Manufacturer: Heuer Year: Circa 1965 Reference No: 2447 Movement No: 456'940 Case No: 62'647 Model Name: Carrera Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. Valjoux 72, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Gay Frères bracelet with HEL endlinks, max length 185mm. Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Heuer folding deployant clasp, stamped 1.66 Dimensions: 36mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by the original guarantee and hang tag
Catalogue Essay
The Heuer Carrera was launched in 1963 soon after the Autavia. This case design however was the antithesis of the Autavia with a more dressy and smaller 36mm case. This design continued right into the next decade and although the case designs remained essentially the same customer demand led Heuer to develop a vast array of exciting dial combinations and finishes, far more than those found in the Autavia models. A certain number of first execution models, such as the present lot, featured a blue decimal track, where each minute is subdivided into 100 equal intervals. Although Heuer had previously utilised this scale in certain pocket watches, there was less of a demand for a decimal scale in wristwatches and as such it remains one of the rarest dial features and certainly adds a further dimension to the watches desirability.
This iconic chronograph manufacturer has a long tradition of precision timekeeping. As early as 1882, founder Edouard Heuer held a patent for a chronograph watch; in 1887, he received a patent for an oscillating pinion, which is still in use today. These specialized timepieces have been at the heart of the firm's success, enabling the brand to be chosen as early timekeepers for the Olympics. In 1969, the company introduced their first automatic chronograph watch, the Monaco Heuer, which celebrated the Monaco Grand Prix. Other key chronograph models include the Autavia and the Carrera, all of which having become iconic models of the firm.