Heuer, with its partners Breitling, Büren, Hamilton and Dubois-Depraz developed the calibre 11 in its race to produce the world's first automatic chronograph movement. Heuer presented this movement in three models: the Autavia, Carrera and Monaco. Moreover, these watches shared an important characteristic - the word "Chronomatic" printed on the dial above the Heuer badge. This indication was rapidly abandoned resulting in a very law number of "Chronomatic" dials being produced making the extremely rare and sought after by collectors.
There are 5 known examples of the Carrera Chronomatic, including one in the TAG Heuer Museum. The rarity of this lot is further enhanced by the fact that it is the only known model displaying not only the Heuer and Chronomatic script, but also the Abercrombie & Fitch signature.
The first series automatic Carrera models featured steel with black stripe hour and minute hands, inner tachymeter scale from 50 - 200 with the TACHY script at located 3 o'clock. The earliest examples also featured a transitional rice grain Gay Frères bracelet with a non-flip lock clasp which was made for only half a year and by the fourth quarter of 1969 the bracelet was delivered with the new flip lock clasp.
The present example features a metallic blue dial that has gent/y aged to a particularly beguiling and shimmering lilac with a bright contrasting red seconds hand making it a pure delight to behold.