Military Chronograph Icon
One of the Cold War’s most interesting military timepiece – the Heuer 1550 SG – is now coming under the hammer. The watch was used by pilots in the Royal Norwegian Air Force in the 1970s andt 1980s and today it stands as a highly sought-after collectors’ item for watch enthusiasts around the world.
At the Live Auction on Thursday, 11 December at 7 pm, we are presenting a true rarity in the form of a Heuer 1550 SG. The watch holds a piece of military history, and only 52 surviving examples are known today.
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In the late 1960s, Norway was pressured to modernise its defence after the Soviet Navy increased its activity in the Norwegian Sea. Both NATO and the United States urged the country to acquire new and modernised military equipment. One result was a 1972 delivery of watches from the Swiss Heuer, which since 1860 had been known for its innovative approach to watchmaking. |
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Seen through the lens of its time, the watch was unusually large, with a diameter of 42 mm and a thickness of 13 mm. The combination of the dial’s large Arabic numerals and luminescent numerals and hands show that it was developed as a functional, classic military watch created for the conditions inside a cockpit. According to former pilots, approximately 200 examples of these Heuer 1550 SG were given to members of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. When pilots retired, they were asked to return their watch, which was subsequently destroyed after being phased out. |
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