This year, TAG Heuer returns to the era that established the chronograph as one of its most prominent complications. The 2026 releases are marked by not one, but four TAG Heuer chronograph references guaranteed to get everyone’s heart racing (pun fully intended). To begin, let’s go back to where it all started. In 1969, TAG Heuer pushed the boundaries by introducing its first-ever timepiece housed in a square, water-resistant case.
Named TAG Heuer Monaco, the watch’s conception can be traced back to the invention “Project 99”, a brainchild of Jack Heuer (then the head of the company), in association with Breitling, Hamilton-Buren, and Dubois-Depraz. This automatic chronograph movement was later renamed to Calibre 11 and became the pillar of an iconic sports collection that exists to this day.
The culmination of Jack Heuer’s years of work took shape in the Heuer Monaco reference 1133B, as he secured the exclusivity of its design before it was sold to the masses. Soon enough, the watch’s avant-garde quality found admirers among those drawn to the unconventional. From filmmaker Stanley Kubrick to entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., Monaco slowly became a symbol of a certain rebellious elegance.
And yet, its defining moment arrived in 1971, when Steve McQueen chose the blue-dial Monaco Ref. 1133B for his role in Le Mans, transforming the watch into a cultural icon. Fifty-seven years on, the Monaco remains one of watchmaking’s most recognizable silhouettes. At Watches and Wonders 2026, TAG Heuer builds on that legacy with a fresh chapter of chronograph releases that balance heritage with contemporary execution.
1. TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph
The 2026 Monaco Chronograph arrives with a softened silhouette, its curved Grade 5 titanium case marking a first for the collection. Retaining the familiar 39 mm diameter, left-side crown, and right-side pushers, the lightweight alloy brings a modern edge to the watch’s robust character, setting the stage for three distinct interpretations.
The first version pays tribute to the original with its unmistakable blue opaline dial. Here, silver-opaline counters at 3 and 9 o’clock balance the layout, while rhodium-plated facetted indexes with Super-LumiNova® are accented by red lacquered markings. In turn, polished hands with luminous fill and vivid red tips echo the bold red central hand, while the angled date window at 6 o’clock completes the composition.
The second version elevates the familiar silhouette with the same case diameter and titanium foundation. Yet, it introduces polished 18K 5N rose gold across the bezel, crown, and pushers, lending warmth to the frame. Its black opaline dial replaces the blue, paired with twin silver-opaline counters. Rose gold-plated indexes and hands with Super-LumiNova® glow against the dark backdrop, while a rose gold-plated central hand ties the design together with refined contrast.
With these two editions setting the tone, the third version pushes the reinterpretation further, offering its own distinctive twist on Monaco’s enduring character. Its green sunray-brushed dial shifts with the light, framed by a matching flange with crisp white markings. Black opaline counters at 3 and 9 o’clock add depth, accented by rhodium-plated hands. Facetted rhodium indexes and hands, brushed and polished for sharp definition, stand out against the vibrant backdrop.
Inside beats the new in-house Calibre TH20-11, re-engineered from the TH20-00 to suit the Monaco’s bicompax running seconds and 30-minute totaliser, anchored by the distinct date aperture at six. Named in tribute to the original Calibre 11, it preserves the left-side crown as a defining hallmark. With its 80-hour reserve and modernised architecture, the movement signals a leap in quality, reinforcing the Monaco’s status as a contemporary racing icon.
2. TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph
Framed as TAG Heuer’s boldest technical experiment in years, the Monaco Evergraph takes the familiar square silhouette and turns it into a laboratory for watchmaking. Laying the foundation for its mechanical prowess is the Calibre TH80-00, a movement developed over five years with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier to redefine the sensation of a chronograph in action.
Just like the three new Monaco Chronograph versions, the case sets the tone with Grade 5 titanium. Here, however, it is finished with a fine-brushed and polished black DLC coating for a darker edge. Measuring 40 mm, it carries the Monaco’s unmistakable square silhouette with a more audacious character, while the seamless bezel frames its transparent dial.
Now, the dial is where the Evergraph truly comes alive. A transparent acrylic glass reveals the inverted construction, with fine-brushed and sandblasted black DLC bridges forming the backdrop. Front and centre sit the barrel, gear train, and TH-Carbonspring oscillator, turning mechanics into design language. Meanwhile, the two chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock balance the layout in either black or blue opaline with rhodium-plated hands completing the composition.
Open-worked hour and minute hands with Super-LumiNova® and a red-lacquered chronograph hand bring sharp contrast, reinforcing the Evergraph’s distinctly architectural presence. Yet beyond aesthetics, the movement itself is where the watch makes its strongest statement. Beating at 5 Hz, the Calibre TH80-00 delivers 1/10th-second precision alongside a 70-hour power reserve, proving that performance is as important as presentation.
Its compliant chronograph mechanism replaces traditional levers and springs with flexible bistable components produced via LIGA technology, ensuring smoother actuation and remarkable consistency over time. Even the reverse side continues the narrative. A screwed sapphire caseback reveals the back of the TH80-00, where matte-finished bridges and sharp architectural lines echo the watch’s modern ethos.
Speaking of appearances, two executions complete the story of the Evergraph: one in natural titanium with blue accents referencing the legendary 1133B worn by Steve McQueen, and another in black DLC-coated titanium with red highlights drawn from TAG Heuer’s racing palette. Each is paired with a matching rubber strap featuring a textile embossing and subtle grey stitching, adding texture and reinforcing the watch’s distinctly sporting attitude.
