THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: HEUER
MODEL: 150.501
YEAR: 1981
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 39MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL / (PVD)
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

In vintage watch collecting, Heuer chronographs were among the earliest watches to truly spark collectors’ interest, led by pioneers such as Jeff Stein of On the Dash. It’s no surprise—throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Heuer was arguably the leading manufacturer of utilitarian sports chronographs, leaving behind an extraordinary catalogue of icons such as the Carrera, Camaro, Monaco, and Monza, all of which remain highly collectible today.

The Monza was introduced in 1976, designed by Jack Heuer to celebrate Niki Lauda’s first Formula 1 World Championship with Ferrari in 1975. It is instantly recognisable thanks to its PVD-coated, cushion-shaped case and striking red dial accents. Monzas were powered by either the Calibre 12 or Calibre 15 movements: Cal. 15 versions display an asymmetrical layout, while

Cal. 12 examples feature two symmetrical registers—just like the watch seen here.

Nearly 50 years later, the Monza remains one of our favourite Heuers from the era. This example is in fantastic condition: the tritium lume plots are all intact and have aged to a rich, creamy hue, providing wonderful contrast against the black dial and vivid red accents. The dial is the rarer "economy" version, where "Monza" is missing. 

The movement came to us serviced, and is running beautifully at +1 s/day, with an amplitude of 285° and a beat error of 0.2 ms. Vintage Heuers like this are undeniably cool and continue to represent outstanding value in the world of collectible chronographs.