Heuer Racing & Lap timing

So you’re flying your vintage plane this weekend, or perhaps taking your classic car to the racetrack ?  Well then, you’re going to need a HEUER, I.F.R., REF. 542.240, a jumping minute stopwatch to give it its full name.

Heuer have been making timing instruments for decades and for some context here’s a brief summary of their achievements. Founded by Edouard Heuer in 1860, the company quickly patented key innovations.

1887

Heuer's patent for an improved oscillating pinion allowed the chronograph to start and stop instantly with a push-button 

1916

• Heuer introduced the micrograph, the first stopwatch accurate to 1/100 of a second 

1957

• Heuer introduced the Ring-Master, a stopwatch with interchangeable rings that each had a different color and scale 

1960

Heuer redesigned its line of stopwatches for its 100th anniversary, including the "Century" line with a central minute register and red and black colors 

1962

US astronaut John Glenn wore a Heuer stopwatch to time his flight around the earth 

1969

• A Heuer stopwatch timed the landing of the Eagle on the moon 

Other notable Heuer stopwatches include: 

• Semikrograph

  A split-second version with a fly-back hand that could time two events simultaneously

• Monte Carlo

  A dashboard timer that was originally made with three buttons, but was later changed to two buttons 

In 1985, Heuer merged with Techniques d'Avant Garde (TAG), becoming TAG Heuer.