Few images bridge the worlds of horology and motor racing as powerfully as Steve McQueen in Le Mans, donning his Gulf-striped racing suit and the blue-dialed Heuer Monaco.
This December, Sotheby’s will auction one of the iconic watches worn by McQueen during the filming of the 1971 classic as part of ‘Heuer Champions,' a curated collection of exceptional vintage Heuer chronographs. The historic watch, appearing at auction for the first time, will highlight the Important Watches sale on December 11, with an estimated value between $500,000 and $1 million. This marks the first public viewing of the watch in over 50 years. Before the auction, it will be exhibited in Monterey, California from August 14–17, and later at Sotheby’s New York from December 5–10.
Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches, expressed his excitement, stating, “As a lifelong admirer of Heuer, bringing one of the most significant watches in the brand's history to auction is a career highlight. The Heuer Monaco reference 1133B perfectly embodies the synergy between cars and watches. This watch is the ultimate collector's piece for fans of racing, McQueen, or vintage chronographs.”
This historically significant watch is one of six Heuer Monaco models with a blue dial sent to the Le Mans set, with only four featuring leather straps that McQueen wore in the film. With two of the six watches now housed in the TAG Heuer museum, this piece offers a rare and possibly last opportunity for collectors of top-tier racing memorabilia, McQueen artifacts, or iconic vintage chronographs.
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