Discussion
Heuer/TAGHeuer
One of a series of watches that Heuer produced whilst in the transitional period between being ‘Heuer’ and being bought by TAG in 1985 (to make ‘TAG Heuer’). For a few years before the TAG buy-out, Heuer (or, at this stage and just to confuse people, it should be more properly be called 'Heuer-Leonidis'), had already gone bump and were limping along with help from another group – Nouvelle Lemania (Lemania, itself having been sold by SSIH to Piaget a few years before to create Nouvelle Lemania). So although Heuer had used Lemanias before, as Omega and Tissot had under the SSIH group, this was the stage where they were bound under one roof and for about 3-4 years they produced watches with the Lemania 5100 movement both before, during and after the TAG transition. Some watches from this period were branded Heuer but came in TAG boxes, some had plain casebacks, others had Heuer casebacks and so on – small differences during this pivotal moment in the companies history were to be expected.
This is a picture of the range taken from the 1985 brochure. The model number ‘510.501’ breaks down as: ‘510’ refers to the 5100 movement and the ‘50x’ refers to finish; stainless steel, pewter, PVD or ‘Olive Drab’. (Incidentally, the .501 was the first watch to use PVD, all previous black watches being painted or surface finished). The watches above are the first generation of 510s, the second generation incorporated a day wheel as well as date along with other minor dial changes. A further range also used the 5100 movement in a slightly different case, these were called Carreras (510.523 for example) and the 5100 had already been used on a few Heuers before that (Silverstone etc).
Lemania
Lemania was a watch and movement manufacturer that since the 1930’s was closely linked to Omega and Tissot under the SSIH group, providing movements for them but also producing their own watches, including military issued ones. In about 1978, (or b during the Quartz wars, they produced a simplification of a previous movement (the 134x series) that was cheap to produce (it used pillar construction so parts could be pressed rather than milled), robust (the chrono hands were directly driven and so better able to take shocks than its intermediate wheeled relations) and extremely legible – the two large orange hands indicating chrono minutes and seconds in a way that no subdialled chrono can do as effectively.
The 5100 was born and used by a variety of makers such as Sinn, Porsche Design, Orfina, Omega, Tissot, Fortis, Tengler, Tutima and latterly, Heuer. It was used in a number of military contracts and has been described as the AK47 of movements such was its simple, tough reliability and instinctive useability, but was discontinued in the mid 2000’s as Lemania became engulfed by Breuget, which itself was nested inside the Swatch group.
Here the 5100 is used in the Sinn 156 from 1980:
And in an Omega Speedmaster 376.0882:
The case is a Heuer design, perhaps one of the last. This watch was made, I think, in about 1985/6 but sold in 1987 according to the papers.
I believe it was one of the first PVD watches.
And a sellers pic as, well, it's a better pic!
One of a series of watches that Heuer produced whilst in the transitional period between being ‘Heuer’ and being bought by TAG in 1985 (to make ‘TAG Heuer’). For a few years before the TAG buy-out, Heuer (or, at this stage and just to confuse people, it should be more properly be called 'Heuer-Leonidis'), had already gone bump and were limping along with help from another group – Nouvelle Lemania (Lemania, itself having been sold by SSIH to Piaget a few years before to create Nouvelle Lemania). So although Heuer had used Lemanias before, as Omega and Tissot had under the SSIH group, this was the stage where they were bound under one roof and for about 3-4 years they produced watches with the Lemania 5100 movement both before, during and after the TAG transition. Some watches from this period were branded Heuer but came in TAG boxes, some had plain casebacks, others had Heuer casebacks and so on – small differences during this pivotal moment in the companies history were to be expected.
