OnTheDash - The definitive guide to Heuer

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What's New at OnTheDash

This "What's New" page has become "What's Old", as we are no longer updating the page. There are three ways that you can stay up-to-the-minute with everything happening with OnTheDash:

September 2011

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Amazing Looking Rally Master Pair -- For those who collect the dashboard Heuers, the real prize may be the Rally Master pair (Master Time and Monte Carlo), that actually came from the factory as a pair. And when we find an original Rally Master pair in its original yellow box, we have the ultimate "find" for the collector. This pair had been put away for decades, but has emerged in near perfect condition. (09/08/11)

August 2011

New Section of OnTheDash -- Instruction Booklets [to be added] (08/11/11)).

Heuer's Innovation -- The Rotating Tachymeter Bezel for Race Timing -- It all started with a simple question, exactly seven words, on our discussion forum, "would one ever rotate the Tachy bezel?” We answered this question, with a detailed explanation as to how the rotating tachymeter bezel is used for race timing. In exploring the tachymeter bezels, also we realized that the rotating tachymeter bezel was a Heuer innovation, incorporated into the mid-1960s Autavia. (08/11/11)).

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Two Black Autavia Chronomatics -- The black Chronomatic Autavia, Reference 1163 MH, is among the rarest of the vintage Heuers, with only three samples being known in our community of vintage Heuer collectors. What a pleasure to borrow a beautiful sample of a black Chronomatic Autavia, to photograph alongside my own watch. It may be a long time before we see two of these together again, so enjoy these photos! (08/30/11)

Autavia Reference 11630V [to be added]. (08/25/11)

June 2011

The Search for "Fab. Suisse" -- No doubt, we have all seen these small letters at the bottom of a few Heuer dials . . . "Fab. Suisse" (fabrique Suisse / made in Switzerland). But why do they appear, often just above the "Swiss"? We did some research and got some great responses to postings on discussions, and can report that we have solved the mystery. The words "Fab. Suisse" satisfy long-standing French legal requirements, that when a Swiss watch has a name that might suggest that it is made in France, it must be labelled to clearly indicate that it was made in Switzerland. (06/15/11)).

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Pair of Red-Tailed Auto-Rallyes -- Let's not forget how OnTheDash got started . . . with Heuer's legendary dashboard timers. And we won't see a prettier or more rare pair of dashboard timers than these Auto-Rallyes, with the distinctive "red tails". These are the second execution of the Auto-Rallye, from the mid-1950s. (06/23/11)

SkippeRrera -- First Version of the Skipper We have added lots of Skippers over the last few days, but none is more colorful and surprising than the very first model of the Skipper, Reference 7754. It's a Skipper dial in a Carrera case, so this collectors' favorite is known as the SkippeRrera. Special thanks to Laurent for these beautiful photos. (06/01/11)

May 2011

Skipper Section of OnTheDash.The Skipper had an interesting life -- seven different executions over the 1960s and 1970s, but never a case of its own. It began life in 1968 in a Carrera case, with this being followed by life in a variety of Autavia cases. The Skippers are colorful watches and we are proud to have updated the Skipper section of OnTheDash with dozens of amazing photos, many from members of our community. (5/27/11)

February 2011

Review of Bonhams Auction of the Haslinger Collection. It was the most successful sale of vintage Heuers in history, a glorious finish to TAG Heuer’s 150th anniversary celebration, an event that brought new visibility (and value) to the vintage Heuer chronographs. And so it is fitting that OnTheDash presents the broadest collaboration in our eight-year history, the largest webpage that we have assembled, The OnTheDash Review of Bonhams Auction of the Haslinger Collection. Eight contributors share their perspectives, with discussions of the auction and lot-by-lot reviews of most of the watches. (02/18/11)).

Automatic Carreras, Reference 1153. We have reorganized our section covering the first automatic Carreras, Reference 1153, to show 13 different models and executions. We start with the Chronomatics, then go through three primary executions of the 1153, and we end with the 110.253 and 110.255. Of course, after we reorganized the section, we have loaded it up with beautiful samples from our readers, so thanks to everyone for the contributions. (02/10/11)).

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Early Version of the Carrera Ref. 2447D. This is the lowest serial number, earliest sample of the Carrera 2447 that we have seen. Interesting elements include the hex-back case, the Ed. Heuer markings on the movement and case-back, and the co-branding with "Fisher", a scientific supply company located in Pennsylvania. But the prettiest feature of all is the decimal minutes track, with its deep blue paint. (09/17/10)

December 2010

Flash Review: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 1887.The Carrera was introduced in 1964, became automatic in 1969, became electronic in 1978, returned with a new automatic movement in the 1980s, and we re-introduced as part of the "Classics" line in 1996. Since then we have seen dozens of TAG Heuer Carreras (and Grand Carreraras), in a variety of styles and movements. TAG Heuer just just introduced a newly-redesigned version of the Carrera, powered by its brand new Callber 1887 movement. I've worn this one for two days and am declaring that it may be one of the most important Carreras that we have seen since 1964. (12/26/10)

November 2010

Bonhams Auction of the Haslinger Collection. Bonhams will hold the largest all-Heuer auction in history, when it offers the Haslinger collection, on December 15, 2010, in London. We have created a special section covering this auction, which includes a reference table, describing each of teh 81 lots, as well as a Gallery with high-resolution photos of each of the watches. Our coverage of this historic auction marks an expansion of the Auction section of OnTheDash, which covers Heuers being sold by the major auction houses. (11/12/10)

October 2010

Heuer Dive Watch Reference Table. Heuer launched a range of divers watches in 1979 which became the mainstay of the Heuer product range up to the time TAG Group acquired Heuer in the mid 1980's. Our Dive Watch Reference Table provides comprehensive information about these watches, which include the 1000 Series, the Superprofessionals, the Day / Dates and the Deep Dive Watches. Paul Gavin took the lead in creating this Dive Watch Reference Table, with input and assistance from David Chalmers, Jarl Rehn-Erichsen, Marius Jensen, Stewart Morley and Mark Moss. (10/28/10)

September 2010

Heuer 1982 Specialty Catalog. This is an interesting color catalog, including men's and women's quartz dive watches, some gold, balck and two-tone watches, and some of our old mechanical favorites -- the Autavia 11630, Skipper 15640, Calculator, Montreal and Pasadena, as well as the super rare Autavia Diver 100, Reference 11630. This catalog also had a June 1982 price list tucked inside, so you can see the New Autavia Diver 100 at $395 or the Pasadena at $485. (09/01/10)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Early Version of the Carrera Ref. 2447D. This is the lowest serial number, earliest sample of the Carrera 2447 that we have seen. Interesting elements include the hex-back case, the Ed. Heuer markings on the movement and case-back, and the co-branding with "Fisher", a scientific supply company located in Pennsylvania. But the prettiest feature of all is the decimal minutes track, with its deep blue paint. (09/17/10)

July 2010

The Best of OnTheDash.com. Now in its eighth year, it seemed useful to create a page that would list and link to the very best of OnTheDash. This page will be the quickest way to navigate to our most frequently viewed pages, and is also a great starting point for people who want to get an overview of the type of information that we present here at OnTheDash.com. Yes, we are proud of this "Greatest Hits" page! (7/6/10)

June 2010

Collectors Weekly: Interview with Jeff Stein. An in-depth interview about collecting vintage chronographs, with a focus on the vintage Heuers -- as you might expect. (6/5/10)

May 2010

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

One Watch; Three Looks. The "Transitional" Monacos seem to be in favor right about now, and frequent contributor David DeVos shares some amazing photos of his beautiful sample. David demonstrates that this watch can have three very different looks, depending on the angle of view, lighting, etc. Thanks, David, for these photos, and all the others that you have contributed over the years. (5/13/10)

March 2010

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Three New Old Stock Chronogarphs I don't usually chase the "New Old Stock" watches, but enjoyed hosting these three for a while. True NOS is amazing to behold. All three of these arrived with their original bracelets, boxes and papers. (03/24/10)

