I have a new passion...
Discussion
After seeing a few first hand yesterday, I really really want a Heuer Bund. Any PHers have one or interested in them? Very interesting story behind them, and a really good looking watch.
http://www.heuerboy.com/bund.htm
http://www.heuerboy.com/bund.htm
To avoid derailing the orangey love elsewhere, can you tell us why that's such an objet de désir?
Is it the racing and aviation heritage of the independent Heuer?
ETA: And the fact that it's a bloody marvellous-looking watch, of course...
Is it the racing and aviation heritage of the independent Heuer?
ETA: And the fact that it's a bloody marvellous-looking watch, of course...
Edited by CommanderJameson on Friday 19th December 20:12
It's a Heuer Bundeswehr - the 60s equivalent of the second world war flieger watches from which your CW takes its inspiration and to which such watches as the IWC Big Pilot pay tribute.
The watch was issued to Luftwaffe pilots in the 60s and through to 1973 (obviously when they were on our side..) and was worn by pilots who flew the Starfighter 104. This plane was legendary for some of the wrong reasons - known as the Widowmaker because its small wing area gave it the aerodynamic properties of a brick without thrust, necessitating a landing speed of some 200 knots. The 'plane was in service with various airforce as well as the Germans, and very nearly killed a few famous test pilots such as Chuck Yeager.
So I want one for a number of reasons; it looks fantastic IMHO, it has a great history (buy one and there's a fairly good chance that it'll have travelled at close to Mach 2), and a couple of watch mates have them and have been eulogising for long enough that I've finally got the bug. The lume is Tritium, so it glows a beautiful green colour.
Not ridiculously expensive either. Values are rising, but they are around £1000-£1500 depending on condition and dial quality. Plenty of spare parts are available and they look cracking on a NATO strap.
The watch was issued to Luftwaffe pilots in the 60s and through to 1973 (obviously when they were on our side..) and was worn by pilots who flew the Starfighter 104. This plane was legendary for some of the wrong reasons - known as the Widowmaker because its small wing area gave it the aerodynamic properties of a brick without thrust, necessitating a landing speed of some 200 knots. The 'plane was in service with various airforce as well as the Germans, and very nearly killed a few famous test pilots such as Chuck Yeager.
So I want one for a number of reasons; it looks fantastic IMHO, it has a great history (buy one and there's a fairly good chance that it'll have travelled at close to Mach 2), and a couple of watch mates have them and have been eulogising for long enough that I've finally got the bug. The lume is Tritium, so it glows a beautiful green colour.
Not ridiculously expensive either. Values are rising, but they are around £1000-£1500 depending on condition and dial quality. Plenty of spare parts are available and they look cracking on a NATO strap.
At that sort of money, I completely understand.
I like watches to have a bit of a raison d'etre - hence my obsession with dive and flight watches - and a bit of history, hence the cheapo Werners Nightfighter based on a WW2 Luftwaffe design.
What are your chances of getting one of those beauties serviced properly? Will TAG Heuer look twice at it, or is it a case of finding a trusty local watchmaker?
I like watches to have a bit of a raison d'etre - hence my obsession with dive and flight watches - and a bit of history, hence the cheapo Werners Nightfighter based on a WW2 Luftwaffe design.
What are your chances of getting one of those beauties serviced properly? Will TAG Heuer look twice at it, or is it a case of finding a trusty local watchmaker?
I think when it comes to watches, we've got just enough elapsed time to start to stop worrying about which watch people were wearing when they did what to whom. Panerai is a classic case in point, here. As an aside, my grandfather served in the far east, and that never stopped him wearing a Seiko. Common sense should be applied, of course; I think a watch made in, say, a Waffen SS pattern would be in grotesque bad taste.
Don't know if Heuer would touch it or not, but there are plenty of smaller specialists in these type of watches who would. I had lunch before the Bonhams auction with a group of watch enthusiasts and one of them was the chap behind Heuerboy.com. He'll happily service and replace any parts for under £100 plus the cost of parts. Quite reasonable I think.
Yep, raison d'etre was why I bought a Speedmaster. The moon watch connection is very interesting, although in fact it became the moon watch almost entirely because it had a hesalite crystal case and therefore didn't shatter under pressure (small shards of glass being quite unhelpful in a zero gravity/vacuum scenario, I would imagine).
I like the Bund because it is a "tool" watch with an interesting story to tell and rarety value without the attached price. Things like Comex and SBS Military Sub-Mariners are as interesting, but so completely off the dial on price as to be unattractive. Well, unattainable certainly...
