Jonathan Darracott
Global Head
Lot 18Ω
Heuer. A very rare stainless steel automatic calendar chronograph bracelet watch
Carrera Chronomatic, Ref: 1153, Circa 1969
16 June 2021, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £17,750 inc. premium
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Penelope Andrews
Head of Department
Charles Dower
Specialist
George Kidwell
Cataloguer
Heuer. A very rare stainless steel automatic calendar chronograph bracelet watch
Model: Carrera Chronomatic
Reference: 1153
Date: Circa 1969
Movement: 17-jewel Cal.11 automatic, signed on the bridge Heuer
Dial: Charcoal/blue sunburst, polished luminous tipped baton hour markers with white inserts, white outer 1/5th second divisions, raised outer tachymetre, silvered subsidiary dials at 3 and 9 for 30 minute and 12 hour recording, polished pointed baton hands with luminous and black inserts, red centre chronograph hand
Case: Brushed and polished tonneau form, screw down back, crown at 9, twin fluted chronograph pushers at 2 and 4, Number indistinct
Strap/Bracelet: Brushed and polished Gay Frères link, HLC end links
Buckle/Clasp: Signed folding clasp stamped 3 69
Signed: Case, dial & movement
Size: 38mm
Reference: 1153
Date: Circa 1969
Movement: 17-jewel Cal.11 automatic, signed on the bridge Heuer
Dial: Charcoal/blue sunburst, polished luminous tipped baton hour markers with white inserts, white outer 1/5th second divisions, raised outer tachymetre, silvered subsidiary dials at 3 and 9 for 30 minute and 12 hour recording, polished pointed baton hands with luminous and black inserts, red centre chronograph hand
Case: Brushed and polished tonneau form, screw down back, crown at 9, twin fluted chronograph pushers at 2 and 4, Number indistinct
Strap/Bracelet: Brushed and polished Gay Frères link, HLC end links
Buckle/Clasp: Signed folding clasp stamped 3 69
Signed: Case, dial & movement
Size: 38mm
Footnotes
In 1965 Jack Heuer met with his competitors Willy Breitling and Hans Kocher of Büren and the Dubois-Depraz company, and convinced them to participate in a joint venture to develop an automatic chronograph. It was the start of an ambitious partnership and was soon joined by the American watch producer Hamilton, which had established a major stake in the Büren watch company. The prototypes were promising and the newly named Calibre 11 'Chronomatic' movement; a symbiosis between 'chronograph' and 'automatic' exceeded all expectations.
This Chronomatic is a very rare example of the first usage of the Calibre 11. One of the hallmarks of the early iteration is the instantaneous calendar which was later modified. Originally it used so much power it could stop the watch when it was wound down. Another is the almost industrial finish to some of the levers and shaky engraving on the signature plate.
There are less than 10 that have appeared on the market and it was possible it was produced mainly for the press as almost a prototype. As the dials are prone to flaking, the originality of the lume plots and condition overall makes this example which is in good condition very rare indeed.