Trash Or Treasure? A Vintage Heuer Caliber Or Just A Photo Prop?
*The First Half Of This Story Was Written On 4/4/2024, The Second Half On 4/13/2024
An eBay Find Potentially Hiding A Legendary Vintage Swiss Heuer Caliber
We have all been there at one point or another– scrolling through watch forums, eBay, chrono24, the now ruined Goodwill online auction (thanks Hodinkee radio), and the odd Google search pulling on a random thought-thread in hopes of finding exactly what you are looking for, even if you are not quite sure what that is.
So that's where this story begins, with me sitting at my kitchen table combing the web for the keywords “Yacht Timer”. Though perhaps a bit of a forgotten complication, the yacht timer wristwatch was at one time done by a few big names in the industry, playing to the golden age of sail yacht racing when people actually knew what The America's Cup was and that monohull vessels were the only option. As time progressed pulling technology with it, the hull split into three parts, the speeds greatly increased, and the thinned-out crew could no longer take their strained arms off of the winch to activate the single pusher after the blow of the starting gun. Luckily, digital timekeeping, GPS technology, official timekeepers, and referee committees were there to make sure that all were equal and fair while simultaneously removing some of the drama and romance that came with a regatta starting line. Fading into the horizon, regatta or yacht timers became a thing of the past, only resurfacing as an errant novelty or re-imaging without true intention like the TAG Heuer Skipper, which I do genuinely like. Nevertheless, there I am at the table mindlessly clicking around in search of an irrefutable deal that would bring a bit of fun to the upcoming sailing season, or more likely a cool photo prop, when a small listing with a terrible picture caught my eye on eBay. The title read exactly “Vintage Abercrombie & Fitch Regatta stropwatch timer Yachttimer Switzerland” in all its glory for the sum of $129.99 plus $8.85 shipping, OBO.
photos taken from the eBay listing
Digging deeper into the antique store find, the buyer listed the item as “broken for parts” as the crown was missing from the stem, but otherwise seemed to be in good order. Now at this point, most would have turned back. A broken stopwatch with a misspelled listing title from a middle-of-the-road fashion brand doesn't exactly scream $140.00, but I couldn't look away. Is this just a case of broken bits that should have been discarded when it stopped working, or could this possibly be a valuable treasure with an interesting backstory just waiting to be discovered?
Let me explain. Abercrombie & Fitch was once just Abercrombie, a retailer of outdoor goods akin to the likes of L.L. Bean or REI, before eventually adding Fitch to the company structure and becoming an elite outfitter in the early 1900s. Eventually falling victim to its retail overreach, the brand shut its flagship location, was acquired, and turned to a mail-order model aimed at selling hunting wear and other novelty items in the 1970s.
Though before that sad end was met, a very interesting partnership was established that will bring watches into the fold. In the 1940s, Abercrombie & Fitch reached out to a brand known for producing capable and innovative tool watches following the deep-rooted Swiss principles of precision and quality, the legendary Swiss watchmaker Heuer.
The partnership led to watches both interesting and innovative, most notably the Solunar which tracked the tides in a sub register at six, which still pops up frequently today, though for much more than their original retail price of $85.00.
Over the following 20 years and roughly ten or so model variations later, the partnership ceased just before the looming quartz crisis. Those savvy of the story sought out the Solunar for the Heuer-built movement hidden within, as those less in the know saw it as a simple fashion watch and moved it along at a reasonable price. While the modern-day near $10,000.00 price point has forced me to steer clear of this particular hunt, it is still a storied history stuck in my mind as an avid lover of the outdoors, sailing, and watches. So when a vintage Abercrombie & Fitch yacht timer stopwatch made in Switzerland with a vague description and, let's be honest, horrible pictures pops up in the feed, it's worth the flyer.
Following the “Never Pay Retail” principles of gray market dealings, I submitted my offer of $75.00 and waited. Two hours later, I received the email “bid accepted,” starting the “what if” mental gymnastics that bring excitement and, most often, eventual disappointment. But, what if? What if this vintage yacht timer was produced by that legendary name? What if the caseback is hiding a signature that most can no longer afford? What if I had just burned $75.00 plus $8.85 in shipping and called it a day? And that is where I sit. Refreshing the tracking every so often to see how close my potential treasure chest is to my front door. And there I will leave it until next week.
Part Two: It Has Arrived!
