It may seem strange to be featuring a chronograph born for sailing among watches and instruments utilized in motorsport, but the Heuer Skipper has a unique connection to the world of Formula 1 involving one of the most celebrated team principals and engineerings the sport has ever seen.

Launched in 1968 the reference 7754 Skipper was produced in extremely limited quantities, perhaps just a few hundred watches, to celebrate the victory of the Intrepid, the US entry into the America’s Cup in 1967. Helmed by the celebrated yachtsman Bus Mosbacher, the crew had utilized Heuer timekeeping equipment during the race and through the associate the company decided to launch a new model around the universe of sailing.

What made the Skipper stand out was the incredible dial colours: a deep blue background taking inspiration from the churning ocean with a sun ray brushed finish to give it a vibrant iridescence, a distinctive teal colour to the subsidiary dials, taken from the deck of the Intrepid, for which the shade had been chosen for its anti-reflective qualities, and the red and green of the regatta flags as a reminder of the application for the unusual 15-minute counter.

Given the rarity of the watches, particularly in good condition given that a number were used by sailors and have seen some dial corrosion from water ingress, the Skipper reference 7754 has become a cult collector's item and one of the Heuer Holy Grails for many, seeing a significant appreciation in pricing over the years.

What connected the Skipper to the world of motorsport is a series of images taken of the Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus and an exceptional engineer, during 1970. He is seen with Jochen Rindt, another known Heuer wearer, and on Chapman’s wrist is the unmistakable colours of the reference 7754. With a known affinity for boats, he would establish his own boatbuilder in 1971 called Moonraker, perhaps Chapman was signaling his love for the ocean while in the paddock. Whatever the case it has resulted in another desirable dimension being added to an already rare watch.