RETROSPECT: 1970s Heuer Black PVD Monaco

The rarest member of the Heuer Monaco family, the black PVD Monaco was created as a last-gasp effort to capture sales for the struggling line. Featuring a blacked-out dial with white hour and minute hands and orange chronograph hands, the watch boasted a PVD-coated steel case at a time when very few others did. Fitted on a black perforated leather strap with black buckle, this watch would have made a sleek statement on the wrist of its owner when it first debuted in 1974. At the heart of the watch was the Valjoux 7740 chronograph movement with date display, at the time the most basic movement in the Monaco lineup. Curiously, this watch never made it to official retailers and many doubted the authenticity of these watches until Jack Heuer publicly announced their authenticity. Currently only 22 or so are known to exist, making this quite a rare watch and keeping prices elevated, with the most expensive example having sold for $74,700 USD. One of the most spectacular watches from Heuer and a great example of a watch from the storied Monaco line.

Source: HODINKEE