24Heuer

11630 GMT IPhone 4 / RetroCamera

2012-02-08T09:10:00.000Z

Heuer Roadmaster

2012-02-02T12:35:00.004Z

Just arrived and looks superb!
Similar in a lot of respects to the Breitling AutoTime I picked up last year - again with box, tags etc.

The 'Family' watch....2446C GMT

2012-01-16T18:03:00.003Z

Bracelet's my age, the watch itself is roughly Jacqueline's (she'll kill me for that! :-)) and I bought it when the boys were born...

The boys' watches...

2012-01-15T11:00:00.000Z

Such great taste @ age 4 and a 3/4 :-)

One day my camera will be fixed! Until then, I'm still using the flippin iPhone! GRRRRR!

Awesome watch collecting video with Tom Bolt

2011-12-28T15:34:00.002Z

Thanks to Stewart Morley from OTD for spotting this -

CS2110 - Corfam band

2011-12-13T19:37:00.003Z

I've enjoyed wearing the Monaco CS2110 this week.

Heuer Cal 12, '20'?

2011-12-08T08:48:00.007Z

Strange one...clearly stamped '20' on the baseplateNoticed this on the C12 I removed from the Montreal I picked up a few weeks back.
My main camera's being serviced so the photo was taken using my Iphone with a loupe attached - so, maybe not the best quality :-(
Also visible is the standard 'SX' and 2 bars on the edge just below and left of the '20'.
I mentioned it over @ OTD here
Arno replied saying he'd seen one also in an Autavia 1163 MH with a much better photo in his book, pages 66/67.
First thought was maybe a high beat prototype, however I clocked it @ 21,600 vph using the iphone app Kello.
So, another Heuer mystery :-)

Breitling Auto-Time 1651

2011-11-24T18:30:00.005Z

Something a bit different.
The vintage Heuer motor racing timers are getting so expensive now I was delighted to stumble across this beauty over the weekend.
Love the strong colours.

Heuer Montreal, work in progress

2011-11-20T10:56:00.010Z

I picked up this Cal12 Montreal on eBay last week.
Not working and in need of a tiny bit of TLC.
Anyway, turns out it needs nothing more than some case clamps to secure the movement, correct sweep hand, fix the chrono reset and a case tidy up.
As you can see the case was a bit beat up.
Here's the work so far...
Tidies up pretty well though with a few hours work :-)

TAG Heuer Monaco CS2110 - the watch that sparked an obsession!

2011-11-01T20:38:00.009Z

Back in 1998 I was into Breitlings and not even vintage ones!
A job move to Amsterdam saw me passing through Heathrow Airport on a fairly regular basis.
One day I was on my way to the aircraft, drifting by the tax-free shops, when something stopped me dead in my tracks!
It was the new re-edition Monaco ref CS2110.
WOW!!!
There were pictures of Steve McQueen and Jo Siffert on the back of a motorcycle looking like the coolest guys on the planet, ever!
I had to have one.
Subconsciously I must've seen Monacos before because it just seemed the perfect watch and felt 'right'.
This is the watch that led me down the vintage Heuer path to where I am today.
Anyway, this week I got a new arrival, and it looks and feels superb.
I've had re-editions before and haven't really been that keen to be honest but the CS2110 is different and I love it :-)
Looks even better on a vintage corfam.
The series was limited to 5000 pieces and recent demand has seen prices rise steadily so my advice is to buy one now before they go too high.

En Vacances - South of France/Monaco

2011-09-16T20:11:00.002+01:00

That is just SO wrong!

2011-08-26T06:49:00.003+01:00

How could anyone do that to a Monaco case?
I gotta get myself some of that 'STANILESS STEEL' :-)

Cool iPhone image app

2011-08-25T18:10:00.005+01:00

RetroCamera from CLBITZ for iPhone.
The paid for version lets you save larger files and has all of the effects.
Might look naff in 6 months time but today for me they're pretty cool :-)
These images are in their original form elsewhere on this blog.

Monaco for the beach?

2011-08-25T12:52:00.008+01:00

A few years back a friend of mine was sporting what looked like a plastic Rolex Submariner.

Story goes that a smart beach hotel in Italy was getting fed up of guests being robbed and so was handing out plastic Rolex's while the originals went into the hotel safe - could be true, who knows.

These now seem to be all over the place and are quite fashionable.

Anyway a quick google turned up a plastic Monaco.

Not advertised as a fake Monaco at all and actually being sold via Amazon.com I thought I'd give it a go.

It's basically as you'd expect for the money :-)

Summer comes to Scotland @ last!