January 2010

State of the Collection 2009. Here they are . . . 82 of my favorite watches, all in my collection at year-end 2009. Creating this page helps me think about why I collect these watches, which might be happier in new homes, and which new watches should be added to the collection in the year 2010. Crazy thoughts. (1/17/10)

December 2009

18 Karat Gold Carrera, Ref. 1158. This is one of the "grails" of the vintage Carreras. Two of our OnTheDash regulars have just bought these watches (as shown below), so it seemed like the time had come to create a new section of OnTheDash to show the watches and tell the amazing story. We show six versions of the watch, include amazing photos from several regular contriutors, and include some new background information about these watches. .(12/22/09)

Patrizzi & Co. -- All Heuer Auction. Patrizzi & Co. held the first "All Heuer" auction in recent memory, on November 30, in Milan. We provide high resolution photos of many of the interesting lots, as well as a table with the results of the auction and comments on some of the more interesting lots. Our coverage of this Patrizzi auction is part of a new section of OnTheDash, which will cover Heuers being sold by the major auction houses. (12/15//09)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Carrera Reference 1158 CHN (18 Karat Gold; Champagne / Black Dial). OK, I'll admit it -- I'm a copy cat. Gianvittorio, Abel, Arno and Mark began talking up these 18 karat gold Carreras a few months ago, and I began to get interested. Then I'm checking the usual dealer sites one morning and there it is -- a stunning 1158 CHN on the original bracalet. Now I can say that I understand what the fuss was all about. (12/24/09)

Carrera Reference 1158 S (18 Karat Gold; Silver Dial). The 18 karat gold Carreras are rare, and the models with the silver dial may be the rarest-of-the-rare. We have added some amazing photos from Gianvittorio Molteni, showing his recently-acquired 1158S Carrera. If there is a "Gold Rush" starting at OnTheDash, we can say that Gianvittorio got it started with this beauty.(12/22/09)

Silverstone Limited Edition -- Saw It; Wore It; Loved It. I visited TAG-Heuer's U.S. headquarters, and the new Silverstone LImited Edition was all the talk there. I was able to see it and wear it, and even take some photos (in a dark restaurant), and then I posted a few quick impressions, on our discussion forum. These will be available in early 2010, but catch a sneak preview here. (12/11/09)

Autavia Diver, Ref. 11630 P (Decompression Bezel). I'm not usually an "NOS" collector, in that I buy my watches to wear them, but this one came my way, and is an absolute stunner. The Autavia 11630Ps, with the orange accents on the dial and bezel are among the favorites in our collunity of collectors. And they just don't get any better than this one. (12/10/09)

November 2009

Technical Manual for Chronomatic (Cal 11 / Cal 12) Movements. With the focus on the Chronomatic movements, it seemed like a good time to add some new and improved scans of the Technical Manual that was issued with these movements. Study the beautiful diagrams and parts lists to learn more about these movements. (11/07/09)

Development of the Chronomatic Movements. The venture formed by Heuer and Breitling introduced the Caliber 11 (Chronomatic) movement in March 1969, and the movement went into commercial production during the Summer of 1969, making it the world's first automatic chronograph. But the Caliber 11 was only the beginning of the line of movements that would power the Heuers and Breitlings, into the 1980's. In this new webpage, we follow the development of the Chronomatic movements, from Caliber 11, to 11-I, to 12 and then to 15. Understand why the changes were made, and learn to spot correct elements of each movement. (11/06/09)

October 2009

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Monaco, Reference 74033G. At first it looks like a "normal" grey Monaco, and then you notice that the crown is on the right, and not on the left. Yes, indeed, this is the 74033 manual-wind Monaco, among the rarest of all the Heuer chronographs. We thank David DeVos for providing beautiful photos of a spectacular Monaco. This watch may no longer be in your collection, but we are thrilled that the memories live on! (10/22/09)

Monaco, Reference 73633B. There has been much discussion lately about the meaning of "New Old Stock" or "NOS", with the discussion focusing on a couple of Monaco Reference 73633B chronographs. In order to show what a true NOS Monaco looks like, 35 years later, we have added an amazing example from the AMH collection. (10/15/09)

Carrera 12 Dato, Reference 2547NS. These are among the community's all-time favorites, the Carrera 12 Dato, black dial with white registers, and the day-date-month calendar. This one has just been restored by Abel Court, so have a look at the "before" photos and the "after" photos, to see how an old watch can be transformed through the work of a master. (10/15/09)

September 2009

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Abercrombie Seafarer, 2443 Version (Early). Yes, we added a Heuer Mareographe a few days ago, but how could we let the summer pass without adding at least one Abercrombie Seafarer, everyone's favorite chronograph for the beach. This is a favorite version, from the mid-1950's -- colorful dial in the larger (38mm) Reference 2443 case; powered by the Valjoux 72 movement. (09/05/09)

August 2009

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

New Section for Heuer Mareographes. We are accustomed to seeing a variety of models of the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer, but most of the Heuer Mareographes that we see are in the same Reference 2446C-style "compressor" case. After doing some digging, we have assembled a new section of OnTheDash that includes several versions of the Heuer Mareographe. (08/25/09)

July 2009

1976 Heuer Brochure. This brochure features chronographs, stopwatches and dashboard timers, and shows the transition from the mechanical timepieces to the electronic timepieces (Chronosplit, Microsplit and the Quartz Clock for the table). (07/31/09)

May 2009

Book Review: "Heuer Chronographen". Arno Haslinger has produced a magnificent book, covering primarily the Heuer chronographs of the 1960's and 1970's, and my review of the book appears in the June 2009 issue of International Watch magazine. Check out the review to get a new perspective on the Heuers and their relationship to racers, racecars and racing from the "golden era" of motorsports. (05/25/09)

Updated Carrera Reference Table. We published the first version of our Carrera Reference Table in May 2003, and the table covered 29 models / versions of the Carrera, from the period 1969 through 1985. Six years later, we have updated and expanded the table, so that it now covers over 100 models / versions, from the introduction of the Carrera in 1964, through the mid-1980's. (05/03/09)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Carreras with Barrel-Style Cases. You can love them, or you can hate them, but one thing is for sure -- you can't ignore them! These automatics, powered by the Caliber 12 and Caliber 15 movements, are big and bold, with some distinctive dials. So visit our Galleries showing these Carreras, and then decide whether you might need one of these, when you are in the mood for something "very 70's". (05/05/09)

Carrera 45 Datos. After we updated the Carrera Reference Table, it was time to reorganize the Carrera section of OnTheDash and to add some new Carreras to OnTheDash. So we have reorganized the Carrera 45 Dato section of OnTheDash, and I have added this Reference 3147N to my collection. This is the later version, with the date at nine o'clock.

February 2009

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Monaco, Reference 1133B (Early Transitional Model). In mid-February 2009 there seemed to be a sudden interest in these "transitional" Monacos, so we created a new section of OnTheDash dedicated to this model. These were the production models that came between the very first Monacos (with "Chronomatic" on the dial) and the Monacos that we saw throughout the early 1970's. Distinctive features include the polished sttel hands, with the squared tips. (02/14/09)

January 2009

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Reference 2447, with Early Valjoux 72 Movement. We have added a beautiful Reference 2447 chronograph, and this one is special in that it is powered by a very early version of the Valjoux 72 movement. In honor of our adding this watch, we have also opened a new section of OnTheDash covering the Reference 2447 chronographs from the 1940's. Yes, these are the predecessors of the Carreras, which also have the 2447 reference number. (01/04/09)

November 2008

Fake Heuer Index Mobile Sold by Antiquorum. Sure there are thousands of fine vintage watches sold by the leading auction houses each year, and most of them appear to be authentic, but what do we learn when Antiquorum (the auction house that specializes in watches) knowingly sells a fake Heuer. On a special webpage that follows the action day-by-day, we describe the research that was done through OnTheDash and Chronocentric, the information that was presented to Antiquorum, and -- unfortunately -- the results of the auction. (11/15/08)

September 2008

Barack Obama's TAG-Heuer. He is one of the world's most photographed persons, so what a great surprise to discover that Senator Barack Obama has been wearing a TAG-Heuer Series 1500 Two-Tone Diver for several years. In a special webpage, we provide the details of this TAG-Heuer watch, as well as the new "Secret Service" logo chronograph that Obama has been wearing for the past year. (09/25/08)

