This post is such a wonderful pleasure to read and all the great pics you've added for us to enjoy even if yes, also so jealous at the same time. I had the joy to visit the Museum for the first time at the end of last year and was kindly guided by the Museum director Marie Ansel but what a privilege to visit the Museum having Jack Heuer company with all those stories he shared... for sure a magic day for you guys!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time and effort! You've made our weekend Laurent! B R A V O !!!

: Based on an initiative coming from Anthony Receveur, I’ve had the
: privilege to set up a Tag Heuer (TH) visit with some fellow
: collectors friends from the French forum “Montres
: Mecaniques” (http://montresmecaniques.forumactif.com/) where I
: have my daily habits.

: The program was highly loaded with :

: a visit at Artecad (Artcad is a dials manufactory owned by LVMH,
: they provide dials to TH among many others respected brands),
: Lunch at TH premises,
: TH manufactory visit,
: Anthony’s worshop visit

: all of that being surrounded by an amazing surprise.

: The visit took place Thursday Marth 29th, here’s a photographic
: report of what has been a magic moment in our collectors lives.

: On arrival

:

: Friends are gathered

:

: And excited

:

: When we arrived to Artecad, we realized an unexpected guest was
: showing up to make the visit with our group, Jack Heuer was
: joining us !

: Straight to the meeting room,

:

: Watch examination by Jack Heuer

:

:

: Should I say some Heuer made the trip ?

:

:

:

:

:

: Passionate discussions start around the Heuer tidal watches

: After the Artecad visit, back to TH factory for lunch with Jack
: Heuer

: Jack Heuer is glad to share many stories with us.

:

: He talks about his studies at the prestigious “Ecole
: Polytechnique de Zurich” where he’s been graduated as an
: Engineer in electricity, a different vision of managing a watch
: factory.

: He tells us when he was still a student, he spent some vacations
: time in NYC at the Abercrombie & Fitch department store
: where he’s been a salesman at the Watches department, a nice
: opportunity to discover and study closely American customers.

: It is by the end of the 50s freshly graduated he’ll leave for the
: US for some years to set up the Heuer American subsidiary.
: There, he easily got introduced into the race cars circles where
: Heuer dashboards were highly successful.

:
:
: Credit : OnTheDash

:
:
: Credit : neilfletcherracing

: Quickly, Jack Heuer gets connections with the very chic Sports Cars
: Club of America (SCCA), Jack Heuer explains to be admitted in
: the SCCA at the times the only thing needed was to own a
: “Sports Car “.
: Should I say at the that time any car imported from Europe was a
: “Sports Car” ?
: Jack Heuer recalls even the famous Citroen DS was admitted at the
: SCCA (a very strange thing for Frenchies I must admit although
: the DS is a real legendary car).

: These were the times of cars races heroes where we could see many
: Gentlemen drivers away from the “full car business” we know
: nowadays, Heuer successes in this area is building his
: foundations, its timepieces will then go to the enthusiasts
: wrists and their relations.

: Jack Heuer also meets the Rodriguez brothers at Sebring, they are
: young and talented Mexican pilots

:
:
: Credit : http://speedreaders.info

: The Rodriguez brothers talk about the Carrera Panamericana to Jack
: Heuer, a competition which crossed Mexico and which is certainly
: the most famous if we consider the dangers and the amazing
: average speed reached by the participants (it’s been cancelled
: from 1955 due to too many people killed – pilots and
: spectators – but remained a true legend for years).

: The Carrera Panamericana will give its name to what will become a
: legendary wrist chronograph

:
:
: Credit : Arno Haslinger / Bonhams

: As it comes to the relationships with Jo Siffert,

:
:
: Credit : GVM

: Jack Heuer recalls it’s a brewer based in Fribourg who advised
: him to meet and – why not – sponsor Jo Siffert
: affectionately nicknamed “Seppi”.
: This meeting will lead to an interesting relationship between the 2
: men which quickly come out of a fruitful association and a
: development even more intense for Heuer into the cars racing
: world.
: Jack Heuer remembers he discovered Seppi’s driving talents while
: travelling with him in a rental car from Fribourg to Geneve, a
: very fast memory, highly emotional if we understood well…

: Jo Siffert was a great talented driver, he also was a an efficient
: salesman owning a Porsche garage

:
:
: Credit : Amer

: During one of their first meeting, Jo Siffert told to Jack Heuer i
: twas time for him to own “a real car », Jack Heuer obviously
: left Seppi at the wheel of a Porsche, we clearly understood he
: had no option…

: Jack Heuer also reminds us that the famous white dial automatic
: chronograph (Ref 1163 T)

:

: Will be nicknamed « Siffert » a long time after its production
: stopped by passionate collectors.

