Heuer Monaco Worn by Steve McQueen in 'Le Mans' to Auction at Sotheby’s New York

Iconic Heuer Monaco worn by Steve McQueen in 'Le Mans' to auction at Sotheby’s New York. Making its auction debut, the historic Heuer watch highlights ‘Heuer Champions”, a curated assortment of timepieces celebrating Heuer's Motorsports history to be offered in New York during Sotheby’s Important Watches Auction, 11 December. ‘First Look’ public exhibition at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sales, 14 - 17 August. 

New York, August 2024 - Few images capture the synergy between the worlds of horology and motor racing as strikingly as strikingly as Steve McQueen in Le Mans, wearing his iconic Gulf-striped racing suit and Heuer Monaco with a blue dial.

Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches said, “As a lifelong lover of the Heuer brand, it is a career highlight for me to be involved in bringing one of the most important watches in the history of the marque to auction. The connection between cars and watches is well-known, but the reference 1133B encapsulates this union in a way unmatched by other timepieces. For enthusiasts of racing, McQueen, or vintage chronographs, this watch represents the ultimate addition to any collection—a true 'end game' piece.”

The historically important watch is one of just six Heuer Monaco models with blue dial sent to the Le Mans set. Within the six reference 1133B models, two were fitted on stainless steel bracelets, and four with leather straps as worn by McQueen in the movie. This particular example is one of these very four specimens. With two of the six watches used for filming in the TAG Heuer museum collection, this piece stands as one of the last movie-worn watches to come to auction, representing a once in a lifetime opportunity for collectors of top-tier racing cars, McQueen memorabilia or iconic vintage chronographs from the golden era.

Victory Lap: The Journey of a Legendary Timepiece

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.

Going Deeper: Heuer Monaco and McQueen

Launched in 1969, the Heuer Monaco was among the first commercially available automatic chronograph wristwatches, introduced alongside the revolutionary Calibre 11. While the Autavia and Carrera models had already existed, the Monaco debuted as the perfect start to a new decade of design, with its pioneering square, water resistant case, brushed and polished finishes, and brutalist aesthetics. It would lay the foundations for the future of sports watches as we know them today.

While the watch was not initially a commercial success, its association with McQueen and Le Mans cemented its status in popular culture. When the model was relaunched in 1997 under TAG Heuer, it would become a runaway success thanks to advertising campaigns featuring the image of McQueen “saluting” the crowd from the movie.

Le Mans was McQueen’s ode to his love for racing. Unable to participate in motorsport events while filming other movies, McQueen founded Solar Productions to create cinematic masterpieces that captured the thrill of endurance racing – ones he knew well from his time competing in races like the 12 Hours of Sebring. Le Mans was the obvious place to set such a narrative, and through building a relationship with JW Engineering, he would gain access to the most advanced car of the era that could showcase the high speeds of Mulsanne straight: the groundbreaking Porsche 917 in its now iconic Gulf colors.