In the world of motorsports, the last weekend in May is the most important spot on the calendar. Not only is this the weekend of the legendary Indianapolis 500 (read our in-person impressions of IndyCar’s “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” here), but on the other side of the Atlantic, Formula One hosts its most prestigious, glamorous event: the Monaco Grand Prix. Not surprising for a brand as deeply rooted in racing as TAG Heuer, this final weekend before June has also become a traditional launching point for new iterations of the TAG Heuer Monaco line. For 2024, the brand builds on the success of last year’s Monaco Skeleton collection with a dark, sporty new modern colorway, while maintaining the thoughtful skeleton design and punchy presentation that made the line a hit with enthusiasts. This latest TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph may not be the brand’s most innovative release of 2024, but its dynamic color palette and excellent in-house movement should make it a hit.

Although the new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph’s 39mm square case design should be very familiar to enthusiasts, the brand adds a new spin to this classic case with a fully matte-blasted, blacked-out look. Thanks to its DLC-coated Grade 2 titanium construction, this aggressive, modernist take on the architectural Monaco silhouette should be light, balanced, and sporty on the wrist as well. Outside of this finishing, the usual complement of Monaco visual cues is present and accounted for, including the arcing case side chamfers, short wedge-like lugs, and broad, oblong chronograph pushers. Around back, TAG Heuer fits the new Monaco Chronograph with a sapphire display caseback and rates the watch for a respectable 100 meters of water resistance.

For the dial of the new Monaco Chronograph, TAG Heuer adapts the strongly geometric skeleton layout of 2023’s Monaco Skeleton to a punchy new colorway. While this is quite an open, minimal arrangement of skeleton dial elements, it’s impressive how much of the classic Monaco’s character shines through in this layout. The circular minutes track, twin square subdials, and the outlines of the linear baton indices are all preserved here, along with the Monaco’s familiar broad, faceted pointed baton handset. It may be a bold, futuristic take on the theme, but this dial is still instantly identifiable as a Monaco, which is no small feat for a skeleton design. Similarly, this is an impressively legible dial in images compared to most skeletons – with all the indices and scales clearly defined and most of the movement elements in blacks and grays, it’s more or less as easy to read as a full-dial Monaco in initial photos. While all these elements have made their way into previous Monaco releases, this model’s color palette is all new. The matte black and metallic navy blue form a strong, masculine base in images, and the vivid sunny yellow used for the chronograph hands is a powerful highlight. Altogether, it’s punchy, summery, and vaguely nautical – an excellent on-wrist companion for watching the Monaco Grand Prix from the deck of a yacht anchored in Monte Carlo’s harbor.

Inside this TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph beats the familiar in-house Heuer 02 automatic chronograph movement. The Heuer 02 has become the brand’s go-to powerplant for its upper-echelon chronograph offerings in recent years, and specifications like a column wheel and vertical clutch chronograph actuation system, a 28,800 bph beat rate, and a massive 80-hour power reserve make it an impressive contender against the industry’s best. TAG Heuer takes a crisp, sporty, and modern approach to the Heuer 02’s finishing here, with Côtes de Genève for the bridges, a dial-matching bright yellow column wheel, and a black-coated skeleton rotor in the shape of the brand’s familiar shield emblem. To complete the design, TAG Heuer fits this watch with a rubber-lined, fabric-effect leather strap in sporty navy blue.

The last weekend in May is an annual highlight in the world of racing, and for many years it’s also been a major milestone on TAG Heuer’s release schedule. This year’s TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph remixes many elements from existing, popular Monaco designs into a darker, splashier package, creating a stylish and charismatic companion that captures the modern spirit of the Monaco Grand Prix. The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph is available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for this watch stands at 11,000 CHF as of press time. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.