Steve McQueen on Le Mans set...

: Dear Jeff
: ...for your BLOG facts ....you only wrote that we only know 4
: “Worn by Steve” Monacos ….well …whats not quite right
: mate…..just to update you with my long years knowlegde /
: working on this special Monaco-theme , and to share the hole
: story with all Heuer Monaco and Steve McQueen - enthusiasts,
: here are my gathered information s about the 6 known and so
: named " Worn by Steve McQueen " -Heuer Monacos / ref
: 1133 B.

: Pic from the TagHeuer Book cover “ Unforgettable Steve McQueen
: “
:

: 1. TagHeuer Museum / Switzerland , Monaco 1133 B ,
: Serial No. 1xxxxx , verifided by Mrs Mathilde Tournois- documention
: mangerin/ TagHeuer Museum in 2008
: ex. Property master Mr. Donald B. Nunley , sold in the early 2000 s
: ,
: ex David de Vos ( I think so ) ,
: now belongs to the TagHeuer Museum ,
: comes with a Certificate / Letter from the ex property master
: Donald B.Nunly ( as can be seen in this picture of the watch in
: the TagHeuer Museums cabin as decoration behind the watch!!)

: Jeff Steins comment on these “Property Master” watches;
: “The property master from Le Mans has provided letters describing
: the roles of these two Monaco s, and I believe his version of
: the story. This is what property masters do — they keep track
: of the props — and track “which was which” during and
: after the filming.”

: In my personal opinion this letter and its content doesn’t say
: anything about the watch and his use at the movie set “ Le
: Mans “ in summer 1970 ty and no correct details about its
: serial number , instead the person how wrote this “
: certificate”, described wrongly the reference 1133 B as serial
: number in this letter!!??

: My Pic from the TagHeuer Museum s Monaco , “2008 Collectors sumit
: “
:
:

: 2. THE 799.500 USD Watch , owner MR. X / ??? , Monaco 1133 B ,
: Serial No. 159xxx , provided by a former owner
: ex Property Master Donald B. Nunly sold about 2005,
: ex David de Vos/ Usa ,
: then owned by Mr.Lorenzo Metteucci / Italy ,
: sold in spring 2012 ( I think so ) to Mr. Mike Eisenberg CA/USA.

: auctioned July 31 , 2012 by LiveAuction s/ USA for 799.500,- USD !!

: Comes also with a “notarized letter of authenticity” from the
: ex. property master of the movie set Le Mans , Mr Donald B.Nunly
: and was auctioned with a origl Heuer-
: manuel-warranty-booklet-page , noticed / Sold by: “ 24 h at
: the Le Mans 1970 “ , blanc / without filled out Reference and
: without serial number, too!!

: I have never seen this Letter… either I know the content!

: But here is the Auction-catalog description;
: “LE MANS S. MCQUEEN “MICHAEL DELANEY” HEUER WATCH
: STEVE MCQUEEN HERO “MICHAEL DELANEY” HEUER MONACO WRISTWATCH
: SCREEN-WORN IN LE MANS - (Solar Productions/Cinema Center Films,
: 1971) A beautiful Heuer “Monaco” production 1133b (matt blue
: dial) now universally known as “The McQueen”. This is the
: actual wristwatch worn by Steve McQueen during Le Mans
: production and in related images. In 1970, Jack Heuer himself
: delivered a variety of his chronograph timepieces to Donald
: Nunley, prop master on the set of Le Mans in France. From this
: selection, Steve McQueen himself chose this specific watch to
: wear as his character “Michael Delaney” during production
: and in publicity photos. In an early example of product
: placement, this watch is visible on the arm of McQueen in
: countless photos and the ultimate film. In fact, his sleeve is
: often conspicuously pushed up to reveal the watch for the
: cameras. In 1969 Heuer released the first automatic chronograph
: and broke with tradition by creating a square waterproof case to
: house it. A buckled, black leather vented strap completes the
: handsome piece. Housed in a red, spring-hinged case sporting the
: Heuer logo and a checkered flag motif. The watch is seated in a
: red felt base. The watch is in Exceptional condition and comes
: with its original manual of operation containing a factory typed
: notation that the watch was sold to “24 h at Le Mans 1970”.
: An orange sticker on the back of the watch bears the reference
: number 1133b (the sticker is rubbed from wear, as McQueen wore
: the watch extensively in production) and a notarized letter of
: authenticity from Le Mans prop master Donald Nunley. In 2009
: McQueen’s personal Rolex Submariner watch sold at auction for
: an astounding $234,000. A remarkable piece of racecar lore and
: movie history worn by Steve McQueen, the iconic star that
: embodied the thrill of the sport and glamour of Hollywood”

: Well it sold for 650.000,- USD plus premium 149.500,- USD !!
: 799.500,- USD total.

