Heuer Bundeswehr

It wasn’t Paul Newman, Steve McQueen or even Miles Davis that made the look of a ‘Bund’ strap iconic. No, not at all. 

In fact, it was the Heuer Bundenswher, a military-issued chronograph that made these straps synonymous with a rough and rugged lifestyle.

The Heuer Bundeswehr was designed for the sole purpose of use in military aviation. They were General Issue for pilots in the air forces of many nations (including the Italian Air Force, under the brand Leonidas, which Heuer acquired in the 60s) but is best-known for its use by the Luftwaffe of West Germany. These chronographs were traditionally outfitted on a three-piece leather strap that included a thick leather pad which protected the pilot’s skin from extreme temperature changes a watch would undergo in the cockpit, and provide extra length to fit over an insulated jacket. Hence, the eponymous ‘Bund’ strap nickname.

The Heuer Bundeswher saw a bevy of dial configurations during its production years between the 1960s and the 1970s. This piece features a matte black dial with ‘Arabic’ indices, a peripheral minute track, a constant-seconds sub-register at 9 o’clock, a 30 minute counter at 3 o’clock, a matching luminous handset and a center chronograph seconds hand with a stylized arrow. The 43mm monocoque case is fashioned out of stainless steel originally treated with a corrosion-resistant matte finishing and features a fully-graduated rotating elapsed-time bezel, barrel chronograph pushers, an unsigned winding crown and an acrylic crystal.

The solid caseback displays a ‘Bundeswehr’ engraving along with its unique Versorgungsnummer stock number. The ‘6645’ indicates its timekeeping device supply category, followed by the code ‘12’ which refers to Germany as its assigning country. The remaining 7 digits signifies this timepiece’s distinct item identifier. 

Showing honest wear and patina from dutiful use, this piece packs the manual-winding Valjoux 230 flyback chronograph movement and is fitted with our Kovacs Brown Montone leather strap in lieu of the aforementioned 'Bund' style leather accoutrement.

Oozing a charm that can only come with vintage military watch, this piece most certainly has stories to tell - and room for plenty more to be written on the wrist of its next custodian!

In 1962, Jack Heuer inherited the company that his great-grandfather had founded in Saint-Imier nearly a century before.

He had already played a role in the design of some timepieces, starting with the Solunar in the late 1940s. But in 1962, the responsibility of running the company fell on his shoulders, and he found himself faced with the daunting task of safeguarding his ancestor’s legacy while at the same time forging his own. His chosen path? Moving into a line of technical instruments for use in sporting and transportation applications.

The Heuer name was not unknown in motor racing and aviation circles. Starting in 1911, when the sport of automobile racing was still in its infancy, the company produced dashboard clocks for cars, boats, and even airplanes. Jack Heuer, a longtime racing aficionado, saw an opportunity to revitalize — or at the very least, to reexamine — the company’s already-successful line of chronographs.

He had first tried his hand with the Autavia, which at the time of his succession was a stopwatch with a virtually illegible dial. In its place he launched the line of Autavia wrist chronographs, the first line of chronographs produced by Heuer to be named, rather than simply numbered. The Autavia was purpose-built for racers and pilots, and attracted the attention of Formula 1 racers and devotees such as Jochen Rindt and Steve McQueen.

In designing the Carrera in 1963, Jack Heuer created something that was entirely his, and is without question the chronograph that is most associated with the brand today. Heuer's obsession with legibility led to a dial design that was simpler to read than the Omega Speedmaster or the Rolex Daytona (released the same year as the Carrera). What resulted was a chronograph with plain baton markers that gave only the most necessary bits of information — clean, uncluttered, undeniably attractive.

The brand grew to become a powerhouse in chronographs in particular, and the list of famous designs from the 1960s and 1970s can’t be counted on two hands. However, one innovation from 1969 deserves particular mention: the famed Caliber 11. This caliber (and its successors) was the result of a multinational race to build the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. It would go on to power the famed Monaco — made famous by actor Steve McQueen — as well as automatic versions of the Autavia, Carrera and more.

Falling on hard times in the wake of the Quartz Crisis, Heuer was ultimately purchased by Technique Avant Garde (TAG), and subsequently by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey, who brought the brand into the modern age. Early TAG Heuer quartz divers from the 1980s have found newfound appreciation in collector’s circles, while the brand’s modern catalog is a mix of vintage-inspired reissues and unique collections, such as the Connected smartwatch line.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.