Hands On: TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph TH20

Hands On: TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph TH20 Upgrading a classic.Earlier this year, TAG Heuer unveiled the latest iteration of a longstanding model, the Monaco Chronograph TH20. It’s essentially a reissue of the Monaco ref. 1133 made famous by Steve McQueen, but not a one-for-one remake, and it’s the best to date. The Monaco TH20 retains the familiar dial design and case outline, but the case has been reworked in both design and material. The square case is sleeker and more lightweight, being in titanium instead of steel. And it gets upgraded with the TH20 movement, instead of the ETA 2894-2 found in many earlier generations of the model. Initial thoughts I’ve always liked the Monaco, especially the ref. 1133 B. It’s a distinctive and arguably iconic design that evokes the 1970s. And it’s different from more famous 1970s designs, which are mostly sports watches with integrated bracelets. Though the Monaco is not particularly ergonomic due to the size and shape, it is cool. The ref. 1133 remake has been in TAG Heuer’s catalogue for a long, long time with many, many iterations to date. Most earlier generations were powered by the ETA 2894 – an ETA 2892 with a module on top – that was a convenient solution for the left-hand crown. The new Monaco is an all-around upgrade with the in-house TH20 movement and titanium case. The TH20 is a competent calibre with solid specs, albeit still very industrial, but good enough for the price segment. The titanium case is a less obvious improvement in terms of design, but it improves the wearability of the watch by reducing its weight. A redesigned folding clasp works wonders for ergonomics too. And the restyling of the case gives it a more appealing aesthetic, though the overall form is still recognisable. The Monaco TH20 retails for a little over US$9,000, which is decent as such things go. Still, for the price I would have liked the movement to be a little less industrial looking. Ref. 1133 B The new Monaco debuts in three variants. Traditionalists will like the blue dial since it’s faithful to the vintage original, but the watch is also available in modern guise. Two of them actually, one in metallic green and the other with a two-tone case. Though the titanium-and-gold case is definitely not traditional, it is an interesting look that has its own appeal. That said, the gold bezel, crown, and pushers make it over 30% more expensive than the all-titanium version, which is not surprising given the gold price, but it leaves the value questionable. The classic configuration remains the blue, modelled on the ref. 1133 B. The dial is pretty much a dead ringer for the original. Some notable elements transplanted from the original design are the unique horizontal hour markers and white border around the date. The TAG Heuer, as opposed to Heuer, logo is clearly modern, but it blends in well. The dial even has a finely grained texture, though not quite as granular as the original. While the dial stays true to the original, the case design takes after the Monaco Split-Seconds. It’s essentially a sleeker take on the original design, with reworked lines that give the case a bit more refinement. The bezel has been narrowed, while the planes of the case are angled rather than vertical or horizontal. While the dimensions of the case are still 39 mm by 39 mm, just like the ref. 1133 B, the nips and tucks do wonders for the aesthetics. The TH20-11 inside is part of a movement family that underpins TAG Heuer’s offerings. The TH20 is derived from the Heuer 02 movement of 2017, but heavily upgraded. It has most of the features expected in a modern movement, including a longish power reserve of 80 hours, vertical clutch, and column wheel. The calibre architecture has been around long enough that the movement’s reliability is proven, making it a solid performer. The only downside of the architecture is thickness. That said, the resulting height is less pronounced in the square Monaco case than in the round Carrera case so it doesn’t detract from the design. The movement sticks to the same decor found across the catalogue, which is basic decorative finishing plus a substantial quantity of printed text. I would have preferred less text and also less finishing, and instead a simpler decoration but with better detailing. This construction has probably undergone all the upgrades possible, which means a new generation calibre is likely in the works. Given the strength of TAG Heuer’s technical bureau – underlined by innovative creations like the Evergraph – I expect the next-gen movement to be a big step upwards. Key facts and price TAG Heuer Monaco Caliber TH20-11 Ref. CDW2181.FC8360 (blue) Ref. CDW2150.FC8360 (black) Ref. CDW2180.FC8360 (green) Diameter: 39 mm Height: 13.9 mm Material: Titanium; or titanium and 18k rose gold Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 100 m Movement: TH20-11 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph Winding: Automatic Power reserve: 80 hours Strap: Leather with folding clasp Limited edition: No Availability: Now at TAG Heuer boutiques, retailers, and TAGHeuer.com Price: US$9,350 in titanium; and US$13,050 in titanium and rose gold (excluding taxes) For more information, visit TAGHeuer.com. Back to top.