: While we’re enjoying thoroughly Jack Heuer telling us these
: stories, we pay attention

:

:

: And are touched

:

: Jack Heuer keeps going,

: The partnership with Ferrari is settled in 1971,

: Heuer provides precision timing devices to the Scuderia

:
:
: Credit : http://brunodaytona67.canalblog.com

:
:
: Credit : International Vintage Heuer Owners Club (IVHOC)

: The Heuer shield is now on the Ferrari cars and pilots driving
: suits

:
: Credit : confidentielpaddocks.over-blog.com

:
:

: An outstanding positive communication vehicle which assent Heuer to
: a definitive legitimacy into the automotive world.

: Jack Heuer recalls his relationships (sometimes tricky…) with the
: Commandatore and his awesome American dealer Luigi Chinetti

: He speaks about the Legendary Carrera 18K (ref 1158 CHN)

:
: Credit : Arno Haslinger / Bonhams

: Which quicky becomes the « Ferrari guys » watch offered by the
: factory and is still worn by some of them

: Mauro Forghieri

:
: Credit : IVHOC

: Some weeks ago

:
:
: Credit : Paolo@OTD

: and Niki Lauda (among many others…)

:
:
: Credit : IVHOC

: Pictured here in Vienna in 2009

:
:
: Credit : Arno Haslinger

: Collectors legend says that case back engravings showed pilots
: blood types for obvious reasons in case of a crash,

: Jack Heuer answers with a smile it was rather to avoid pilots would
: not sell it right away…

: The story goes on with the Quartz technology, something the
: visionary engineer had anticipated with the Microsplit launch
: (first chronometer with digital display and a 1/100 sec
: precision)

: Pictured here while visiting the museum

:

: And the Chronosplit which will be also worn by Ferrari stars

:
:
: Credit : Arno Haslinger

:
:
: Credit : IVHOC

: But Jack Heuer says his biggest achievement as a quartz watch will
: be the Manhattan

:

: Indeed, the Chronosplit only offers digital displays which implies
: a legibility constraint, the Manahattan offers a double display
: analog/digital allowing an instantaneous reading.

: One understands better listening to the engineer Jack Heuer, the
: focus brought to the legibility of his productions.

: Jack Heuer also says his satisfactory and his pride since 10 years
: the managing team of Tag Heuer pursues the factory innovation
: and avant-garde position relying on the foundations and values
: settled by himself and his team, we’ve had no doubt while
: hearing him.

: Our host finally shares his vision of the « quartz crisis ».

: Here again, he tells us a different story we could have expected
: saying the technology delay by Heuer was somewhere around one
: year comparing to the Asian factories, something that could have
: been catched up fairly easily according to him.

: But the « quartz crisis » was essentially due according to Jack
: Heuer to the vertiginous drop of the exchange value of the USD
: versus the Swiss Franc.
: The US were a major country for Heuer, distributors had kept up
: buying watches to Heuer which quickly turned into unsold items,
: unpaid to the Swiss factory, many US distributors turned into
: bankruptcy implying a huge volume of unpaid goods for Heuer.
: Major losses for Heuer have dramatically reduced its developments
: capabilities at a crucial period…
: Meanwhile, Japan had indexed the Yen value with the USD…

: A totally different analysis comparared to what we all have read
: before.

: Then came the TAG HEUER MUSEUM VISIT led by Jack Heuer

: What a joy, what an honour, what a day !!!

:

:

: Family memories

:

: We keep going

:

:

:

: Heuer roots in the automotive field

:

:

:

:

: Early generation dashboard

:

: legendary Monte-Carlo

:

: A fondamental aspect of Heuer legitimacy in sports timekeeping

: As a start the Mikrograph, the very first chronometer capable of
: measuring 1/100 sec time launched in 1916 (!!!)

:

: Some others

:

:

: Beautiful !

:

: Some recent productions

:

:

:

: Details and comments from Jack Heuer to the passionate assembly

:

: The very first Swiss production to have travelled into space

:

:

: But also watches obviously

:

:

:

: One of the Monacos worn by McQueen in the « Le Mans » movie

:

: Jack Heuer tells us THE TRUE McQueen story
: Heuer used to partner with Don Nunley who was Le Mans movie
: property master.
: Nunley decided to send a case with many Heuer, one of them shoud
: have to be worn by McQueen.
: When the choice of its watch for the movie was made, McQueen
: decided to choose the Monaco because… it was the only one
: available twice therefore, if one of them would have been
: damaged, he could wear the spare one.

