Steve McQueen’s Iconic Heuer Monaco ‘Le Mans’ Watch Is Up For Grabs
A “McQueen Monaco” previously set the record for the most expensive Heuer watch ever sold at auction.
For the first time in over 50 years, this blue-dialed Heuer Monaco sported by Steve McQueen in Le Mans is headed to the auction block. Mind you, this isn’t the first time one of the six Heuer chronographs featured in the cinematic love letter to motorsports has been made available to the public. In 2020, another McQueen-worn Monaco from Le Mans production featuring a caseback engraved with the name of the the star’s personal mechanic set the record for the most expensive Heuer timepiece ever auctioned at just over $2.2 million.
Another one of the six Le Mans Monaco reference 1133B models—and one of four with a leather strap—is a featured lot at Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches. As the auction house points out, the Monaco’s water-resistant square case, brushed and polished finishes, and minimalist overall design were innovative for its time at-launch in 1969.
Its delayed commercial success, however, came almost entirely because of the connection to McQueen, whose blue-dialed variant blended brilliantly with the famed Gulf-striped racing suit on-screen. That Hollywood prestige would help it find success again when Tag Heuer relaunched the original reference 1133B in 1998. Even when discussing the most recent Monacos like this F1-celebrating Mediterranean Blue variant, it’s fair to say that the entire, race-bred Monaco lineage owes a lot to the original “McQueen Monaco.”
“The connection between cars and watches is well-known, but the reference 1133B encapsulates this union in a way unmatched by other timepieces,” said Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches. “For enthusiasts of racing, McQueen, or vintage chronographs, this watch represents the ultimate addition to any collection—a true ‘end game’ piece.”This specific watch’s provenance doesn’t end on McQueen’s wrist. Sotheby’s has more details:
The watch comes to sale with notable provenance, with a continuous history of possession from initial production through to today. It was part of the dispatch of other watches and timing equipment sent from the Heuer factory in Switzerland to the set at the request of the property master, Don Nunley. After filming, it was acquired by Bevan Weston, a young mechanic, who was working on set supporting the number 8 Ferrari 512. Weston was part of the crew recommended to the production team by Derek Bell, who helped train McQueen to drive the Porsche 917, together with Jo Siffert.
Weston would go on to work for McLaren, and was part of the team for the Indy 500 in 1971, in which their driver, Peter Revson, qualified on pole and finished second in the race. Of course, the Monaco would be on Bevan’s wrist throughout his time at the track. After enjoying the watch for forty years, Weston sold the watch to a private collector in 2010, who has now decided to part with it.
Sotheby’s expects this McQueen-worn Heuer Monaco reference 1133B to sell for $500,000 to $1 million on December 11.
