At Dubai Watch Week this year, Tag Heuer opens a new chapter with the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1, pushing boundaries with engineering excellence and design freedom. With this, the maison presents a rattrapante complication setting new standards.
When an icon is reimagined aerodynamically
With the “Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1”, Tag Heuer begins a new chapter in its motorsport DNA. The chronograph is a radical evolution of the famous square Monaco silhouette. The new model appears as if it were sculpted in a wind tunnel: hollowed out, accelerated, and stripped of all excess. Clearly, the brand combines its historical racing expertise with a futuristic approach that makes the Monaco fit for the future.
Avantgarde additive made of titanium
The Air 1's case immediately catches the eye. Instead of being milled from a solid block – as is customary in traditional watchmaking – the shape is created layer by layer using selective laser melting (SLM). This additive manufacturing process, known from the aerospace, medical technology, and automotive industries, has been reinterpreted for the watchmaking world by the Tag Heuer Lab. Class 5 titanium powder is fused by a CAD-controlled laser and built up in hundreds of layers to create a highly complex geometry.
This innovative manufacturing concept makes it possible to realize entirely new, previously unimaginable shapes. The aforementioned case design impresses with exceptional weight management: the scale reads a mere 85 grams. Instead of the usual closed, blocky forms, enthusiasts can now marvel at aerodynamically inspired, three-dimensional structures that feature a visible technical architecture.
Architecture of Speed
The dial also follows the logic of the Air 1: open, technical, and consistently inspired by motorsport. The multidimensional construction reveals functional components, while the displays remain clear, precise, and race-ready. The split-seconds chronograph takes center stage – a functional statement from a wristwatch designed to measure lap times of two cars starting simultaneously.
Light, fast, uncompromising
The Calibre TH81-00 ensures precise operation – one of the brand's most technically sophisticated movements. Developed in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, it combines the rattrapante function for dual timekeeping at a frequency of five hertz and delivers a 65-hour power reserve. Numerous small and very small components are also made of Grade 5 titanium – an extremely demanding material for watch movements. The result is a record-breaking movement weight of just 30 grams. The decorative finishing is done by hand, including the iconic checkered flag motif, visible through the case back crafted entirely from sapphire crystal.
Lightness until the very end
The technically futuristic concept is complemented by the ultra-lightweight, ergonomic strap made of black rubber and Alcantara, which features a double folding clasp and safety pushers. The new Monaco is limited to just 30 pieces and costs approximately Rs 1,65,50,000 (approx.).
Images: Courtesy Brand
This story first published on watchtime.net
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