Lot 227

Heuer

Monaco Steve McQueen

A legendary vintage "cult" wristwatch with chronograph and date

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The Heuer "Monaco" was the first square automatic wrist chronograph worldwide. It took its name from the extremely demanding Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco and became an instant cult icon when actor and racing driver Steve McQueen wore the Heuer "Monaco" during the making of the movie "Le Mans" in 1971. According to Jack Heuer, company director at the time, a total of only 4,500 of the Heuer Monaco chronographs were produced from 1969 to 1974.
The large rectangular steel case features canted straight lugs holding the folded steel bracelet. The inscription "Tool No. 33" on the back refers to the purpose-built tool for opening the Monocoque case.
The plexiglass dome protects the navy blue dial with applied, rectangular steel indexes; the polished steel hands feature green-patinated luminous inserts and square ends; the central seconds hand is red. The dial has two white auxiliary dials for the 30-minute and 12-hour counter and a window for the date displayed on silver ground.
This Heuer "Monaco" is in good original condition with honest traces of use on the case and dial. The case back bears the significant engraving "Onkel Willi 1972".