“It’s lights out and away we go” is a phrase that has famously been associated with Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft as this is what he says every time the five lights go out and a race gets underway. Luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer has caught on to this phrase and decided to incorporate it for one of their designs.
The Swiss watchmaker is deciding to release a special watch worth $175,500 for F1’s crown jewel race weekend in the Principality. Tag Heuer and other watchmakers often release several of their limited edition watches for the Monaco GP, as it is a race known for its glamor and celebrities showing off their most prized possessions.
It was just last year when Tag Heuer released a special customized $138,000 watch for reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen during the Monaco GP weekend to celebrate his achievements. In 2025, Tag Heuer is releasing the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph I F1.
The watch has a red-tinted translucent dial with two black sub-dials on either side of the watch face. This is where Croft‘s iconic catchphrase finds its place on this exclusive timepiece. With “Lights Out” on the left and “& Away We Go” on the right, it pays an ode to Croft’s memorable opening call for every Grand Prix. That’s not all, though.
Overall, the dial has several such intricate details which “reveals the intricate mechanics beneath, a nod to the raw energy of the racetrack”. The watch, which comes with a 41mm case and a thickness of 15.2 mm, has the F1 logo at 6 o’clock and the Tag Heuer shield at 12 o’clock.
While the red dial does catch most of the attention, Tag Heuer has done a fabulous job to have white leather straps to complete the ensemble, and give it a rich, exquisite feel.
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The timepiece, which seems to be a 10-piece limited edition, has a power reserve of 65 hours and is water resistant up to 30 m. Since Tag Heuer has announced this watch on April 1, veteran photographer Kym Illman believes the timing is suspicious.
“This is an April fools joke from tag,” he wrote in the replies section to the post put up by @insaneluxurylife on Instagram. However, since Tag Heuer has even announced this watch on their website and via their Instagram stories, it definitely seems that they do have plans to launch this timepiece during this year’s Monaco GP weekend.
