Why This Watch Matters This simple Heuer stopwatch is made all the more interesting by a vendor signature on the dial and a full set of box and papers. The Full Story As Jack Heuer recounted, his brand was carried through the latter half of the 1970s and into the 1980s by stopwatches and timers. Heuer's 1978 catalog featured 20 pages dedicated to timers compared to 15 pages for wristwatches – this was while the Carrera and many other iconic models were still within the brand's offerings. The Quartz Revolution was in full swing and without the strong brand roots within official timekeeping, particularly that of racing, Heuer could look very different than it does today. This era was one of massive realignment in the Swiss watchmaking world. Thanks to a core business in timing instruments, Heuer survived in a form that was true to the brand. On the cover of that '78 catalog is a proud mention of Heuer's selection as the official timekeeper of the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid. Advertising around this endorsement two years prior shows just how much of a miracle stopwatches and timers were for Heuer in this era. The ref. 403.201 stopwatch we have for this week's selection is a great representation of the brand leaning on timing equipment as the backbone of their business during this decade and the next. This particular watch, evident by the dual signature on the dial, was made for VMR Scientific, a US-based catalog company providing professional equipment to scientific labs. We can presume Heuer saw a need for great timing equipment in labs, struck a deal with a large distributor, and boom, a large order was placed and the scientists had Heuer stopwatches. The watch is accompanied by its original box with the reference number stamped on the side and the instruction manual. The stopwatch itself appears to be in new old stock condition. The Fine Print Maker: HeuerModel: StopwatchReference: 403.201Year: 1970sCase No: 529078Material: Black anodized aluminum and steelDimensions: 53mm diameter; 17.5mm thicknessCrystal: PlexiglassLume: NoneCaliber: Heuer, manually-wound, caliber 7700Box/Papers: Yes, the stopwatch is complete with box and guarantee booklet.What We Love And What You Should Know Things We Love: - VMR Scientific branding- New old stock condition- Box and papers Things To Know: - Very light scratches on case This TAG Heuer stopwatch is in excellent and new-old-stock condition. The stopwatch case has some light scratches and handling marks. The caseback has its original sticker in full. The pushers and crown are in excellent condition. The dial is in excellent overall condition with no major flaws to note. The red and black text is vibrant against the eggshell white dial surface. The blued steel hands are in great condition. The dial is signed with a Heuer logo and VMR Scientific. The original box and instruction manual are included. The functions are working properly.