August 2008

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Three Register, Reference 2447 I am determined to make some progress, in sorting out the reference numbers of the 1940's and 50's chronographs. This one appears to be a Reference 2447, from the mid-1940's. It is rare to find the Heuer chronographs from this era with black dials, as the white ones seem to have been more common. (08/06/08)

July 2008

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Black PVD Monaco. Among the many mysteries of vintage Heuer chronographs, perhaps none is debated as intensely as the question of the Black PVD Monacos. How many were made? Normal production or prototype only? Even the reference numbers stamped into the cases have a typographical error. One thing we can be sure of: this is a fantastic looking chronograph. We have created a Registry for the Black PVD Monacos, to track these rare chronographs. (07/31/08)

A.M.I. Chronograph. I have been trying to buy one of these A.M.I. chronographs for the longest time, but they always escaped at the last moment -- sniped on ebay, so-called seller who took my money and delivered an empty envelope, and several other near misses. Well, I finally have one and I am loving it! This one shows some considerable use, but it wears its nicks and scratches well. The hands and luminous have both gone to a nice even shade of tan. (07/08/08)

Triple Calendar Chronograph -- Early Version. This is a very early version of Heuer's triple calendar chronograph, reference 2543. The flatter Heuer logo tells us that this is an early version; the serial number on the movement (500521) places this one in early 1946. (07/01/08)

June 2008

"Project 99" -- The Race to Develop the First Automatic Chronograph. The March and May 2008 issues of International Watch magazine included Parts One and Two of a series of articles describing the race to produce the world's first automatic chronograph. We have all heard the story before, with each of Heuer-Breitling-Hamilton, Zenith and Seiko claiming to have been the first. Read this webpage or PDF version of these articles, and draw your own conclusion about the question of "Who Won the Race? (06/05/08)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Three Register Chronograph, Reference 345. This Reference 345 chronograph probably dates from the early 1950's, and was sold by the Brazilian watch and jewelry retailer, Casa Masson. Lots of age / patina on this one, but it seems to be entirely original. (06/28/08).

Silverstone -- Reference 110.313B. It's an age-old debate among the Heuer collectors: Which is the coolest Silverstone, the red, the blue or the smoke-colored version? We won't undertake to answer that question, but we will present an excellent example of the blue Silverstone, so that you can make your own decision! (06/15/08).

March 2008

Vintage Collectors Summit, May 18 to 20, 2008, Switzerland. Here it is, by popular demand . . . our first trip to the holy land . . . La Chaux-de-Fonds and Neuchatel, Switzerland!! Our friends at TAG-Heuer have invited us to come for a visit -- to see the new TAG-Heuer 360 Museum (and private archives), to have dinner with Jack Heuer, to have training in watchmaking, to meet with TAG-Heuer CEO, Jean-Christophe Babin, and to hunt for vintage watches in beautiful Neuchatel. For more detailed information, have a look at our special Webpage Covering the Summit.

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Carrera 12 -- Reference 2447NS. Many people refer to black-on-white Carrera 12 (2447SN) as one of the "grails" of the vintage Heuers, but have a look at this white-on-black (2447NS), and then make the decision about which is your personal "grail". This one is fully restored, on a new old stock grains-of-rice bracelet. Recently, there seems to be considerable interest in the Carrera 12's; have a look at this one, and you will understand the enthusiasm! (03/01/08).

January 2008

Opening of the TAG-Heuer 360 Museum On January 30, 2008, TAG-Heuer opened its new TAG-Heuer 360 Museum, located at the company's headquarters building, in La Chaux-De-Fonds. I attended the Opening and related events; read about it and see the photos in my Blog / Journal covering the festivities.

State of the Collection (2007) Well, I have done three of these "State of Collection" images, so now it is established as an annual tradition. Some of the additions during the year 2007 included a Chronomatic Monaco, a "grail" Carrera (Reference 2447SN), a Dugena "Poor Man's" Autavia (in Siffert colors), a couple of Rolexes (Reference 6610 Explorer and Reference 2940 Bubbleback), and a Guinand Buren 12 Chronomatic, the first watch to use the Caliber 12 movement in over 20 years. Use this image as a visual "Index" to OnTheDash or see how the State of the Collection images have evolved from 2005 and 2006.

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Ford Split Lap Unit 77 Without a doubt, this is the strangest looking chronograph ever made by Heuer. The year was 1977; the occasion was to mark the success of the Ford Rallye Sport (RS) team; the chronograph was a bizarre combination of LED modules, mounted in a case with a 30 degree bend in the back, and the battery compartments up front. In recent years, this has become one of the "cult" Heuers, with working models especially rare. (01/20/08).

Monaco, Reference 73633G Sure, there are those who believe that Monacos should be midnight blue, with white registers, and powered by the Caliber 12 automatic movement. But have a look at this gray, three-register, manual-wind Monaco, and you might be convinced that the gray ones are just fine. (01/15/08).

December 2007

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Guinand Buren 12 Chronomatic. Conventional wisdom has it that the last chronographs powered by the Caliber 12 movement were made in the mid-1980's. Then along comes Helmut Sinn, finds a couple of hundred of the Caliber 12 movements, and decides to produce a limited edition of 100 Buren 12 Chronomatics powered by these movements. This is the first new watch that I have purchased, and I am especially happy that it bears the serial number "11" (to mark the original Chronomatic movement, the Caliber 11). (12/26/07)

Rally-Master Pair -- Quartz Master Time. A quartz movement in a plastic case? What could we have been thinking when we added this one? We be thinking that Heuer made it, so we will display it! We also be thinking that this one has the same looks as the mechanical Master Times, with a reliable movement that keeps very accurate time. Speaking of the movement, be sure to have a look at this very neat looking design. (12/15/07)

November 2007

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Italian Air Force A.M.I. Chronograph -- Reference 510.543. Powered by the Lemania 5100 movement, these chronographs were made specially for the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI, Italian Air Force). This is one of Heuer's "cult" watches -- collectors chase them for years; they appear suddenly and vanish even more quickly. I will admit that I "missed" this one . . . it has been sold to another collector. Still, the consolation prize is that we have some spectacular photographs for OnTheDash.(11/28/07).

Gray Automatic Monaco -- Reference 1133G. For all those folks who believe that Monacos should be blue, we invite you to have a look at this one -- Reference 1133G. This one is one the original NSA bracelet, and in its original box. Have a look, then decide whether all the Monacos need to be blue, or whether there might be a place in your collection for a gray one. (11/13/07).

Breitling Chrono-Matic GMT. OK, so it's not a Heuer. But (a) it's cool enough to be a Heuer, (b) it's big enough to be a Heuer, and (c) it shares the Caliber 14 movement with the Heuer Autavia GMT chronographs, making it something of a "first cousin" to the Heuers. A key difference between the cousins is that while Heuer produced many of the Autavia GMT's, over several years, the Breitling GMT's are exceedingly scarce. (11/01/07).

October 2007

A Collector's History: Heuer Chronographs (Part One). This is Part One of what will be a Four Part history of Heuer chronographs, written from the collector's perspective. In this article, published in the November 2007 issue of International Watch, Jeff Stein covers the key models produced during the years 1935 through 1969, so we start with the Fliegers (pilots watches) and finish with the Autavias, Carreras and Camaros. Part Two of this series will continue the story, with a history of the Caliber 11 / Chronomatics. (10/20/07)

1969-70 Chronosport Catalog (Complete). These old Chronosport catalogs are amazing -- you can see the Heuers, side-by-side with the Breitlings, Yemas, Sicuras, Gallets and numerous other brands or chronographs, pilots watches, and dives watches. This 1969-70 catalog is a particular favorite, as it features the introduction of the Chronomatic automatic chronographs, from Breitling and Heuer. Being from the 1960's, this catalog also has numerous images of beautiful racecars and beautiful women. (10/10/07)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Very Early Monaco Chronomatic. The "Paintless Wonder" or the "Sunburned Monaco", it is likely that this is one of the very first Monacos produced. In fact, it may be one of the 10 pre-production Monacos assembled by Heuer, before the launch of the Chronomatics / Caliber 11 in March 1969. This one has no serial or reference numbers; the movement is a very early Caliber 11; and, most notably, the midnight blue paint has all but disappeared. Other elements of the early Chronomatics are the squared tips of the hands, and the blueish tint of the luminous on the hands and dial.

