Redesigning an icon is never straightforward. For Maria Laffont, TAG Heuer’s Chief Product Officer, it may be one of the most difficult exercises in watch design.
“The Monaco is so recognisable, and this is our icon,” she tells me during our Watches and Wonders Geneva meeting. “You have to be very true to the original identity of the piece.”
That meant preserving the codes that have defined the Monaco since 1969: its square case, bold proportions and crown positioned on the left. Yet the same features that make it distinctive have also made it challenging to wear. Its broad, angular form could feel bulky, particularly on a smaller wrist.
At TAG Heuer, where functional design is closely linked to sport, that presented a contradiction. “When we craft timepieces, we have athletes in mind,” Maria explains. “It must be very easy to wear. It must be comfortable.”
Five Years in the Making
Ergonomics became the driving force behind the redesign. Work began five years ago, with the team returning to the original Monaco reference 1133 to understand what made it so distinctive in the first place. The square silhouette, left-hand crown and strong geometry remain, but subtle changes to the case make a noticeable difference on the wrist. The bezel now echoes the shape of the sapphire crystal, while bevelled edges on both the case and caseback allow the watch to sit more naturally. It’s still unmistakably a Monaco, only easier to wear.
The redesign extends beyond the case. The new Monaco Chronograph is powered by TAG Heuer’s in-house Calibre TH20-11 automatic chronograph movement, while the Monaco Evergraph, also launched at Watches and Wonders this year, is powered by the new Calibre TH80-00. “TAG stands for Techniques d’Avant-Garde,” she says. “It’s a constant dialogue between technique, engineering, creativity and design. They work together, and thanks to that dialogue, we can innovate and create.”
That individuality is essential to its character. Maria calls the Monaco “the definition of a rebellious watch”, not because it follows convention, but because it never has. It stood apart when it was introduced in 1969, and it still does today. “It’s not for everyone. When you choose a Monaco, it says a lot,” she adds.
That individuality also helps explain why the watch appeals across different ages, styles and wrist sizes. Some buyers are drawn to Steve McQueen and the model’s racing history. Others, including younger collectors, respond to its design and authenticity without any sense of nostalgia.
“They are looking for stories and history,” Maria says. “They want to understand.”
For her, the new Monaco represents more than its design or its movement. It is the result of five years of collaboration across the company. “When I think about this new Monaco,” she says, “the first thing that comes to mind is the team.”
