This year marks the  epic 50th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Monaco watch. The beloved square-shaped timepiece was born in 1969– the brainchild of Jack Heuer.  It was the first automatic-winding chronograph movement and captured the attention of Steve McQueen, who wore it in the movie LeMans.  It  fast became an iconic legend in time. This year to celebrate the historic watch, TAG Heuer has been unveiling a series of Anniversary Monaco watches — one for each decade of history.  The most recently released watch  — representing the decade from 2009-2019 — may well be the most modern and alluring Monaco of all.

TAG Heuer Monaco 2009–2019 Limited Edition

Sleek and unabashed in its presentation, the newest Monaco 2009-2019 watch boasts a sandblasted stainless-steel case and polished pushers. The charcoal-colored sunray dial is adorned with black-gold-plated indexes with SuperLuminova®. The rhodium-plated subdials also boast a sunray effect and the subdial hands and central seconds hand are in bold red for added appeal.  “As with the original, the pushers are on the right of the case while the polished crown is on the left – an unconventional feature that has distinguished the Monaco over the past 50 years.”

The caseback  is engraved with the “Monaco Heuer” logo, as well as with the “2009-2019 Special Edition” and “One of 169”.  The watch houses the brand’s Calibre 11, a modern version of the automatic-winding chronograph movement that made its debut inside the original Monaco in 1969. Just 169 pieces will be made, each retailing for $6,550.

First Four TAG Heuer Monaco Limited Edition Watches

“The first of these limited-edition models, inspired by the years 1969 to 1979, was unveiled at the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix in May, and the second limited edition, celebrating the period from 1979 to 1989, was presented in June in Le Mans, France. The third edition of the Monaco watch, inspired by the 1990s, made its grand debut in New York in July. The previous event for the fourth edition, honoring the sleek style of the early 2000s, received international acclaim after being introduced at an event in Tokyo in September.”

Technical Specs of the TAG Heuer  Monaco 2009–2019 LE

Reference: CAW211Z.FC6470
Price: $6,550 USD

MOVEMENT: TAG Heuer Automatic Calibre 11, diameter 30 mm, 59 jewels, balance oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), 40-hour power reserve

FUNCTIONS: Chronograph with seconds and minutes; date, hours, minutes and small second at 3 o’clock; chronograph minutes counter at 9 o’clock; central chronograph seconds hand

CASE: Diameter 39 mm, case and fixed bezel in sandblasted steel case, sapphire crystal, polished stainless-steel crown at 9 o’clock and push buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock, water-resistant to 100 meters (10 bar), stainless-steel caseback with “2009-2019 Special Edition” and “One of 169” engraving

DIAL: Charcoal sunray brushed dial, rhodium-plated sunray counters, black-gold-plated, polished, faceted applied indexes, black-gold-plated hour and minute hands, red touches on small hands and 12 o’clock index, luminescent hour and minute hands and indexes

STRAP: Black calfskin leather strap, sandblasted folding clasp in stainless steel

Limited to 169 watches

SPECIAL PACKAGING:Like the watch itself, the watch box is also inspired by the original. Each of the special-edition models comes in a box with colors that match the watch and the decade it represents. The 2010s-inspired model is packaged in a dark blue box decorated with the Heuer logo and a horizontal check-pattern stripe. The watch is placed on a grey cushion and surrounded by a black interior.