Revised Chronosplit Section. One of our readers sent some excellent photos of his Tiffany's Chronosplit, and we marked the occasion by re-designing the Chronosplit section of OnTheDash. We have divided the Chronosplit section into three primary areas -- the early LCD / LED Chronosplits, the later LCD / LCD Chronosplits, and -- strangest of all -- the Ford Split Lap Unit 77 (one of the rarest and most mysterious Heuers).

September 2007

Vintage Heuer Price Guide -- Updated ! ! ! Since we published our first Vintage Heuer Price Guide, in February 2006, the market for these timepieces has been very strong. Rather than simply updating the prices, we have completely overhauled the 2007 Vintage Heuer Price Guide, and added a column for up-to-the-minute updates. If you want to compare the September 2007 prices to the February 2006 prices, you can still see our 2006 Vintage Heuer Price Guide. (09/23/07)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

A Pasadena -- At Last. So my friend, Chuck, has been bugging me for years to get a Pasadana . . . perhaps Heuer's ultimate "tool watch". Being a genuine tool watch, I never wanted to pay top dollar for the Pasadena, so I probably missed 10 of them over the years, sometimes by $5 and sometimes by $500. Well, I was finally successful, and have been enjoying this one. Why did I wait so long! (09/20/07)

August 2007

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Carrera with Decimal Minutes -- Reference 2447D. We have added the "Grail" Carrera, so let's go back and add some of the other Carrera 12's from the 1960's. This one is the Reference 2447D, with the "D" indicating that the watch has the decimal minutes scale on the dial. This version of the Carrera was popular among racers and rally navigators, as course notes and times are indicated in hundredths of minutes (1/100), rather than seconds. (08/30/07)

The "Grail" Carrera -- Reference 2447SN. Some call these the "black-eyed" Carreras; others refer to the contrasting registers; most collectors would agree that this Carrera is one of the "Grails". After coming so close on so many occasions over the past couple of years, I finally landed this one, and it has become one of the favorites in my collection. (08/25/07)

June 2007

Registry of First Execution Autavias. Inspired by the addition of the earliest Autavia to OnTheDash, we have created a registry of the earliest Autavias. Use this register to learn about the variations of these Autavias and to examine the elements that make this model unique -- registers, hands, crown, pushers and bezel. Even better, if you own one of these old guys, send us a photo and your serial number, and you can be a part of the registry!! (06/27/07)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

The Oldest Autavia. Here it is -- the very first execution of the very first Heuer chronograph to have a model name . . . the "Autavia". The first execution Autavias had the big white registers, the duaphine hands and a screw-back case. The very first ones featured all-luminous hands. This sample is notable for being early and entirely original, and for the even aging of the luminous on the hands, dial and bezel.(06/27/07)

April 2007

Vintage Fantasy League (5-4-8) -- Five Watches for $8,000. It began as a discussion in my office: "If you had a budget of $8,000 to spend on a collection of five watches, what would you buy?" From the office, it went to our Heuer Discussion Forum. And from the Discussion Forum, it has become an article in the April 2007 issue of International Watch. You can read an HTML version of the article or print the PDF version. Special thanks to David Devos and Ralf Beinenz for providing the beautiful photographs of our dream watches. (04/15/07).

February 2007

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Reference 2558 -- Rich Man's Triple Calendar Chronograph. A few days ago, we added the "Poor Man's" Triple Calendar Chronograph. So it only seems fair that we add the "Rich Man's" Triple Calendar Chronograph. And believe me, this one is the full treatment: 18 karat gold, with gold accents on the dial. Engraving and paperwork shows that it was purchased in Basel, in 1946, for 840 Francs (equivalent to $192 dollars). Click the thumbnail (to the left) to see the usual Gallery of photographs, or have a look at the special page showing this watch and telling its "story". (02/21/07)

Aristo -- Poor Man's Triple Calendar Chronograph. I just love the "poor man's Heuers", and this is an absolute favorite within that category. A triple calendar (day-date-month), three register chronograph, this one was made by Heuer but sells for less than half the price of the "real thing". This one is every bit as pretty, and seems to be as well made as the comparable Heuer. (02/07/07)

January 2007

State of the Collection (2006). It started innocently enough, late in 2005, with the idea that it might be fun to create one image that would have thumbnails / links to every Heuer in my collection. So last year, we published "44Heuers", which showed the collection at year-end 2005. This year, we have expanded to the "State of the Collection" approach, displaying 40 Heuers, 10 of the "poor man's" Heuers and 10 other chronographs. Each thumbnail is a link to an OnTheDash Gallery, so you can use this image as a quick way to navigate portions of the website. (01/18/06)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

"Non-Calculator" Calculator. The "Calculator" was one of Heuer's distinctive creations. The Heuer Calculators offered the slide rule functions of the legendary Breitling Navitimer, but by moving the slide rule outside the crystal, Heuer greatly increased the legibility and usefulness of this instrument. Presented here is the rarest version of the Calculator. In fact, it's not a Calculator at all, but the Reference 11633 MHT, with Minute / Hour and Tachy bezels in the place of the slide rule. Heuer described this one as its "universal all-purpose chronograph"; we are delighted to see this sample and we thank Shaum Wainstein for capturing it and sending these wonderful photographs. (01/25/07).

Autavia Decompression Chronograph. The decompression chronograph, Reference 11630P, has a specilly marked bezel, to allow divers to retrun safely to the surface. With the orange trim and the luminous black dial, this is one of the most colorful of the Autavias. These watches tended to be worn hard, and most seem to have taken a beating over the years. Here is a pristine example, freshly restored, with the perfectly-matched black / orange strap. (01/17/07).

Two-Button Flieger Chronograph. In 1935, Heuer produced its first Flieger (Pilot's) chronographs, with their distinctive rotating coin-edge bezels. The first ones (shown below -- October 2006) features a single pusher, which provided start / stop / reset. A few years, Heuer added the second pusher, which procied for start / stop / re-start on the top pusher and reset on the bottom pusher. This one has the orogonal hands and aged luminous on the dial. (01/17/07).

October 2006

TAG-Heuer Stakes Its Claim -- The First Swiss Watch in Space!! On October 26, 2006, TAG-Heuer made the big announcement -- that Heuer was the first Swiss timepiece in space, having been worn by John Glenn on his February 1962 mission. This news was the lead story on TAG-Heuer's website and was also the subject of a global Press Release issued by TAG-Heuer. It's very exciting that OnTheDash was part of this discovery, and we are proud to have presneted TAG-Heuer with this proud chapter of its history. (10/26/06)

International Watch -- The Discovery of John Glenn's Heuer. The November 2006 issue of International Watch tells the story of how OnTheDash discovered and researched the story of John Glenn's Heuer stopwatch, the first Swiss watch to go into space. Special thanks to the folks at International Watch, for taking a keen interest in this story and having John Glenn's Heuer stopwatch share the cover with Uma Thurman and a beautiful two-tone TAG-Heuer Carrera. A one / two punch for TAG-Heuer: John Glenn and an old stopwatch; Uma Thurman and TAG-Heuer's new focus on the Strength and Beauty (of Women and Watches). Here is a PDF version of the cover of IW and the article about the discovery of John Glenn's Heuer. (10/23/06)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

One-Button Flieger Chronograph. Among the earliest and rarest of the Heuer chronographs are the "Fliegers", the pilots watches of the 1930's and 1940's. We have added one of the earlier, one-button models, from around 1935. The one-button chronograph goes through a start / stop / reset sequence, with no ability for time-in and time-out (pausing). This sample is well-worn, with lots of "character". (10/15/06).

