Introduced in 1969, the Heuer Monaco was a game changer. It was the world’s first square, water-resistant chronograph wristwatch. Recognizable by its unconventional left-sided crown, it was named after the principality of Monaco and its legendary GP street circuit. TAG Heuer’s connection to motorsport has only deepened in the decades since. Today, the Monaco sports an instantly recognizable silhouette and TAG Heuer is the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1. On the eve of F1’s most iconic race, TAG introduces a special edition of its namesake timepiece. The TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12 offers an avant-garde reinterpretation of the jumping hour complication.
Limited to 50 pieces, the TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12 transforms the energy of a 12-cylinder engine into haute horlogerie. The twelve indexes circling the dial are shaped like pistons, carefully integrated to echo the firing sequence of a V12 engine. As the minute hand completes a full rotation around the dial, a precise sequence unfolds: one piston returns to its initial stance, while the following one executes a precise 90-degree turn, unveiling a previously concealed facet indicating the hour. Powered by the new Calibre TH84-00 automatic movement, the design is a modern interpretation of the jumping hour complication.
Developed and produced by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the Calibre TH84-00 was reimagined by the manufacturer exclusively for the Monaco Speed 12. Four DLC coated open-worked arches suspend the movement within the case. The open-worked dial echoes the finishes and precision of engine blocks. With vertical grooves at the center of the dial evoking high-performance engine covers, and a skeletonized central minute hand referencing dashboard instruments. The 40 mm titanium case is topped with a domed sapphire crystal and caseback. It also features a square sapphire bezel that maximizes visibility of the pistons from all angles.
TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12 ($87,000.00) – tagheuer.com
