A V12 UNDER THE HOOD
As the legendary Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix comes around, the brand has unveiled a surprising 50-piece limited edition of its namesake model first issued back in 1969.
For TAG Heuer, state-of-the-artness isn’t just a marketing term. It guides its creative guiding light to venture into a mechanical realm that’s perpetually enthralling. The latest Monaco Speed 12 illustrates this desire to head off beaten tracks. Since the model was launched, the watch, equipped with the first selfwinding chronograph movement, has rolled out a host of faces that are ever-so elegant and sporty. Some iterations stand out through their close ties with the motor racing event, like the Monaco V4, showcased in 2004, and equipped with drive belts. This year, the Monaco Speed 12 proves to be one of a kind with its Spin Time display mode developed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
Caliber TH84-00 (45-hour power reserve), inspired by the architecture of a rotary engine, and assembled using some 274 components, drives the rotation of twelve miniature pistons. When the hour changes, the piston concerned pivots 90 degrees to center stage its side adorned with the corresponding numeral. A stylized, red-lacquered-tipped central hand, conjuring up those on rev counters, indicates the minutes. The dial heart with its vertical grooves takes on a design similar to that of rocker covers. This spectacular scenography reigns inside the signature 40 mm square case crafted in grade 5 titanium this time round and flaunting satin-brushed, polished, and sandblasted finishes. To take full advantage of the engineering within, the sapphire-crystal back invites to admire the oscillating weight and workings. The Monaco Speed 12 proves to be fascinating down to the very last detail.