2011-07-24T16:07:00.005+01:00

Helmet Alarm clock malfunction

2011-07-15T08:32:00.013+01:00

So, here's an interesting problem.

The clock runs fine and is highly accurate - just one tiny problem.

It only works upside down or on it's back :-)

If you run it upright it stops after a couple of minutes.

More investigation required!

Siffert Autavia 1163t, v1.2?

2011-06-26T08:45:00.012+01:00

Siffert 1163t, v1.2?So here's my latest arrival, a Siffert Autavia, so-named after Swiss racing driver Jo Siffert, Seppi, who favoured the 1st 'CHRONOMATIC' version.
Let's see what we've got -
1st thing that strikes you is the 3-6-9-12 subdial - just like the chronomatic - must be early then?
Then there are the polished hands.
But wait a minute - these have a black stripe down the centre.
Hmmm, that's interesting...
Hey look again at the markers - these aren't the chronomatic style with horizontal ribs - these ones are long, polished and with a stripe down the centre.
'AUTAVIA' has a flat bottomed 'V' which is generally associated with the early versions.
Looking inside reveals a nice calibre 11 movement.
Between the lugs of the relatively unchuncky Piquarez case, at 12 we have an engraved, not stamped, '1163', another early feature?
At 6 the serial number, again engraved, beginning 22...
Oops, hang on a minute, 22 isn't early, or is it?
I've seen 14* 3-6-9-12 Sifferts and 25* 1,2,3,4...Sifferts but never a 22* Autavia of any flavour.
It's widely acknowledged through anecdotal evidence etc that the white dial with blue accent 'Sifferts' were made in very small numbers between 1969 and 1972, shortly after the death of Jo Siffert who was sadly killed in his BRM during the world championship race @ Brands Hatch in October 1971.
This is pretty much backed up by the quantity that come up for sale these days in relation to other Autavias etc.
Strange then that there seem to be so many versions.
Working forwards from the chronomatic - if we call that v0.1.
These chronomatic versions are regarded as prototypes, extremely rare and as such command a very high premium.
Then there is the v1.1 - same dial configuration, markers and hands as the chronomatic but without the $20000 'CHRONOMATIC' text - a true production model.
The word 'AUTAVIA' moves to the top, the vacated space above the date now contains 'AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH'.
I've seen both Piquarez and Schmitz cased models of this version but that's another story :-)

So, I guess this one could be considered the v1.2 to indicate the minor changes of the hands and hour markers?
Next up could be the 1,2,3,4...subdial version with blue striped/tipped hands and pointed 'V', v2.1?
Interestingly there's another identical model for sale just now, even down to the striped hands and 22* serial number.
So, absolutely genuine and probably a transitional model - in fact as there appear to be up to 5 incarnations of the Siffert in such a short timespan, maybe they're all transitionals :-)

Don't try this @ home! Rolex faded bezel insert.

2011-06-05T09:48:00.027+01:00

Fun with bleach...
I enjoy the benefits of the 16800 but still yearned for the retro look of the 1680.
Maybe this could partly be achieved by adding a faded bezel?
So, after much googling I discovered there's a lot of differing opinion out there about replacing the original bezel insert with a faded one.
Hmmmm, this sort of moral highground only makes me more determined :-)
So after sourcing a genuine original insert in a rough state, with matching scrapes and scratches etc., relatively cheaply, I decided to have a go at fading it myself.
I'm pretty pleased with the results and it gives a much more casual, washed out look for me.
It's actually turned out a kind of blue/grey colour.
This is how I did it in around an hour start to finish -
(note, sorry but I accept no responsibility if you're mad enough to copy me and it goes badly wrong for you :-))
Firstly I submerged the bezel insert completely in a small amount of household bleach and rough sea salt (no scientific reason why - just made me think of the sun and the sea :-)) for around 10 minutes.
After rinsing completely under a running tap I then wiped it gently with some kitchen paper, removing the lacquered/gloss finish.
It was then dropped into some fresh bleach/salt mix, face down, twice for around 10-15 minutes each time, rinsing again in between.
The only reason I did it twice was to check the results out of the solution - I had it face down, remember...
There's lots of info out there on youtube etc for swapping a bezel insert over so I won't bore you with that but it's a 2 minute job, best performed with the bracelet removed as I discovered last night.
The object of this excerise wasn't to trick anyone into believing it was a tool watch that had worked for nearly 30 years in the sun drenched Indian Ocean, merely to change the look for my own personal taste :-)
I actually don't think the sun and sea could naturally have done the same job on this particular insert in 100 years or more anyway!
Any good? Or, have I commited the ultimate faux-pas?
To be honest I don't care as it's just for fun and no good condition bezels were harmed in the making of this modification :-)

Heuer Monaco 1133B Transitional

2011-05-27T16:54:00.007+01:00

New arrival from Sweden. Lovely condition.
The top pusher was non-original round type so I swapped it over and while I had it open replaced the cracked glass and gave the case a small tidy - really pleased with the results and especially glad it came with the original hands!

