First International Heuer Collectors’ Summit

From 18 to 20 May 2008, TAG Heuer hosted the first international meeting for Heuer watch and chronograph collectors.

The adventure began in 2006 when an American collector, Jeff Stein, a civil lawyer working for a large practice in Atlanta, contacted us. During a visit to the NASA museum, Stein had discovered that the watch worn by John Glenn for the first space launch in 1962 was a Heuer watch. TAG Heuer thus visited this collector's website (www.onthedash.com) and his discussion forum, and discovered the existence of a very active community made up of collectors of Heuer watches from around the world, numerous websites dedicated to the legendary brand and its iconic chronographs, and men fascinated by the legend, the history and watchmaking innovations. The idea of uniting these collectors, who only knew each other virtually, was born from a meeting at the 2007 Basel fair between TAG Heuer, Jeff Stein and Ron Henselmans, another collector from Holland. The recent opening of the TAG Heuer 360 museum in January 2008, located within the TAG Heuer offices in La Chaux de Fonds, made this meeting twice as interesting and the First International Heuer Collectors’ Summit was thus scheduled for May 2008.

Eight collectors from seven different countries made the journey to Neuchâtel and La Chaux de Fonds. During two days of activities, they were able to visit the watchmaking Manufacture and the after-sales service department, which restores approximately 3,000 Heuer collector's items every year. They also had the opportunity to assemble both a movement and a Monaco watch, a brand icon launched in 1969 which won acclaim not only due to its assertive, innovative and timeless design but also because it was worn by Steve McQueen in the film Le Mans (1971). A private visit to the museum with privileged access to the brand's archives, which include over 1,000 collector's timepieces, rounded off activities at La Chaux de Fonds.

The highlight of this event, however, was a friendly meeting with Jack W. Heuer, a descendant of the Heuer family who directed the brand from 1958 to 1982 and who is the Honorary Chairman of TAG Heuer. "I am impressed by the level of knowledge of these collectors. They don't just hunt out the watches and chronographs of my era: they are also on the look-out for the slightest bit of information about the brand. They reminded me of anecdotes that I had even forgotten myself! It is such a pleasure to see the dynamism of TAG Heuer today and I have discovered that this dynamism is also present within the Heuer community throughout the world. These people keep Heuer going."

Who are they and how do they go about building their collections?

An SAP engineer, an automobile marketing expert, the grandson of a watchmaker and a jeweller himself, a manager of a childcare centre and a lawyer... all share the same fascination for Heuer timepieces. One of them has even built a company that sells Heuer chronographs and reproduction promotional Heuer articles from the 60s and 70s (jackets, bags, etc., at www.classicheuer.de). The enthusiasm of the majority of these collectors stems from the inheritance or chance discovery of an original item that they used, as a child, to time their electric cars. They then discovered the fascinating world of Heuer, car racing and legendary chronographs like the Autavia displayed on Joe Siffert's wrist or the Carrera Gold worn by Clay Regazzoni. To build up their collection, they are constantly on the look-out for sales on eBay and antique sales, are familiar with all of the second-hand shops and build up networks of sources. Their Holy Grail is often made up of what they call "New Old Stock": pieces that have never been worn, still in their original box and often found in the drawers of an old jewellery shop.

Even if speculation were the motive behind their hobby (certain chronographs sell for up to 55,000 euros and the price of a plain watch box stamped with the name Heuer can reach up to 600 euros), Heuer collectors indulge their enthusiasm on a daily basis by wearing items from their collection. One such collector, Arno Haslinger, has even written a very exhaustive book illustrated with photographs of chronographs from his own collection - 114 pieces in total (Heuer Chronographs, Editions Callwey).

"These collectors represent an exceptional source of information for TAG Heuer and its history. Our team, whether the archive staff, the museum's curator or the antique restoration service, often relies on their knowledge to date items and find original designs or other information about the brand and chronographs. It is an honour to have welcomed them, met them and presented the brand to them as it exists today" stated Jean-Christophe Babin, Chairman and CEO of TAG Heuer.

Ron Henselmans, collector and joint organiser of the summit, drew the following conclusion from the meeting: "Heuer has been part of my personal heritage for many years. Since our visit as collectors, we all feel part of a bigger family that has welcomed us into the fold. From now on, we will no longer limit our efforts to Heuer and we’ll be sure to include TAG Heuer too! The discussions with Mr Babin, Chairman and CEO of TAG Heuer, who spent several hours with us, the sharing of memories with Jean-Jacques Racine, a retired watchmaker who worked for 46 years at Heuer then TAG Heuer, exchanges with on-site personnel, such as Mathilde Tournois, curator of the museum and, of course, the evening with Jack Heuer, will all remain unforgettable moments. A special mention for the superhuman patience of the watchmakers, who taught us how to assemble a Monaco... springs and hands were flying all over the place!" As for Jeff Stein, who was unfortunately unable to attend, he is already looking forward to the next edition of the summit, which is unique in the world: "the most important aspect of a first event on this scale is that it prepares the ground for a second event! The feedback that I have received from the collectors is that the summit was a very emotional experience in the Holy Land of the Heuer world."