July 2006

John Glenn's Heuer -- The First Swiss Watch in Space. For years, watch enthusiasts have studied the watches and chronographs used by the astronauts, from the earliest Mercury flights to the current missions to the International Space Station. Although the conventional wisdom has suggested that Breitling and Omega were the first Swiss watches to be used in space, our review of NASA records and photographs confirms that Heuer was actually the first brand in space, when John Glenn wore a Heuer stopwatch on his February 1962 mission. Read the story of John Glenn's Heuer; go to our stopwatch section to examine samples of the Reference 2915-A stopwatch (07/30/06)

June 2006

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Autavia Reference 1163T -- Orange Trim. This is a rare one -- brushed steel hands, with triangular orange tips, to match the orange accents on the dial. Notice that even the needles on the chronograph registers are a "burnt orange". This one is similar to the final version of the "Siffert" Autavia, except that the black and orange elements replace the white and blue elements of the "Siffert". (06/07/06)

March 2006

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Three Register, Manual Monaco -- Ref. 73633. With all the issues about the fakes and "put together" three register Monacos, it's nice to see one known to be genuine. This one came from the original purchaser, in the original box, on the original corfam strap . . . and, of course, the original dial and hands. (03/23/06)

TAG-Heuer Pilots Chronograph (Quartz). OK, I'll admit it . . . sometimes we can be snobs. We grimmace when we see the "TAG" above the "Heuer"; we are jarred by the "tick" of the quartz movement. But I've got to say, this is one nice watch -- the slide-rule makes it useful, the quartz makes it accurate, and the price is usually right. So let's be open-minded!! (03/21/06)

Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer -- Carrera-Style. The Seafarers are always among the favorites, and this is one of the rarest and most popular versions. The classic blue and white of the Seafarer look right at home in the reference 2447 (Carrera) case. One of our readers (Tommy Couples of Vintage Time, in Alexandria, Va.) listed this Seafarer for sale, and we managed to find it a good home in the OTD family. (03/01/06)

February 2006

Vintage Heuer Price Guide Those of us involved with OnTheDash and the Chronocentric Heuer Discussion Forum receive a steady stream of e-mail messages, inquiring about the value of these old watches. Whether someone has found the old Heuer in grandpa's sock drawer or on a dealer's website, "What's it worth?" is a very common question. We have constructed a Price Guide that divides the world of vintage Heuer timepieces into an A List and a B List; we then divide each of these two lists into three tiers, with estimated price ranges for each tier. Have a look, and let us know whether there are other watches that should be on these Lists, and whether you agree with the values.(02/13/06)

January 2006

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Pocket Chronograph -- Reference 11204. These split-second chrongraphs, which date from the 1960's, were used for timing rallies. The chronographs were started by the official timer, then placed inside the distinctive red or black carrying cases to ensure that the timing could not be stopped or adjusted. The pusher at 11:00 allowed the person using the chronograph to take split readings, but the stopwatch could not be stopped once placed inside the case. (01/20/06)

Abercrombie & Fitch Three-Register Chronograph. Of all the Heuers and Abercrombies, this three register chrono ranks as one of my all-time favorites. The screw-back case is rock-solid; the dial is clean and simple; and look at those nice big registers. (01/11/06)

December 2005

Stop the Madness!. Since I started this website almost three years ago, there is one question that will just not go away: "How many Heuers do you own?" Depending who is asking the question, the answer may vary between "just a few" to "more than you" to "one of every model and variation ever made by Heuer". To answer this question once and for all, I created a Table showing a thumbnail of each watch in the collection. Each of the thumbnails will take you to the OnTheDash Gallery for the watch, so the Table also provides an easy way to browse this website. Click here to see the collection. (12/19/05)

International Watch Article: Collecting 120 -- How to Sell a Watch (Part One). In this article, we discuss the collector's "Unspeakable Act" -- selling a watch. If you can get yourself to do it, selling a watch (or even multiple watches) may actually enhance your collecting experience. This article helps with such issues as determining whether to sell, selecting the market in which you will sell, describing your watch, preparing the watch for sale, and taking the photographs that will support your effort. Available in HTML and PDF (12/01/05)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Triple Calendar Chronographs -- Ref 2543. Just a few days ago, we added our first triple calendar chronograph, a Reference 2543 with a copper dial. Now we are adding two of these fantastic chronographs that have the silver dials. This is one of the classics, with the gold hands and accents on the dial. Thanks to Par Wallstrom for sending photos of his beautiful chronograph. (12/18/05).

Three Register Chronograph -- Ref 2445. This might be one of the prettiest chronographs ever made by Heuer -- gold-plated case; dauphine hands; gold accents on the dial. This is one of the last models produced by Heuer prior to the introduction of the "named" models -- Autavia, Carrera, etc. You can also see this model in Heuer's 1962 Chronograph Brochure. (12/10/05).

November 2005

1978 Catalog. If you are looking for a catalog that spans the mechanical / quartz divide, and covers a broad range of watches from this transitional period, then you will enjoy this catalog. This catalog shows the full line of Cal 12 automatic chronographs (Carrera, Autavia, Verona, Cortina) and the Valjoux 7750-powered Montreal, as well as the recently-introduced Chronosplit and Manhattan GMT quartz chronographs. Heuer proudly presented its new line of Microsplit LCD stopwatches, which would be used to time the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. The catalog also shows the full line of Cavallino miniature racing helmet desk clocks. (11/20/05)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Triple Calendar Chronographs Added. At long last, we have created a section for the triple calendar chronographs from the late 1940's / early 1950's. And what better way to start than with this copper / salmon dialed Reference 2543 chronograph. (11/25/05)

Chrono for the Italian Air Force (AMI). The Heuer Reference 510.543 was produced solely for the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, also known as the "AMI"). This is one of the most valuable and sought-after of the 5100-powered Heuer chronographs. Have a look at our detailed photos of two samples. (11/25/05)

The First "Heuer" Regate / Regatta. Ugly case; lousy movement; dull colors; not even manufactured by Heuer; the name "Heuer" appearing only as an afterthought. But this was the start of what became the Regatta line of chronographs, which were made for the next 20 years. (11/15/05)

October 2005

1976 Stopwatch Catalog. We have added scans of a 1976 Stopwatch Catalog. This catalog features Microsplit Electronic Stopwatches, a variety of split-second stopwatches and the full range of dashboard timers, now in their "high impact plastic cases". With the addition of this catalog to our collection, OnTheDash now covers 36 catalogs or brochures, spanning the period from 1938 through 1986. (10/20/05)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Monaco -- Black PVD The Monaco, Reference 74033, in Black PVD is one of the more controversial Heuer chronographs. Some deny that Heuer made them; others describe a limited run of less than 20 pieces; on these Monacos, there are almost as many stories as there are watches. We show several examples. Curious that no two of them are exactly (or even remotely) alike? (10/10/05)

Heuer Mareographe The Heuer Mareographe is the first cousin of the Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer, but is far more scarce. David Devos has provided photographs of a beautiful Mareographe, and we have also added a sheet of operating instructions. (10/09/05)

September 2005

International Watch Article: Collecting 110 -- How to Buy a Watch (Part Two). In Part One of the series (published in June 2005), OnTheDash contributors Chuck Maddox, Ralf Beinenz and Jeff Stein wrote about searching for watches and doing the research before you buy them. Part Two of the series (published in September 2005) focuses on the next steps in the process -- determining the value, formulating your bid, documenting the purchase and arranging for delivery of the watch. View scans of this article in HTML or in PDF. (09/04/05)

August 2005

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Abercrombie & Fitch Auto-Graph. This is one of the rarest of the Heuer chronographs, made for Abercrombie & Fitch in the early 1950's. We have updated our menu page and also included a set of operating instructions that explains the unique features of this chronograph. (08/24/05)

July 2005

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Carrera 12 -- Decimal Version. Here is a rare version of the Carrera 12, with decimal minutes on the dial. In its brochure for the Carreras, Heuer billed this one as "ideal for engineers, technicians and efficiency analysts." We suspect that a few automobile racers and rallyists also found it to be useful. (07/05/05)

