The Motorsport Monaco: Tag Heuer Monaco CAW211P.FC6356

Heuer as a brand has one of the richest automotive-horological legacies in the space. Names like Autavia, Carrera, and Camaro are synonymous with motorsports and watchmaking. That said, no model from Tag Heuer can rival the cultural following and status of the Monaco. Heuer’s most recognizable and famous chronograph, the Monaco remains the Heuer icon to this day. Today, we are taking a look at a modern piece that continues the Monaco legacy into the 21st century. Let’s check out the Tag Heuer Monaco reference CAW211P.FC6356. 

History

The Heuer Monaco was first introduced in 1969. The same year, Heuer had developed the Caliber 11, one of (if not) the earliest automatic-winding chronograph movements, in collaboration with a number of other important firms. In addition to outfitting many of Heuer’s existing models with the new movement, Heuer decided to come out with a splash, casing the Caliber 11 within a striking square case. A completely new look to fit a completely new movement, the Monaco was destined to greatness from the start. 

The Monaco may have been a cool watch for its significance to Heuer, but the truth is, nothing earned the model greater renown than when Steve McQueen chose to wear the piece in the 1971 film “Le Mans”. This is truly the point at which the watch became not just a watch, but a cultural sensation and icon. Even those that knew nothing of watches appreciated the striking stylistic choice of the Monaco. Soon, the Monaco became a look of the 70s. 

Ever since, Heuer’s, and later Tag Heuer’s, Monaco has held a special place in collector’s hearts. The beautiful design has taken on myriad forms ever since. That said, the reference CAW211P.FC6356 is arguably the most tasteful representation of the Steve McQueen model. 

Design

The Tag Heuer CAW211P.FC6356 is an incredibly accurate modernization of the Monaco chosen by Steve McQueen in the 70s. The 39mm square timepiece features the same striking blue dial with red chronograph hands and white sub registers that made the watch so successful in the first place. The TV case features dual pushers on the right side of the case balanced by a winding crown on the left. Much like the original, at 6 o’clock, Tag has placed a date window. Many contemporary iterations place the subseconds here, but Steve McQueen’s used the configuration shown on this model. 

The dual registers on the dial are sunken, adding a bit of topography to the dial. With such a large dial space, this is a welcome interruption to what would otherwise be a flat dial. This watch also has unique horizontally applied markers on the dial, a cool detail distinct to this model family.

This piece is outfitted with a deployant clasp with the retro Heuer logo etched in it. The strap features classic finishes of automotive straps, specifically, the perforations for wrist ventilation during driving (and also a cool way to match your driving gloves if you’re so inclined).

This watch has a decidedly large feel to it, and embraces its sporty personality with some flair. There are certainly plenty of details to discover with this watch, and for the money, you are getting a watch with an incredible story and design language, a winning combination. 

Inner Workings

This Monaco is powered by the revolutionary caliber 11. It’s quite cool to be able to get a piece outfitted with a historically significant movement, even on a modern watch. The movement is utilitarian, affording a solid 40 hours of power reserve, and openly visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback. The automatic winding movement provides time, ¼ seconds, a 30 minute chronograph counter, and the date. For a sporty watch, you get an extremely reliable and easily serviceable automatic movement ready for everyday wear. 

Versus the Competition

When considering comps to the Monaco, we should first consider the expensive alternative, Patek’s 5980. In addition to the similar angular case of the Nautilus, the 5980 also takes the mechanics a step up by adding a flyback feature to the chronograph functionality. The 5980 is a substantial watch– some have even described it as chunky— but if you have a larger wrist, you will find this piece to be one of the greatest sport-complications on the market. 

My next alternative has a very different feel. The Cartier Tortue Monopusher chronograph is probably the biggest sleeper in unconventional-case shape chronographs. Built with an elaborate monopusher chronograph layout, this piece has a beautiful guilloché dial and blue details. It’s unlike most other watches on the market. 

Finally, looking at a slightly smaller brand, Glashutte Original’s Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date. This piece has a very similar TV case, and may have even been loosely inspired by the Monaco. That said, it provides a unique date window and power reserve. This piece was executed in a limited edition of 100 pieces. This is another underrated piece that deserves a second look. 

Personality

The collector that buys a Monaco may not be a collector at all. I’ve met many people wearing Monacos that just love the design, and use it as an everyday watch. This piece, with its universal cultural appeal, doesn’t need to be a collector’s choice. That said, collectors, especially those with a knack for motorsports, love the Monaco. If you are looking for a modern Monaco that gives you the closest approximation to the Monaco of renown, this is the reference for you. If you can only have one Monaco and are looking to get a modern piece, this will be the most faithful representation of the classic Monaco. This piece has a really diverse range of appeal. This is further fed by the fact that this is a relatively affordable piece, which is nice to see on unique, significant pieces. 

Final Thoughts

The Tag Heuer Monaco is the brand’s most storied watch. A beautiful representation of 70s form and function, any chronograph lover should have a Monaco in their collection. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better Monaco to choose than the reference CAW211P.FC6356. With the same striking blue dial and special accents, this piece reassures me that while Tag Heuer may not be the Heuer of old, they respect their history. We can only hope the brand will do more and more to reinvigorate their rich history with watches like the Monaco. 

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