Given all that is occurring between TAG Heuer and Formula 1 this year, it comes as no surprise that the Swiss marque’s first new watches of 2025 are fuelled by inspiration from the world of motorsport.
The timing isn’t accidental. Last year, Rolex broke the news that it was ending its decade-long partnership with F1. This development was quickly supplanted by the revelation that TAG Heuer had been primed as its replacement: just one part of a decade-long agreement between organisers and parent company LVMH (estimated at US$150 million per year).
For TAG Heuer, the appointment is nothing short of a homecoming. It had previously served as the Official Timekeeper of F1 from 1992-2003 and was the first luxury brand to tap the power of on-grid sponsorship, first featuring on the Scuderia Ferrari cars in 1971.
Naturally, this crossover has been examined at Watches & Wonders this year in numerous guises and budgets: some of the best including now-solargraph-powered Formula 1 models and TAG Heuer’s cutting-edge chronograph, reimagined as a ceramic limited edition.
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The Classic Formula 1 Watch… Now With A Solargraph Movement
Already a fan-favourite among watch obsessives and F1 historians alike, the Formula 1 collection is getting more new blood this year – following the success of TAG’s Kith collaboration in 2024. Looking at the full array of new models – three on steel bracelets, six on rubber – it’s clear that the original Formula 1 collection, launched in 1986, continues to exert massive aesthetic influence.
The brand’s use of nostalgic elements is tempered by new production techniques and modern-day materials: an evolution, as opposed to strict imitation, of the Formula 1 watches of yesteryear.
The three bracelet models are to form the “core” of this new 38mm sub-line, with matching sandblasted steel cases and (relatively) restrained deployment of primary colour. Each one is priced at 1,850 CHF (~AU$3,317) and outfitted with the Solargraph: a kind of advanced battery technology that uses direct sunlight exposure to drive the watch’s movement.
Size and movement technology are uniform across the entire lineup, but availability certainly isn’t. The six models on rubber straps will be released as limited editions for 1,750 CHF (~$3,137) and, in contrast to their steel counterparts, embrace the “zeitgeist of the late 1980s.”
This means tubular colour combos of green and red or bumblebee-yellow splashed directly onto signature Formula 1 features, such as the watch’s embossed racing strap or fidgety, cog-like bezel.
Cleverly, each of these new releases is timed to arrive at the commencement of major races in the 2025 F1 season. By the time you read this, the collection will have been unveiled in totality, but won’t be available until they launch alongside their specific races throughout the year. “Slow and steady,” as they say…
The TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1®
Building on the momentum of the titanium Monaco Split-Seconds (released in 2024), this year, TAG Heuer has released its first ceramic variation – a 10-piece limited edition that celebrates Formula 1’s 75th birthday whilst also reaffirming the brand’s own “legacy of excellence in precision timekeeping.”
The choice to make one of TAG Heuer’s most exclusive releases thus far this year (CHF$155,000) a rattrapante – French for ‘split-seconds chronograph’ – is heavy with symbolism.
Precision timing instruments that allow for the simultaneous measurement of two separate durations are a household specialty at TAG Heuer, going all the way back to 1916 – when the brand pioneered the Mikrograph, capable of measuring two time intervals down to 1/100th of a second.
The new F1 edition of the Monaco Rattrapante is the evolution of this tradition, and its various technical and material ingenuities lend it resonance in any number of Formula 1-related arenas: as a team watch, commemorative achievement, or legitimate timekeeping instrument.
The familiar iconography of the Monaco – namely, its brutal square case and ‘destro’ crown configuration – are brought roaring into the 2020s – an effect that is achieved through the widespread use of white ceramic.
Although the benefits of this material are well-documented (lightweight and virtually scratchproof), it is also notoriously difficult to work with – requiring precision machinery and hand-finishing in order to assume the Monaco’s distinctive form.
Inside, the translucent surface of the dial lays bare all of the movement’s engineering: affixed in place, like a rollcage in a racecar, by two white ceramic arches. The all-important chronograph registers – used to measure elapsed hours and minutes – are placed at nine o’clock and three o’clock, respectively, floating above the guts of the chronograph works for yet another element of visual complexity.
Together, they read: “LIGHTS OUT & AWAY WE GO,” the catchphrase of famed British motorsport commentator David Croft. Now, almost certainly the motto of TAG Heuer, as the brand hurls itself with redline-intensity into 2025.
Check out some of our other favourites from Watches & Wonders 2025 below:
- Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Latest Creations Are A Symphony In Steel & Gold
- The Panerai Luminor Marina Just Got Smarter, Stronger, & More Striking
- A Legend Reborn: Cartier’s 2025 Tank à Guichets Revival
- The Accuracy Arms Race: How Grand Seiko Is Leading The Pack In 2025
Be sure to follow our rolling coverage of this year’s show here and via Instagram.
