It’s funny thing, a sensation really. A sensation so addictive that many men have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of it, but there is an honor roll of those whose names are synonymous with it. Ferrari, Fangio, Andretti, Moss, Regazzoni, McLaren – but today we honor another name among their ranks. Heuer.

Heuer made its first dashboard timer in 1911, which started it down a path that would see the name become synonymous with automobile racing in the 20th Century. The first Autavia – and amalgam of the words ‘AUTOmobile’ and ‘AVIAtion’ – became not only just its flagship dashboard chronograph, but in 1962 became its flagship wrist-chronograph with the launch of the reference 2446. Around the same time, Jack Heuer becomes the majority shareholder – and Jack knew that like the automobile industry if you win on Sunday, you sell on Monday. Jack takes the US market by storm, first with the Carrera in 1963, but it’s his relationship building with the likes of Jo Siffert that catapults the brand onto the wrists of racing drivers everywhere. While Jo was selling watches in the pit lanes, Jack was striking deals with F1 teams to have the Heuer logo on their racing cars, and on their racing suits. Jack was also able to acquire the company Leonidas which made Heuer one of the largest suppliers of timing equipment in the world – quite useful for a company so tied to motorsport. Photos from the era show Jack Heuer trackside constantly, and with Jo Siffert, Niki Lauda, Clay Regazzoni, and of course – Enzo Ferrari – whom he struck his own formal partnership with in 1971.

While we live today in a world of brand ambassadors and manufactured histories, there is nothing artificial here. The link between Heuer and motorsport is as real as the feats these men accomplished behind the wheel of the 20th century’s most impressive sports cars. We invite you to celebrate the golden age of motorsport, and the racers who made it possible – with the watches that they wore. This is Heuer Champions.