TAG Heuer has launched the Monaco Chronograph x Gulf, a limited-edition timepiece that pays tribute to one of cinema’s most legendary racing moments and the enduring partnership between two iconic brands.

The 971-piece limited edition, announced Friday from TAG Heuer’s La Chaux-de-Fonds headquarters, commemorates the 1971 film “Le Mans” and celebrates the Swiss watchmaker’s historic role as the first title partner of the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco.

The collaboration traces its roots to 1970, when Steve McQueen personally selected the TAG Heuer Monaco for his portrayal of fictional driver Michael Delaney in “Le Mans.” McQueen’s choice was influenced by his racing advisor Jo Siffert, a close friend of Heuer and a celebrated motorsport figure who also served as the actor’s driving coach.

The film featured McQueen wearing the distinctive square chronograph alongside Gulf’s iconic light blue and orange racing stripes, which adorned both his racing suit and his Porsche 917K. When “Le Mans” premiered in 1971, it cemented the TAG Heuer Monaco’s status as a symbol of speed, style, and cinematic cool.

The Gulf livery became one of motorsport’s most recognisable visual identities during the late 1960s and 1970s, particularly in endurance racing where drivers like Siffert helped establish the brand’s motorsport legacy.

The new Monaco Chronograph x Gulf maintains the technical DNA of the original 1969 model, which revolutionised watchmaking as the first square automatic chronograph. The timepiece features the signature left-positioned crown—a design element that declared the watch’s automatic movement eliminated daily winding requirements.

The watch showcases a fine-grained silver dial adorned with Gulf’s signature racing stripes running vertically across the face, directly mirroring those found on McQueen’s racing suit in the film. The Gulf logo appears below the hands, while the vintage Heuer logo—reserved exclusively for heritage-focused timepieces—reinforces the watch’s historic character.

Powered by the Calibre 11 movement, the same mechanism that drove the original Monaco, the chronograph maintains the 1969 layout that established the model’s revolutionary credentials as the first automatic chronograph housed in a square, water-resistant case.

The 971-piece production run specifically references the 1971 film premiere that immortalised both the Monaco watch and Gulf partnership in popular culture. The release coincides with TAG Heuer’s new role as title partner of what is now officially known as the Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco.

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Visuals courtesy of TAG Heuer