: Historic wrist shot for one of our friend

:

: And thanks to the kindness of Marie, our guide all day long (lucky
: we), the Carrera 80th Birthday

:

:

:

: Aware of the privilege which is made to us here, the watch is
: manipulated with high attention

:

: Here again we’re lucky to enjoy Jack Heuer’s generosity to
: share with us, here’s what we learned from his own comments
: regarding the watch

: The case is clearly inspired from the classic 60s Carrera (diameter
: is 42mm as far as I remember). The watch was initially made to
: be waterproof up to 300m but Jack Heuer wanted a thinner watch,
: the waterproofness has been reduced to 100m to allow a 3mm
: reduction of case thickness, who could complain ?

:

: Note the « 80 » on the scale to celebrate the birthday.

:

: Indexes are simply beautiful

:

: The watch is powered by the in-house Cal. 17 which explains the
: date at 6 another reference to the 1153 range maybe ?

: The 80th Birthday Carrera production is restricted to 3000 samples,
: all sold now.
: The 4 first watches produced have been reserved for the Heuer
: family.

: The case back shows the Heuer family shield with Jack Heuer
: signature

:

: Best things must stop at some point, we leave Jack Heuer full of
: stories told with generosity and kindness, we’re all very
: touched and hardly realize we’ve just been through 30 years of
: horological history with one of its major player, a real
: privilege for collectors.

: The visit goes on through the Tag Heuer premises where the historic
: references are everywhere

:

:

:

:

:

: We finally reach the Custmer Service where after sales services are
: handled, this is also the place at Tag Heuer where vintage
: watches are brought back to their previous factory condition.

: As soon as we get in, a display attracts us

:

: People are kind enough to show off what we can see inside

: Very nice 3646

:

: 70s 11630 Autavia GMT

:

: Super Autavia dashboard with amazing dial layout

:

: Its movement

:

: Scarce 70s Autavia prototype

:

: On the workbench here and there

:

: Cal. 12 being serviced

:

: Manual wind Autavia

:

: Its famous bracelet

:

: Cal.15

:

: Woaw ! what a box !

:

:

:

: While visiting the Customer Service we were able to chat with
: Benoit, Manager of the workshop and Christian Francesconi,
: Director of the Customer Service no doubt, these gentlemen pay
: high attention to collectors.

: Best things being supposed to stop at some point, it is time for us
: to leave, our visit would have been simply outstanding, we leave
: amazed and full of emotions.

: Last viewing

:

: Well done Tag Heuer !

: Thank you so much and maybe see you next time !

:

: But enjoyment does not stop here, we get back to our cars to jump
: to Anthony’s workshop.

: There we can’t release the passion and we all go to a crazy
: wrists shots session

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

: Then we go for table shots sessions

:

: A mixed “friends combination”

:

: And then preparation for the final shooting session

:

: And it goes for a "Vintage Heuer Porn shot"

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

: And since there are no Heuer event with no reference to cars, on
: our way back to Paris we make a stop at an exhibition where
: beautiful cars could be seen

: Here are some of the cars we’ve been lucky to admire

:

:

:

:

:

: The three friends end up with this photo to pay tribute to their
: journey

:

: At the end, if there’s a single word we should remember after
: this memorable day it is certainly pride.
: The pride we felt all day long from people at Tag Heuer when they
: showed us what they were doing in building these beautiful
: timepieces or others at the Customer Service bringing back
: beauties to their previous glory.
: I must confess we felt the same pride “being part somewhere of
: the family” as vintage Heuer lovers.

: The key part of the day was obviously meeting Jack Heuer.
: He’s been very kind to us sharing so many stories and spending so
: much time with us.
: I’ve always had a great admiration for him over these last years
: while learning about the company history to me, he brought an
: unusual way of managing a “Watches Company” and is a key
: figure of the contemporary watches history.
: Thank you so much Mr Heuer to have fed our passion in such a
: friendly and welcoming way !

: This report is intended to share all the vintage Heuer related
: photos and topics with the OTD community, the full photographic
: report can seen here :
: http://montresmecaniques.forumactif.com/t6200-visite-tag-heuer-du-29-mars-2012

: Please forgive what sometimes certainly looks like my poor English
: writing skills, I really did my best.

: Cheers,

: Laurent