![]() ![]() ![]() The model was later lovingly dubbed the “McQueen Monaco.” The latter was designed by Edouard’s great-grandson Jack Heuer, while the now-internationally renowned square-shaped Monaco earned the spotlight when Steve McQueen wore one in the 1970s movie Le Mans. The Heuer Autavia chronograph reference 1163T, also known as the “Siffert” in Formula 1 circles, reached legendary status among racing fans, along with the Monaco and Heuer Carrera chronographs. In 1969 - the year that Heuer, Breitling and Hamilton collectively debuted their revolutionary automatic chronographs at Basel Watch Fair - Porsche driver Jo Siffert became Heuer’s official brand ambassador - the first personal sponsorship in F1 history that was non-automotive. The brand’s recognition continued to grow in the 1960s - the first Swiss timepiece to travel into space was the Heuer strapped to astronaut John Glenn during his historic 1962 orbit around the Earth, and the company’s association with Formula 1 also took shape during the decade. Heuer’s lofty position in the sport was cemented by then - racers widely preferred Heuer chronographs, and the first iteration of the popular Heuer Autavia was a dashboard timer. Motor racing and luxury watches have long been intertwined - Rolex, for example, was named the official timekeeper of the Daytona International Speedway in 1962, and its Daytona would appear soon afterward. Its chronograph technology eventually migrated to wrists. It supplied stopwatches to the Olympics during the early 20th century, not long after Edouard’s son, Charles-Auguste Heuer was installed as head of the company. The watchmaker made timepieces for the medical profession and precision chronographs for the dashboards of airplanes and motor vehicles in the years that followed. Heuer’s interest in sports led to further innovations in watchmaking, as the company produced pocket chronographs for the crowds that gathered at horse races and greyhound races during the 1880s. Heuer registered his first patent as Edouard Heuer & Compagnie in 1869 for the oscillating pinion, a keyless winding mechanism that revolutionized the chronograph and became the standard for all modern watches. The company originated in the small town of St-Imier in Switzerland, where Edouard Heuer began making silver pocket watches on his family farm in 1860. Clearly pursuing a policy of ‘continuous improvement’, the marque’s products are highly impressive, delivering a notable quality-price ratio.The esteemed brand TAG Heuer embodies the rich and innovative spirit of Swiss watchmaking and has played a prominent role in the long history between motorsports and luxury watches. With the continued support of the conglomerate, the firm has gone from strength to strength. In 1999, French luxury-goods group LVMH acquired TAG Heuer. Both of the motorsport-inspired models were the brainchild of Jack Heuer and they have always been held in high regard, primarily for their clean, uncluttered dials. Unusually, TAG Heuer has two iconic models, the Carrera (1963) and the Monaco (1969). The firm was also a pioneer in electronic timing and was often seen at motorsport events. Throughout the 20th century, Heuer, subsequently renamed TAG Heuer, gained a reputation for making stopwatches and chronographs. Most famously, in 1887, he patented a mechanism that improved the oscillating pinion used in a chronograph. Clearly, blessed with an inventive mind, he filed his first patent in 1869. ![]() In 1860, Edouard Heuer established his firm making pocket watches in Saint-Imier.
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