We?ve talked a lot this year about TAG Heuer?s consistent stream of new Carreras that have come to market to celebrate the brand?s 160th anniversary. But TAG, more than any other brand, has a fleet of iconic chronographs in their stable that they return to again and again, making changes here and there, both small and large. The Monaco is more of a cult favorite than the Carrera – it?s a tougher sell with its square case. But among enthusiasts of both watches and racing, it has a strong following, and new variants are always worth exploring. Today, TAG Heuer announced the latest Monaco, a year after this particular watch celebrated its own anniversary with a yearlong celebration of limited edition releases. These new watches can be seen as something of a ?next generation? Monaco that is the current standard in the catalog, and they feature some updates that are completely contemporary while also drawing on the past (no surprises there). Let?s take a closer look. 
There are two dial variants here, both with brushed sunray effects. The more modern and contemporary to my eye is the black dial with silver subdials. The blue version seems to draw more on the Monaco?s colorful past, and has a playful and sporty feel, where the black feels a little more sober. Each variant features the same set of red accents on the handset, and has the same running seconds arrangement as the recently released Carrera, with a simple crosshair in lieu of an actual subdial. As it do...