Auctions: The Last Steve McQueen Heuer Monaco From Le Mans Is Coming To Auction
It’s one of the most iconic images at the intersection of watches and motorsport, catnip for anyone with even a passing interest in watches, racecars, or general coolness: Steve McQueen buttoning his racing suit, Heuer Monaco easily spotted, on the set of Le Mans.
Sotheby’s has announced that one of the Heuer Monaco watches used as a prop for the 1971 film will be offered as part of its New York auction in December. Heuer provided six Monaco watches to be used in Le Mans, four of which had a leather strap, as McQueen is seen wearing in the film. And we know what’s happened with almost all four of these McQueen Monacos:
Two sit in the TAG Heuer Museum, selling at auction for $799,500 in 2012 and $87,600 in 2009 (a steal!). The Monaco that McQueen gave to his personal mechanic, Haig Alltounian, on the final day of shooting Le Mans sold at Phillips for $2.2 million in 2020.
One of six McQueen Monaco ref. 1133B examples, this one to be sold at Sotheby’s in December.
Now, another McQueen Monaco will come to auction, with an estimate of $500,000–$1 million. It’s the first time this example has appeared publicly – and it might be the last time we see a McQueen Monaco ever again. Even better, this one comes with a racing postscript.
The story of the McQueen Monacos has always been a bit tricky since there are six of them, and no one knows for sure which he wore and when. In 2016, the Wall Street Journal tracked down Don Nunley, the prop master for Le Mans, to help solve the mystery.
“‘I had six Monacos with blue dials on the set,” Nunley said, adding that McQueen wore all six. That article even found the original invoice from Heuer, which shows six ref. 1133B Monacos (and 26 watches total – where are the other Le Mans Heuers?!).
Steve McQueen’s Monaco From ‘Le Mans’ Brings Home $2,208,000, A Heuer Record
In 2020, we covered the last “McQueen Monaco” to appear at auction, this watch given to McQueen’s mechanic after the filming of Le Mans. It sold for $2.2 million – the most a Heuer has ever sold for at auction. Get up to speed here.
After filming Le Mans, this example ended up in the hands of Bevan Weston, a young mechanic who worked on the film. Afterwards, he would go on to work for McLaren and was a part of their Indy 500 team in 1971 – where, of course, the Monaco was on his wrist. Weston sold the watch to a private collector around 2010 (this old On The Dash thread has an unsubstantiated claim as to its price then). Now, this private collector is consigning it to Sotheby’s, marking the first time it’s appeared publicly.
When the last McQueen Monaco came to auction in 2020, it became the most expensive Heuer ever sold ($2.2 million), and that example was also one of the two known to be kept by McQueen after filming. The 2024 watch market is very different and doesn’t really provide a useful barometer for where this example might end up. That said, the market always gets excited by a fresh-to-market find, and this is the last of the four Monacos on a strap from Le Mans to appear. Sotheby’s estimate seems reasonable, and I imagine they’d be thrilled with a seven-figure result.
One factor that might significantly impact the result is whether the TAG Heuer Museum will participate in the bidding. It already has two McQueen Monaco, so perhaps three is a crowd.
Bev Weston, far right, wearing the Monaco.
“For enthusiasts of McQueen, racing, or vintage chronographs, this watch represents the ultimate addition to any collection – a true ‘end game,'” Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches, said.
Heuer introduced the Monaco in 1969, one of its initial models to use its first automatic chronograph caliber 11. The blocky Monaco was the avant garde answer to the more traditional Carrera that used the same caliber, taken to by the likes of Stanley Kubrick, Sammy Davis Jr., and perhaps not many more. Thanks to McQueen and Le Mans, it’s one of the watches most associated with a celebrity.
The McQueen Heuer Monaco from Le Mans will be part of Sotheby’s “Heuer Champions,” a selection of vintage chronographs from the brand that’ll feature in its December sale. Heuer hasn’t gotten much attention on the auction circuit in the wake of the 2017 Heuer Parade sale, so I’m excited to see what else Sotheby’s will feature in its December catalog.
Hodinkee
