Once the vintage watch-collecting bug bites, it can bite hard. One minute you’re perfectly happy using your mobile phone to tell the time, and the next you’re scouring the internet and your great-uncles’ spare room to check if he bought a watch 30 years ago, but forgot to take it out of the box and actually wear it.
Richard Crosthwaite is one man who has been bitten by a very specific bug- Rich is one of the world’s leading collector of vintage Heuer Monaco watches, and over only a couple of …

Following on from the “full-black” Monaco Twenty Four Gulf, TAG Heuer has released a second version of the Monaco with the floating dial- called the Monaco Twenty Four Racing.
Calibre 11 showed you the first photos of the watch in April, but those were quick shots grabbed through a glass case in Basel- here for the first time are detailed shots of the watch along the rest of the Monaco family.
While I love the vintage look of the original Monaco and the re-editions that have followed, to me the watch would …

Exciting news: last night the vintage Heuer fairy flew to the Cayman Islands and deposited USD 40,000 into the secret Calibre 11 bank account. The condition? That it all gets spent by Christmas on at least five vintage Heuer watches. Fortunately, the Bonhams auction of Arno Haslinger’s vintage Heuer collection is fast approaching- December 15 in London.
I’ve previewed the Auction back in May, but last week the on-line catalogue was launched, allowing a much more detailed review of exactly which watches from of Arno’s fabulous collection will be on the …

A comparison that I’ve meant to post for a while now is the comparison between the original Heuer Monaco and the modern TAG Heuer Monaco. While the Monaco was re-introduced by TAG Heuer in 1997, the first re-editions were black-only and it wasn’t until 2003 that collectors could once again buy an iconic blue Monaco, the colour made famous by Steve McQueen.

While it’s common to think of the TAG Heuer Monaco as being a faithful reproduction of the original Monaco, there are in fact many detailed differences between the two …

One of the most enjoyable parts of vintage watch collecting is the thrill of the hunt- some of these models are so rare, that it’s not just a case of paying over the odds to get the watch you want- sometimes, they’re just not available.
Without doubt, the most iconic vintage Heuer is the Heuer Monaco- Steve McQueen’s watch. A crazy square case with its distinctive blue, white and red dial. For many people it’s the very reason that they become attracted to the Heuer and TAG Heuer brand. And when …

A look at the Vintage Heuer Monaco 1533G- the Calibre 15 Monaco with the distinctive silver dial

Looking for a Vintage Heuer Monaco PVD project? A very rare vintage Heuer Monaco 73304 PVD- or at a minimum some parts from a PVD Monaco

A scan of a 1969 Chronosport catalog showing the Chronomatic Monaco, Autavia and Carrera

Hello and welcome to the Calibre 11, a new website that will bring you the stories behind your Heuer and TAG Heuer watch and Chronograph, as well as the latest news and reviews.
Each week we will tell a different story about TAG Heuer’s past, present and future. We’ll take you behind the scenes of the brand and feature interviews with the people who have shaped the watches that make Heuer/ TAG Heuer one of the great Swiss Luxury watch brands.
All comments and questions are welcome, so welcome and enjoy your …