I was reading an old weekend edition (4/5 Oct) of the Financial Times and ran across an article on a chance meeting between the FT's journalist Peter Howarth and Jack Heuer, fourth generation and designer of the Monaco. He's in his 70's and recounted the story of how Steve McQueen ended up with the Monaco on his wrist.

He wasn't supposed to wear it, but some other (Heuer) watch. But on the day of the shooting, he choose the Monaco because Joe Sieffert had a Heuer patch. Joe wore the Autavia, but Steve liked the Monaco better, and so choose it out of the many choices he was offered that day. Jack said Steve "...didn't know the brand, and obviously didn't have any idea of what he was about to start."

Jack Heuer left the company after it was sold but was asked back as honorary chairman and ambassador in 2000. Since then he's been working on new products as well as the recreations of the famous old watches.

Peter ended by asking if he could get a discount.

R/
Mark