Incoming. Sneak preview.

2011-05-23T07:17:00.003+01:00

1163T Siffert, 1969. Just serviced.

2011-05-14T10:17:00.012+01:00

Heuer Monaco 1133G

2011-05-13T22:48:00.000+01:00

Monza 150.501 PVD

2011-05-08T16:51:00.004+01:00

Breitling Chronospace Red Arrows

2011-04-29T11:40:00.008+01:00

Breitling Chronospace Red Arrows Limited Edition, 20x/1000
Complete with all boxes, papers and manuals. Steel bracelet and rubber divers pro strap.
Purchased new by me back in 1994.
The Anti-reflective glass is great and still has people wondering if there is in fact any glass there at all :-)
Movement replaced free of charge by Breitling with the upgraded module due to known bugs in the original.

11630 GMT, G/F bracelet.

2011-04-21T11:03:00.003+01:00

11630T on a NATO

2011-04-17T10:06:00.003+01:00

Heuer 510.501 + Papers

2011-03-20T11:59:00.002Z

Plus box, receipt, spare links...

2446c GMT old bezel back on again!

2011-03-16T20:19:00.005Z

So, it was getting ridiculous.
I just couldn't wear it with the new bezel for fear of damaging it, so the old faded one's back on and you know what? I think I prefer it :-)

Some more Heuer Ads

2011-03-13T10:25:00.002Z

Monaco 1133G on for a while.

2011-02-24T19:09:00.004Z

Early 1133G with contrasting subdials and mk1 bracelet.
Recently cleaned and serviced by TAG in Switzerland.

Monaco PVD - New Glass

2011-02-19T15:27:00.004Z

The glass I had in never looked right so it was time for a change...

Just arrived - NOS 740303 Monaco Case

2011-02-15T17:00:00.007Z

and never seen a spring-bar, or any other kind of bar for that matter :-)

Divers Instruction Manual

2011-02-04T15:01:00.005Z

Instruction manual for both the Quartz and Automatic Divers in 6 languages...Pictured with the 980.006 (Quartz) and the 844/3 (Automatic).

The Bank Job - Monaco...

2011-01-27T07:24:00.005Z

So, how does a 2008 Monaco appear in a movie set in 1971?Good movie though :-)

Monaco Mk1 Bracelets - The same but different.

2011-01-16T13:37:00.007Z

Those end-pieces are the same right?...
Errr, nope. The later version had the small flaps on the back to stop the end-piece rotating and exposing the spring-bar from the front.

Haslinger Auction - Some Highlights

2010-12-15T20:43:00.008Z

Here are my highlights...First up, lot 98, the PVD Monaco - £48,000 (yep fortyeight thousand pounds!)
Next, lot 94, Chronomatic Siffert Autavia - £30,000
And finally my favourite - the Tranny, a snip at - £8,400

Oh yeah, the Monaco from the Metro in a previous post raised £18,000...

Nearly K/O

2010-12-15T12:57:00.002Z

The biggest event in the Heuer calendar kicks off in a little over 3 minutes :-)

Made the Metro...Arno's auction.

2010-12-14T07:24:00.007Z

Wish I was there! Just for the record, this is a 1133B, the same model as the one worn by McQueen, not one of his originals.

Mine is here by the way.

The best Monaco Heuer didn't make...

2010-12-01T20:44:00.004Z

Black dial with white subs...Another great effect from the transitional dial!

Something a bit different. Rolex 16800. Not for Sale, again!

2010-11-13T10:41:00.011Z

Here's something a bit different. I put it away for a while, forget about it, think of selling it, wear it for a week and practically have to wrench it off again!!
It's addictive...
This is the last of the matte dial subs and being a late 80's number, it's the last of the last!
The 16800 is known as a transitional model (what is it with me and transitional models?!:-)) as it bridges the gap between the old 1680, plastic crystal (sexy-plexi), matte dial etc and the proper crystal, non-tritium lume, white gold surrounds to come.
Nice crema markers and bezel dot.
Doesn't miss a beat and utterly reliable.
Yes Rolex are mass produced, perceived to be worn by attention seekers and those that should know better, but...due to the constant revisions and minor detail changes it's still possible to find something with a bit of uniqueness.
So, not for sale, again, well for now anyway :-)
Actually what about a nice 1680 sub...

