TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Automatic Chronograph Blue Dial

About

Some watches become famous because of the people who wear them. Others become famous because they dare to be different.

The TAG Heuer Monaco managed to do both.

When Heuer introduced the Monaco in 1969, the watchmaking world was accustomed to round chronographs. Then along came this extraordinary square case, a striking blue dial, and one of the industry's pioneering automatic chronograph movements. It was bold, unconventional, and unlike almost anything else on the market.

And then Steve McQueen put one on his wrist.

In the 1971 film Le Mans, McQueen wore the blue-dial Heuer Monaco while portraying racing driver Michael Delaney. The combination of McQueen's effortless confidence, the unmistakable square chronograph, and the atmosphere of international motorsport created an association that has endured for more than half a century.

But the Monaco's story didn't end at the racetrack.

Decades later, the watch found itself playing an entirely different role in one of television's most celebrated series.

Breaking Bad. Walter White. Heisenberg.

Early in the series, Walter White, the unassuming high school chemistry teacher portrayed by Bryan Cranston, wore a modest Casio calculator watch. It suited the man he appeared to be: practical, ordinary, and largely unnoticed.

But as Walter's character evolved, so did the watch on his wrist.

In the fifth season, Jesse Pinkman presented Walter with a blue TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 for his 51st birthday. It was a remarkable change from the humble Casio, and an equally remarkable reflection of the man Walter was becoming.

The quiet schoolteacher was disappearing. Heisenberg was taking his place.

What fascinates us is that the Monaco worked so perfectly for both Steve McQueen and Walter White, two entirely different characters separated by decades of film and television history. One represented the effortless confidence of a racing legend. The other, the transformation of a man whose ambition had taken him somewhere he never imagined.

Yet somehow, that unmistakable square watch belonged on both wrists.

And that brings us to this beautiful 2016 Monaco.

The deep blue dial, contrasting chronograph registers, and distinctive square stainless steel case give this watch a personality that few other chronographs can match. It doesn't try to blend in, and that's precisely what we appreciate about it.

Slip it onto your wrist and you immediately understand that the Monaco isn't simply another sports chronograph. The square case has a presence all its own, while the blue dial catches the light in a way that continually draws your attention back to it.

Imagine wearing it on a weekend drive, perhaps heading out to meet friends for coffee or an afternoon surrounded by beautiful cars. You're enjoying the drive, hands on the steering wheel, when that unmistakable blue square catches your eye.

For a moment, perhaps you're thinking about Steve McQueen behind the wheel at Le Mans.

Or maybe you're remembering that unforgettable transformation from Walter White to Heisenberg.

Either way, you're wearing a watch with a story few others can tell.

We have always appreciated watches that offer something beyond their specifications. A distinctive design, an interesting history, or a connection to a moment in popular culture can make a timepiece considerably more enjoyable to own.

The Monaco delivers all three.

And nearly six decades after its introduction, it remains one of the few watches that can be recognized from across a room without anyone needing to read the name on the dial.

Some watches follow the rules. The Monaco became a legend by breaking them.