TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink Watch Review
The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink will be seen this coming weekend affixed to the wrist of Max Verstappen as he strolls through the F1 paddock in Las Vegas. The watch echoes the shape of the 1969 classic, but pairs a black sandblasted openworked dial with eye-popping pink accents. While the beloved Monaco aesthetic of 1969 has assumed classical status, this latest model is unequivocally neoteric or, as they prefer to say in La Chaux-de-Fonds, ‘Swiss avant-garde’.
Heuer Monaco
In 1969, Heuer unveiled the inaugural Monaco. As well as being presented in a water-resistant square case, a revolutionary housing at the time, the model was also equipped with a groundbreaking movement, the automatic Calibre 11. The architecture of the movement meant the crown needed to be located on the left flank of the case; however, Jack Heuer, a marketing genius, promoted this characteristic as a means of differentiating the Monaco from its rivals.
The Heuer Monaco featured in the film ‘Le Mans’ (1971), gracing the wrist of Hollywood legend Steve McQueen. It has continued to enjoy an association with motorsport to the present day. This weekend, the world of Formula 1 will descend on Las Vegas. TAG Heuer, the Swiss marque headquartered in La Chaux-de-Fonds, will be in attendance with its latest creation the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink. I will return to this model later, but first of all let’s talk about horological nudity!
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph – ultra-modern design
While the design of the inaugural Heuer Monaco was considered avant-garde at the time of its release (1969), its appearance has since assumed classical status. Its styling remains untouched by the onset of years as if cryogenically preserved forever. In 2023, TAG Heuer introduced a neoteric interpretation of its square-cased model, the Monaco Chronograph Skeleton. As its name suggests, the model, offered in three variants, features an openwork design. The wearer is indulged with views of the date disc, sections of the motion works and even a tantalising glimpse of a shock absorber at 8 o’clock.
Housed in a 39 mm case, formed of titanium Grade 2 and sandblasted (one version also includes the addition of black DLC), the appearance of the Monaco Chronograph Skeleton exudes a high quotient of modernity. Power comes from the hugely impressive Calibre Heuer 02, a fully-integrated automatic movement featuring an ultra-desirable column wheel and vertical coupling arrangement.
Earlier this year, TAG Heuer released the Monaco Chronograph Dark Blue. Similar to the Chronograph Skeleton of 2023, the model features an openworked dial, on this occasion a 39 mm black DLC Grade 2 titanium case and the Calibre Heuer 02 (now termed ref. TH20-00). Predominantly blue, but with the addition of black, white and yellow dial accents, the model delivers a high quotient of horological nudity while upholding the Monaco’s reputation for excellent readability.
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink – Max’s watch
This weekend, Max Verstappen, three-times F1 world champion, will be seen strolling through the paddock wearing this latest iteration of Monaco, the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink. Inspired by the bright neon lights that famously bathe the Las Vegas streetscape at night, its openworked dial packs a punch.
Vibrant thulian pink hues frame the counters and enliven the indexes. The baton-style hour and minute hands are lined with white luminescent fill and contrast with the neighbouring black and pink tones, efficiently expressing meaning. The needle-like central chronograph seconds hand is also dressed in a becoming shade of pink.
The black openworked dial is sandblasted, accentuating the adjacent pink and white tones, again contributing to the model’s impressive legibility. The 39 mm case is sandblasted and dressed in black DLC, playing a deferential role and allowing the dial to steal most of the limelight.
The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink is not only a looker that will inevitably win hearts with its flamboyant pink accents, it is also rich in mechanical virtue. The Calibre Heuer 02 (ref. TH20-00) has a prodigious power reserve of 80 hours, features a pink-toned column wheel and Côtes de Genève motif. When actuating the chronograph there is no hesitation or stuttering and the pushpiece feel is wonderfully smooth.
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink – closing remarks
TAG Heuer still sates the desires of traditionalists with its classically styled Monaco references but continues to release new models that push the limits of performance with the use of materials and cutting-edge know-how, an approach that will resonate with Max Verstappen as he seeks another win this weekend.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Pink
- Reference: CBL218B.FT6236
- Case: black DLC Grade 2 titanium, diameter 39 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres); sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition caseback
- Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
- Movement: Calibre Heuer 02 (ref. TH20-00), automatic, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), power reserve 80 hours
- Strap: embossed blue calf skin & rubber strap with black DLC Grade 2 titanium folding clasp with double safety pushbuttons
- Price: £9,850 (RRP as of 20.11.2024)