New iPhone 4 = cool camera!

2010-11-04T18:32:00.002Z

Joseph Siffert, July 7, 1936 – October 24, 1971

2010-10-24T22:20:00.004+01:00

A Couple of Siffert 3-6-9-12 Subdial Adverts...

2010-10-18T20:01:00.010+01:00

First edition, early Chronomatic 3-6-9-12 dial with horizontal lines across the hour markers.
Non-Chronomatic main dial, 3-6-9-12 hour sub-dial but with same 1st edition hour markers (ad printed end of 1969). Note the pointed 'V' in Autavia and the placement of 'AUTOMATIC' below the subdials.
And below we have a later style, again with same 3-6-9-12 hour sub-dial but with next generation hour markers.
Note this time the placement of 'AUTOMATIC' in line with the subdials.I guess this makes my 'Schmitz' style 3-6-9-12 a transitional model immediately following the 'Chronomatic' version.

3-6-9-12 Siffert

2010-10-17T11:29:00.010+01:00

3-6-9-12 Siffert, early Chronomatic style hour markers, steel hands, 14* serial number, 1163 Schmitz type case, early Cal11 movement, original 3/69 G/F bracelet.Note the flattened base of the 'V' in 'AUTAVIA', the position of 'AUTOMATIC' above the base of the subdials and the angled facets between the lugs and the brushed case-top.

Schmitz Type Cases - the same, but different.

2010-10-17T09:51:00.009+01:00

While cleaning up a new arrival I noticed something strange...
The case on the right in each photo is serial No. 14* and the case on the left is a 27*.
Spot the difference? The 14* has a bearing at the 7 O'clock position under the bezel.
Does this help in any way to settle the discussion that these cases, the 14*, were around in the early days of the Automatic Autavias?
I hope so.

Actually another thought...this 14* Siffert came with a '69 G/F bracelet with HLD end-pieces which match the case perfectly - no spearing your palm fitting them :-)

Monaco 1133B Steve McQueen - correct hands.

2010-10-11T20:57:00.003+01:00

Replaced the service hands (narrow lume stripe) with a set of genuine originals - way better :-)

510.501 - more pics...

2010-09-26T20:33:00.011+01:00

Still really pleased with this watch. Had it on since Friday and it hasn't missed a beat or more than a few seconds.
Before it arrived I expected it to be a lot smaller and lighter and really this buy was another gamble.
It's prompted a bit of reading into the Lemania 5100 engine inside.
Check out the 24hr dial at the top also.
I haven't opened it yet and I'm not expecting anything as beautiful or refined as a Cal 11 but it sounds like this is a true workhorse diesel. It feels as robust as the reputation that preceeds it.
The bracelet's got what looks like a TAG shield logo (doesn't say TAG) on the clasp but comes with a spare link with an 'Heuer'only label attached.
The papers that accompany the watch are dated 1986 so that ties in with the TAG/Heuer transition period. This is the PVD version that has lasted well and even has the signed crown.
Looks and feels absolutely bullet-proof.
A nice extra was the original box and instruction set :-)

Tuesday 28th - Update: Amazing. watch has gained only around 10 seconds since Friday! AndyO...

And now for something completely different - Heuer 510.501 just arrived.

2010-09-25T09:15:00.003+01:00

Really impressed.
Nice heavy watch in great condition including box and papers :-)
Another iPhone pic - more later...

Man, those hands are nice :-)

2010-09-23T08:31:00.004+01:00

On a very jerky 07:00 Edinburgh to Glasgow Express, IPhone 3GS:-)

Patience finally pays off!

2010-09-18T20:53:00.017+01:00

So finally I got a set of correct hands for my transitional Monaco :-)

This is how I received the watch over 18 months ago.
Yeah its a bit rough round the edges and the dial's a bit crazy but I love it and it's now my lucky watch.
So with this in mind I really wanted to do what I could to bring it back to life.
Things like missing blocking lever, dodgy glass and terrible case were all pretty easily resolved but it was the hands that were the most difficult problem for me.

So 1st stage was to replace the main hands. These took a bit of time to find but still weren't correct.I think they were service hands and the red sweep hand was too long.
I then managed to find a new set of sub-dial hands and a more appropriate set of hour, minute, sweep hands.
And finally, after losing count of how many false leads I've followed, thanks to a top OTDer we have the steel, square ended hands :-)
Thanks Abel!