: David de Vos comment on his wife buying this watch; ” I cannot
: believe that a watch she bought 7 years ago for then a huge sum
: of $9200 just sold for that amount....
: Oh well, it has never been about the money.. Cheers, D”

: THE 799.500,-USD Monaco , pic from live auctioneers
:

: Here is the link to this auction with further pics;
:
: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/12137473_le-mans-s-mcqueen-michael-delaney-heuer-watch

: 3. MR Y./ ??? , Monaco 1133 B ,
: Serial No. ?????? , never seen .
: ex. Michael Ledermann / CA -USA ,
: a friend of Steve ,he visited Steve at the movie set in autum 1970
: ty,
: He sold steve a Porsche car and got this also this Monaco in this
: deal too / as present personally from Steve,
: This is his story about this Monaco , he told me personally at the
: AUTO e MOTO D,POCA, a Car show in Padua/ Italy on October 25
: ,2008 , where ClassicHeuer exhibited with a exclusive Stand; I
: saw the watch there and it was offered there to me by the seller
: too !
: ( but didn’t have 45000,- usd in cash in my pocket…just a
: joke…)… well anyway… it sold the next day to a privat
: -Italien –Steve McQueen- memorabilia- collector, a Guy from
: Milan for 45000 usd..!!
: I was also offered by this seller the Heuer RallyeMaster timerset
: (could be the same timerset what is also in the auction, that
: didn’t sell at the Live-Auction for 40.000 USD !)

: Sorry no picture of this watch available…

: 4. Sercan Gez / Switzerland, Monaco 1133 B ,
: Serial No ??????, never seen.
: Engraved case back with 2 different names,
: Sold in the Antiquorum auction, NY , June 11, 2009 for 87.600,- USD
: Jeff Steins comment on this watch;
: “Summary. The story told in the auction catalog — copied below,
: at the very bottom of this posting — boils down to a fairly
: simple story: McQueen wore only one Monaco during his work on Le
: Mans, and this is the one. After the filming of Le Mans, when he
: returned to Los Angeles, Steve McQueen gave the watch to his
: business consultant, Bill Maher, as a gift.
: On June 11, 2009, this Heuer Monaco was sold for $87,600 (including
: the buyer’s premium; $73,000 without premium).
: What I Believe. I believe that Steve McQueen gave this watch to
: Bill Maher, as a gift. As such, it gets high marks for reliable
: Steve McQueen provenance.
: What I Don’t Believe. I don’t believe the suggestion that Steve
: McQueen wore only one Monaco during the filming of Le Mans, and
: that this is the one. This would run entirely contra to the
: story told by the property master (and greatly diminish the
: provenance of Samples 1 and 2, in the list above) and also
: contra to the way that props ordinarily work in the movie
: business. I also doubt that McQueen walked into Maher’s office
: and on an impromptu basis, and handed him this Monaco. We have
: never ever seen any photo of McQueen wearing a Monaco, other
: than at Le Mans. So I just don’t believe that McQueen was
: wearing this watch as his “daily wearer” when he returned to
: Los Angeles, after the filming.
: What I’m Unsure Of. Yes, I believe that Steve McQueen once owned
: this watch and gave it to Bill Maher, but I don’t know how we
: can connect the watch to the action at Le Mans. Did Steve wear
: this Monaco during the filming or did he simply ask the property
: master for a Monaco at some point, to have as a spare or for his
: personal collection? Maybe Steve wore it a lot and maybe he
: didn’t. Accordingly, I give this watch all the points for
: having a McQueen connection, but I don’t know how we tie it to
: the filming of Le Mans.
: The Watch Itself. Putting aside issues of history and provenance,
: this is a decent looking Monaco, but nothing exceptional. We see
: ordinary wear on the case, with a couple of medium-sized
: dents.“

