HEUER - Lot 43

HEUER Monaco Ref. 1133B No. 160438 Circa 1972 Steel bracelet chronograph Case: square, brushed bezel, round push-pieces, crown on left signed Heuer, clip-on back, signed Dial: blue square, grey applied rectangular hour markers, white painted minute track, grey and red luminescent hands, central chronograph hand with red arrow, white 30-minute chronograph totalizer counter at 3 o'clock, date window at 6 o'clock, 12-hour totalizer counter at 9 o'clock, signed Movement: automatic with micro rotor, signed Heuer Calibre 12 (Hamilton-Buren base) Bracelet/Fastener: steel bracelet with clasp signed Heuer made by NSA (double signature NSA/HEUER) Size: 38 x 39 mm Wrist circumference: approx. 16 cm With: invoice for Tag Heuer overhaul in 2024, Heuer plastic pouch containing warranty issued by Heuer-Léonidas Bienne, Heuer envelope, Dermont pouch, Tag Heuer service pouch Condition report given as an indication: Sold as is, slight signs of wear from use, slight traces of polishing, case bevels still present, markings and logo on back still visible, glass with slight scratches, hands with patina, original dial with a few missing luminescent dots, watch serviced by Tag Heuer on 03/2024, movement and complications functional as described, plan to service, no warranty. A watch icon with a name inspired by a Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Monaco 1133B made a name for itself on the wrist of actor Steve McQueen in the film Le Mans. It is equipped with Calibre 12, one of the world's first automatic chronograph calibres, alongside the Zenith El Primero movement and Seiko's 6139. This automatic caliber was a feat for its time, demonstrated with the crown on the left, a sign that it was no longer necessary to wind the watch (there is also a technical reason for this: the rotor takes up a lot of space in the movement, so it was wiser to place the crown on the left). In addition to this technical innovation, the style is resolutely modern, with a square case - a design rarely seen on chronographs of the period.