This is a Heuer Autorama electronic clock for use in an automotive dashboard application, it’s particularly well-suited to modern classics from the 1970s and 1980s as this is the era when the clock was in production.
Of course, many cars from this era came with dashboard clocks of their own, often small digital LCD clocks that were prone to failure. The Heuer Autorama provides a much more robust solution that also happens to be much better looking, and far less prone to breaking after a few years of use.
This is a young Edouard Heuer. He started his watch making shop on his family farm in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, producing pocket watches. In 1864 he moved the company to Brugg, where it operated under the name Edouard Heuer & Compagnie.
A Brief History Of Heuer
Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG was founded by Edouard Heuer in 1860 in the town of Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Initially, he focused on producing pocket watches and chronographs which were highly regarded for their precision and reliability.
In 1882, Edouard Heuer patented his first chronograph, which featured an improved, patented oscillating pinion mechanism. This innovation allowed for more accurate timekeeping and simplified the construction of chronographs. The oscillating pinion mechanism became a hallmark of Heuer’s timepieces and set the stage for future developments.
Over the years, Heuer continued to push the boundaries of watchmaking technology. In 1911, Heuer patented the “Time of Trip” dashboard chronograph, designed specifically for automobiles and aircraft. This innovation allowed drivers and pilots to accurately measure and record time while on the move.
This presents a rare opportunity to buy a Heuer Autorama clock still with its original factory packaging.
In the 1920s, Heuer introduced the “Autavia” dashboard timer, which combined a stopwatch and clock in a single instrument.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Heuer continued to innovate and make significant contributions to the world of sports timing. The company introduced one of the first automatic chronograph movements in collaboration with Breitling, Hamilton, and Dubois Dépraz. This movement, known as the Caliber 11, revolutionized the watch industry and set the standard for automatic chronographs.
In 1985, Heuer was acquired by the TAG Group (Techniques d’Avant Garde), a holding company owned by Mansour Ojjeh and the late Akram Ojjeh. The acquisition led to the formation of TAG Heuer, combining the technical expertise of Heuer with the marketing and financial resources of TAG.
Under TAG Heuer, the brand expanded its product range and continues to grow, now well into the 21st century.
That outer bezel can be rotated as needed, or it can be removed altogether for a more minimalist look.
The Heuer Autorama dashboard electronic clock you see here has a black dial with easy-to-read white baton-style hour and minute markers. The inner dial contains just markers, with the outer dial also containing numeral markers in five minute increments, with the exception of the 60.
The clock has a baton-style hour and minute hand, with a brighter red second hand. The outer bezel can be rotated, and it can also be removed if not required. The clock is powered by a button-cell battery that provides an approximate 12 month power reserve.
The battery was reportedly replaced in preparation for the sale. It can also be plumbed into the car’s wiring loom, which will then work the cylinder-style bulb that illuminates the clock face.
This clock is now being offered for sale on Bring a Trailer out of New York, and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
