The benefit of having a brand associated with any sport has its obvious benefit. To be intrinsically utilised by the sport has a different slant and is understandably a sought after marketing collaboration.

Take Wimbledon, which wouldn’t be the same without the prominent Rolex timekeeping. Motorsport is unquestionably the most historic allegiance and arguably is the root of, or at least catapulted the usage of chronographs into the mainstream.

I’d argue that Heuer is the most iconic motorsport watch, having pored over vintage 70s Chronosport catalogues that feature wonderful period Breitlings, Enicars, Seikos, Sicuras, Gallets, its is Heuer which stand out.

Partly the reason for this is Chronosports’ promotion of the Heuer brand, but mainly the reason is the iconic names for Heuer’s pieces: the Monaco, Autavia, Camaro, Monza, Carrera and the “other” Daytona.

Omega initially designed and launched the Speedmaster with racing in mind before it went to space and later collaborated with Michael Schumacher and has an eponymous range of watches, some signed on the back, some ‘known as’.

Rolex are now the official timekeeper of F1, and the Daytona is the Rolex chronograph, but Heuer will always be the label on Steve McQueen’s sleeve in Le Mans, and on the many tribute jackets seen at motoring events across the country (and world).

Tag Heuer re-issued the Carrera, Autavia, Monza and Monaco and these are staples in many collections. Later non re-issue Tag Heuers are frequently chronographs, albeit with a diving slant, with a couple of very motorsport focused lines; the F1/ Formula 1, which debuted at the beginning of the 1990s as the entry level Tag Heuer, famously featuring a wheel influenced box and chequerd flag inspired bracelet (when not worn on rubber).

There’s a range of Senna, Hakkinen limited editions and of course the later Tag Heuer Kirium analogue / digital is called the F1, a more contemporary take on the company’s history.  So if a motorsport watch is what you crave, you can choose from a vintage look, like the Heuer Daytona, a modern take on a vintage look, such as the Tag Heuer Monaco, or root for a split second timing device at a superb price, the Kirium F1.

If you enjoyed this post you can read part one here.