1978: The ‘Dark Lord’ rises

Season 3: The TAG Heuer Monaco | Turn the clocks back to 1974. The Monaco wasn’t performing very well commercially. In fact, it disappeared from the catalog entirely. But then in 1978, a black-coated Monaco reference came to light, becoming a collector’s favorite and one of the rarest Monaco watches ever. This is the story of Reference 74033 N, or as collectors like to call it, the ‘Dark Lord’.

Image: Heuer Monaco, Reference 74033 N

Show notes:

0:31 A dark time for the Monaco

0:53 Changing direction with the new Silverstone

1:24 The Monaco disappears from the catalog  

1:43 The quartz crisis

2:05 The success of black-coated cases

2:30 A Monaco mystery   

3:08 Back in black  

4:16 One of the most sought-after vintage Heuers

4:48 What makes the ‘Dark Lord’ special

5:34 An unbelievably rare timepiece

6:16 The legacy of the watch

6:31 Inspiring the future