: Pic from my auction caltog cover
:
:

: 5.Jasper Bitter / Germany, Monaco 1133 B ,
: Serial No. 1603XX , seen and verifided by Jasper Bitter in 2009
: Owner Jasper Bitter – Privat collection
: Comes with a sellers ; affirmation in lieu of oath
: Approved; with a Documentation trought Helmut Kelleners wifes
: personally Foto album with about 15 fotos taken from her at the
: movie set “Le Mans” in 1970 ty.
: Approved; with a official Solar productions –movie shot –
: Europe poster, Steve McQueen waering this watch.
: Speciality / unusual mounted /at the movie set “Le Mans” with
: steel brachelet ,
: Sold in july 2009 from porsche 917 race driver Helmut Kelleners to
: me,
: Helmut Kelleners was contracted by solar productions for 3 months
: at the movie set “ Le Mans” in summer/autum 1970 ty , he
: stayed with his son Ralf Kelleners and his wife in a Chateaux
: near Le Mans , wear they lived together with other race drivers
: too.
: This Monaco was given from Steve personally as a gift, at the end
: of the movies-shots, to his
: german friend and his STUNT-Race-Driver Helmut Kelleners ( drove a
: Gesipa team Porsche 917 in 1970 , his car was sprayed into gulf
: colors at the movie set and numbered No 20 only for the movie !,
: so that’s why only he had to drive this car for steve, as
: steve was forbidden by solar productions, because of insurance
: reasons, to drive the race cars himself!)
: You can also see in the credits at the end of the movie Le Mans
: that Helmut Kellener s Name is written alone & specially and
: outstanding and he is one of only race drivers named there too !

: Years later i even found the official Solar Production
: Movie-shot-picture with
: Steve infront of the Porsche 917 No.20 and wearing this watch with
: the rare
: metal-brachelet on it too ( behind you can see Helmut Kelleners
: ,just setting up/ getting prepered for a stunt-or race
: drive....).
: Helmut Kelleners told me that he also saw “Steve McQueen took the
: first choice pick on those watches in the box that Gerd-Rüdiger
: Lang personally handed over at the begin of the movie- shoting
: to the property master Donald B.Nunly!!! , it wasn,t Jack Heuer
: who gave these watches to Mr Nunly! Jack Heuer was never at the
: Movie set !! see also my OTD message from april 18 , 2004 as I
: intervied personally Mr Gert-Rüdiger Lang about this story,

: Jasper Bitter picture of the- hand over- of this “Worn by Steve
: “ Heuer Monaco at Helmut Kelleners privat house in July 2009
:
:

: The official Solar productions –movie shot – Europe poster,
: Steve waering this watch
:
:

: Close up , Steve s wrist
:
:

: Please notice my OTD message in 2009, heres the link…..

:
: http://chronocentric.com/forums/heuer/index.cgi?page=1;md=read;id=31106

: The Monaco Story , message OTD in april 2004 by Jasper Bitter ,
: heres the link;

:
: http://chronocentric.com/forums/heuer/index.cgi?page=1;md=read;id=4361

: 6. MR. Z / USA , Monaco 1133 B,
: Serial No. 1603XX ,seen and verifided by Jasper Bitter at the
: Goodwood revival in sept. 2011
: Ex Owner Mr. Bevan Weston, Derek Bells race-car –mechaniker ,
: also to see in the movie !!
: Approved; with a Documentation trought Mr Bevan Weston personally
: Foto album with about 20 fotos taken from her at the movie set
: “Le Mans” in 1970 ty.
: Bought in the Film-set prop-sale at the end of the movie shots in
: 1970 ty by ex. derek bell-mechaniker , who was also contracted
: by solar productions at the movie set;
: Mr.Bevan Weston.
: Sold from him in end of 2011 or beginning of 2012 to a privat
: collector in the USA for 75.000,- USD .

: My pic , meeting with Bevan at the Classicheuer stand on the
: Goodwood Revival, september 2011
:
:

: Are there more to come…….??

: Any comments are welcome…does anybody have more or further
: information…so please post these…It would be interesting to
: know the other serial numbers… to see if they match
: in a line or period of the 1970 ty Monacos !!!????

: Enjoy & Thanks & best regards

: Jasper