FEATURE: My Top Five Monacos (Again...)

CAW211R.FC6401

Way back in May 2018 I posted what I thought would be the first of a regular series of posts featuring my 'Top 5' watches from each TAG Heuer model range. But somehow it never got off the ground, and so I thought a good way to resurrect the idea would be to revisit the Monaco and see if my opinions have changed? After all, there's been a good few Monacos released in the last eighteen months and I've discovered more that I never knew about back then... and this time I will make sure to continue the series, with possibly the Grand Carrera being my next port of call.

As it happens I don't own a Monaco, but I've decided that when it comes to model ranges I do own I will include watches that I have alongside watches that I don't, otherwise it will be rather silly; even if that means my 'Top 5' Aquaracers ends up being largely familiar - which it could well do.

For this one though I am excluding the 'fantasy' watches like the Monaco V4 in all it's various guises since they are all way beyond my price bracket and it's far more interesting I think to muse on models that we can all aspire to own. On the other hand, I've decided to include the Monaco 24 and Monaco 24 cased models in the pool this time...

#5. CAW211M - ACM Limited Edition

To be honest it was a toss-up whether to go for this or the new blue dial Heuer 02 Monaco, but this one won out in the end. I do like the new CBL2111, I think it's the best looking blue dial Monaco yet, but for me it's still a bit of a 'safe' option and I don't really do 'safe'.

I do remember trying this one on many moons ago and I had very mixed feelings about it. It seemed very odd on the wrist as I'm not used to the very square 'traditional' Monacos, and I think the black PVD coating only made it worse. 

But, that black case still looks really cool and I really like how far away this is from the obvious blue dial Calibre 11 'Steve McQueen' Monaco and for that reason, it's still (just) in the top five.

#4. CAW2117 - Singapore Grand Prix Limited Edition

Ahem, like I said... I really don't go the traditional route and I really like the green highlights and stitching on this 400 piece limited edition. Other than that it's pretty standard, but I think those unusual flashes of colour set this one apart. It also strikes me it would be quite cool to have a little collection of 'Singapore Grand Prix' watches; I know there's at least three others (a Carrera, a Grand Carrera and - of course - a Formula 1) which all share this interesting colour scheme.

#3. CAW2119 - Carbon Dial Limited Edition

This one came out on top last time around, but of course that was then and this is now... it's still the top rated 'traditional' Monaco though, which means that none of the 50th Anniversary pieces have made it into my list. I'm quite surprised about that as I thought the first three (and particularly numbers 2 and 3) were pretty cool, but there we are.

This is another one I've had on my wrist, a long time ago in a Watchfinder boutique. I imagine the price of this will have gone up in the meantime if anything, I mean what's not to like - carbon dial, red stitching, red highlights... this is perhaps the ultimate 'traditional' Monaco for the non-traditional Monaco enthusiast!

#2. CAL2113 - Calibre 12 Boutique Edition

I tried this on last year I think, in the Cheshire Oaks Outlet... and ever since it's been right at the top of my 'potential' Monaco purchases list. It's not quite the 'dream' Monaco, but it's right up there. It definitely ticks a lot of boxes and realistically it's likely to be a good bit more affordable than my number one choice.

Admittedly it's kind of a half-way house between what I really want and what I can potentially afford, so it does have the stigma of possibly ending up as a 'compromise' watch; but for the money you are getting that awesome Monaco 24 style case (which I really like), albeit with 'just' a regular Calibre 12 movement inside.

I have to say though, I did find the chronograph pushers just a tiny bit tacky. Maybe if I get in the position to buy this one, I should keep saving and go all out?

#1. CAL5113 - Monaco 24 Calibre 36

Long term readers of this blog will probably not be overly surprised by my choice to put this at number one, God knows I've bleated on about this one often enough, albeit not recently. A couple of years ago these regular passed through the outlets and then one day I was told that all the Monaco 24s were gone. Oh the regret I felt that day, especially since these seem to sell for more pre-owned than they cost new in the outlets... but then earlier this year I was told that another black Monaco 24 had been and gone, so perhaps all is not completely lost.

I do love this one, although I'm not totally sold on the strap. I don't know what kind of strap I'd like to put it on, but it needs something a bit more 'interesting'. Or maybe just something a bit more substantial; the watch itself is very chunky and this delicate strap doesn't seem quite right to me. Ah, first world problems eh? I guess if I ever get my sticky mitts on one of these I'm sure I'll manage to work something out.

But with second hand values starting at around the £6k mark, unfortunately this one is likely to remain just as much of a fantasy as the V4s for some time to come...