TAG Heuer Monaco

In December 2020, the last of the six Heuer Monacos that were on the set of Steve McQueen’s 1971 film Le Mans sold at Phillips New York. Bidding opened at $160,000, then after nearly nine minutes and 32 total bids later the hammer came down, and the new owner of this slice of horological history parted with $2,208,000 for the privilege. The sum smashed the previous record, which was set by another of the Monacos from the film publicly sold. The Monaco will forever be associated with McQueen, and rightly so. But you can get a near identical new version complete with perforated leather strap and crown on the left (famously to show that manual winding was no longer necessary).

From £1,795; tagheuer.com

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Ref 844 Limited Edition

Sometimes retro is the only way to go. For me, this is the standout from TAG Heuer’s new Professional 300 range. It has the latest 43mm design complete with titanium case and 38-hour power reserve, but crucially this model has been crafted specifically to reference the aesthetic of Heuer’s classic 844 from 1978, a user-friendly diver that was a huge success, becoming one of Heuer’s most celebrated models. Along with that pressure-proof case, the faux tanned lume, red 24-hour scale and black rubber strap with octagonal perforations matching the case, and the fact it’s a limited edition, make this an extremely desirable piece.

£3,600; tagheuer.com

TAG Heuer Autavia

Not only is this an attractive and highly capable sports watch, it has considerable pedigree. Back in 1933, the Autavia, a moniker combining the words “automobile” and “aviation”, became the first dashboard timer for cars, boats and aircraft. Nearly three decades later, in 1961, Jack Heuer decided to create a wrist chronograph with a turning bezel, and chose to call it “Autavia”. It was, incidentally, the first wristwatch personally created by Jack Heuer for the company and it soon gained icon status with the likes of Derek Bell, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti and Gilles Villeneuve sporting the piece on their wrists.

From £2,595; tagheuer.com

TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands 39mm

I wish I had bought the TAG Heuer Limited Edition Carrera Skipper for Hodinkee when I had the chance, but that ship has sailed, sadly. Fortunately there is the unerringly classic 39mm Carrera. Jack Heuer noted that the Carrera was all about legibility and clarity, and although he was specifically talking about the chronograph versions at the time, this sentiment applies just as well with the sleek 39mm with date window at 6 o’clock. You can wear this piece anywhere. And it’s this versatility that makes it such an attractive proposition.

£2,250; tagheuer.com

TAG Heuer Connected Golf Edition

TAG Heuer has put in the hard yards with the development of its smartwatch. It was back in 2015 that it launched the first Connected. At the time, many brands were exploring the possibility of digital versions to complement their analogue offerings, but it was TAG that unveiled the first legitimate smartwatch offering from the traditional luxury watch industry and, what’s more, it has kept on improving the piece with each iteration. Yes, this has sapphire crystal and a heart rate monitor to go with the Wear OS notifications and payments capabilities, but as I am right now learning to play golf (badly), it’s the shot tracking and 18-hole bezel indicator that are most desirable.

£2,100; tagheuer.com

Jeremy White is the executive editor of Wired UK

For further gifting inspiration visit tagheuer.com