The other McQueen!

2010-09-16T08:04:00.001+01:00

Lightning! Ka-Chow!

11630T new bezel insert and a cleanup!

2010-09-09T21:46:00.004+01:00

Amsterdam Vintage Watch Shops

2010-08-28T19:00:00.000+01:00

Well worth a visit and a couple of Heuers in each.
Amsterdam Vintage Watches, Singel 414
Amsterdam Watch Co., Reestraat 3

These Heuer Divers are addictive!

2010-08-12T15:06:00.008+01:00

So today I received my latest Heuer Diver 844/3Same shape and style as the Quartz cousin...
An all together different animal from the Rolex Submariner.
I'll post some more details later when I've got more time.
They're pretty robust though and the perfect holiday watch when you leave your favourite Heuer at home :-)

The PVD story!!! :-)

2010-08-07T14:23:00.039+01:00

Photo from the eBay ad - Yikes, WTF have I done?!!!
Here's how the watch arrived. The glass was polished so hard that all edges were rounded and it was worn so thin I nearly put my thumb through it, seriously :-)
The top case is still nice though with good PVD and nice sharp edges.OK, deep breath, moment of truth, now to open up and see what's inside!
What a relief! You can see the extent of the dirt and grime which was actually mainly superficial and thankfully not so difficult to remove. No corrosion either.Now, this just keeps getting better and better!
Looks familiar? Just like a Cal11 or 12 we're used to without the Automatic bits.And, despite coming from a relatively warm climate, no evidence of the dreaded gasket melt on the dial.So after a good clean it was time to assess the job.
Good news/Bad news...Back together with a new glass and gasket it looked pretty good, but...although working, the dial wasn't attached to the movement so only worked upside down :-) It also very obviously required a good service. This next phase was beyond my scope so Nic Green (aka HeuerBoy) offered his services. He also suggested repainting the 3 chrono hands as they were in a pretty sorry state. When you look closely you'll see why this normally difficult decision was pretty easy - especially as Nic matched the colour perfectly.

So, here we are 3 weeks later and what a beauty :-)
Fantastic job!!! I'm so pleased with the results. No major restoration, just sensitively brought back to life.And of course it needs to be road-tested by an expert :-)Before and after...
For the story of the purchase read my post over at OTD here
Arno Hasliner's NOS PVD in the Bonhams Auction here
Rich Crosthwaite's PVD register here
Abel's PVD restoration here

Photo day...

2010-07-17T13:20:00.012+01:00

At Last!!! Monaco PVD.

2010-07-06T21:51:00.005+01:00

More info and photos to follow but the light's fading and it's getting late - I'm pretty pleased with what I've got though :-)

Luca and Max, age 3 - future watch addicts!

2010-06-27T14:18:00.005+01:00

2446c GMT back from a cleanup

2010-06-23T17:33:00.005+01:00

Great job. Shiny new bezel etc.

Monaco 1133G back from TAG Heuer

2010-06-20T17:27:00.006+01:00

I sent my Monaco 1133G back to TAG to get the crown tube re-attached.
As they don't do repairs without a service and they don't do a service without replacing the hands, pushers, crown, glass and gasket this can be quite expensive.
It also took around 6 weeks for the estimate and a further 12 weeks to do the work.
After seeing the results especially as they tidied the case and bracelet it's been well worth it :-)

Latest Project...

2010-05-02T22:27:00.005+01:00

Hopefully be able to turn these parts into something wearable...Only 1 problem - no caseback!

Loving the 11063V/P

2010-02-13T12:41:00.000Z

Yep, saw DC's ad for the Decomp bezel and couldn't resist :-)
Missed my 11630P ever since I sold it so this goes a long way to compensating.
Nice to have both options.

More photos of my 11630T

2010-02-07T09:15:00.006Z

Sorry not much time for blogging lately but here are some new pics of my 11630 anyway...

The heart of the matter - Calibre 11 Movement

2010-01-17T12:46:00.009Z

Here's an exploded view of the infamous Heuer Automatic Chronograph movement with some shots of one of my own below...This one's marked 'SX'.
It also has a small 'I' to indicate the modded version with improved date rollover etc.
Those with a keen eye will also spot the blocking lever (8200) is missing.

Some more pics of the 1133b

2010-01-16T17:54:00.006Z

Here's my lovely Monaco 1133b.
Early unmodded Cal 11 movement.
Glossy blue dial pictured here in correct red 'automatic' with checkered racing stripe.

