TAG Heuer’s Monaco ‘Night Driver’ limited edition glows in the dark
Designed to enhance the experience of those who take to the roads, especially at night…
The TAG Heuer Monaco is inexorably linked to motorsport and driving, today TAG Heuer has introduced the Monaco Chronograph Night Driver, a Limited Edition watch that aims to capture the magic of driving a sports car on the open road at night.
Inspired by the midnight blue, charcoal grey and matte black dials of the iconic vintage Monacos, this newest edition uses modern materials to build an instrument that enhances the experience and performance of those who take to the roads, especially at night.
It keeps its iconic “circle in the square” two-piece dial construction, which provides instant readings for the driver, but at night, the deep grey “circle” at the centre of the dial provides a strong contrast with the bright blue Super-LumiNova finish of the hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hands, as well as bright dots that mark the hours.
Even the hash marks that indicate the minutes/seconds glow brightly, allowing the driver to take precise readings. It looks just like a vintage car’s dashboard, glowing through the night and providing ultimate legibility.
As the night turns to day, the exterior of the dial is transformed from a glowing vivid blue to a cool, light grey with black-lacquered indexes marking the hours.
The chronograph registers are transformed the same way, from a glowing blue, providing vivid contrast with the black markings for minutes and hours, to a cool, light grey in daylight.
This fully luminescent dial is a true technical achievement for TAG Heuer. It uses Super-LumiNova and expands its luminosity across a broader surface area, allowing the dial to remain visible in the dark for 3 hours after being fully charged.
The case is built of Grade 5 titanium, coated in black DLC, with the light weight of the watch ensuring comfort over the hours.
The DLC coating of the case will stand up well to its intended use as the racer’s tool (getting bashed as the driver climbs in and out of their car, smashing champagne bottle open, etc)
Inside is TAG Heuer’s in-house Heuer 02 movement. It uses a traditional column wheel to reliably actuate the chronograph, while the movement’s 80-hour power reserve will keep the Night Driver running over the course of a weekend of racing.
The sapphire caseback displays the blue printing on the black oscillating mass, as well as the blue column wheel, extending this palette from the dial of the chronograph.
The Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition is finished by a calfskin strap, with alternating large and small perforations and bright white stitching along the edge of the strap.
The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Night Driver is limited to just 600 pieces, each one individually engraved. They are available in TAG Heuer Boutiques, retailers and on TAG Heuer’s website, priced at $9550/£8300.
Spencer Hart
Buying Guide Editor