Auction: 11 Heuer and TAG Heuer gems under the hammer

Between its return as Formula 1 timekeeper and the first title sponsor of the Monaco Grand Prix in a century of racing in the Principality, TAG Heuer is clearly the hottest watch brand of the moment. It's an opportunity to delve into the history of the brand most closely linked to the world of motorsport. After all, wasn't it Jack Heuer who invented the very concept of sponsorship with legendary Swiss driver Joe Siffert?

Alongside the many new releases, from Formula 1 Solargrafs to the new Monaco chronographs, there's no shortage of vintage pieces. On June 23rd, Jean-Christophe Guyon, CEA Expert (in partnership with VWS.fr) and the Bordeaux Quinconces firm, under the hammer of Mr. Maxence Mazzoni, are offering a fine selection of models in impeccable condition.

The most vintage Heuer lot, but with a reasonable estimate (€3,800-4,500), is a superb antimagnetic sports watch with triple date complication known as the "Mid Century" produced for the 91st anniversary of the manufacture. Dating from 1951, it has a round case in 14-carat yellow gold. Equipped with a mechanical caliber with automatic winding stop signed ED. Heuer / 17 jewels Swiss, this 33 mm diameter piece features an original patinated silver dial with applied nail indexes and yellow gold spear hands, a hollow small seconds counter at 6 o'clock, days and months in an aperture at 12 o'clock (in English), and a third red-tipped arrow hand for the perpetual date on the flange.

The other two most interesting lots for Heuer and TAG Heuer fans date back to the 1970s. Absolute favorite for a Heuer Monza Automatic Black PVD chronograph ref. 150.501), circa 1977, in flamboyant condition (Est. €3,500-4,500). We love its tonneau-shaped case (39 x 44 mm) in black PVD anodized steel with a smooth bezel (cut at 11 o'clock), pushers and screw-down steel back (signed Leonidas Heuer inside, Monza Heuer and numbered). Its black dial has 2 circled counters (offset small seconds at 10 o'clock, minutes at 3 o'clock with red 5 m marking and date window at 6 o'clock), with a tachymeter scale on the flange and a red chronograph seconds hand in the center. A must-have for collectors, with an automatic caliber signed HEUER / Buren 15 Swiss.

Also from the 1970s, this Bordeaux sale also includes a superb Skipper Chrono-Matic Heuer chronograph (Lot 83), a first series from 1976-77. A rare Autavia yachting sports chronograph known as "Capitaine" in its blue ChronoMatic - Buren 15 version), with a wide-opening tonneau case in steel with a screw-down back (signed Léonidas - Heuer and numbered), with a large unidirectional fluted blue bezel graduated over 60 minutes (big triangle tritium). Its Royal blue dial has two counters, an oversized one at 3 o'clock for the minutes (with a 'red-white-blue' colored sector of 5 minutes, for counting down the time in the race), and a small seconds counter at 10 o'clock, with a date window at 6 o'clock. In excellent condition, this 42 mm diameter vintage watch beats to the rhythm of an automatic caliber signed HEUER / Buren 15 Swiss. (Est. 7000-9000 €).

Lot 13 is a Heuer Carrera Tri-Compax Silver & Black / Panda chronograph ref. 73653 S, circa 1970 (Est. €4,500-5,000). A superb version of the pilot's chronograph from the "Carrera" collections in a Tri-Compax version, with a brushed steel tonneau-shaped case with a signed crown at 3 o'clock, a smooth bezel, fluted pushers and a screw-down caseback (signed Leonidas Heuer inside and numbered). In very good condition, it features an elegant sun-brushed silver dial with three slate-grey rimmed counters (hours at 6 o'clock, small seconds at 9 o'clock and minutes at 3 o'clock), a slate-grey tachymeter bezel on the flange. Applied indexes, Tritium dots and luminescent spatula hands. Not to mention a large orange second hand for the chronograph. Vintage Heuer and TAG Heuer watches at auction in Bordeaux at the end of June.

Lot 14, much more recent, takes us back to the Principality, with a Monaco Red Chronograph produced in 1000 copies in 2000 on the occasion of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique (Est. €5,000-6,000). Offered in a collector's case, it features a ruby ​​red dial with a racing car at 2 o'clock, with a sun-brushed silver center and two hollow red counters.

Much more vintage, lot 15 takes us back to the 1980s, with a 40 mm Professional Chronograph 2000 from 1984 with a gold dial and three recessed counters (Est. €700-1200). A sports chronograph from the first collections by Tag Heuer, with an aviation gray anodized steel case with a protective overflow for the crown at 3 o'clock and a screw-down steel caseback (signed and numbered), and a unidirectional gold anodized diving bezel graduated to 60. From the same year, lot 17 is a 39 mm Professional chronograph in titanium (Est. €700-1200), with a unidirectional titanium diving bezel graduated to 60, and a patinated anthracite black dial with three circled gold counters.

Slightly more recent, lot 20, is a Heuer Pilote Date / Carrera Silver "Lemania" chronograph ref. 510.500), circa 1986 (Est. €2,500-3,000). With a diameter of 41 mm, this large aperture pilot chronograph in steel features a godronné bezel with a screw-down sapphire porthole back and a silver guilloché dial with a wave motif with a 60 graduated scale on the flange and two circled counters. It is powered by an automatic caliber signed Tag Heuer/16 based on an ETA 7750 Swiss.

Also included in the same sale is a barrel-shaped pilot's chronograph with a large aperture, produced in limited numbers, the latest generation of the "Carrera" models bearing the Heuer brand (Lot 20, est. €2,500-3,000), with a polished steel case, smooth bezel and screwed steel back (No. 510.500 with Heuer logo), a black dial with three circled counters and a Lemania 5100 movement. There is also a Professional diver's model with a 37 mm diameter quartz caliber from 1990 (Lot 21, €600-900). As well as a Grand Carrera 16 Automatic chronograph - Brown ref. CV2013-2), circa 2010 (Est. €2,500-3,000), a now rare 41 mm model with a steel case with a screw-down porthole sapphire caseback (visible movement, signed and numbered), a large chocolate-colored monobloc tachymeter steel bezel, and an elegant metallic brown dial with 3 silver-rimmed counters. It is powered by an automatic movement signed Tag Heuer / 16 base ETA 7750 Swiss.