I think if you're a collector and you want a vintage Heuer, this is a great one to buy – or if, say, you want a vintage Porsche and can't afford one, this is the next best thing. It is my belief that unlike the early Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovoxes, the Monaco does not make an easy entry into vintage watches. It doesn't fit the wrist all that well, and it's kind of expensive. It is a beautiful object on its own, made slightly less beautiful when put on the wrist – it looks better on the table, than it does on. It is nothing short of an icon in this little world of 20th-century wristwatches, and I believe it always will be. The original Heuer Monaco Reference 1133G/B is a great watch.
The later manually wound Monacos (three register) and those with the pared down Caliber 15 are much less desirable, though they're also much less money, so they could be a nice alternative if you're set on a square case.
I will say I tend to believe both the automatic Autavias and Carreras are much easier watches to live with as a daily wearer than the Monaco, though I fully expect the Monaco to live at higher prices than the other two, perpetually (with the exception of maybe early Siffert Autavias, which are really turning red hot these days). The Carrera does not have the story that the Monaco has, and as we've seen so many times with countless other watches, that's really the X factor. That said, $10k+ is a lot of money for a Monaco when you can buy a similarly aged Caliber 11 based Carrera for less than half of that ( a watch in included on my list of ten watches that should be more expensive than they are). I think it's about time people recognized the greatness of vintage Heuer and I am frankly pleased to see prices started to get to where they should be based on quality, historical importance, and over all coolness. Monacos selling in the teens, early Autavias in the 20s (!!), and those Siffert Autavias reaching five digits as well (I bought mine four years ago for $3,200 and sold it last year for $9,000). I've long said Heuer prices are going to jump, and now we're seeing it. Is the Monaco worth these prices? I say yes, in the grand scheme of things.
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