How many times as collectors have we read on auction sites about old collectable watches that have been “put in the drawer” and forgotten about. Yeah, sure. Well, here’s a true tale about a McQueen Monaco.

The first owner was on holidays in 1979 in the US Virgin Islands, and decided to purchase a new watch. He liked the Monaco, despite by then it being a relatively old design, as it still was in all the current Heuer catalogues and still stocked in authorised dealer shops. In fact, he didn’t buy just one, he then ended up buying two. Two identical Steve McQueen blue/white dial Heuer Monacos. He had no idea why, but he got a deal on both and decided to wear one and to keep the other. This other, his “spare” Heuer Monaco, was for nearly twenty years left in a drawer in his house in the USA (California, somewhere), still in the bag it was transported home in, from the Virgin Islands duty free shop. The bag matches the dealer stamp on the paperwork- incredible.

It’s a very late Monaco, on the late series very dark navy blue (the flash in the pic shows the blue colour) perforated strap with both the small and large holes. He wore the other Monaco, fortunately taking care of it until around the late 1980’s he grew tired of the Monaco, and put this in the same drawer, too.

Imagine my luck when I was able to buy both of these watches. The “wearer” Monaco was missing it’s box and the original duty free shop recepit for the pair was missing unfortuantely (despite him looking for them at my request), but all other items were there. The pictures illustrate how an ex-factory Monaco should appear, red Heuer “automatic” box, red paper caseback sticker, red Heuer swing tag with model ref, Heuer Guarantee booklet, “Automatic” printed clear plastic sleeve and Heuer Service envelope.

No, I’ve not once worn it. I do wear his “wearer”, however, and regularly. Despite being retailed from the same shop it’s interesting to note that the serial numbers are way apart, there seems to be no chronology to how watches were despatched to retailers from Heuer. Unless the dealer sat on one or both for a while.

The NOS watch is in fantastic condition, the sharpness of the case, the colour of the dial and the cleaness of the glass are incredible. Enjoy the pics. Cheers, Stewart