Heuer Camaro Ref 7743 Men's Vintage Watch

A firm favourite of ours, the Heuer Camaro continues to attract collectors and enthusiasts alike with its perfect blend of masculinity and elegance. This particular version is the reference 7743, with its two sub registers at 9:00 and 3:00; its symmetry and understated elegance making it a favourite among many enthusiasts.

The piece on sale here is in superb condition; its dial and hands are almost flawless and the case remains sharp with its sunburst effect still clearly visible. Its powered by the reliable Valjoux 7730 manually wound movement which is running smoothly having recently undergone a full service. The watch is fitted to new crocodile leather strap by Graf. Please note this will not be included on non-EU sales. 

With demand for Camaro’s at an all time high we don’t expect this watch to hang around for long!

Background:

The Heuer Camaro has to be one of our favourite sub £10,000 watches. We love it for its blend of masculinity and elegance, its underdog status and the story of its birth.

Once a highly underappreciated watch among collectors, when the Heuer Camaro launched in 1968 it would be the last to feature a manual-winding chronograph. Just one year after, Heuer would go on to release its first automatic chronograph calibre. Where the Carrera and Autavia models would receive this new automatic movement, the Camaro never did and in 1972 the Camaro was phased out after just 4 years in production. 

Once largely ignored in favour of its sister Carrera and Autavia models, renewed interest in the model, paired with its short production run has seen prices rocket in recent years with no signs of slowing. 

The Camaro's story is linked to Heuer's desire to increase its presence in the US market, when in the late 1960's it was rumoured that Jack Heuer took the opportunity to link the name of this new model to the adrenaline of US motor racing. The name he chose was a nod to the Chevy Camaro – a popular racing car at the time (and iconic model to this day) and the pace car to the Indianapolis 500 (an equally iconic race series). Whilst both the Chevy Camaro and Heuer Camaro shared an unmistakably masculine image, the Heuer also managed to be elegant at the same time. 

The design of the Heuer Camaro is the perfect bringing together of elegance and masculinity. Whilst the dial, hands, and movements are shared with its more famed brother – the Heuer Carrera, several dial variations were offered; black, white and panda dials, two or three sub-dials, date and non-date versions. 

The real magic of the Camaro, however, is its case. Its 37mm stainless steel cushion case oozes masculinity but does so subtly. Finished on top with a sunburst pattern, this is contrasted with plain polished sides creating the perfect union of masculinity and elegance. 

The Heuer wasn't just a pretty face, of course, it was also reliable and well made. The Camaro came with one of three famed movements, all made by Valjoux; the Valjoux 72 (as used by the Rolex Daytona), the Valjoux 92 and finally the Valjoux 773X family of movements. 

Condition Report:

As with all our watches this has been fully serviced and comes with a 12 month warranty for total piece of mind. 

• Dial: Near mint condition showing an attractive subtle fading; 
• Hands: Excellent condition; 
• Glass: Near mint condition with minor scratches visible when viewed under a 4x loupe; 
• Case: Case shows sharp edges and retains the sunburst effect brushing. Minor scratches and dints visible to the naked eye. Visible scratches on case-back from case opening, easily polished out if needed; 
• Movement: Original, fully serviced & regulated. Movement shows minor marks and tarnishing commensurate with general wear visible when viewed under a 4x loupe; 
• Strap: Brand new vintage leather racing strap.