June 2005

International Watch Article: Collecting 110 -- How to Buy a Watch (Part One). The June 2005 issue of International Watch features the first part of an article by OnTheDash contributors Chuck Maddox, Ralf Beinenz and Jeff Stein's, entitled "Collecting 110 -- How to Buy a Watch". This article provides advice on topics such as searching for watches, asking the seller the tough questions and examining the photographs. View scans of this article in HTML or in PDF. (06/25/05)

May 2005

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Lemania 5100-Powered; Reference 510.501 The Series 1000 chronographs, powered by the Lemania 5100, are among the most popular of the pre-TAG Heuers. We have added the black PVD-coated version of this model. (05/25/05)

Belair GMT -- A Heuer "Look-Alike" OK, so it's not a Heuer, and wasn't even made by Heuer. But it's a great looking, well-built chronograph, and many of us enjoy collecting these types of "look-alikes". We have added a "Look-Alikes" section on our Poor-Man's Page. (05/20/05)

April 2005

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Autavia -- Decompression (Divers) Model. Ken Jacobs of WannaBuyAWatch (Los Angeles) asked the usual questions -- "What are those weird numbers on the bezel?" and "Why does it say 'Meters' on the bezel?". We provided the answer, in exchange for the photo, and now we are both happy. (04/28/05)

Silverstone -- Reference 510.403. Here is a super rare version of the Silverstone, powered by the Lemania 5100 movement. It's a variation of the Reference 510.403 chronograph, with the name "Silverstone" added to the dial. Here it is side-by-side with the Cal 12 powered Silverstone. (04/01/05)

March 2005

Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarers. We have added a Comparison Table that shows the various models of the Seafarer, from its introduction in the early 1950's, through the last version over 20 years later. We chronicle nine versions that utilized five different cases. (03/06/05)

February 2005

1983 Chronograph Catalog. We have added scans of the 1983 "The Time for Action" chronograph catalog, one of the last of the pre-TAG catalogs. It features the Lemania 5100-powered chronographs and the Golden Hours collection, as well as several dive watches. (02/19/05)

International Watch Article -- Collecting 101. The February 2005 issue of International Watch features Jeff Stein's article, "Collecting 101 -- A Primer for Watch Collectors". This article provides advice on a broad range of topics, such as selecting your theme, determining your budget, developing your collection and arriving at an approach to selling. View this article in HTML or in PDF. (02/01/05)

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Welcome Regattas ! ! ! Our readers wanted to see the Regattas, so we have added them. Have a look at five different versions of these colorful and useful chronographs. (02/23/05)

Montreals, Montreals, Montreals. We have freshened up the Montreal section, with dozens of new photographs -- black, blue and white, steel and PVD, we show them all. Thanks to our photographers / contributors for brightening this section with their stunning photographs. (02/17/05)

Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer -- Circa 1955. Seafarer season seems to have started early this year, so we'll celebrate the arrival of the beach season with this near mint Seafarer, circa 1960. This one has original band, box and instructions. (02/16/05)

Silverstone -- Reference 110.313R (Red). David Devos has sent some beautiful photos of his Silverstones. Have a look at these incredible red and blue chronographs. (02/13/05)

Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer -- Circa 1960.This rare version of the Seafarer has beautiful green and gold trim, is powered by a variation of the Valjoux 72, and features a large hex-back case. (02/12/05)

Silverstone -- Reference 110.313F (Smoke). We have added some outstanding photographs of a smoke-dialed (fume) Silverstone, courtesy of Ralf Beinenz. (02/12/05)

Calculator -- Reference 110.633. Thanks to Ralf Beinenz for some excellent photographs of a Calculator. These Calculators have been reaching record price levels lately, so we have freshened up our Calculator Gallery. (02/10/05)

January 2005

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Autavia GMT -- Manual-Wind Screw-Back. The very first of the Autavia GMTs, this Reference 2446 GMT, with screw-back case may also be one of the rarest. I've seen two of them over the last five years; thanks to David Devos for snagging this one and providing this fantastic photo. (01/13/05)

Chronosplit Manhattan GMT. No, it's not a creature from outer space. It's the then-futuristic Chronosplit Manhattan GMT. Heuer's first chronograph to combine a traditional analog read-out for the time of day (otherwise known as "hands"), with a digital display for the chronograph / second time-zone. (01/10/05)

Earliest Rally-Master Pair. This is the earliest Rally-Master pair shown on this website, likely dating from 1958. It is distinguished by the fat-tail on the minute hand and the smaller teeth on the bezel.(01/06/05)

Early Triple Set. This is an early Rally-Master Triple Set, consisting of a Master Time clock in the center, and matching Monte Carlo timers mounted on each side. (01/06/05)

 

December 2004

Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

Three-Register Autavia, in "Siffert" Colors . Autavias with the white dials and blue accents are referred to as the "Siffert" Autavias. Most of the "Sifferts" are the Cal 12 powered automatics. Here is a rare three register manual wind "Siffert", powered by the Valjoux 7736. (12/15/04)

Olive Drab, Reference 510.502. I'm loving this one -- great legibility (with the orange and white hands on the dark green dial) and the Lemania 5100 is a reliable and accurate "runner". Military look and feel, with matching olive drab bracelet. (12/01/04)

November 2004

  • Redesign / Rebalancing of OnTheDash -- We launched OnTheDash in February 2003, with an emphasis on the dash-mounted Heuer timers and some coverage of the Heuer chronographs. Since that time, we have added hundreds of photographs of the chronographs, as well as scans of 30 historic Heuer catalogs.
    • Now, we have re-balanced OnTheDash to provide appropriate treatment of the chronographs and catalogs, while maintaining our full coverage of the dash-mounted timers.
    • While we were working on the site, we have also brightened up the colors, added some new graphics and streamlined the navigation.

    Check the Home Page to see our new look.

    Special Thanks to everyone who helped with the new look. Thanks to Derek Ziglar for his unique ability to combine technical wizardry and artistic expression; thanks to Chuck Maddox for the tweaking, testing and excellent advice; thanks to the readers who previewed the new look, and made some excellent recommendations. Most of all, thanks to Steve, who showed us just how good blue and red can look, especially with the gray and tritium accents.

  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:
    • One of the most dramatic color schemes of all the Heuers is the Autavia, Reference 1163T, with its silver dial, black registers and orange hands and accents. We have added a beautiful sample, on the original bracelet, in the original box. (11/24/04).
    • If you like the blue and white color scheme of the "Siffert" Autavias, but prefer the clean lines of a two-register, manual wind chronograph, have a look at theAutavia, Reference 73363T. (11/10/04)
    • There are two versions of the Orvis Solunagraph, and we have added photos of an Autavia Reference 11063P (Divers Chrono) -- the divers version of the Automatic Autavia, from 1984 (03/25/04)
    • -- the final version of the Viceroy, a rare model (03/24/04)

October 2004

  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:
    • Lemania 5100 / Pewter - Gray Version. We have added photographs showing another of the Lemania 5100-powered Heuers, this one the Reference 510.503. This is one of the most dramatic of the later Heuers, with gray case, dial and bracelet, and orange and black accents. (10/20/04).

September 2004

  • Comparison Table -- Autavia GMTs (Manual-Wind). We trace the development of the manual-wind Autavia GMTs, starting with the Reference 2446 GMT (screw-back) and showing four versions of the Reference 2446C GMT (snap-back). Our Comparison Table shows details of each of these models.
  • Catalogs Added -- We have added a 1968 catalog issued by Chronosport, a leading UK supplier of chronographs and timing equipment for sports. The 34-page catalog features chronographs and special timers from several manufacturers, with approximately half the catalog dedicated to Heuers. The April 1968 Price List is particularly interesting. (09/09/04)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:
    • Chronomatic Autavia. Introduced in 1969, the first automatic Autavias were marked "Chronomatic" on the upper portion of the dial, "Autavia" on the bottom, and were powered by the Cal 11 movement. The white-dialed version is associated with Swiss Formula One hero Jo Siffert, and is known as the "Siffert" Autavia. Here is an even rarer Black-Dialed Chronomatic Autavia, which may be the oldest Cal 11 chronograph included in OnTheDash.

