As the celebrity status of drivers continued to elevate, the following each of them acquired only increased. By the late 1970s Heuer had built close relationships with many of the top pilots through their sponsorship of teams and individuals, resulting in an amazing lineup of talent.

Jack Heuer saw the potential of leveraging the great names as early as 1973 when he would launch the Easy Rider collection, featuring models named after the young Belgian racing driver, who was driving for Ferrari. While the Easy Rider was not the success it was expected to be, its packaging in the form of a driver’s helmet provided the inspiration for something outside of watches: the Cavallino helmet clock.

Taking its name from the nickname for the Ferrari logo, the “Cavallino Rampante” or prancing horse in English, the clock’s design was a success appearing on desks and bedside tables (it had a built-in alarm function) of racing fans everywhere. The first design to launch was that of Jacky Ickx, who was paid a small royalty for each one sold, and as soon as other drivers saw them, they all wanted one.

James Hunt, Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda and even the Venezuelan motorcycle racer Johnny Cecotto all had their own designs, which would become a symbol of success. Once you had your own Heuer helmet clock, you had really made it.