Iconic Tag Heuer Monaco Watch re-released with Steve McQueen's zombie approval

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Heuer Monaco watch — the only watch rad enough to be personally endorsed by Steve McQueen — Tag Heuer is releasing a slightly updated version. The picture says it all: this is one of the most gorgeous watches in the world. I have no idea what this costs, but I'm guessing thousands. What's Peruvian going rate for a couple kidneys these days?

Tag Heuer [Official Site via Acquite]

[#1 posted by beamso , February 11, 2009 2:42 PM]

Want one badly, but at 1000 pieces worldwide, it will be rather expensive. I think I'll have to stick with trying to find a different Monaco second hand.

[#2 posted by themark , February 11, 2009 4:53 PM]

I think you'll find that getting an original is far more costly than getting the new one. I've been watching (Pre-TAG) Heuer's on ebay for some time, and most Calibur12 models have topped off at around $1500-$2000. But Monacos are almost always double that. The real Monaco that was worn by McQueen during the filming of the movie sold on ebay a number of years ago for over $9000 (without the band). The Silverstone used to be the second most sought-after, but original Autavia "Shiffert" editions are getting a lot of action since they were re-issued too. I am happy that they've kept the left-side crown in this re-issue.

[#3 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , February 11, 2009 6:40 PM]

The Monaco is iconic but I like the Autavia for functionality. Just don't like those snaggy corners on the Monaco. The reissue Autavia had a serious problem with broken stems. The part was undersized and weak. The original was significantly more robust in that area. I hope I had a good reason for selling mine 15 years ago because it sure would be worth a bundle now.

[#4 posted by oneswellfoop , February 12, 2009 10:03 AM]

Tag Heuer, for those with more money than sense and taste...

While this watch is beautiful, and their limited edition, low production, watches are nice, the brand overall is for people that want a Rolex, but can't afford one. This is so, given that Rolex is what people want to show other people how rich they are and don't know enough about watches to buy something else.
Omega and Audemars Piguet are where it's at, otherwise you're just an advertising man with no class and an expensive watch.

[#5 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , February 12, 2009 12:03 PM]

Okay, I'll bite. Omega's overpriced. Buy anything else with their ETA 2892, 2893 or 2895 movement in a waterproof steel case and you'll get 95% of what's best about an Omega 1120 for a fraction of the price.
When I sold watches one of the salespeople frequently said Heuer was 'A Poor Man's Rolex'. That was usually the funniest thing that happened all day.
I have a drawer or two full of watches but I'm usually wearing a Sea Dweller. I think value is in what you actually use as well as the price/content ratio.

BTW, Heuer is now owned by LVMH the handbags/Champagne/Cognac based luxury conglomerate.

[#6 posted by djn , February 12, 2009 5:49 PM]

And then there's the Russian watches. Hmm.

(I'm a heathen: I use my cellphone instead. Can't stand having things strapped around my wrist.)

[#7 posted by Ernunnos , February 13, 2009 12:34 PM]

They've been making Steve McQueen Monaco's pretty much constantly. None of them are true duplicates of the original, but for some reason they still haven't upgraded the crystal to sapphire. I'd love to have one, but I'm not paying that kind of money for something that scratches.

[#8 posted by Alpinwolf , February 14, 2009 9:07 PM]

Don't they use quartz for the crystal, thus the name? (yes, the face, not the timer.) That's, like, Mohs' 9.0. Pretty hard to scratch. I know sapphire is better, but unless its, I dunno, maybe a Timex, I don't think you'll find many plain glass faces. Especially not at that price.

I've had a nice Citizen for 8 years. Wear it constantly. I've been known to take it off protectively, but (among other things) I'm a mechanic, and it has gotten battered. The crystal, I'm pretty sure, is not sapphire, but it doesn't have a scratch, unlike the other bits.

@ DJN: I can't stand *not* having something on my left wrist. Sometimes (rarely) I leave the house without a watch, and I'm not far before something is really bothering me, Monkishly bothering me, about my forearm. Must. Have. A. Watch.

[#9 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , February 16, 2009 5:15 PM]

The cell phone is the true Poor Man's Rolex. Cell phones have become nearly a necessity of life and watches are more and more luxuries. These days when someone is wearing a watch you can bet it's for a reason other than a need to know the time of day.
I did some digging on this Monaco reissue to find out how accurate it is. I haven't got all of the documentation yet but the word is that they're reintroducing a version of the original and very unique Caliber 12 Microtor movement. That's kind of a big deal, as new mechanical watch movements are a VERY rare occurrence. This is getting kind of interesting and I have some inside info on the way so I'll post here if I learn anything new.

[#10 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , February 16, 2009 5:23 PM]

If you look at the long-running Monaco model up until this reissue you'll see the major difference is the position of the stem. The original Monaco and this newest one have the chrono pushers on the right and the setting crown on the left side. This was the significant difference of the Caliber 11/12 movement compared to previous manual wind chrono movements and indeed compared to other autowinding chrono movements then and now (I'm looking at YOU, 7750). Since the crown in an autowinding watch is not used for winding up the mainspring it could be moved to the opposite side to clear the area between the chronograph pushers.

[#11 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , February 16, 2009 7:24 PM]

Clarification;
The Caliber 11 is the original Microtor movement with the crown on the left. The Caliber 12 is based on the excellent ETA 289X series of movements and has the crown on the right. The new 40th anniversary Monaco has the crown on the left again. I'll post when I find out what that movement's made of. In case anyone besides me cares...