An iconic square-cased TAG Heuer Monaco worn by Steve McQueen, aka the King of Cool, in his famed 1971 racing flick Le Mans will be auctioned off for the first time ever this winter. While the “Steve McQueen Rolex” is often associated with his name, it’s the TAG Heuer Monaco that truly became an icon on his wrist during the film. The watch, which predates the forming of the watchmaker we know today as TAG Heuer by nearly 15 years – though Heuer’s history goes back to 1860 – is the most famous Heuer of all time and one of the world’s most well-known watches thanks to its amazing provenance. Sotheby’s estimates it will sell for $500,000 to $1 million at its Important Watches auction in New York on December 11, though it could go for much more.
“Few images capture the synergy between the worlds of horology and motor racing as strikingly as strikingly as Steve McQueen in Le Mans, wearing his iconic Gulf-striped racing suit and Heuer Monaco with a blue dial,” the auction house notes regarding the timepiece, a Ref. 1133B that was one of a lot of six Monaco watches and other timing equipment provided by Heuer for the filming of Le Mans. In 2020, another McQueen-worn Monaco from Le Mans set the record for the most expensive Heuer timepiece ever at just over $2.2 million. Two other Monaco’s used in Le Mans reside in TAG Heuer’s own museum.
McQueen’s Monaco is a highlight of “Heuer Champions,” a “curated selection of exceptional vintage Heuer chronographs that celebrate the brand’s rich heritage and deep-rooted connection to motorsport,” as Sotheby’s puts it. TAG Heuer, via parent company LVMH, is said currently to be in talks to replace Rolex as the official sponsor of Formula One racing starting in 2025, with the deal said to be worth some $150 million annually. The auction could provide another major boost to TAG’s prestige and profile.
“The connection between cars and watches is well-known, but the reference 1133B encapsulates this union in a way unmatched by other timepieces,” Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches, tells Maxim. “For enthusiasts of racing, McQueen, or vintage chronographs, this watch represents the ultimate addition to any collection – a true ‘end game’ piece. And this specific watch’s provenance doesn’t end on McQueen’s wrist,’ as there’s more to the story.
Following the filming of Le Mans, the watch was acquired by Bevan Weston a mechanic who worked on the movie’s set servicing the iconic Ferrari 512 race car. “Weston was part of the crew recommended to the production team by famed racing driver Derek Bell, who helped train McQueen to drive the Porsche 917, together with Jo Siffert,” Sotheby’s notes. After wearing the watch for 40 years, Weston sold it to a private collector in 2010, who has now consigned it for the Sotheby’s sale.