August 2004

  • Catalogs Added -- We have added a 12-page Brochure from 1972, and pages from a 1983 Timer and Stopwatch Catalog, in French. (08/01/04)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:
    • The earliest version of the Monaco was marked "Chronomatic" on the dial, and featured hands with squared tips (rather than red triangular tips). We have added photographs of two transitional models, one has "Chronomatic" on the dial (but later style hands) and the other has early hands (squared tips), but does not have "Chronomatic" on the dial.

July 2004

  • One of the favorites of all the Autavias, we have added photographs of an NOS condition Autavia, Reference 73663, Military / Pilots Chronograph (07/18/04)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:
    • Heuers powered by the Lemania 5100 movement are popular right now, and we have added a TAG-Heuer, Reference 510.500 / 12. (07/26/04)
    • Autavia, Reference 73463MH, as issued to members of the Israel Defense Forces (07/13/04)
    • Of all the "Poor Man's Heuers", this two register Zodiac, in an Autavia style case, may be the most dramatic looking. (07/07/04)

June 2004

May 2004

  • There has been considerable discussion about the authenticity of certain Three-Register Blue Monacos (Reference 73633B). In an attempt to sort through this controversy, we have created a Comparison Page that provides relevant information and images. The debate is not over, but this page will certainly show you where the lines are being drawn. (05/12/04)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:
    • We have reorganized the menu page of Daytona Chronographs, to show the two versions -- Midnight Blue and Charcoal / Smoke (Fume). (05/25/04)
    • Heuers powered by the Lemania 5100 have been popular lately. We have added photographs showing one of the rarest Heuers of all, the Cortina, Reference 510.513. It has a unique blue dial, considered by some collectors to be one of Heuer's most beautiful dials. (05/05/04).

April 2004

  • Carrera 12 Datos are among the most coveted of the 1960's chronographs. We have added several samples and reorganized the section to present the various versions of this fantastic chronograph. (04/22/02)
  • Black PVD Monacos -- We don't know exactly how many of these were produced, but we now have photographs of four Black PVD Monacos. According to some sources, there were less than 20 of these produced. (04/22/04)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

March 2004

  • Autavia GMT Chronographs -- The manual-wind Autavias seem "hot" lately, so we have added several samples of the Autavia Reference 2446 GMT. Everyone notices the bright red and blue bezel, but a closer look reveals a variety of hands and pushers used throughout the life of this chronograph. (03/14/04)
  • Siffert, Siffert and More Siffert -- Most folks who know the Heuer brand know about Steve McQueen (and his Monaco), but many of the real aficionados have the same regard for Jo Siffert (and his Autavia). We have added several of the Jo Siffert Autavias, with their distinctive white dials and blue trim. (03/12/04)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added This Month:

February 2004

  • Stills of Steve -- No matter how much we write, and how many images we add, readers consistently want more Steve McQueen / Le mans content. We have added a variety of photographs of Steve McQueen -- during the filming, on the "set", in his driving suit, without a shirt, but always wearing his Monaco. (02/12/04)
  • Easy Rider Chronographs -- Whether you love 'em or you hate 'em -- and most people will be quick to declare where they stand -- Heuer made 'em, so we will cover 'em. At last, the often maligned Easy Rider chronographs have a section of their own. (02/08/04)
  • A Story with a Happy Ending -- From time to time, we get inquiries from readers who are hoping to find a particular timepiece. We also get the occasional message from someone who has a timepiece to sell. Here is a miraculous story of a rare 1955 Porsche that needed Heuers on the dashboard, and a beautiful pair of Autavias (circa 1955) that needed a good home. (02/04/04)
  • New Comparison Table -- Autavia GMTs -- The Automatic Autavia GMTs seem to be "hot" lately, so we have added a table comparing two of the models -- the 1163 GMT and the 11630 GMT. Both are Automatic Autavia GMTs, and they were produced only a few years apart, but the table shows that they used different movements, dials, hands, bezels and cases. (02/01/04)
  • Interesting Timepieces Added. As we continue to add individual chronographs to OnTheDash, we will highlight some of the Galleries or individual chronographs that are particularly interesting or unusual:
    • Automatic Carrera / Lemania 5100 Movement -- the Lemania 5100 has legandary status as a rugged, reliable movement; here is Heuer's last version of the automatic Carrera, powered by the Lemania 5100 (02/16/04)
    • Additional Carrera Dato 12 Chronographs -- we have added two more examples of these fantastic chronos, including the rarest of all (black registers on white dial) (02/10/04)
    • Military Master Time -- version of the Master Time used by the British Air Force (02/07/04)

January 2004

  • New Section -- Gallery of Fakes -- In this section, we show a broad range of fakes, frauds, "frankens", put-together watches, compilations and other oddities, all united by the fact that they appear to be Heuers, but were not actually made by Heuer. We will update this section as our readers discover additional fakes, or if any of the ones shown as fakes can be authenticated as genuine Heuers. (01/14/04)
  • New Section -- Comparisons -- From time to time, OnTheDash will produce pages or articles that compare various chronographs, movements, etc. In order to provide "home" for these types of comparisons, we have created a new section of OnTheDash that will serve as a central location for these comparisons. Our first two Comparison Tables compare (1) two versions of the "Viceroy" Autavia and (2) two automatic chronographs from the 1970's, the Carrera (Reference 1153) and Monza (Reference 110.501).(01/05/04)

December 2003

  • New Chronograph Section: No Name Models from the 1960's. We have almost completed coverage of the Heuer chronographs from the 1960s through 1980s that had model names -- Autavia, Carrera, Monaco, etc. Over the years, Heuer made numerous models that did not have a specific "name", and in order to present these models, we have created sections from different decades. Have a look at the new 1960's Chronographs Section, which we launch with the Reference 404T -- a two register chronograph that preceded the Carrera.(12/17/03).
  • New Section -- Poor Man's Heuers -- In response to increasing interest among our readers, we have created a new section of OnTheDash, to cover the "Poor Man's Heuers". These are the chronographs that Heuer manufactured for other brands, where the other brand was less expensive than the comparable Heuer. Examples of the "poor man's" Heuers include chronographs that Heuer manufactured for Aristo, Clebar, Gruen, Hamilton, LeJour, Sears and Tradition, Tourneau and Zodiac. We will be building out this section, so please send photos of your Poor Man's Heuers(12/10/03)
  • Interesting Chronographs Added. As we continue to add individual chronographs to OnTheDash, we will highlight some of the Galleries or individual chronographs that are particularly interesting or unusual:

November 2003

  • Welcome to Manhattan. We have created a new section for the Manhattan GMT Chronographs. Introduced in 1976, these unusual shaped chronographs combined digital and analog readouts, and were designed for tracking two differeent time zones. (11/26/03)
  • Some Recent Publicity. One of our readers says that every time he picks up a magazine, he is seeing something about vintage Heuers or OnTheDash. Two pieces currently on the newsstand include International Wrsitwatch's adaption of our Q and A about the oversized fakes, entitled Too Big To Be True and a sidebar in The Robb Report's annual Collection of Gifts, showing a Super Autavia and describing OnTheDash. (11/12/03)
  • More Chronographs Added -- we continue to build out the chronograph section, and have added several interesting models. Notable new additions include the Blue / Black Carrera, with Cal 15 movement; a new sample of the Blue / White manual wind Monaco, reference 73663; the very rare Autavia 741603 (manual wind GMT) and perhaps the rarest Heuer chronograph of all, the Black / Black manual wind Monaco, reference 74033. Thanks to AMH and Ralf, as well as several other contributors. (11/09/03)
  • Oldest Rallye Master Pairs / Hervues -- We have added photographs of three pairs of "Hervues" -- the earliest version of the Rallye Master dashboard timepieces. These are among the rarest of the dashboard timepieces, and we show three different versions, spanning the mid-1930's through the mid-1950's. (11/06/03)

