TAG Heuer reimagines legendary “Dark Lord” for Only Watch

TAG Heuer has reimagined the legendary “Dark Lord” watch for the Only Watch charity auction set for November 6 at the Centre de Congrès in Geneva, Switzerland.

For the ninth edition of Only Watch, TAG Heuer channels the spirit of the ultra-rare TAG Heuer Monaco “Dark Lord” with a one-off carbon-cased version of its inimitable square-cased chronograph. Founded by Luc Pettavino, President of the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies, Only Watch is a biennial charity watch auction for which the world’s leading watchmakers donate spectacular one-off timepieces. Under the high patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the event raises funds to support research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A full 99% of proceeds go directly to these projects.

Frédéric Arnault, TAG Heuer Chief Executive Officer, is enthusiastic about the Maison’s participation: “We wanted to support this magnificent initiative with a unique, memorable watch that celebrated a legend from our past, but that also showcased our passion for fine watchmaking, innovation, aesthetics and avant-garde design,” he commented. “The TAG Heuer Only Watch Carbon Monaco is that watch,” he added.

The watch is a concentrate of exceptional watchmaking expertise and state-of-the-art innovations. The case echoes the mythic Heuer Monaco 74033N, known as the “Dark Lord”. Forged in black carbon fiber, the unique case carries the largest sapphire crystal caseback ever applied to a Monaco.

The skeletonized dial is worked from a single piece of carbon fiber. The structural shapes stretch across the entire face of the watch like struts on a racing car, a reference to TAG Heuer’s prominent role in motor sport. Each of the dial’s intricate skeletonized facets has been finished by hand using the fine-watchmaking technique of anglage, giving the dial its depth and multidimensional look.

The watch also contains an exclusively created version of the Heuer 02 movement, which carries the groundbreaking carbon hairspring –developed in-house by the TAG Heuer Institute – plus a unique oscillating weight in the form of the TAG Heuer shield, decorated with a fine line in the gradient orange-to-yellow color of the Only Watch 2021. The seamless transition from orange to yellow was hand-painted by master dial artist and micro-painter André Martinez.

The spellbinding watch has a strap that looks like a metal bracelet but which is in fact made of leather. The link effect results from a complex technique combining silicon, leather and metal.  TAG Heuer has never used this technique on a watch strap before.