I’ve always liked and worn watches as long as I can remember. Mostly Casio, Timex, Fossil etc…. I even had a cheap quartz pocket watch around the time I was in 5th grade. Seems really strange to me now how I would wear all the time.
To make a long story short I think it was my love of old cars that got me interested. Lots of late nights watching reruns on Speedvision of all the old sports car races from the 50s though to the 80s. I’m not sure how but found out about Heuer and the connection to motorsport. I don’t know if it was seeing all the old track ads or Steve McQueen or what, maybe osmosis.

Then around 2002 I got my first Heuer off of eBay. It was an orange quartz diver (ref 980.014) that didn’t run. I had it “restored” by a guy and wore that and loved it. I know now that he swapped the original hands and movement, I’m putting it right now. Then it was an 844 diver, which at the time I had no idea was special but loved it. Then an auto orange diver loved that one as well. The whole time I was on the lookout for an early Carrera or a 90s Speedmaster, but I never pulled the trigger. After getting married, moving cross country, getting a new job, having kids, buying a house etc….. I was finally able to buy a Viceroy. Which I of course loved that, then another Heuer, and another and another. I had a few other brands in there as well Swatch, Zodiac, but I still came back to Heuer.

I never knew exactly why but the 60s and 70s Heuers always looked right to me. I always thought that they had the best design, very clean. Which was confirmed to me not to long ago with the Jack Heuer interview where he sites Eames as a major influence on his watches.

So I have to ask Mark, how long before you bought your first car? I know it is more expensive to drive in the UK and Europe in general, but I had a car (a rusted pos Jeep) as soon as I turned 16 and was able to drive.

Eddie