Let me start by saying that I am purely driven by design and aesthetic quality. Form must follow function and the Heuer Monza does not fall short in this realm. It is a true work of art, it’s like a ticking Ferrari Dino, with its beautifully designed little red accents and white hands – put this watch on your wrist and you are immediately taken back to era of vintage cars, Persol sunglasses and a general lust for life. This is one seriously cool watch.
Jack Heuer, Nicki Lauda and Enzo Ferrari – these three names are synonymous with the release of this watch. Ferrari had gone 12 years without a championship title but this was all set to change at the 1974 Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Once Lauda joined the team and jumped into the driving seat of a Ferrari 312 he was a force to be reckoned with, and scored a victorious title win. And with Ferrari’s first title in the bag, Jack Heuer wanted to commemorate it with something extra special, and so he launched the Heuer Monza in 1976.
Its 40-year history is marked by this beautiful re-issue, the ultimate recreation of the original iconic watch. Unlike most watch cases which are made of stainless steel, the Monza is made of Titanium and coated in beautiful black PVD which will eventually show its character and patina over time.
It sits confidently within 42mm of square coolness, and whilst some people may find this slightly too big, its low profile makes it quite comfortably on a six and a half-inch wrist. The TAG Heuer Heritage Monza watch fastens with a black perforated leather strap and has a secure folding clasp.
The movement is definitely not stock – under the bonnet, we see the Tag Heuer Calibre 17 Automatic Winding Chronograph beautifully designed and a step up from today’s ETA movements. The chronograph pushers are there to be used either to time your laps around the Nurburgring or to time how rare you like your steak – either way, it’s a very reliable and practical function to have.
You just can’t buy character or history from today’s modern-day watches, and the Heuer Monza is the antithesis of this. It represents an era that saw supercars adorning the walls of every kid’s bedroom – an era of time that we would love to revisit. You see I have a personal connection to all the watches I own and whenever I’m in the mood to “shift gears”, then maybe I’ll slap on this watch. As the Americans used to say, “it’s not all barbecues and ball games” – well now, unfortunately, it’s Apple watches and computer games!
A presto…
Details: 42mm, PVD, Titanium case, Chronograph, Calibre 17. RRP £4,150
