all - I acquired a CAW211A 40th Anniversary Monaco earlier this year and love it, though I'm almost scared to wear it. which defeats the purpose of having it to some degree. I'm not a massive fan of the strap so immediately put it on a Guiliano Corfam style job.

So I bought a CAW211P to put on my wrist while I figure if I want to keep the 211A for special occasions (which nobody except me would appreciate) or whether to move it on. In the meantime, I figured it might be interesting to compare the two up close - the only other side/side comparison I think I've seen is on http://www.calibre11.com/first-look-heuer-monaco-calibre-11-mcqueen-chronograph/.

The hands are quite different, and it looks like the 211P is different to the early photos which showed it having substantially similar hands to the 211A. The dials are almost exactly the same indoors, but in sunlight, it seems the 211P appears lighter / more reflective.

 

@Calibre11 - feel free to move this to the Tag Heuer rather than the Vintage forum if more appropriate..

 

I'm sitting on a cruise ship, half cut, agonising over a Heuer 01 at 4.6k USD in the 'overpriced showroom'. As a sensible fan, you need to keep the P and maximise your return on the A. I'm pished but you need a push in the right direction.......

 

To me, the metal frame around the calendar never looks right encroaching into the time divisions on the CAW211A. Although the metal looks a little bit better than the painted white surround of the CAW211P, overall I think it looks like an afterthought and aesthetically wrong.

Another difference is there are 4 time divisions between 1 second on the CAW211A and only 3 on the CAW211P.

I would wear the CAW211P and not worry about the resale value. This is what watches are for. When you're 85, you'll probably wonder what saving these special treats was for.

 

Well spotted on the time divisions; I'd never noticed that! I suppose that means it's ever so slightly more authentic looking as the 1133B had 4, and smaller lume plots too.(for me, that was the first thing that stood out when I put the two side by side - the 211P lume plots look massive next to the 211A).

And good advice re wearing the watch(es) - I know a guy who's been quite instrumental in organising supercar events, and his favourite quote was "if you worry about driving your supercar so you don't put miles on it, that's like not having sex with your girlfriend so she's in better shape for her next lover".

 

Is one crown thicker than the other?

 

I have the latest one with the window on the back. Had it for Christmas 2015.

The blurb says the dial is truest to the original.

What I don't understand is why the chronograph pushers aren't like they are on the new Silverstone or Monza.

The modern pushers spoil it IMO but that said, I do love my Monaco.

 

Some more differences between the CAW211A and CAW211P;

CAW211P, the divisions on the 2 small dials stop within the square frame and leave a small gap, just like the original 1133b. This looks far better to me than the CAW211A, which has the divisions bleeding off into the frame.

The print on the CAW211P is ever so slightly finer than the CAW211A. Looks better quality.

The hands on the CAW211A are slightly wider than CAW211P. No particular preference here.

The face colour is ever so lighter on the CAW211P. Prefer the lighter shade and also it's a little closer to the original 1133b.

The crown is deeper on the CAW211P and looks better balanced protruding the same distance as the push buttons opposite. The crown on the CAW211A looks a little weak in comparison.

The lume plots are slightly larger on the CAW211P and I think they look more in keeping with the wide hands and general stocky appearance of the watch. The CAW211A couldn't have the same size plots, as the metal frame around the date would encroach into it at the 6 o'clock position. The more I look at the calendar frame on the CAW211A, the more it looks so wrong, that I'd never buy that model.

The ltd edition number of the CAW211A makes it appealing to collectors, but it would have to be totally unworn, never mounted the latch onto the strap and the whole complete box, etc kept in no light - low humidity conditions for it to be worth an investment and even then, it will be many, many years.

Overall, with the additional of the beautiful sapphire back, I think Tag Heuer have done many refinements to the new Monaco. Perhaps it's modern technology helping this, or just TAG upping their game. It's great to see the standards are getting better.

All IMO

 

Good overview. Thanks

 

Just stumbled across this old thread...
By pure coincidence I had purchased this same strap about 4-5 years ago in anticipation of getting this watch. (Never would I have imagined it would take me this long to finally get one.) To my eyes, the FC6300 strap almost always looks black. Only under certain lighting conditions does it appear blue to me, such as in the bottom pic. Regardless, I think the blue stitching is a pretty nice match for the dial.



Also, I was always under the impression that A had a slightly lighter dial than P, but from this thread it seems to be the other way around.

Although prices have come down for used 40th Anniversary editions, it still commands quite a premium over a new regular McQueen. I had long thought about getting a 40th; it is a special watch. However the value proposition of the normal one makes the 40th too hard to justify for me.

 

I really gave the 40th a lot of thought. Rather than the subtle differences, the fact that it is "the 40th" is what makes it special and arguably worth it for collectors IMHO.

But in the end, what I really wanted is a McQueen re-edition. Comparing the two simply as near identical re-editions and there was no way I could justify the price differential between the two.

 

Bringing back this old thread. I am keen to add a McQueen Monaco but contemplating between the 40th and the regular production model. The nuances between the two are minimal and I am fine with either of them in terms of dial colour, minute markers, lume plots etc.
However, I am curious about the difference in size between the two. The 40th is smaller at 38mm Vs the 39mm of the normal production model. Is the difference noticeable? From photos, it does look smaller and the narrower lugs also make the 40th look more wearable.

For those who have both, do you think there's a discernable difference? And is the 40ths actually slightly thinner too without the sapphire on the back?
I have an 18cm flat wrist and I can pull off the regular 39mm model but I generally like smaller watches.

Thanks in advance and appreciate any info or photos.