Yep, raison d'etre was why I bought a Speedmaster. The moon watch connection is very interesting, although in fact it became the moon watch almost entirely because it had a hesalite crystal case and therefore didn't shatter under pressure (small shards of glass being quite unhelpful in a zero gravity/vacuum scenario, I would imagine).
I like the Bund because it is a "tool" watch with an interesting story to tell and rarety value without the attached price. Things like Comex and SBS Military Sub-Mariners are as interesting, but so completely off the dial on price as to be unattractive. Well, unattainable certainly...
Great post Stuart. I also love the bund, it's a great looking watch. It is indeed a' tool watch' with great history. I too will buy one soon to join the speedy as I idly daydream of going to the moon or defending Europe in the 60's or whatever other nonsense my mind wanders to.
The F104 was indeed a beautiful looking aircraft. The Germans operated the export F104G which became an all weather strike aircraft with wx radar, inertial navigation, a larger engine and many structural modifications to cope with the increased weight. The original F104 was designed just as a day only high altitude interceptor.
The Germans (along with many other Europeans) were set to buy the Fanjollytastic British Saunders Roe Sr 177 until Lockheed bribed their way into Europe paying out millions in 'sales incentives' to various governments.
The British government didn't help by canceling the entire SR. 53 project as they eventually considered manned aircraft to be becoming obsolete, to be replaced by ground to air missiles.
I have mixed feelings towards the F104. I love it's fantastical, polished silver, boys-own-adventure, star ship looks but am saddened than it ended another 'great' British aircraft at the test flying stage.
The F104 was indeed a beautiful looking aircraft. The Germans operated the export F104G which became an all weather strike aircraft with wx radar, inertial navigation, a larger engine and many structural modifications to cope with the increased weight. The original F104 was designed just as a day only high altitude interceptor.
The Germans (along with many other Europeans) were set to buy the Fanjollytastic British Saunders Roe Sr 177 until Lockheed bribed their way into Europe paying out millions in 'sales incentives' to various governments.
The British government didn't help by canceling the entire SR. 53 project as they eventually considered manned aircraft to be becoming obsolete, to be replaced by ground to air missiles.
I have mixed feelings towards the F104. I love it's fantastical, polished silver, boys-own-adventure, star ship looks but am saddened than it ended another 'great' British aircraft at the test flying stage.
Cheers chaps. Good to discuss my passion amongst fellow enthusiasts.
Random Haymarket connection to your storey El Stovey; our group MD is Eric Verdon-Roe. His grandfather, Alliot Verdon-Roe, started the company which became AVRO and also Saunders-Roe aviation.
The other interesting fact about the starfighter is that apparently the leading edge of its wing is so sharp that it needed to have protective guards fitted when on the ground to avoid injuring aircrew.
Random Haymarket connection to your storey El Stovey; our group MD is Eric Verdon-Roe. His grandfather, Alliot Verdon-Roe, started the company which became AVRO and also Saunders-Roe aviation.
The other interesting fact about the starfighter is that apparently the leading edge of its wing is so sharp that it needed to have protective guards fitted when on the ground to avoid injuring aircrew.
The Germans used to joke (in their own special way, of course) that there was no point in buying a starfighter, just buy a plot of land and wait for a F104 to fall out of the sky into it.
Do you like the original leather bund straps Stuart? I've never worn a watch on one.
The black NATO looks good though, i've got one for my speedy pro and alternate between a new and vintage bracelet and a black NATO one.
Do you like the original leather bund straps Stuart? I've never worn a watch on one.
The black NATO looks good though, i've got one for my speedy pro and alternate between a new and vintage bracelet and a black NATO one.
el stovey said:
The Germans used to joke (in their own special way, of course) that there was no point in buying a starfighter, just buy a plot of land and wait for a F104 to fall out of the sky into it.
Do you like the original leather bund straps Stuart? I've never worn a watch on one.
The black NATO looks good though, i've got one for my speedy pro and alternate between a new and vintage bracelet and a black NATO one.
I don't like the original straps, no. I'm currently sporting a grey and black striped NATO strap on my speedie (and it looks very cool IMHO) and it'll probably go on one of those. When I find it and buy it, that is. Do you like the original leather bund straps Stuart? I've never worn a watch on one.
The black NATO looks good though, i've got one for my speedy pro and alternate between a new and vintage bracelet and a black NATO one.
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