The TAG Heuer Monaco has always carried the spirit of racing, yet the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1 pushes that identity into a new technical chapter. TAG Heuer shifted from traditional machining to aerospace-grade additive manufacturing, using Selective Laser Melting to shape Grade 5 titanium into a case that looks as if it was sculpted by airflow itself. Layer upon layer of titanium powder is fused under a high-powered laser until a hollow exoskeleton emerges. This approach frees the design team from the limits of CNC milling and results in forms that would never survive subtractive production.
The finished structure feels more like the chassis of a hypercar than a watch case. Sharp lines and skeletal surfaces draw in light and air, reducing overall weight to just 85 grams while keeping the muscular geometry associated with the Monaco family. Twin honeycomb-motif meshes wrap the case like engine covers, with titanium lattices along the caseband and precision-cut 2N yellow-gold latticework beneath the black DLC bezel. Achieving these shapes requires programming time nearly an order of magnitude longer than a standard Monaco, and manufacturing itself takes several times the normal duration.
Inside sits TAG Heuer’s most complex chronograph caliber. The automatic split-seconds movement, TH81-00, developed with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, beats at 5 Hz and remains stable even under vigorous use thanks to extensive Grade 5 titanium components that reduce mass without compromising rigidity. Hand-finishing includes checkered-flag motifs visible through the sapphire caseback. The rattrapante mechanism allows independent timing of simultaneous events, controlled by a 2N yellow-gold pusher at 9 o’clock that subtly recalls the left-hand crown of the original Monaco.
A translucent sapphire dial brings the architecture of the movement into view. Golden chronograph hands stand out against rhodium-plated, open-worked hour and minute hands filled with white Super-LumiNova and tipped in gold. Three counters display minutes, hours, and running seconds. Titanium pushers, a black-DLC crown, and visible screws securing the crystals reinforce the industrial, high-performance aesthetic. The watch is paired with a black rubber strap with Alcantara inserts and a DLC-coated titanium buckle.
Despite the technical ambition behind it, the Air 1 remains practical and comfortable. The ergonomics, clarity, and balance follow TAG Heuer’s long-standing principle that bold design should never come at the cost of usability. Production is limited to 30 pieces, each one signaling a shift toward more experimental watchmaking within the Monaco line. Also you might be interested in our list of the most expensive watches.
