Julien Delcambre arrives at our meeting wearing an original 1969 TAG Heuer Monaco reference 1133B. More than a prized collector’s piece, it is a reminder of the design brief that has occupied much of his career over the past six years — reimagining one of watchmaking’s most recognisable chronographs for a new generation. The result is the most comprehensive redesign of the Monaco in decades, informed by heritage, motorsport, and a constant focus on purposeful innovation.
As lead designer responsible for the Monaco collection and TAG Heuer’s high-end watchmaking, while also working closely on the brand’s Formula One partnership, Delcambre occupies a unique position within the maison. “My heart is at TAG Heuer,” he says. It’s a statement that carries weight coming from a man whose enthusiasm for cars and motorsport extends well beyond the office. His track-day garage includes a 2019 Porsche 911 Turbo S and a 2015 Lotus Exige S, while weekends away from the tarmac are reserved for a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition rally car. For Delcambre, that emotional connection to the brand is essential to the design process, particularly when it comes to communicating the spirit of a watch to consumers.
The Monaco was the first square, water-resistant sports wristwatch powered by the first commercially available automatic chronograph movement, the Calibre 11. Although the original production run was brief, ending in 1974, it returned in 1997 in a 38mm model. This revival softened the boxy, planar design of the original case through subtly chamfered convex flanks. The round mushroom pushers gave way to rectangular ones, while the distinctive horizontal indexes were replaced with a more conventional layout.
Delcambre, one of a handful of specialists selected for the LVMH Métiers d’Excellence Virtuose programme, also represents the maison’s savoir-faire. “We need to be clearer about the DNA of each collection,” he says, explaining how the Autavia lost some of its identity by borrowing too heavily from other collections, leaving the models feeling disconnected from one another. Delcambre’s personal Behance profile offers a fascinating glimpse into his research and redesign process, documented through intricate hand-drawn studies of the 2019 Monaco Heuer 02, the first Monaco Skeleton Dial from 2023, and the 40th-anniversary Monaco reference CAW211A from 2009. The latter marked the return of the crown on the left-hand side and the horizontal indexes of the original 1133B. The base CAW211 was used on subsequent generations and remained visually similar until the introduction of the Calibre Heuer 02.
While retaining the DNA of the 1133B, the newest Monaco introduces a redesigned case architecture that emphasises a return to the watch’s signature square form through sharper, more dynamic lines. For the first time, a distinct square bezel creates a stronger geometric identity, while the case visually narrows to restore a near-perfect square silhouette. The convex flanks are deeply chamfered away from the bezel, recalling the dramatic case design of the platinum Monaco V4 from 2009. The first public glimpse of Delcambre’s new design language arrived in 2024 with the debut of the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph, powered by the TH81-00 calibre.
According to Delcambre, the Monaco has always been guided by innovation with a purpose, and improving ergonomics became the key objective. Previous steel models, while charismatic, could feel heavy and prone to shifting on the wrist. The new collection moves entirely to Grade 5 titanium, making the watches roughly 30-45% lighter, with a full-watch weight of around 87g. Combined with a sloped, conical case back, this results in a Monaco that sits noticeably better on the wrist. The case-back opening has also been enlarged to showcase the new in-house TH20-11 movement, with the “11” a tribute to the original Calibre 11. The crown returns to the left side, both because of the movement’s architecture and as a symbolic reminder of the Monaco’s automatic heritage.
Dial execution has been refined throughout the range. The panda layout is crisper, with larger sub-dials and the welcome return of the horizontal indexes. Lugs are shorter and more elegant, while the chronograph pushers have been slimmed down and refined. Dial options include the signature Monaco Blue, a sunray-brushed and lacquered British Racing Green, and a black dial for the two-tone titanium-and-18kt rose-gold model — the first Monaco to feature gold. Racing-inspired straps are paired with a newly designed titanium folding clasp.
Headlining the line-up is the innovative Monaco Evergraph, powered by the groundbreaking square Calibre TH80-00. Its inverted chronograph construction places the barrel and balance wheel prominently on the dial side, suspended beneath two sculptural arches. The movement employs a compliant chronograph mechanism that uses flexible bistable components instead of traditional levers and cams for start, stop, and reset functions. It also features the TH-Carbonspring oscillator (first seen in last year’s Monaco Flyback Chronograph TH-Carbonspring), delivering enhanced magnetic resistance and precision. Combined with a 5Hz frequency, 70-hour power reserve, COSC certification, and a five-year warranty, it is one of the most technically ambitious Monacos ever produced. The Evergraph will be available in titanium with blue sub-dials or titanium with black DLC.
According to Delcambre, “to become an icon, a watch should not be overloaded with technology, nor be too far ahead of its time” — judging by the new Monaco Evergraph, he may have found that balance. Contemporary and technically sophisticated, it avoids the trap of making innovation the story. Instead, the technology is integrated so naturally into the design that the watch remains, above all else, a Monaco.
POR, tagheuer.com or Picot & Moss 011 669 0500
From the August issue of Wanted, 2026.
