TAG Heuer Launches New Monaco Chronograph Las Vegas Edition

A new Vegas-inspired Monaco with a violet-to-blue gradient skeleton dial and multi-colour Super-LumiNova.
Lightweight black DLC-coated titanium case with in-house TH20-00 movement.
Limited to just 600 pieces worldwide.

When Steve McQueen strapped on the original TAG Heuer Monaco in Le Mans back in 1971, he probably didn’t expect it to become the official timepiece of the Strip nearly fifty years later.

Att the time, McQueen was the leading man. The star. He lived for himself and answered to nobody. So, between the leather jacket and the Porsche 917, the Monaco on his wrist was always going enjoy enduring appeal, perfectly placed within the world of motorsport heritage and cinematic flair.

Today, it stands under new lights. Neon lights, to be exact. And it’s a real beauty.

A violet-to-blue gradient dial that mirrors the Strip after sundown. Image: TAG Heuer

Inspired by the Las Vegas Grand Prix and the unique atmosphere that comes from a street circuit under the cover of the Nevada night, TAG Heuer has unveiled its boldest take on the Monaco Chronograph yet.

This is not Monte Carlo elegance, with a sweater vest draped over your shoulder. This is pure Vegas energy from the newcomer to the F1 calendar. Fireworks, deafening straights, floodlit street circuits bordered by roulette tables and Michael Jackson impersonators. This is the watch built for the new order in motorsport. And I love it.

The acid pink accents of last year’s iteration have been traded out for a deeper gradient. In certain lights, the aesthetic shifts from violet to blue across a skeletonised dial to mirror the Vegas skyline as day turns to night.

There is plenty to look at, but nothing feels ornamental. It looks like someone’s taken elements of the circuit itself and contorted them into one a horological icon.

Openworked movement architecture visible from both sides of the case. Image: TAG Heuer

Built in black DLC-coated sandblasted titanium, the case keeps the iconic Monaco 39mm proportions but feels lighter and more technical on the wrist.

The touch of titanium means that this thing’s built to go wherever you do, safe in the knowledge that any bump and nick won’t cause the same cosmetic hurt that we’ve seen across some of the cars on the grid this season.

Powering this piece isn’t a trusty Honda engine, but TAG Heuer has found the next best thing (in horological terms) utilising the brand’s in-house Calibre TH20-00: a solid movement that delivers an 80-hour power reserve and chronograph functionality, visible through both the openworked dial and sapphire crystal caseback.

The mechanical architecture suits the watch perfectly. It’s a modern head-turner, but equally technical and well-engineered. The similarities with the sport of Formula 1 keep racking up.

A 600-piece release arriving just in time for the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Image: TAG Heuer

Limited to just 600 pieces globally, the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph is available from 20 November, just in time for the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and will retail at $17,100 AUD. A slight lift on last year, but so was the Vegas Grand Prix. Such is momentum.

I was fortunate to try this piece for size earlier this month and it’s undoubtedly my favourite Formula 1 X TAG Heuer release since the Swiss luxury watchmaker partnered with the grid at the start of the year. TAG Heuer is clearly enjoying its time in the paddock. And in Vegas, the show always starts after dark.