This is a picture of the range taken from the 1985 brochure. The model number ‘510.501’ breaks down as: ‘510’ refers to the 5100 movement and the ‘50x’ refers to finish; stainless steel, pewter, PVD or ‘Olive Drab’. (Incidentally, the .501 was the first watch to use PVD, all previous black watches being painted or surface finished). The watches above are the first generation of 510s, the second generation incorporated a day wheel as well as date along with other minor dial changes. A further range also used the 5100 movement in a slightly different case, these were called Carreras (510.523 for example) and the 5100 had already been used on a few Heuers before that (Silverstone etc).
Lemania
Lemania was a watch and movement manufacturer that since the 1930’s was closely linked to Omega and Tissot under the SSIH group, providing movements for them but also producing their own watches, including military issued ones. In about 1978, (or b during the Quartz wars, they produced a simplification of a previous movement (the 134x series) that was cheap to produce (it used pillar construction so parts could be pressed rather than milled), robust (the chrono hands were directly driven and so better able to take shocks than its intermediate wheeled relations) and extremely legible – the two large orange hands indicating chrono minutes and seconds in a way that no subdialled chrono can do as effectively.
The 5100 was born and used by a variety of makers such as Sinn, Porsche Design, Orfina, Omega, Tissot, Fortis, Tengler, Tutima and latterly, Heuer. It was used in a number of military contracts and has been described as the AK47 of movements such was its simple, tough reliability and instinctive useability, but was discontinued in the mid 2000’s as Lemania became engulfed by Breuget, which itself was nested inside the Swatch group.
Here the 5100 is used in the Sinn 156 from 1980:
And in an Omega Speedmaster 376.0882:
The case is a Heuer design, perhaps one of the last. This watch was made, I think, in about 1985/6 but sold in 1987 according to the papers.
I believe it was one of the first PVD watches.
And a sellers pic as, well, it's a better pic!
I have & have had several Lemania 5100 powered watches. It really is a great movement & one of the best chrono movements ever made, with that big chrono minute hand - much more legible than trying to read the elapsed minutes from a small sub-dial.
As for the Heuer 510.501, there is certainly a resemblance to the earlier Orfina PD Chronograph in terms of case design, although, as you can tell, this watch has the Valjoux 7750 movement, not the Lemania
As for the Heuer 510.501, there is certainly a resemblance to the earlier Orfina PD Chronograph in terms of case design, although, as you can tell, this watch has the Valjoux 7750 movement, not the Lemania
Edited by andy tims on Monday 28th February 23:38
LukeBird said:
you rather like your Lemanias don't you?!
We all need our odd direction in collecting I suppose! But yes, I do really like them; the 156 and the .0882 are on the radar when funds/opportunity permit! 
andy tims said:
I have & have had several Lemania 5100 powered watches. It really is a great movement & one of the best chrono movements ever made, with that big chrono minute hand - much more legible than trying to read the elapsed minutes from a small sub-dial.
As for the Heuer 510.501, there is certainly a resemblance to the earlier Orfina PD Chronograph in terms of case design, although, as you can tell, this watch has the Valjoux 7750 movement, not the Lemania
Thanks Andy - I shall retract what I said about the PVD I think, the PD/Orfina pre-dates this by ten years or so and is PVD as well - I think!As for the Heuer 510.501, there is certainly a resemblance to the earlier Orfina PD Chronograph in terms of case design, although, as you can tell, this watch has the Valjoux 7750 movement, not the Lemania
NeMiSiS - Heuers look as if they have had a bit of a surge in the last wee while, but it's just coincidental timing I think?!
Miguel - it's about 40mm-ish, my wrist shots always look a bit odd I feel due to the fish-eye effect and my scrawny baby girl wrists but it sits very well in real life. I was doubtful about the shrouded lugs but actually they fit very well. The Carrera is a nice fit, I have a similar cased Lemania and it wears much better than you would think, the unshrouded lugs help I think -
(Danomar/ATG)
Timekeeping is, so far, very good and the pusher action is still very crisp, crisper than my EZM but that's probably due to the gaskets in that one. The PVD has lasted very well for a 30 year old watch - you can see a small bit of verdigris on the pusher stems but apart from that it's in fortunate shape.
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