- Steve McQueen's legendary day at the helm of Monaco is coming to a head.
Sotheby's is set to auction an extremely rare watch that has been in private ownership for over 50 years. One of only four Tag Heuer Monaco examples, worn by actor Steve McQueen on a leather strap in the film "Le Mans," is due to be sold in December. The watch, a Tag Heuer Monaco 1133B, was reportedly purchased by a mechanic named Bevan Weston from the film's property master after filming. Weston, who worked on one of the Ferraris featured in the film, later wore the watch himself, including during racing events. Sotheby's reports that the watch has been in the possession of its current owner for around 40 years, who sold it to a collector about 13 years ago for approximately $75,000. The collector has now consigned the watch to the auction house, likely expecting a substantial return on investment.
Sotheby's Expects Seven-Figure Sale
Specialist magazine Hodinkee estimates the Monaco's value at a conservative $500,000 to $1 million. However, considering the previous sales of the other leather-strap examples from the film, this could potentially be just the starting price. Four years ago, one such watch sold at Phillips for over $2 million, while other transactions date back more than 12 years. While it's unlikely that the watch up for auction will break the old record, it could still command a high price due to its scarcity. The Phillips lot was a watch that remained with McQueen after the film, which may hold more significance for collectors.
Nevertheless, with two of the watches housed in Tag Heuer's corporate museum, this could be the last opportunity to own this genuine film prop for some time, which could impact its price. But even without its famous wearer, the Tag Heuer Monaco stands out with its distinctive square design, blue dial, and two white subdials. Its appearance in "Le Mans" wasn't a one-off; in the fifth season of "Breaking Bad," Walter White receives a modern Monaco (likely a CAW2111.FC6183) from Jesse Pinkman, making it familiar to younger audiences as well.
Steve McQueen's Influence on Watches
The Tag Heuer Monaco isn't the only watch made famous and desirable by Steve McQueen. Whatever he wore on his wrist became a bestseller. Apart from the Monaco, McQueen was also seen wearing a Rolex Submariner, a German Hanhart 417 ES, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, and a Benrus. The influence of famous actors on the value and popularity of watches is evident in the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction. The Rolex Daytona worn by Paul Newman still holds the record, fetching $17.7 million in 2017. Without its history and famous previous owner, it would likely have been worth far less.
This rare Tag Heuer Monaco watch, worn by Steve McQueen in the film "Le Mans," will be auctioned at Le Mans itself, adding to its historic significance. The auction, hosted by Sotheby's in December, could potentially see the watch surpassing its estimated price of $500,000 to $1 million, given the high prices fetched by similar pieces at previous auctions.
