Overview
In the early 1960s the Heuer watch company began work on the development of a clean and legible chronograph that would be used for timing car races. The idea stemmed from an interaction CEO Jack Heuer had with Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez de la Vega in 1962. The two brothers, who drove for Ferrari at the time, spoke of the dangerous Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico that ran the previous decade. Jack was so captivated by the name that he registered it for Heuer and within one year developed the racing chronograph he’d been dreaming of—the Heuer Carrera.
The inaugural Carreras were equipped with matte black, eggshell white, and silver dials with either two or three registers and the option of tachymeter or decimeter scales at the outer edge. Additionally, various case materials were available, including regular steel, gold-plated steel, and an exclusive 18k solid gold case paired with the three-register silver dial. These initial Carrera designs, characterized by their iconic faceted lugs, were produced for only a short period before transitioning to chunkier, barrel-shaped automatic models in the 1970s.
The watch here came from the grandson of the original owner and is one of our personal favorite configurations with a highly sought after reverse panda dial. For added practicality there's a tachymeter scale at the outer edge. This is what 1960s chronograph design is all about—a fun and highly legible dial powered by the venerable Valjoux 72 movement. What's more, the watch is fitted with an exceedingly rare double grain beads of rice bracelet made by Gay Frères. Adding this accessory completely changes the wearing experience in the best possible way. Packages like this don't come up for sale often, and to make it even sweeter this one has just been fully serviced so the future owner can enjoy for many years to come.
Specifications
Brand:
Heuer
Model:
Carrera
Reference:
2447 NST
Year:
1960s
Case Number:
93742
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
36 mm
Lug Width:
18 mm
Thickness:
12.9 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
44.8 mm
Dial:
Black
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Acrylic
Movement:
Hand-wound
Caliber:
Valjoux 72
Bracelet/Strap:
Heuer Gay Frères stainless steel bracelet with HEL end links and 1/67 clasp code
Max Wrist Size:
6.75 in (7.625 in w/ 3 additional links)
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The stainless steel case shows normal signs of wear for a watch of this age. There are hairlines, nicks, and light scratches throughout, but the case remains remarkably strong. The lugs are thick and sharp with superb definition at the edges. The caseback has numerous hairlines and a couple of long scratches. The backs of the lugs show signs of prior strap removal. The serial number engraving between the lugs at 6 o'clock remains sharp and legible.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The matte black dial and polished hands are in excellent condition. There is a very small dark dot on the dial next to the 11 o'clock hour marker. The tritium plots at 3 and 6 o'clock show some degredation. The three registers and the outer ring have aged to a nice cream color. The hands show a couple faint scratches on close inspection. The tritium of the hour hand has two tiny holes, while the tritium of the minute hand has some cracking. When exposed to UV light, the tritium across the dial and hands briefly glows the same color and then quickly fades. The acrylic crystal is super clean with no major scratches or chipping present.
Bracelet/Strap: The condition of the Gay Frères bracelet is consistent with the rest of the case. There are scuffs and light scratches throughout. The double graining of the inner links retains its structure. The buckle shows some desk-diving marks and light scratches. The Heuer signature remains crisp and detailed.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown winding, time setting, and chronograph start/stop/reset are working as expected.
Service History: The watch recently underwent a full service by Art of the Watch that was completed on 10/03/2023.
