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 is one of the gold-plated examples with a rarer first execution tachymeter dial. We're treated to an all-black three register design with applied gold printing that matches the case perfectly. The overall look is sleek, and perhaps a touch more luxurious than the steel Carrera counterparts. Despite appearances, the pricing of the gold-plated versions remains a relative bargain, offering the lowest point of entry into the coveted three register Carreras of the 1960s.
Specifications
Brand:
Heuer
Model:
Carrera
Reference:
2448 NT
Year:
1960s
Case Number:
120102
Case Material:
Yellow-gold-plated stainless steel
Diameter:
36 mm
Lug Width:
18 mm
Thickness:
12.9 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
44.7 mm
Dial:
Black
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Acrylic
Movement:
Hand-wound
Caliber:
Valjoux 72
Bracelet/Strap:
Abcoro black calfskin racing strap with Heuer gold-plated tang buckle.
Max Wrist Size:
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The gold-plated stainless steel case shows some light scratches and tiny nicks, but remains in overall nice condition considering the age. The lugs are thick and sharp, and the faceted edges remain well defined. The case side opposite the crown has a few moderate scratches and nicks. The gold plating shows a few light tarnish spots, most notably on the crown-side case and the backs of the lugs. The gold plating has worn away from the crown and a couple very small areas at the tips of the lugs and pushers. The stainless steel caseback shows hairlines and faint scratches consistent with the rest of the case. The backs of the lugs show light marks from prior strap removal.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The matte black dial is in fantastic condition with no notable imperfections. The polished hands show a couple micro scratches and the tritium within the hands has tiny cracks visible under a loupe. The tritium across the hands and dial is a matching shade of yellow. When exposed to UV light, both briefly glow the same color and then quickly fade. The acrylic crystal is super clean with no scratches or chipping present.
Bracelet/Strap: The Abcoro black calfskin racing strap is in brand new condition. The Heuer-signed gold-plated buckle show light signs of wear consistent with the case.
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.
