Part of the history of Tag Heuer as a brand is their exceptional contribution to the production of chronograph watches. In 1963, the brand known as Heuer, prior to their acquisition by Techniques d'Avant Garde (TAG) in 1985, launched what was arguably their most famous chronograph model, the Carrera. This model was named after the Carrera Panamericana, a car race from the northern to southern border of Mexico.

But Heuer had created many chronographs before this famous model. One can look back as early as 1908 when the brand released its Sphygmometer pocket chronograph which helped physicians determine pulse rates of their patients. They also released dash-mounted chronographs for automobiles and airplanes. The first wrist chronograph to be released by Heuer was in 1914, and it really launched the complication as a staple in their offerings.

Most collectors will describe the chronographs produced by Heuer in two ways; pre-Carrera and post-Carrera. This obviously excludes a ton of other chronographs produced by the brand, like the Autavia, but it is an attempt to describe a very specific type of chronograph, different than that of the Autavia or other types of chronographs. It is describing the archetypal chronograph; a sleek, minimalist design with a focus on legibility, showcasing a clean, symmetrical dial, bold, contrasting markers, and a robust case.

The watch today is a great example of a pre-Carrera model. The watch was manufactured in 1945, based on the serial number of the movement. Unlike many other watches made by the brand in steel, this watch has a solid 18k gold case. This specific watch has a stainless steel caseback that is a replacement and not original to the watch. This watch would have come with a 18k gold caseback, but the steel one likely was switched out during a service or lost by a previous owner. The case has a three-piece construction, with the caseback on the bottom, the mid-case where the chronograph pushers and unsigned crown are located, and a top-case where the crystal integrates with the mid-case.

One of the unique parts of the watch is the lugs. The lugs feature a really nice double-stepped design that overlaps with the top-piece of the case. It does appear that they have been polished, but maintain strong edges and give the claw-like lugs nice depth. Another very attractive part of the watch is the dial, which has aged incredibly over time. What was likely a white dial has developed a golden brown layer that matches the case metal really nicely.

The watch design is typical of pre-Carrera watches. It has printed hour numbers that likely were luminescent but no longer are, with a seconds track around the outside of the dial. It has two sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock, which are a 30-minute counter and a seconds dial, respectively. It then has blued-steel hands that both had luminescent material on the inside, and of course, a chronograph hand. The material has fallen out of the hours hands and is beginning to fall out of the end of the hours hand, which is very common for these watches.

Identifying the model reference number for this watch has been somewhat challenging. Heuer did produce chronographs in yellow gold, but likely in fewer quantities than those made in steel. We managed to find links to a forum post about the reference 418, a very well known Chronograph by Heuer manufactured in yellow gold, where renowned Heuer expert Jeff Stein described that the reference 418 was sold “in the period when we do not have many catalogs or other references to provide information”. But he did describe that the 418, 419, and 433 were all produced with the Valjoux 23 movement. It is likely this watch was a predecessor of these references.

To know the significance of this watch is to understand its movement; the Valjoux 23. The Valjoux 23 is one of the most important chronograph movements of all time. The movement really comes from the caliber 22, which was launched in 1914 in serial production, which was a 14 lignes movement that was used primarily in pocket watches. In 1916, the renowned movement maker Valjoux, who is now part of ETA, downsized the movement to 13 lignes and started serially producing the Valjoux 23. Incredibly, this movement would go on to be part of some of the most important watches including the Rolex Daytona and Patek Philippe reference 1518 and 2499.

There are many movements produced out of the Valjoux 23 base movement, which deserve its own article. But the basic characteristics of this movement was that it was a 9-tooth column-wheel chronograph movement with 2-registers. A 3-register chronograph was brought about in the Valjoux 72, which was also an extremely important movement.

The Valjoux 23 was produced from 1916 to 1974, and around 125,000 units were made. This is a seemingly smaller production, especially considering how many years the movement was produced. These movements were obviously sold to many brands, who would then modify them to fit their purpose. The version in this watch has very few modifications; just the addition of Heuer’s name, logo, and serial number. But, one thing cannot be understated if you are a movement lover, this movement will catch your eye. It is beautifully constructed, with lovely depth and an incredibly attractive column wheel chronograph complication that is fun to see in action. Just seeing the gear train move can be such an enjoyable experience.

At 33.5mm in diameter, the watch is smaller in comparison to other pre-Carrera watches that come in at 35-36mm in diameter. The stepped-lugs allow it to sit a bit larger, which is helpful for those with larger wrists. The aged dial on the wrist is a show-stopper. It is so attractive with the case metal that one will catch oneself staring at the dial for long periods of time. Another enjoyable part of the watch is actually using the movement. When winding the crown, one will be met ‘crunchy’ resistance that is so satisfying to listen to. When starting/stopping/resetting the chronograph, one will feel a very distinct ‘snap’ of the column-wheel chronograph going that is a perfect blend of delicate and firm.

Just like pre-Speedmaster models, pre-Heuer models are such an important part of their brands history, but also their aesthetic journey in watch design. Not only does this watch lead to important references for the Heuer brand, it also cases a very important movement that powered some of the most iconic chronographs of the era.

Enjoy!