Introducing

The All-New TAG Heuer Monaco Rattrapante That’s Too Expensive

Why oh why must this cost CHF 165,000?

20/03/2024 | By Robin Nooy | 1 min read |

TAG Heuer has just unveiled an amazing new Monaco sports chronograph, but it comes at a cost. Even though it has a very complex Rattrapante movement the price tag is seriously over the top; CHF 165,000. So the questions we’re trying to answer is; is it worth it and can the watch itself win me over? Let’s get straight into it!

Just to serve as a little reminder, the Monaco is an important watch for a couple of reasons. It launched one of the earliest mechanical automatic chronographs with the Chronomatic and later the Calibre 11, jointly developed with Breitling, Hamilton-Buren and Dubois-Depraz. It also happens to be the first square-case chronograph. And finally, its launch was a stroke of marketing genius as Jack Heuer named it after the most famous F1 race of them all, the Monaco Grand Prix and put one on the wrist of big-screen legend Steve McQueen for the cult-classic movie Le Mans.

How it started;

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How it’s going;

So, would I buy it? Is the watch that good that I can get over the hefty retail price? No, I wouldn’t. It’s very cool and offers a highly contemporary take on this watchmaking icon, but it’s just too much. Sorry TAG Heuer, this is one Monaco enthusiast that doesn’t take the bait.

For more information, please visit TAGHeuer.com.

Technical specifications – TAG Heuer Monaco Rattrapante Concept

Case: 39mm diameter x 39mm length x 14.7mm thickness (lug-to-lug 47.4mm) - grade 5 titanium with black DLC coating, polished and brushed - domed bevelled sapphire crystal over dial, sapphire caseback with engraved limited number XXX/600 - black DLC-coated pushers and crown on right - 100m water-resistance

Dial: 'circle in square' two-piece dial - cicular area in dark grey - outer dial and chronograph counters in light grey treated with blue emission Super-LumiNova - black lacquered hands - black lacquered applied indices - small seconds haircross above date window at 6 o'clock - blue SLN-treated hour and minute hands and hour dots - grey lacquered central seconds hand

Movement: calibre Heuer 02, in-house - automatic integrated chronograph with column wheel and vertical clutch - 31mm diameter - 33 jewels - 28,800 vibrations/hours - 80 hours power reserve - hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour counters, date

Strap: black rally-style perforated calfskin strap with light grey stitching - black DLC titanium folding clasp with double safety push-buttons

Availability: limited edition of 600 pieces
available from TAG Heuer Boutiques, retailers and online

Price: CHF 165,000