In a year defined by its enduring bond with the chronograph, TAG Heuer has chosen not to look back, but to leap forward. The new TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph is less an iteration than a rethinking—of mechanism, materiality and, crucially, the tactile experience of timekeeping itself.
Few maisons can claim such a sustained dialogue with the chronograph. Since 1860, TAG Heuer has refined the complication into a house signature, from early oscillating pinion patents to the 1916 Mikrograph, capable of measuring 1/100th of a second. The 1969 launch of the Monaco—famously worn by Steve McQueen—cemented its place in design history as the first square, water-resistant automatic chronograph.
A New Chronograph Language
At the heart of the Evergraph lies the Calibre TH80-00, a movement that signals a clear break from convention. Developed by the TAG Heuer Lab in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, it replaces the traditional architecture of levers and springs with a compliant mechanism built on flexible bistable components.
The result is a chronograph that feels as precise as it performs. Actuation is crisp, consistent and, perhaps most notably, unchanged over time—whether it is the first press or the ten-thousandth. Produced using LIGA microfabrication, the mechanism ensures durability without sacrificing finesse.
Performance credentials are equally compelling: a 5Hz frequency, 70-hour power reserve, COSC certification and magnetic resistance via the TH-Carbonspring oscillator. In isolation, each would be noteworthy; together, they represent a meaningful recalibration of what a modern chronograph can deliver.
The Monaco, Reconsidered
If the movement speaks to the future, the case bridges past and present. The Evergraph refines the silhouette of the original 1969 reference 1133, maintaining its left-hand crown and square profile while introducing a more ergonomic, architectural form.
Crafted in Grade 5 titanium, the 40mm case feels lighter and more sculptural, its sharp facets offset by tapered lines that create a deceptive thinness. The open-worked dial reveals the inverted movement, lending the impression that its components are suspended within the case—an effect that underscores the watch’s technical ambition.
Two executions anchor the collection in Monaco lore: a blue-accented titanium model recalling the original 1133B, and a black DLC variant with red detailing, a nod to the brand’s motorsport lineage.
More than half a century after its debut, the Monaco remains a canvas for experimentation. With the Evergraph, TAG Heuer does not simply revisit an icon—it redefines it, positioning the chronograph not as a legacy complication, but as a living, evolving expression of avant-garde horology.
(Photos: TAG Heuer)