Still loving the Autavia 11063V

2010-01-16T15:19:00.009Z

Such a cool watch!
Great contrast on the dial, nice shape and perfect weight.
Original jubilee bracelet with divers extension.
Case grinding's pretty good too.
Notice also that the lugs are 22mm (or maybe 21mm?) rather than the standard 20mm on the 11630 and 1163.
I guess these could be the next 'rare find' Heuers as I think I've only seen 3 or 4 for sale over the last 12 months.
Strangely also, this has had more comments in the last 2 weeks than any of my Monacos!

28/12/2011 - For Sale - Heuer 'LAUDA' Helmet Alarm Clock

2010-01-01T16:47:00.002Z

Looks great however only runs for between 30 minutes and 8 hours before stopping. Just touching it slightly restarts it so probably only something minor.

Traded Watches...

2010-01-01T12:42:00.005Z

Siffert Autavia 1163T cleanup...

2009-11-27T06:40:00.005Z

Sorry not much time for blogging lately but here's an 'arty' shot of my older Siffert, post-cleanup, last weekend.I was granted a child-free house for 2 whole hours (a rare occasion!) and used it to give the case and pushers etc a good clean :-)

Monaco 1133B Transitional - pretty rare!

2009-10-19T20:55:00.008+01:00

Update..OK, since this post there have been a few others turn up, most in far better condition - so, no longer in the top 10, still rare though! I also finally found those hands at last - see post here. Andy 01/11

Wow, I didn't appreciate how rare my Transitional 1133B actually is.
There's a list of early Monacos over @ OTD and this one's in the top 10!
Still need to find those hands though!
Followed lots of leads but all end up @ a dead end!!!!!

11630 Lug holes...

2009-10-18T13:38:00.005+01:00

I had a hard time recently swapping a regular G/F bracelet from a 11630T onto a GMT.
In fact, I nearly speared my hand in the process!!! :-)
Above is a shot of the hole in the GMT lug and below the 11630T.
So, the lugs are deeper on the GMT.
Maybe this is the reason for the HLF/HLD end-pieces.
I'm guessing the HLD is more suitable for the GMT style lug.
Or maybe the G/F just isn't appropriate for this type of case...

Autavia fest...

2009-10-18T13:24:00.005+01:00

Had the Autavias out this morning to log the serial numbers so seemed like a good opportunity for a group shot...Clockwise from the top left is 2446C/GMT, 11630GMT,11630T,1163GMT, early 1163T Siffert and later 1163T Siffert.

Autavia Ref. 2446C GMT, shiny new bezel...

2009-10-08T09:28:00.006+01:00

OK, I'm kidding - its just an after-market bezel insert for a 1163 resting on top of the old one :-)
Thing is with the 2446 bezels, they're one-piece with the numbers printed (or dyed?) onto the bezel itself unlike the 1163 for example which has a separate bezel insert.

I am actually tempted to shave a bit off the base of the insert and stick it on though as what's there already is so faded - purists would be horrified but its stopping me wearing the watch as it is and I can always remove it later anyway.
This is really common feature/problem and its rare to find one with the original strong colours it left the factory with...

Montreal style bracelet on Autavia 11630

2009-10-07T15:24:00.000+01:00

Heuer Montreal style bracelet.

Part of a trade with a OTD regular.

Much lighter that the more common plated bracelet and also the clasp stretches via a spring much like the NSA Monaco bracelets.
It's a much more fitting accessory than the G/F rice style that suits the 1163 case better (IMO that is :-))

Autavia 1163 GMT, post-cleanup!

2009-10-02T09:58:00.007+01:00

So, here's the GMT that arrived yesterday, bought from a guy in New York.
This shot's as it was out of the packaging...
As you can see the glass was pretty scuffed up taking the shine off the dial.
Removing the bezel revealed years of gunge and dirt etc.
Removed the pushers which were pretty bunged up too.
After a bl**dy good clean, popped the movement back in.
And, really pleased with the results :-)

Autavia 1163 GMT

2009-10-01T13:25:00.002+01:00

Just arrived - 1163 GMT. Looks pretty good - I'll give it a good clean and see what we've got...

How to use the automatic AUTAVIA GMT chronograph

2009-09-29T13:43:00.004+01:00

AUTAVIA 1163 GMT chronograph instructions...And for those reading in black and white, the red hand is the one next to the yellow :-)

Early Monaco 1133b - The full package!

2009-09-27T13:13:00.003+01:00

Early Monaco 1133b - The full package!Early un-modded Calibre 11.
Gloss blue dial and keeps perfect time with the only problem being the date doesn't always change - a common problem which is one of the reasons they were modded by Heuer.
Anyway currently being rectified and back soon...
A keeper :-)

Quartz??!!!

