Long-Term Review: Three Years with the TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition

The two old-school cool actors most associated with watch collecting are undoubtedly Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. For decades now, watch enthusiasts have nerded out about the watches they wore. Newman and McQueen both raced cars in their personal lives, and each is associated with an iconic chronograph: Paul Newman’s affinity for the Rolex Daytona is well-known, and Steve McQueen famously wore a Heuer Monaco in the movie LeMans and also gave one to his mechanic. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Monaco, TAG Heuer released a few limited editions sporting a new in-house movement in 2019. And interestingly, they also released a 1,000-piece limited edition with the outgoing Sellita-based Calibre 12 movement to celebrate the end of that chapter. That’s the one that caught my eye, and now after three years of ownership, here’s my long-term review of the TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition, ref. CAW211J.

The original Monaco was the first automatic chronograph in the world back in 1969 (unless you argue that Seiko made it to market first). It simply said “Heuer” on the dial, and it had a left-hand winding crown. Some newer Monacos retain those features, while the ones that say “TAG Heuer” have the crown on the right. Generally, the left-hand-crown “Heuer-only” ones are favored by collectors, and I always figured that if I bought a Monaco it would be one of those. But the brushed ruthenium-plated dial of the Calibre 12 Final Edition captured my attention as soon as I saw it.

Visual Appearance of the TAG Heuer Monaco CAW211J

The ruthenium dial remains one of my favorite things about this watch. Although grey might not typically be the most exciting color, this dial provides plenty of lasting visual depth. And the curved sapphire crystal is a nice touch. Manufacturing a curved square piece of sapphire can’t be easy. But my very favorite visual aspect of the watch is the hands. The thick, red, generously-lumed hands look the business. They perfectly complement the dial while being extremely legible. The finishing of the movement visible via the exhibition caseback is perfectly decent, although I would’ve been just fine with a solid caseback on this.

TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition Specs

On the Wrist

This Monaco is heavy. There’s no two ways about it. In fact sometimes I choose this watch over others when I want to enjoy feeling some “heft” on my wrist. But for me personally, if it were my only watch, the weight would annoy me after a while. Maybe it’s more about the balance of the weight, because the large slab-like case (which is well over 14mm thick) tends to slide around the wrist just a bit more than I’d like.

The TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition comes with a perfectly good alligator strap with a deployant clasp. I, however, opted to order a classic-looking three-link bracelet with a double-folding clasp and I never looked back. I think it makes the weight feel more “even” although it doesn’t mitigate the sliding issue entirely. I appreciate that TAG Heuer happily allows their customers to choose any bracelet or strap that fits their watch. Unlike Rolex, they have no concerns if the bracelet you’re purchasing is “correct” for the particular reference number of the watch you plan to use it on. To them, if it fits, and you like it, it’s correct.

Price

The TAG Heuer Monaco ref. CAW211J was listed at $5,950 when it was launched in 2019, and the price crept up incrementally–the final MSRP displayed by tagheuer.com was $7,050. But you should be able to find one secondhand now for just over $5,000.

Pros and Cons of the TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition

Performance

This Monaco has been perfectly reliable for me, and I’ve never had any problems with the movement. The feel of the chronograph pushers is quite nice–less stiff than Breitling but not as buttery as JLC in my experience–and the crown feels very high-quality when you’re setting the time. Winding is a pleasure. But the timekeeping just isn’t great. I felt like it would typically be a minute off every 4-5 days, and the subpar Timegrapher results back that up. At least the watch always runs fast, which is better than running slow.

TAG Heuer ref. CAW211J.FC6476 3-Year Timegrapher Results

TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition Review: In Conclusion

Overall, the TAG Heuer Monaco CAW211J is a badass-looking watch that could make an interesting part of any watch collection. Due to its thickness, it wouldn’t be my top choice for a one-watch collection, and for something priced higher than an Omega Speedmaster Professional, you might expect more than a Sellita-based movement. Presumably that’s exactly why TAG Heuer stopped using the Calibre 12 after this.

Regardless, the Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition has held its value quite well. There are several other Monaco configurations–some with in-house movements and/or the desirable classic left-hand crown–also available secondhand around the same price. But the brushed ruthenium dial and thick red-accented hands do make a strong case for reference CAW211J.