*The Second Half Of This Story Was Written On 4/13/2024
One long week later, there is a box at my doorstep where packaged inside sits a weird piece of history. Today we are used to well-known brands producing products as cheaply as possible and marking them up to meet the perceived value of the name rather than delivered goods. In contrast, these older manufactured pieces of kit still carry a proper weight in hand as modern-day “cheap” materials had yet to plague the world with planned obsolescence. They were meant to do one thing, work. When they stopped working, they were meant to be repaired. That is, however, assuming they were not lost in some large body of water. I can attest that keeping a firm grip, typically on some sort of beverage, is a mighty challenge when under sail, cutting through chop, trying to tack back and forth to make the starting line at the horn. It is easy to imagine that a lot of vintage regatta timers found themselves, though tightly gripped, over the guardrail and into the splash.
As I cut into the tape holding a plethora of brown paper packing and bubble wrap, I am teaming with excitement just to hold this survivor. But, the first thing I notice, the dial is crooked! Those eagle-eyed readers not blinded by late-night delirium and the excitement of a treasure found probably already saw that. However, as my eyes pour over the cracked, enamel dial weathering with that vibrant green hue of a copper sundial exposed to the elements, I am in love. The once precisely bent second hand curving down towards the dial to accurately point at the exact amount of time elapsed now corroded and stationary. The missing winding crown and stem offer a sneak peek of the caliber within. The scratched and withered case back and bezel holding stories, hopefully, of past seasons’ victories aboard a fiberglass, or better yet wooden, hull. This stopwatch is dripping with vintage charm that can only be earned through proper use.
Okay, okay, enough stalling. I will finally confess what I found when I cracked it open. From the pictures, you can see that the regatta timer stopwatch is built traditionally. A hinged caseback that once clipped into place secure and flush now sits slightly ajar making it easy to pop it open and reveal the actual movement caseback occupying roughly fifty percent of the package. This needed a little extra though. Working the blade tip of my old rusted leatherman into the groove allowed for enough purchase to create the “pop” needed to reveal the movement. Signed Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Swiss, the internal parts seem rather ordinary and industrial. Steel finished in simple deep brushing covers virtually every anterior surface while a radial brushing extends from the center of the gearing. This yacht timer was built to be rugged and easily serviced as the movement is rather simple with an oversized and thick balance wheel surrounding a large mainspring. Engraved into the bridges are the caliber number 893775, Unadjusted Seven 7 Jewels, AXF, and MN, that is all. No legendary name carved to set the heart racing. So does this mean that this regatta timer stopwatch was not produced by the legendary Swiss watchmaking icon Heuer? Possibly.
Let me explain. When I first discovered the lack of any other calling card I began to dig in and do some actual research. With the caliber number coming up blank, I switched to scouring the yacht timer in search of any other demarcation that would give me a greater clue to its origin. Apart from the names Abercrombie & Fitch Co and Switzerland showing up repeatedly in differing orientations, there was one small detail I overlooked. Hand carved into the interior dome of the outer case is the date 7-14-58. This is most likely a service date, inscribed by a watchmaker to indicate when the service was done so that they can reference a log along with tracking the service intervals. The 1954 year surprised me, making this regatta timer even older than I had originally thought. Now at least 70 years’ old, its original production would put it squarely in the same time era as the aforementioned legendary partnership. Is it possible that Abercrombie & Fitch Co. had some other Swiss brands produce its movements for its regatta timer stopwatches? Sure, though somewhat unlikely. Throughout my research tearing into old advertisements and catalogs, I was unable to find any reference to this specific yacht timer. One particular Christmas catalog proudly displays a yacht timer stopwatch with a slightly different dial design and a second case loop on its bottom to allow the owner to put it on a strap and wear it, a nifty idea that I am sure saved many from a fateful splash. But never this reference.
I choose to believe that this is a Heuer-produced regatta timer caliber made for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. during the heyday of the outdoor retailer. Not only does the timeline add up, but it seems unlikely that the retailer would partner up with multiple Swiss watchmakers at the same time to produce the same product. Further, as far as I can find, there is no record of any other watchmaking partnership for the brand. Now, you won't find this broken stopwatch back up on eBay touting newly discovered origins for double the price. No, it will stay in my collection and be used as a conversation starter and photo prop. That gives me an excuse to keep it on my desk, allowing me to run my fingers over the varying gouges and daydream of old sailing yachts while “listening” to my Zoom meeting.
P.S. While I can not find this specific reference in any digitized Abercrombie and Fitch Co. advertising, the magazine and print ads I could find all post-date this piece as well as a few other known examples. If you happen to find a print ad from the 1940s or 1950s that sheds any light on this, please let me know! As an advertising nerd, I would be excited to see it either way.
P.P.S. At some point I may dismantle the movement in an attempt to get it back in running condition. If this interests you please let me know and I will be sure to post an update!