2009-09-25T13:11:00.008+01:00

Yeah really, Quartz!
This is a great daily wearer.
This boy goes places the Monacos would never dare...no problems working on the Land Rover, doing the garden, even going for a swim.
In fact I was delighted when I accidentally chipped the steel case meaning I no longer needed to worry about scratching or denting it :-)
It's actually a pretty cool watch...look at the length of the tail on that second hand! Magic!
Heuer Quartz 200M Professional - Reference No.980.006

Autavia 2446c GMT

2009-09-23T16:00:00.009+01:00

Circa 1968 Autavia 2446c GMT. The suffix 'c' is for compression type caseback.

Managed to source a box and correct bracelet but on me it looks and feels so much better on a NATO.

I did run into difficulties a few years back tracking down an hour wheel for the 24hr hand.
The V/J 72-4 is quite a rare find these days and I was on the verge of cannibalizing an old Enicar Jet-Graph for spares - fortunately one turned up just in time :-)
Also the same movement in a Zodiac and Breitling of the late 60's.

UPDATE: 23rd June 2010 - Back from service @ TAG with shiny new bezel http://24heuer.blogspot.com/2010/06/2446c-gmt-back-from-tag-heuer-mixed.html

Silverstone 1987, Derek Bell Autavia Bezel Insert(?)

2009-09-19T15:12:00.019+01:00

All this stuff about the Derek Bell Autavias at the moment (recent posts on OTD and there are a couple of 'NOS' Derek Bell Autavias for sale just now) brings back memories of 1987.

Here's the infamous MH bezel insert that distinguishes a 'Derek Bell' Autavia.
Yeah I know that's Jackie Stewart in the background!So, back to 1987...At the time I was sharing a huge house in a small village close to Silverstone.
The other guys there included a French racing driver, Aussie racing mechanic, a couple of hippies, an Aston Martin rep (who once or twice brought back a nice V8 Volante en-route for the German Autobahns to meet some lucky prospective buyer for a proper test-drive), Russian journalist, 2 or 3 civil servants and a Glaswegian couple just back from South Africa.
The car park consisted of, amongst others, a Fiat 126 (which could only be started after pushing it to the top of the local hill and letting go), Lancia Beta, Ford Cortina, Mini Clubman, Citroen Decapotable and my MGB which had a few electrical faults including the embarrassing problem of the horn going off by itself without warning! (not good when sitting in traffic with lots of pedestrians walking by)
Anyway being part of this mad bunch meant the occasional visit to Silverstone and some amazing unrestricted circuit access :-)

So what's all this got to do with Derek Bell?
I was fortunate enough to be there at the time of the 1987 1000km of Silverstone, (May 10th) and see him testing his Porsche.
You can see Derek Bell's name on one of the cars below and that could be him in one of the other shots...
Excuse the quality - this is pre-digital-AutoFocus magic :-)
I seem to remember this was the start of a resurgence from Jaguar.
Here are the stats -
1 C1 4 Silk Cut Jaguar/Eddie Cheever/Raul Boesel/Jaguar XJR-8
2 C1 5 Silk Cut Jaguar/Jan Lammers/John Watson/Jaguar XJR-8
3 C1 17 Porsche AG/Hans-Joachim Stuck/Derek Bell/Porsche 962C
4 C1 18 Porsche AG/Jochen Mass/Bob Wollek/Porsche 962C
Pole Position - #17 Porsche AG - 1:15.110
Fastest Lap - #4 Silk Cut Jaguar - 1:18.120
And get this - Average Speed - 198.627 km/h

En Vacances :-)

2009-09-11T19:00:00.000+01:00

My watch of the summer..11630

2009-09-02T17:19:00.006+01:00

I've been wearing this almost all summer now and I love it.
It's so comfortable, hardwearing and reliable.I did some work on the pusher a few months back but when I saw a NOS pair on ebay recently had to have them :-)
I do have other Heuers, honestly!

Monaco 1133G

2009-08-11T12:48:00.008+01:00

Here's my lovely 1133G...
I bought it from a guy in London mid-2008 and haven't worn it much lately.Not much to do with this one apart from replace the glass and gasket.
It's quite a low 16xxxx serial number so must be quite an early one.
There are 2 versions of the 1133G; this one with the contrasting subdials and the other with the grain continuing from the main dial across the subdials.
Can you believe this is the same watch? Now it looks blue...
No post-photo trickery here.
Amazing effects and colour changes as the dial picks up different lights.

