Zodiac "Poor Man's Carrera" Chronograph

Why We Love It

In the 1960s and '70s sporty chronographs were all the rage and there's no doubt Heuer was the brand to beat, with some of the most renowned racers and teams of the day regularly seen sporting Heuer’s iconic Carrera, Monza and Autavia models. Nowadays, however, many vintage Heuer chronographs remain out of reach of many enthusiasts.

Enter the "Poor Man's Heuer.' 

During the same time that Heuer was producing their own watches, they were producing watches for other brands under different names right alongside them. Brands such as Zodiac, Clebar, and Sears (under the name 'Tradition') all sold watches that were nearly identical to Heuers own, right down to the Valjoux movements inside them.

This excellent Zodiac variant is more than a little reminiscent of Heuer's Carrera, featuring a twin-register 'panda' dial layout, Tritium luminescent hands and indices, a tachymeter scale, and the venerable hand-cranking Valjoux 7730 movement - all enclosed in an iconic 36mm case. 

Though many executions of "Poor Man's Heuers" exist, there is no question that those expressions that mirror the 1960s Heuer Carrera are the most coveted, which has made finding good examples tricky, and made the sportier 'panda' dial variants almost as hard to locate as the Heuers themselves.

This is your change to grab a great one, so dont miss out!

The Story

Zodiac is an old brand that's enjoying new life under new ownership. Fossil, its current owners, understand the tremendous staying power of classic designs such as the Seawolf. As far as the genuine article is concerned, vintage collectors are now seeing the value of these stunning and sporty watches. 

With roots going back to the late 19th century, the brand that would come to be known as Zodiac distinguished itself from its earliest days with some impressive technical feats. They produced flat pocket watches in the 1920s, some of the industry's earliest automatic watches in the 1930s, and power-reserve complications in the 1940s. As the intention of Ariste Calame when founding Zodiac was to specialize in the production of complicated movements, it’s no surprise that the lineage of technical expertise would live on throughout the brand’s history.

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.