Heuer Monaco 1133B Steve McQueen - Unpolished

There are very few vintage chronographs that have achieved such legendary status as the Heuer Monaco reference 1133B. With its unmistakable square case, deep blue dial, and close connection to Hollywood legend Steve McQueen, it ranks among the most iconic sports chronographs of all time. This particular example from around 1970 is especially appealing thanks to its authentic, unpolished condition. The watch has been worn over the decades and shows corresponding signs of use, yet it has retained its original character. It is precisely this combination of honest patina and untouched case that discerning vintage collectors particularly appreciate today.

The history of the Heuer Monaco began in 1969, when Heuer introduced this extraordinary model as one of the world's first automatic chronographs. Inside was the revolutionary Calibre 11, developed in collaboration with Breitling, Hamilton-Büren, and Dubois-Dépraz. The Monaco attracted attention not only for its innovative movement but also for its unconventional design. The large, square stainless steel case, with its distinctive edges, left-hand crown, and two chronograph pushers on the right side, represented a radical departure from the traditional round chronograph cases of the time.

The Monaco achieved legendary status through Steve McQueen, who wore the reference 1133B in the 1971 motorsport film Le Mans. The combination of a blue dial, white chronograph registers, and red accents became one of the most recognizable designs in watchmaking history. To this day, the Monaco 1133B is therefore known among collectors as the "Steve McQueen Monaco."

A particular highlight is the condition of the case. This Monaco has been worn but apparently never polished. The original edges, distinctive geometry, and brushed surfaces have been preserved. Naturally, the stainless steel case shows honest signs of wear accumulated over more than five decades. Yet it is precisely these authentic traces of use that give the watch its special appeal. While many examples have been refinished and polished over the years, this Monaco retains the honest character of a genuinely worn vintage watch.

Another interesting detail is the proximity of its case number to that of one of the most famous Heuer Monaco watches. Steve McQueen's personal Monaco, which sold at Phillips in 2020 for US$2.208 million, is said to bear the serial number 159381. The case number of our example is remarkably close to this number. Although this naturally does not establish any direct connection to Steve McQueen, such proximity within the early production of the reference 1133B is an interesting detail for Heuer collectors.

The Heuer Monaco 1133B has long been much more than just a historically significant chronograph. It is a true design icon and one of the most important models from Heuer's golden era. An authentic, unpolished example with its characteristic blue dial is particularly appealing to collectors who are not looking for an artificially perfected vintage watch, but rather an original timepiece with history and character.

Condition Report
Dial: Beautifully preserved – white subdials with light, authentic patina – original tritium luminous material on hands and hour markers – signed "Monaco", Heuer logo, "Automatic Chronograph" and "Swiss".

Case: Worn but unpolished – natural signs of wear – sharp edges – full case profile – well-preserved engravings on the caseback: "Tool No 033" and the Heuer logo – correct Heuer-signed crown – correct fluted chronograph pushers - lug width: 22 mm.

Movement: Automatic Heuer Calibre 11 – timegrapher readings: rate +29 s/day, beat error 1.5 ms, amplitude 270° – chronograph starts, stops and resets to zero correctly.

Serial number: 159xxx

Int.Exe.: 65860