TAG Heuer Introduces Two New Skeletonised Monaco Chronographs 

There are certain watch shapes that feel like old friends. The Monaco is one of them - that sharp, unapologetically square case has been around since 1969. It’s a design that doesn’t need tweaking to be iconic - which is exactly why it’s so fun when TAG Heuer decides to take it into wild new territory.

TAG Heuer has dropped two very different Monaco chronographs, both skeletonised, both titanium, and both clearly built by a team that was in the mood to experiment. One is a neon-lit nod to Formula 1 night racing; the other is a nice “little” tweak with an additive-manufactured case that feels more aerospace than vintage chrono.

Same family, totally different personalities.

Source: Hodinkee

The Monaco no.1

Let’s start with the one that’s going to have collectors arguing at dinners for months: the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1.

If the name sounds intense, the watch backs it up. This thing is TAG Heuer at its most ambitious. The case is made from Grade 5 titanium using a method called Selective Laser Melting (SLM). The process basically builds the case from titanium powder, layer by layer, using high-powered lasers. You would usually hear about it in aerospace components, not watch cases (which is exactly the point).

Because the case is grown rather than machined, TAG can play with shapes that would be nearly impossible on a traditional CNC setup. The result is a 41mm structure full of hollowed sections, negative space, and surfaces that look like they were borrowed straight from a wind tunnel. It has the futuristic, sculpted vibe that makes you stare at it just to understand how it’s built.

Despite all that, the thing weighs only 85 grams. 

Inside, TAG went straight for the top shelf: the Calibre TH81-00, made in partnership with Vaucher. It’s a 5Hz automatic split-seconds chronograph - a proper rattrapante - which means it can time two events that start together but finish differently - completely overkill for daily life, extremely fun if you like mechanical complication for its own sake.

The openworked dial shows off the whole business. The split-seconds clamp, the column wheels, the skeletonised bridges - all right there, front and centre. It’s not a shy watch.

Only 30 pieces exist, and they’ll land in December at around €155,000. Yes, that number has the same effect on the nervous system as an unexpected downshift, but TAG Heuer clearly built this model to make a statement, not to flood boutiques.

Source: Hodinkee

The Monaco no.2

On the other side of the paddock, we have the Monaco Chronograph Limited Edition, which is just as bold but in a totally different way.

This one leans hard into colour and light - specifically the neon-electric feel you get from Formula 1 night circuits or a cyberpunk city. The case is 39mm of Grade 2 titanium, coated in black DLC. Compared to the Air 1, this is a more traditional Monaco silhouette, but the dial and lume work make it anything but “safe.”

The dial is fully skeletonised and layered with a glow-fest of Super-LumiNova. Different colours highlight different functions:

• Blue marks the chronograph indications
  
  

• Green handles the timekeeping and date
  
  

• Purple arcs across the upper dial just to look sick
  
  

Even the minute track has alternating blue and purple lume. It’s the kind of watch that probably looks cool in daylight but absolutely unhinged in the dark - in the best possible way.

Flip it over and the caseback keeps the party going with a sapphire opening treated in an iridescent finish that shifts from purple to blue. It’s not subtle, but it’s fun, and honestly, the Monaco is one of the few designs that can handle this level of personality, so why not?

Inside is TAG’s reliable TH20-00 automatic chronograph movement - not exotic like the Air 1, but a solid, modern workhorse. It runs at 4Hz, has a healthy power reserve, and gets the job done without calling attention to itself.

This model is limited to 600 pieces, priced at around €11,200, and ships on a black hybrid strap that mixes rubber and calfskin.

Source: Hodinkee

Two Monacos, Two Lanes, One Direction

These two new Monacos are clearly different, but you can’t deny some similarity between them. One is a lab-grown titanium experiment built like a spaceship; the other is a neon-splashed skeleton that glows in the dark.

But together, they paint a pretty clear picture of where TAG Heuer is steering the Monaco in 2025/26: straight into the modern, high-tech, motorsport-inspired world where the brand has always felt the most at home.

For anyone who still thinks of the Monaco as the vintage, McQueen-era square chrono with a cool backstory, these releases are a reminder that TAG sees this as more than just a museum piece..

Is it for everyone? God no. But that’s kind of the beauty of it. The Monaco has always been a little rebellious. A little weird. A little ahead of its time. These two pieces just crank that attitude up.

Source: Hodinkee

Final Thoughts

TAG Heuer is clearly having fun with the Monaco. 

The Air 1 is for the people who chase technical oddities and love the idea of owning something that feels like a prototype come to life. The neon Monaco is for anyone who wants the fun, the colour, the modern energy of F1 night racing wrapped around a familiar case shape.

Either way, both watches show that the Monaco still has plenty of road left ahead of it. The square case clealry isn’t done evolving.

Source: Hodinkee