THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: HEUER
MODEL: 110.503
YEAR: 1972
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: CORFAM
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

The 1960s and ’70s were a golden era for sports chronographs, with numerous iconic models emerging from historic manufacturers such as Rolex, Omega, Breitling, and Universal Genève. However, few would argue against Heuer being the king of utilitarian, sports-focused chronographs during this period. In particular, Heuer released an array of racing chronographs—including the Autavia, Carrera, Camaro, Monaco, and Monza—that remain iconic to this day.

The present example, the Heuer Montreal, was released in 1972 as part of Heuer's new wave of automatic chronographs featuring bold and colourful designs. The Montreal features a 42mm case, is powered by the Caliber 12 movement, and was offered in blue, white, champagne, and black dial variants—such as the one we have here. This two-register black dial version features a contrasting white tachymeter track and white subdials, accented with vibrant red and orange details.

The dial is in fantastic condition, with its colors remaining vibrant. The tritium lume on the markers has developed a beautiful creamy patina, though there are some light marks visible on the markers. The case is in incredible shape, clearly reflecting a somewhat gentle life. The movement was serviced within the past year and is running well at +4 s/d, 274 amplitude, with a 0.4 ms beat error.

These vintage Heuers are incredibly cool and still represent fantastic value in the world of collectible chronographs.