The Monaco has always been a favourite among car enthusiasts, now it goes the distance on a dusk till dawn drive.
For car enthusiasts, the romance of a night drive is hard to beat. Whether it’s a run across a mountain range in the dark purely for the sake of it, or spearing across a continent to make a destination by dawn, night driving feels like a rite of passage for a car enthusiast. It often doesn’t even matter what you’re driving, though an engaging sports car certainly adds to the intoxicating experience.
In recognition of the romance of the night drive, TAG Heuer has released a limited-edition Monaco (itself arguably the greatest ever driving watch). Like so many TAG Heuer timepieces, the new Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition combines tradition with avantgarde technical innovation.
The 39mm diameter is fashioned in grade 5 titanium with a Black Diamond-like Coating (DLC) that features both fine-brushed and polished surfacing. It is topped by a domed, bevelled sapphire crystal. The case back also features a sapphire crystal to observe the Calibre Heuer 02 in-house automatic movement with its dedicated oscillating weight and column wheel. The Calibre Heuer 02 boasts an impressive 80-hour power reserve, making it weekend proof – TAG Heuer even suggesting that it’s got enough in reserve for a weekend of racing.
In daylight hours, the dial present as a combination of anthracite and cool grey, but at night, it transforms to reveal a vivid blue luminescent outer dial. The chronograph sub dials at 3 and 9 o’clock also feature the same blue luminescent finish, transforming the legendary Monaco into the ultimate night driving companion. The black gold-plated hour and minute hands are also treated with blue Super-LumiNova, and the dial is completed by black gold-plated indexes.
In a throwback to the 1960s and ’70s, the Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition features a black perforated calfskin strap with contrasting light grey stitching that subtly recalls elements of the dial when viewed in daylight hours. The strap is secured with a black DLC grade 5 titanium folding clasp with TAG Heuer’s renowned double safety push buttons.
Monaco fans will be aware that the timepiece was the world’s first water resistant squared-faced watch, and the new Chronograph Night Driver continues that tradition with a water-resistant rating up to 100 metres.
Limited to just 600 units worldwide (and individually engraved), the Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition costs $13,800 and is available now in TAG Heuer boutiques and online at tagheuer.com.