Another project...1979 124 Spider

2009-07-29T18:01:00.004+01:00

1979 124 Spider.Designed by Pininfarina.
I bought this back in '91 as an import from California and it was my main transport through to 1998.
Taken us on trips to Europe including the '95 Monaco GP and also to Magny Cours for the GP there in 2001.
The engine's great but I do need to put in some work on the suspension and bodywork.
Might need to sell a few watches!!!

11630 GMT on a G/F bracelet

2009-07-23T10:54:00.005+01:00

You'd think it would be easy swapping the G/F bracelet from one 11630 to another...
No way; the holes on the 11630T are more centred whereas on the GMT they're nearer the top of the case.
Anyway its on and pretty comfortable :-)

11630 GMT

2009-07-22T16:25:00.012+01:00

Today I'm wearing my Autavia 11630GMT.This one's on a genuine Heuer plated bracelet which is quite heavy but looks great.
TBH, I'm usually pretty reluctant to wear this bracelet as it's a minter and I'm scared of scratching it!
The Pepsi bezel colours are still strong and the yellow GMT hand really stands out.
The GMT hand is not independently settable - instead you rotate the bezel to indicate the 2nd timezone.
The movement is a Cal.14.

11630 Pushers fixed...

2009-07-21T09:45:00.006+01:00

Had a problem where the lower pusher stuck out too far and was slightly wobbly.
Anyway, uncased the movement, dismantled and cleaned the pusher assembly. Removed a whole load of dried up loctite(?!) from inside the cap, reassembled it and it's now perfect.
Good job I did this actually as a)was in danger of losing the pusher cap itself and b)might never have noticed that the 'skilled watchmaker' that serviced the watch last year hadn't properly fitted the plates that hold the movement tight into the case!
Now my 2nd favourite Heuer :-)

Siffert Autavia 1163T gets a new blue sweep hand

2009-07-17T22:39:00.005+01:00

Nice new hand fitted this evening. The one it replaced wasn't original and looked slightly the wrong colour.Usual prep went into this operation...a dust-free work area, a small beer for the nerves and no caffeine for at least 4 hours :-)
This is a Cal.11 Siffert with the later dial (1 through 12 on the hour subdial).

New 'old' Monaco box

2009-07-15T08:57:00.009+01:00

I managed to find this original, vintage, wooden box for my favourite Monaco The base lifts out using a small silk tab at the back for storing papers underneath.
The 'C' holder has 2 flaps that can support the watch raised to display it or just tuck inside to keep the watch in place when the lid's shut.

11630T

2009-07-14T15:14:00.005+01:00

Wearing this 11630 today.

Swapped the chipped crown last week, stuck a G/F bracelet on and loving it :-)Real hardwearing, chunky, substantial watch with a mineral crystal and not plastic. Another difference from the 1163 is that the pushers are concealed from the front where they enter the case...That reminds me, going to replace 1 of the pushers that just won't tighten far enough.

1163 Viceroy

2009-07-12T16:11:00.004+01:00

So, sold this one over on ebay last week...Now I see the buyer's split the box, bracelet and watch up and reselling them himself at a whole lot more (under a week later btw!)...lesson learned there...need to rethink my pricing strategy if I'm gonna be a big wheel in the world of international watch trading...or maybe not, think I'll stick to the day job!

The wait is over...

2009-06-15T16:49:00.005+01:00

2009 v's 1969...1st thoughts - Slightly narrower, sapphire glass, rectangular pushers, colours are spot on, tad heavier, no bracelet option :-(
Is it a keeper though?...we'll see.

Update: I liked the watch but ultimately had to sell it. There was just no point keeping it. I couldn't wear a reptile or calf strap (calls to TAG about steel or rubber proved fruitless) and I was just too scared of scratching the case.

Monza

2009-06-14T16:36:00.002+01:00

monza 150.501Cal 15 Monza, circa 1977.Great watch with a PVD coated case. This one's nicely worn around the edges. Keeps great time and looks the business on a black Tropic Sport strap.
The helmet's original and extremely rare. There is supposed to be a white band outlining the black edging round the visor opening but it's only made from white tape so I removed it to store safely :-)

Monaco Grand Prix 2009 -Transitional Monaco

2009-05-24T08:01:00.002+01:00

So, here's my Transitional Monaco, Serial number 158020.I bought it a few months back. The hands were horrible replacements, the glass was cracked, no blocking lever and it needed a bit of TLC.
This is how it now looks now on the day of the Monaco GP.
In some lights the dial actually looks black!
Still looking for the original hands but these Heuer service hands will do just fine in the meantime.
This is now my lucky watch :-)