice throughout his career, examples of these in good condition routinely fetch up to US$15,000. That, as far as we’re concerned, is none too high a price to pay – because what you’re getting is a living, ticking link to motor racing’s heyday.

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