: Yes, I was watching this one, it did look like a nice package.
: There were some minor paint issues on the dial around the date
: window that weren't picked up in the description, but otherwise
: it looked an honest watch - and let's face it, we all pick up
: some imperfections as we near forty years old!

: It went for a reasonable price but remember to factor in customs
: duty/VAT when you're buying from outside the EU - can add a
: nasty surprise if you're not expecting it and also means the
: watch can sit in Customs for some time before you get it.

: Don't worry, you'll get used to model codes the more you see :)

: The 1153 is the classic 70s Carrera with two registers, one of 30
: min capacity, one of 12 hours:

:
:

: The 1553 came along later but didn't replace the 1153 - the Calibre
: 15 movement was intended as an economy movement so was sold
: alongside the Calibre 12, but at a cheaper price point. The 12
: hour register is omitted and the watch displays perpetual
: seconds on a small register at 10 o'clock instead:

:
:

: I'm not sure what the business logic was behind introducing a
: cheaper automatic (some 10% cheaper) when you could buy a
: manual-wind that looked like an 1153 bar the crown position for
: three-quarters of the price, but there you go!

: They're both great watches - I prefer the balance of the Cal 11/12
: dial but if you're the type who looks at a watch to check it's
: running, then maybe the 15 is for you (Dan once described the
: Cal 11/12 dial as "sleepy" and I think that's a great
: description - nothing moves on the dial between minutes unless
: the chrono is running). You have to admire the 1153's ability to
: survive pretty much everything Heuer threw at it to
: replace/supplement it, from different movements to different
: cases - right through the 1970s in one form or another.

: Yes, I'm biased in favour of Carreras but I hope everyone would
: agree that the 1153 deserves its place with the Heuer icons
: (along with at least one of the early manuals).