Looking to purchase a Monaco for myself. Narrowed it down I think to; the 2022 Gulf Special Edition CBL2115.FC6494 the 2022 Blue Dial CBL2111.FC6453 the Steve Mcqueen CAW211P.FC6356 I think I'm leaning more towards the gulf edition. Apart from pure asthetics, are there any real negatives or positives to the three mentioned that in your eyes set one of them above the others? Not overly concerned about the mild differences in the price points, I think my concerns lay slightly more in my lack of knowledge ref the movements, perception of each model amongst the Tag community etc and whether there are distinct positives or negatives to each model setting one above or below another. This will be my only Monaco despite wishing to be able to have multiple models lol.
For me personally I prefer the crown on the left as on the Calibre 11 model. It's really just aesthetics though - both CBL models have the same Heuer-02 movement. Just comes down to which one you like most. I do recommend finding a way to try them on in person though, so you can be sure.
Whichever one you like the best - that’s the only answer! All models are excellent in my opinion, and all now come with a five year warranty which is a big bonus. For me it always had to be CAW211P. Crown on the left, Heuer-only dial…it’s awesome.
If this was my first and/or only Monaco, it has to be the CAW211P. - It's the icon, the classic re-edition of the original Monaco McQueen - Prefer the thinner case of the C11 and just the overall look - While the H02 is supposedly the superior movement, I've never had any issues with my C11 or C12 Monacos. However, the Gulf would be a very close second choice. I think it just looks awesome in person, the blue sunburst dial is better than the one on the standard H02 Blue Monaco (IMHO). Plus the Gulf treatment is cool!
As most people mentioned, its totally upto you on what you like, but let me confuse you a little. My base assumption is that you're after predominantly blue dial, so you have a few considerations here . 1. Left handed vs right handed crown: the left handed Cal. 11 movement is an ode to the classic design but it does attract some hatred from the community for not being an in-house movement. The right handed Heuer 02 on the other hand (pun intended ) is an in-house movement with double the power reserve, but its not a classic design. 2. Matte vs sunburst dial: the CAW211P has the matte blue dial which is in line with the classic, whereas the newer models have a sunburst dial to complement the more modern design. 3. Gulf branding: now (TAG) Heuer has a rich history with the Gulf brand. Although the CBL2115 is an ode to history (also recognised in 2022 GPHG nominations for a geritage watch), the actual branding (vertical stripes) are a bit muted and the "60" marking at 12 o'clock is a hit and a miss for a lot of people in the community. Personally, I can suggest removing CBL2111 from the list as it does not add any value here. I'd also throw in the original Monaco Gulf CAW211R into consideration. Although its now discontinued, you can check with your local AD or watch dealers whether they have stock available, or check out almost new stock online. The reason I'm suggesting the CAW211R is because its a left handed, sunburst dial Gulf branded Monaco - which I believe is a better competitor to the New Monaco Gulf CBL2115. The CAW211P was my first Monaco and it was a daily wear watch for almost 3 years, so I'm kind of biased towards that. But if I were to choose between a classic Cal.11 and a Heuer02 Gulf, I'd go for the classic (CAW211R) everytime.
If comparing Gulf models, the CAW211R is certainly worthy of consideration. It's very popular and many people love it. However, I personally decided to pass on that one. While it has many positive traits, it also has some flaws that didn't quite work for me. Mainly, the Gulf stripe is the wrong shade of blue, it's too dark to be Gulf blue. Also, the red accents on the hands and marker dots sort of clash with the orange stripe. The CBL2115 has the correct shade of Gulf blue on the stripe and sub-dial design. And the orange hands on the new model give a more harmonious look (IMHO).
@Marky136 Hopefully the background and opinions others have laid out will give you enough context to inform your decision. But in the end, simply go with the one that wins your heart.
Good morning and thank you to everyone who responded, it’s very kind of you all thank you. I’ve tried all three on that I’d mentioned but have not seen ‘in person’ the previous Gulf Edition that YG_Rulz mentions. So I will try and get hands on with that model for comparison but ultimately the gist of this is basically that on this occasion, it really does just come down to personal preference. Once again thank you all for your views it’s really appreciated.
Well after much thought and deliberation I finally pulled the trigger last week and purchased the CAW211R….my first Monaco, should be my only one but hey I just love Monacos! Attaching a couple of photos, one I took with it balanced on the book Monaco Paradoxical Superstar, purchased recently in this very forum! Consider me a happy chappy! Thank you again everyone who helped above, very much appreciate it.