40th anniversary Tag Heuer Monaco LS celebrates Le Mans

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Monaco watch, Tag Heuer last month released a slightly updated version of the original watch worn, and personally endorsed, by Steve McQueen who made it famous in the movie ‘Le Mans’. In March, the watchmaker revealed a concept watch to celebrate the legendary French endurance race, and now a revised Monaco, dubbed the LS, is the latest to commemorate the McQueen-Le Mans combination.

As it is with legends, there is always a story behind it. The Le Mans movie recounts the story of two teams competing in one of the world’s most difficult endurance races. Striving for the utmost accuracy in portraying race car driver Michael Delaney, Steve McQueen consulted his friend, Grand Prix champion and TAG Heuer ambassador Jo Siffert.

At McQueen’s request, Siffert lent the actor his white racing suit, which was adorned with a “Chronograph Heuer” crest over the right breast. To complete the look, McQueen opted to wear in the film the brand’s new Monaco automatic Calibre 11. Since then, the model has been referred to as the ‘McQueen Monaco’.

The new model, as a successor to that original watch, is appropriately named the Monaco LS Chronograph Calibre 12. The movement is a basic Dubois Depraz calibre, which gives the LS its name - the Linear System means the second is indicated by a linear window at the 3 o'clock position. An angled window at 12 o'clock shows the current date, as well as the previous and next day. These windows, combined with the chronograph hour and minute subdials placed at 6 and 9 o'clock, respectively, complete the provocative look of the Monaco LS.

The 40th anniversary chronograph is delivered in a special box and accompanied by both a black alligator and stainless steel strap.

For more on Tag Heuer's association with Le Mans and Steve McQueen, checkout the watchmaker's film entitled 'The Duel', featuring Lewis Hamilton.