Few watch brands are more synonymous with auto racing and car culture as a whole than TAG Heuer. While the Swiss icon dates back to 1860, it was the 1960s that really solidified its legacy, especially within the auto world. Then known simply as Heuer, the German watchmaker’s former president, Jack Heuer, aimed to redefine the brand with a new focus, first with the Carrera chronograph in 1963, inspired by the Carrera Panamericana competition in Mexico, and then again in 1969 with the square-shaped Monaco. Now, in anticipation of the 2024 Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, TAG Heuer introduces a new dark blue dial version of its Monaco Skeleton Chronograph in black DLC titanium.

A Brief History of the Monaco Watch

Aiming to reinvent the racing chronograph, Jack Heuer essentially invented a whole new category. Debuting in ‘69, the Monaco sported a unique square shape, was waterproof (an industry first), and housed one of the world’s first automatic chronograph movements with the Caliber 11. Taking its name from the Monaco Grand Prix, the watch perfectly blended form and function. However, its popularity didn’t truly take off until it was worn on the arm of Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Le Mans — hand-picked by the actor himself.

Arguably one of the most instantly recognizable watches in existence, the Monaco is still beloved to this day. TAG Heuer is constantly coming out with new editions and colorways, such as the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph and the Monaco Skeleton which debuted last year and on which this latest edition is based.

TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton Chronograph Basics

Just like the classic Monaco models in TAG’s permanent range, the Monaco Skeleton sports a 39mm x 39mm square case with 15mm thickness and a 47.4mm lug-to-lug. And this is where the grade 2 titanium case material comes in. Titanium is favorable for its low weight compared to stainless steel, which can be about twice the weight of titanium. So, while the Monaco Skeleton is large, it’s not necessarily hefty. Water resistant to 100m, the case has also been sandblasted and finished with black DLC, along with the pushers and crown.

For the dial, the new watch does something pretty cool with its dark blue color, given to the minute track and borders of the subdials. It may be an unusual color combo for a watch but it works wonders here. Underneath the dominant blue hue are some black touches, such as on the insides of the two subdials and aspects of the in-house Heuer 02 automatic movement inside — which is also visible through the caseback. Indices, numerals, and the TAG logo are white, while the hands are silver with Super-LumiNova fill and the second hand and subdial hands are colored yellow. The watch is adorned with a strap made of dark blue embossed calfskin and rubber.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

Not limited in edition size, the new Monaco Skeleton Chronograph in black titanium is available from TAG Heuer’s website and boutiques for $11,250.

TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton Chronograph

TAG Heuer debuts a black DLC titanium version of its Monaco Skeleton Chronograph with a handsome dark blue dial and white and yellow accents.