October 2003

  • Earliest Autavia Chronographs -- First Execution Screw-Back Cases -- We have reorganized our Autavia Chronograph section to show the rarest of the Autavias: the first execution screw-backs, with first execution dials (larger registers). This section now includes both the Reference 2446 (three register) and the Reference 3646 (two register). (10/15/03)
  • Old Clunker -- This old guy has enough character and years of faithful service to have earned a nickname, the "Old Clunker". The engraving on the back confirms that it went into service 60 years ago -- October 1943. We honor this anniversary with numerous photographs, including several that show its Valjoux 71 movement. (10/04/03)
  • 1930's Flieger Chronograph -- We have added a Heuer Flieger (pilots) chronograph from the 1930's. This early example of the Flieger is a one-button chronograph, powered by the Valjoux 22. (10/01/03)

September 2003

  • SPECIAL BOOK REVIEW -- Searching for background information on the Bundeswehr chronographs, we obtained a copy of Konrad Knirim's superb book, "Military Timepieces -- 150 Years Watches and Clocks of German Forces". This is an absolutely amazing book -- hard to believe that it is almost entirely the work of a single writer / photographer / designer / publisher, Mr. Knirim. We have included a review of the book, with a link to the author's website, expecting that many of our readers will find the book interesting and useful. (09/10/03)
  • Transitional Chronographs -- We have added a section of Transitional Chronographs, the chronographs worn on the wrist but derived from pocket chronographs. Typically from the 1920's, these chronographs used pocket chronograph movements and cases, with bows added so that they could be worn on the wrist. Thanks to Charles E. Rush for providing our first sample of this type of chronograph. (09/08/03)
  • Bundeswehr Chronographs -- After months of our readers asking, "Where are the Bundeswehr chronographs?", we have added a section covering these distinctive timepieces. Taking a new approach, we display Walter Allan Manning's excellent pictorial survey of these timepieces into the section. Thanks to Walter for allowing us to incorporate his survey into OnTheDash. (09/08/03)
  • Movements -- We have added a new section, that will include detailed photographs of the movements that Heuer used in its timepieces -- chronographs, dashboard timers and stopwatches. Our readers will be able to use this section to identify the movement in a particular timepiece and to study the differences between the various movements. (09/05/03)

August 2003

  • Chronographs Added -- we are continuing to fill in the Chronograph section, and have added some rare ones -- white-dialed Cortina, Carrera 12 Dato and more Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarers, to name a few; we are adding photos almost every day. Thanks to AMH, Stewart and Hans, as well as several other contributors. (08/21/03)
  • Pilots Now Aboard -- With a photograph from one of our new readers, vintage racing boat enthusiast Mark Howard, and the usual information and catalog scans from one of our "oldest" contributors, Chuck Maddox, we have added the 1980's era Pilot chronographs. If you want to see a real contrast in heuer chronographs, compare these Pilot's chronographs from the 1980's with the "Flieger" Chronographs, from 1935 through 1942, which we have also added recently.(08/17/03)
  • Seafarers Arriving Daily -- Seafarers seem hot right now, with several photos arriving recently. We have reorganized the Seafarer section, to divide them into early, middle and late versions. And speaking of the late versions, have a look at the recent additions to the Heuer Mareographes and Orvis Solunagraphs. (08/13/03)

July 2003

  • Oversized "Heuer" Chronographs: Reproductions and Fakes -- Over the past several months, the market has been flooded with oversized chronographs, being sold as genuine Heuer timepieces. Questions have arisen about the authenticity of these chronographs, and we have now concluded that they are not genuine Heuer pieces, but are currently being made in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. Read the details of these reproductions / fakes in an article that we have just published. We will continue to monitor this situation and will update the article as we learn more. (07/31/03)
  • Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarers -- It's summertime here in the northern hemisphere, and to help our readers look oh so fashionable on the beach, we have added to our display of Abercrmbie & Fitch Seafarers. Pick your color (blue or green trim), your movement (Valjoux 71 or 72) and your case-size (large or small) . . . you will look great and know when to expect the high and low tides. If you want something a bit more macho, check the Heuer Mareographes and Orvis Solunagraphs. Nobody will kick sand in your face if you are wearing one of these guys!! (07/10/03)

June 2003

  • Semikrograph Split Second Stopwatch -- Have a look at what is probably the oldest timepiece on this website, a split second stopwatch accurate to 1/50 of a second. Produced beginning in 1916, the Semikrograph and its companion Micrograph established the standard of precision during this period.
  • Steve McQueen and the movie Le Mans -- In honor of our friend Chuck Maddox, and in recognition of the enormous interest in all things related to Steve McQueen and the movie Le Mans, we have created an area of OnTheDash dedicated to Steve McQueen and Le Mans. The section includes photographs of the Monaco chronograph worn by McQueen during filming, and several screen shots from the movie. Additional submissions related to Le Mans will be welcomed. (06/25/03)
  • V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!! -- Other than messages on our Discussion Forum, there will be absolutely nothing new at OnTheDash for the next two weeks, as we depart for a vacation. Thanks to all of you who have submitted photographs or information. Check back toward the end of June as we continue to expand OnTheDash. (06/05/03)

May 2003

  • Targa Florio Chronograph -- The Great Debate -- of the hundreds of timepieces shown on this website, no single item has prompted more questions and discussion than the "Vintage" Targa Florio chronograph. Is it a rare piece, produced in limited quantities for a 1950's Grand Prix racing team or a modern-day fake? We don't have the answer, but we present the arguments for and against authenticity, so that our readers can draw their own conclusions. (05/23/03)
  • Master Reference Table -- we have published our Master Reference Table, which provides detailed information regarding model references, cases, dials and movements for Heuer chronographs produced over the period from 1970 through 1986. This table can be used to identify or date a particular chronograph or to get an overview of all the Heuer chronographs. (05/22/03)
  • Mareographe, Solunagraph and Kentucky -- we have added these models to our Chronograph section, so that we now cover 18 models on our Chronograph Main Page. Thanks again to Ralf for some dramatic photographs. (05/20/03)
  • Autavia Reference Table -- after two months of research, editing, checking and HTML work, we have published our Autavia Reference Table (which describes 46 versions of the Autavia chronograph). Special thanks to Bruce, Hans and Chuck for the untiring effort in making this table accurate, complete and beautiful to behold. This is the first in a series of Reference Tables that we will publish, and is a small part of our Master Reference Table, also to be published soon. Check back for updates on these releases. (05/17/03)
  • Chronographs Arriving Daily -- we have had several skilled photographers submit photos of their favorite chronographs in the last few days; there are too many new chronos to list them all, but have a look at our Monacos, Autavias, Camaros, Carreras and Skippers; more photos are being added every day. Thanks to Ralf, Jeff and Bruce, as well as several other contributors. (05/15/03)
  • Lots of Autavias -- we overhauled the Autavia section of our Chronograph page to present 23 different models of the Autavia (05/13/03)
  • Oldest Monte Carlos -- have a look at these three new photographs to see a "scripted" Monte Carlo, a fish-tail minute hand and the very rare "fat" second hand (05/12/03)
  • 1980 Aviation Catalog -- a selection of dashboard instruments, chronographs and other timers used for aviation and parachuting; mechanical and electronic (05/08/03)
  • 1975 Chronosplit Brochure -- an interesting brochure covering the introduction of the Chronosplit (05/01/03)

April 2003

  • 1959-60 Timer catalog -- our oldest catalog that shows the dashboard timers (04/30/03)
  • 1979 Chronograph Catalog (French) -- mechanical and electronic chronographs (04/30/03)
  • Allstate Rally-Master Pair -- found after five years of looking, the Allstate Rally Clock (Master Time) (04/29/03)
  • Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer -- spectacular photograph of the Seafarer (from TAG-Heuer) and several photographs of an unusual prototype (04/25/03)
  • Abercrombie & Fitch Super Autavia -- rare version of the early Super Autavia, with decimal minutes bezel (04/20/03)
  • 1985 Chronograph Catalog -- marks the end of the line for the pre-TAG Heuers; shows the last of the Autavias and Cal 12 chronographs (04/09/03)
  • 1961-62 Stopwatch catalog -- a beautiful old catalog, mainly stopwatches and dashboard timers, but a few chronographs (04/01/03)
  • Carrera Section -- we begin the development of our Carrera section, with the addition of approximately 10 models
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