Imagen: TAG Heuer, web oficial
The storyWhy this reference matters
On 3 March 1969 Heuer introduced the Monaco 1133B: the first square, water-resistant chronograph in the world. The case came from the Swiss maker Piquerez, and that's the detail people usually skip, because until then square meant dress watch precisely because nobody could seal one properly. Inside went the automatic Calibre 11, mounted rotated 180 degrees so the pushers sat on the right and the crown on the left. Steve McQueen wore it in Le Mans and the rest is commercial history.
For decades the modern Monaco ran on other people's modular movements: the ETA-based Calibre 12 that drove the CAW2111 reference from 2009. In 2019, the fiftieth anniversary year, this CBL2111 arrived with the Heuer 02, the first in-house integrated chronograph ever fitted to a Monaco. It wasn't only an engine swap: the dial went from bicompax to tricompax, with the running seconds dropped to six under a hairline cross and the date directly beneath it.
One detail trips a lot of people up when they compare spec sheets. In March 2023 TAG Heuer renamed the Heuer 02 the TH20-00 and gave it a bidirectional rotor, so the official page for this very reference now advertises a TH20-00 while the 2019 reviews talk about the Heuer 02. Same architecture, same 80 hours of reserve; what changed is the name and the way the mainspring is wound.
SpecificationsThe numbers, in one table
| Brand | TAG Heuer |
|---|---|
| Family | Monaco |
| Reference | CBL2111.FC6453 |
| Years made | desde 2019 |
| Calibre | Calibre Heuer 02 (desde 2023 en catalogo como TH20-00) |
| Movement | Automatico |
| Frequency | 28.800 alt/h (4 Hz) |
| Power reserve | 80 h |
| Jewels | 33 |
| Complications | Cronografo · Contador de 30 minutos · Contador de 12 horas · Segundo continuo · Fecha |
| Diameter | 39 mm |
| Thickness | 15.21 mm |
| Lug width | 22 mm |
| Case | Acero inoxidable, caja cuadrada satinada y pulida |
| Crystal | Zafiro abombado; fondo de zafiro |
| Water resistance | 100 m |
IdentificationHow to tell it apart
The crown rules. This CBL2111 has it at three, on the right, alongside the two pushers. If the crown is at nine you're looking at a Monaco from the Calibre 11 line, the one that reproduces the 1969 layout, and not this reference. It's a one-second check and it rules out half the collection.
Blue sunray dial, applied indices, three registers. The running seconds sit at six, marked only with a cross, and the date appears in a slanted aperture just below, under the domed crystal. Count carefully: two registers plus small seconds means Heuer 02; two registers on their own, with no running seconds, points to the old Calibre 12.
The square case measures 39 by 39 mm, 15.21 mm tall, with 22 mm between the lugs. The back is sapphire and shows the movement, which the old modular versions didn't offer. Blue alligator strap with a polished steel folding clasp.
CollectingWhat collectors check
A square case isn't polished, it's ruined. The sharp edges and the alternation between brushed top surfaces and polished bevels are exactly what an aggressive refinish rounds off, and that doesn't come back. Hold the watch in profile against the light and see whether the edges are still edges. A Monaco with eaten corners is worth considerably less than one with honest marks of use.
The sapphire back is a practical advantage: you can see the state of the movement, the finish on the bridges, and whether the rotor is scored or rubbing. Use it. And run the chronograph several times over, because on an integrated movement like this one the feel of the pushers and the return to zero are the best indication of whether the watch has been serviced or has sat in a drawer for years.
The 100 metres reads well on paper, but a square case with a crown and two pushers has more gaskets and more awkward geometry than a round one. If the seller doesn't know when it was last tested, budget for a gasket service. The alligator strap is expensive to replace, though the 22 mm lug width leaves plenty of room if you'd rather fit something else.
Common questionsWhat people ask us about this reference
Why does the modern Monaco have the crown on the right and the old one on the left?
The 1969 original used the automatic Calibre 11, mounted rotated 180 degrees, which left the crown on the left as a way of announcing that it no longer needed hand winding. The Heuer 02 in this reference is a conventional integrated chronograph and puts the crown at three.
What movement is in the Monaco CBL2111.FC6453?
The Calibre Heuer 02, TAG Heuer's first in-house integrated chronograph, with a column wheel and 80 hours of reserve. Since 2023 the brand has sold it under the name TH20-00, with a bidirectional rotor.
Is this the Steve McQueen Monaco?
No. McQueen wore a Heuer 1133B in Le Mans, with the crown on the left. The reissues that copy that layout belong to the Monaco Calibre 11 line; this is the version with the in-house movement.
How big does the Monaco wear?
The case measures 39 by 39 mm and 15.21 mm tall, with 22 mm between the lugs. Being square, and having no downturned lugs, it takes up more visual space than the 39 mm figure suggests.
Keep readingWhere to go from here
Close relativesThe ones it gets confused with
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