The newest Tag Heuer Monaco is inspired by the iconic vintage blue, gray and matte black dials of the Monaco, while being the first Monaco to have a fully luminescent dial for better legibility at night.
One of the most distinctive racing watches ever created, the Tag Heuer Monaco, has had a strong following since it was introduced in 1969.
The square case with the original metallic blue dial with red and white highlights, along with a gray-colored dial that quickly followed, has been interpreted in many ways over the years.
The Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition employs its “circle in the square” two-piece dial construction to provide instant readings for the driver, the company says.
At night, the deep grey “circle” at the center of the dial provides a contrast with the bright blue Super-LumiNova finish of the hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hands, and the bright hour indices. This glow includes the hash-marks that indicate the minutes and seconds.
As the day turns to night, the exterior of the dial is transformed from a cool, light gray to a glowing vivid blue.
The chronograph registers are transformed to this same glowing blue, providing vivid contrast with the black markings for minutes and hours, and the hands for the chronograph minutes and hours counters.
Tag Heuer says the dial can remain visible in the dark for three hours after being fully charged.
The 39mm square case is made of black DLC coated grade 5 titanium that is polished and fine brushed with a domed and beveled sapphire crystal. The sapphire caseback, which is numbered, provides a view of the movement’s oscillating weight and column wheel.
Unlike the original Monaco, the crown is on the right side of the case, so you don’t have to remove the watch from your wrist to set it. The case is water resistant to 100 meters.
The case houses a gray opaline, grained dial with a blue luminescent outer dial. There are three counters.
At 3 o’clock is an anthracite luminescent minute chronograph counter with a black lacquered hand; at 6 o’clock is a permanent seconds indicator with a black lacquered hand; and at 9 o’clock is anthracite luminescent hour chronograph counter with a black lacquered hand.
The hour and minute hands are black gold-plated with blue Super-LumiNova. The dial is completed by a gray lacquered central hand.
The date window is at 6 o’clock.
The timepiece is powered by the Caliber Heuer 02, automatic column wheel chronograph movement with an 80-hour power reserve.
The sapphire caseback displays the blue printing on the black oscillating mass, as well as the blue column wheel, extending the dial palette to the chronograph.
Completing the watch is a calfskin strap, with alternating large and small perforations and bright white stitching along the edge inspired by Heuer racing chronographs of the 1960s and ’70s.
The watch comes with dedicated packaging that evokes the racing heritage of the Monaco collection in a “nomad” travel pouch.
The watch is limited to 600 individually numbered pieces. It is available at TAG Heuer boutiques, select Tag Heuer retailers and on www. tagheuer.com beginning in October.
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
