TAG Heuer breaks the boundaries with the striking new Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph, a fusion of heritage and innovation.
Love it or hate it, you have to give it to the Tag Heuer Monaco, it’s eye catching. With its distinctive square shape, left crown, brushed and polished case and blue dial, the Monaco is nothing if not iconic and now, in its latest iteration, the watchmaker has made the Monaco even more striking with a split-seconds chronograph version in red and blue editions.
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Of course, split second chronographs are nothing new to Tag. In fact, they’ve been making them for over a century. From the early 1900s, the Maison has dedicated itself to mastering this significant horological complication, with the Mikrograph, introduced in 1916, marking a pivotal moment when it became the preferred timekeeping device at the Olympic Games in the 1920s and 1930s by recording 1/100th of a second.
This time-shaving ability lent itself to the world of 1960s motorsports, with the memorable reference 11.402, used by Jean Campiche, a Heuer timekeeper working with Scuderia Ferrari, featuring a split-seconds chronograph capable of measuring time with 1/10th of a second accuracy. The Monaco also became the first water-resistant square chronograph.
At the heart of the new Tag Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph is the newly launched TH81-00 mechanical split-seconds chronograph caliber. Crafted entirely in titanium, it is one of the lightest automatic chronograph movements ever created by Tag Heuer, in partnership with the manufacturer Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier.
The result is a masterpiece that combines Swiss watchmaking craftmanship with cutting-edge technology. This split-seconds function, or “rattrapante” in French, is a highly sophisticated and intricate mechanism capable of measuring two separate time intervals concurrently.
The newest inclusion in the collection presents itself in two distinct color options: a dynamic and sporty red variation inspired by the racing DNA of the Maison, and a classic, timeless blue version, paying homage to the original color code of the Monaco.
The caseback, a portal to the soul of the watch, is crafted entirely from sapphire crystal, offering an unobstructed view of the intricate TH81-00 caliber within, creating a mesmerizing visual experience. The transparent caseback is ingeniously designed to give the impression of a floating oscillating weight, emphasizing the watch’s sophisticated architecture.
The oscillating weight is fashioned in the iconic Tag Heuer shield shape and features a brushed finish as well as a hand-painted powerful red or blue gradient, a Tag Heuer design signature reserved for its most exclusive timepieces.
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The checkerboard pattern, a Tag Heuer signature, on the centre bridge and the fine brushed balance wheel bridge with its polished bevels are all hand-made while sandblasted surfaces and polished screws further accentuate the expert craftsmanship that went into the movement finishes.
The dial, also crafted from sapphire crystal, marries functionality with aesthetics. The red Monaco’s dial arches are executed with fine brushing and black DLC-coating, a nod to the finishing of the watch’s lightweight titanium case. The titanium-cased blue variant showcases gradient blue dial arches, achieved through a delicate anodizing process, transitioning from a light blue hue at the top to a richer royal blue at the bottom, giving the watch a sense of animation and movement even whilst static.
The red or blue titanium rattrapante pusher at 9 o’clock matches the color of the rattrapante hand and highlights its split-seconds function, adding a dash of color to the ensemble. The small second subdial at 6 o’clock echoes the arches’ shape, while the words “Rattrapante” and “Chronograph” on the subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock are a subtle reminder of the watch’s technical feats.
Each individually numbered on the oscillating weight, these timepieces are accompanied by a hand-stitched calfskin strap with a fabric pattern.
We figure, if it was good enough for Steve McQueen…
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