Tag Heuer reaffirms its long-standing association with the Principality of Monaco with official sponsorship of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.
In the late 1950s, at the height of motorsport, Jack Heuer saw an opportunity for his watch business to become even more involved in his long-time passion for auto racing and to build on the brand’s heritage in stopwatches, dashboard timers and chronographs. Inspired by the action he witnessed on racing tracks, he started a tradition of naming his creations after the evocative races in Monza, Silverston and Montreal. Celebrated for its glamorous Formula 1 Grand Prix, Monaco has also lent its name to one of TAG Heuer’s most iconic watch collections since 1969.
Today, TAG Heuer’s association with the Principality of Monaco and its motor-racing history endures in the form of a partnership with the Monaco Top Cars Collection museum, as well as with the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) as official watch sponsor of the Monaco Grand Prix and official timekeeper of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.
The biannual Grand Prix de Monaco Historique weekend is one of the highlights of the classic-car racing calendar, and its passionate community of owners, drivers and spectators relish the spectacle of historic grand prix racing and love the warm spirit and camaraderie around the circuit. On average, more than 200 grand prix cars representing 50 different car-makers enter each event. Selected for their historical value and degree of originality, they compete in seven series spanning the periods from the 1930s to the 1970s. Drivers from more than 21 countries took part in the 2018 edition.
Scheduled to take place from 8 to 10 May 2020 on the legendary Monaco circuit, the 12th edition of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique was sadly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the ACM event team has already started planning for the next edition, and, over the course of the scheduled 2020 race weekend, TAG Heuer presented a special-edition timepiece as a tribute to this prestigious event and to the Monaco collection.
GRAND PRIX DE MONACO LIMITED EDITION
Strikingly elegant and characteristically sport, this limited-edition chronograph of 1,000 pieces is designed especially for the 2020 Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Undiminished by the event’s cancellation, Tag Heuer unveiled the special timepiece over the course of the scheduled race weekend in May.
A celebration of the enduring bond between Tag Heuer, its iconic Monaco line and the prestigious racing events that take place in its namesake destination, the watch features the signature red-and-white colour code that is reminiscent of eye catching sports cars from the thrilling world of motor racing. The small silver historic car logo of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique at the 1 o’clock position on the crimson brushed dial instantly links this special model to the historic race.
Presented on a luxurious perforated strap made of fine-grain black leather, the commemorative timepiece comes in stainless steel with a transparent case-back in sapphire glass revealing the sophisticated Calibre Heuer 02 in-house mechanical movement, on which is printed the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique logo. With a total of 168 individual components, including a column wheel and a vertical clutch, the Tag Heuer Calibre Heuer 02 offers outstanding precision and an extraordinary power reserve of 80 hours. Emphasising the exclusivity of the limited-edition timepiece, each unit is numbered with the engraving “One of 1,000.”
The Tag Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco Historique timepiece is packaged in a red watch box decorated with a chequered racing flag – a nod to the historic Heuer watch box and the perfect touch for this contemporary 2020 classic. The watch is available for pre-orders on www.tagheuer.com and at select Tag Heuer boutiques prior to its official launch on 27 July 2020.
