LIFESTYLE New brand Ambassador: Jacob Elordi

Most people are still figuring things out when they’re in their early twenties. But actor Jacob Elordi is an exception. At 24, he has landed the lead role on a show that looks set to define a generation. Euphoria sees Elordi as a seemingly typical, popular high-school star quarterback but his performance, and the show’s depiction of adolescence, is anything but ordinary. The show is breaking boundaries and has been nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.

As one of the stand-out talents of his generation, Elordi is the perfect match for TAG Heuer’s stand-out timepiece: the TAG Heuer Monaco. And as the face of the chronograph, Elordi will represent a watch that is bold and iconic. Like Elordi, the square-cased TAG Heuer Monaco rewrote the rulebooks and defied convention. It became timeless because nobody had seen anything like it before. And so, when Elordi was presenting at the Academy Awards earlier this year, it wasn’t a surprise to see him wearing a TAG Heuer Monaco with a black dial, white sub-dials and a black leather strap. It paired perfectly with his tuxedo and, as we found out later, it also complemented Elordi’s personality.

“We are incredibly excited to announce Jacob Elordi as ambassador for the TAG Heuer Monaco. He is the stand-out star of a new generation. An artist who is unafraid to take risks, taking roles that challenge both himself and the audience. He is also someone who comes fully-formed with his own strong sense of timeless style. The TAG Heuer Monaco became the watch for a new generation when it was first launched in 1969, and there is no better standard-bearer for it as it continues to be discovered anew by each generation since,” says TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault.

Elordi represents a new generation. A generation that has an appreciation for the new and the old. A generation that seeks to think differently, break boundaries, smash taboos and shine a light on societal issues. And being the face of a stand-out generation makes Elordi the mirror image of the TAG Heuer Monaco. There is no better pairing than the chronograph that changed everything and an actor who is playing by his own rules.

Distinctive and rebellious, iconic yet utterly idiosyncratic, this square-shaped timepiece was created in 1969. Named after the glamorous Formula One race, it was brought to the big screen by Steve McQueen in his 1971 movie Le Mans. The chronograph symbolizes TAG Heuer’s timeless relationship with speed.

Upon its release, the then Heuer Monaco went against everything people assumed a timepiece could be. It wasn’t just the first automatic chronograph with a micro-rotor winding system; it was also the first square-faced chronograph with perfect water resistance. And form followed function: to emphasize that the winding wheel was no longer needed, the crown was moved to the left instead of its usual place on the right.

The TAG Heuer Monaco was an avant-garde design, made for both racetracks and red carpets. The square case was cut at right angles, the beveled crystal was from virtually unscratchable sapphire.

The latest iteration is a special edition, a tribute to its motor racing history and the legendary Monaco Grand Prix. Taking its inspiration from the Heuer Monaco Ref. 740303N (also known as “Dark Lord” amongst collectors), the new TAG Heuer Monaco is made with Grade 2 titanium and coated in diamond-like carbon. The result is a deep, rich color that’s embellished with rose gold indexes and hands. The new TAG Heuer Monaco also comes equipped with our in-house movement, Heuer 02. All of this makes it a watch that reflects both the luxury of the Principality and the perils of its legendary Formula One Grand Prix.

After all, it was on the racetrack that the TAG Heuer Monaco became iconic. Motorsport enthusiast McQueen famously performed his own stunts – another thing he shares with Jacob Elordi, who learnt motorbike stunt riding for The Kissing Booth – and was taught to drive in Le Mans by Swiss racing legend Jo Siffert, who wore a Heuer-branded uniform. It was one of the many details that McQueen picked up on while playing his role. He wore the same uniform as Siffert, and when it came to selecting which watch his character would wear, the choice was obvious. And thus, a horological silver screen icon was born.