TAG Heuer returns to Only Watch with a one-off, carbon-cased Monaco set on a first-of-its-kind leather strap. Only Watch is a biennial charity watch auction for which leading watchmakers donate unique timepieces. A full 99% of proceeds from the auction funds research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
TAG Heuer created the Only Watch Carbon Monaco for the ninth edition of the auction. The noirish design echos the highly collectible Heuer Monaco 74033N ‘Dark Lord’ – a black-coated version of the company’s square-cased chronograph produced in limited quantities in the mid-1970s. TAG Heuer’s partner ArteCad fashioned the skeletonized dial from a single piece of carbon. Each facet stretches across the face of the watch like struts on a racing car – a reference to the brands long association with motor sport. The facets were finished using a beveling technique that creates angles and depth, giving the dial a multidimensional look. Orange accents on the hands and yellow luminescent markers reflect this year’s Only Watch palette, a gradient sunburned orange to yellow. The watch is powered by an exclusive version of the Heuer 02 movement, equipped with a carbon hairspring developed in-house, and an oscillating weight shaped like TAG’s shield logo – decorated with a gradient orange to yellow line. All the finishing is visible through the largest sapphire crystal case back ever applied to a Monaco. Fittingly, the strap is as unique as the watch. The watchmaker injected silicon into a leather strap and molded it in the shape of a link bracelet. TAG Heuer has never used this technique on a watch strap before.
The TAG Heuer Only Watch Carbon Monaco will be auctioned on 6 November in Geneva, Switzerland. Shop the Monaco collection now at tagheuer.com
