Watch Paparazzi

Writer Giorgia Mondani spotted wearing Tag Heuer

At an elegant evening event in Rome, watch industry authority Giorgia Mondani was photographed alongside seven-time Grand Prix world champion Jorge Lorenzo — and sharp-eyed observers will note that it is Mondani herself wearing the watch. On her wrist: a TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph in stainless steel with the signature blue sunburst dial, a combination that sits at the very heart of the Monaco's collector mythology.

The TAG Heuer Monaco CBL2111.BA0644 features the brand's Calibre 11 automatic column-wheel chronograph movement, housed in the model's iconic 39mm square case with rounded corners. The blue lacquered dial carries two white opaline subdials — running seconds at nine o'clock, 30-minute counter at three — along with a date window at six and the unmistakable red chronograph seconds hand. The steel bracelet with brushed and polished links completes a specification virtually unchanged from the reissue programme launched to commemorate the Monaco's 50th anniversary in 2019.

The Monaco's historical weight is considerable. Introduced in 1969 as the world's first square, water-resistant automatic chronograph — a claim since disputed but never diminished in cultural terms — it gained permanent pop-culture status when Steve McQueen wore a blue-dial example in the 1971 film Le Mans. The CBL2111.BA0644 is a direct homage to that original Ref. 1133B configuration, down to the TAG Heuer Monaco text in period-correct typography and the blue-on-white dial contrast.

For collectors, the Monaco occupies a rare position: genuinely iconic yet still accessible at retail. Grey-market premiums on blue-dial steel references have remained modest compared to more scarce limited editions, making it an entry point into serious TAG Heuer collecting without the speculative volatility of sport-watch flippers.

Giorgia Mondani is no casual wearer. As the author of definitive Rolex reference books and the driving force behind Mondani Web, she is one of the most credentialed voices in international watch literature. Her choice of a Monaco — historically loaded, visually bold, motorsport-adjacent — at an event with Jorge Lorenzo feels entirely deliberate. Two worlds of motorsport passion, one square dial.