CARACTÉRISTIQUES TECHNIQUES
Incredible Heuer Monaco “Steve McQueen” chronograph reference 1133B with a steel case and Heuer/Buren 12 automatic movement, from the 1970s.
Steel case measuring 40mm x 38mm
Couronne et poussoirs d'origine
Heuer/Buren 12 chronograph movement
Original black corfam strap
Boucle originale
ANALYSE
There are watches that are instantly recognizable for various reasons. The Monaco chronograph, produced by Heuer between 1969 and 1975, represents a must-have in terms of recognizability; thanks to its innovative square case shape and its dials with a distinctly “racing” design, this model has entered the collective imagination as a stable and enduring icon. The reference 1133B is also nicknamed “Steve McQueen” because the great actor wore it during the filming of the 1971 movie “Le Mans,” thus becoming a legend. Today, this is also why this specific model is so beloved and coveted by collectors.
The dial is a concentration of sportiness. It features a beautiful, very bright blue background with a finely brushed finish, against which the circular white minute track with red hour markers stands out. This circularity contrasts with the shape of the case and the squareness of the two “TV”-shaped subdials. Flanking the red pad-printed indexes are tritium dots and luminous, horizontally arranged, parallelepiped-shaped applied indexes. At 12 o’clock is the Heuer signature, surmounted by the model name: “Monaco.” At 6 o’clock is an elongated rectangular window for the date, juxtaposed with the words “Automatic Chronograph.” Completing this iconic dial are the baton-shaped hour and minute hands with luminescent paste and a red insert; the chronograph seconds hand is triangular in shape and also a very distinctive red.
The case, however, is the star. Just like McQueen, it immediately stands out on the wrist due to its square shape. In fact, its right and left sides have an outward projection, which softens the overall design. The crown is located at 3 o’clock on the left case; the chronograph pushers are on the opposite side. The interplay of straight and convex lines, angles and edges, polished and brushed surfaces is very beautiful: everything is designed to be viewed three-dimensionally.
Inside this beautiful chronograph, in an ideal state of preservation, is the important Calibre 12. It inherits its name from the legendary modular movement No. 11 produced by the Heuer-Hamilton-Breitling-Buren-Dobois-Depraz consortium and launched in 1969 to coincide with the release of Zenith’s El-Primero. It is therefore a self-winding chronograph movement based on the Buren 1281, 31mm in diameter and just 7.7mm thick. It oscillates at 21,600 A/h, has 17 jewels, and has a 42-hour power reserve.
