The Final Steve McQueen Heuer Monaco Watch from 'Le Mans' To Hit the Auction Block At Sotheby's

As Sotheby’s New York prepares to unveil Lot 71 at their upcoming auction, connoisseurs of horology and Hollywood alike keenly watch on. The piece, marking the culmination of a narrative begun six decades ago in France, serves as a tribute to the 1971 movie ‘Le Mans’ starring Steve McQueen. Over the years, the tale has immortalized McQueen while adding trivia to the world of watches and racing.

This Heuer Monaco watch, Reference 1133B, worn by Steve McQueen during the iconic film ‘Le Mans’, indeed traces memories of a bygone era. Heuer experienced crucial transformations during the ’60s with the launches of the Autavia in 1962, Carrera in 1963, and Monaco in 1969. All three models housed a movement co-developed by Heuer and Breitling around a Buren micro-rotor — the Calibre 11. This gave birth to the first market-ready, automatic Swiss chronograph.

Poising the stage for this Heuer Monaco’s journey was a parallel narrative in the realm of filmmaking. A similar focus on the world of racing can be traced back to the 1966 film ‘Grand Prix’. McQueen’s desire to immortalize the grueling 24-hour race through film began turning into reality with ‘Le Mans’ in 1970. It was during this production setup, the star went against watch titans like Rolex and Omega to opt for the then-obscure Heuer Monaco, unknowingly shaping its journey into lore.