This would be a great question to ask Jack Heuer. Maybe one day we could have an ''ASK JACK" heading where collectors of his vintage watches could ask him some questions once a year or so if he'd be amenable to answering them.

I'd love to learn more about the relationships Heuer had in those days with Zodiac, Clebar, and especially the white-dialed Dugena. That 1153S-style Zodiac is awesome! I've never seen that one before. Talk about a smoking gun....

After looking at pics of the Jarama and our Zodiacs the case looks identical except for the bezel. It's either the same exact case or someone was copying the other exactly, which is hard to imagine because we know that there was a relationship on some level, why would one maker purposely copy another and still maintain a good relationship? Even if both companies didn't make their own cases, the case maker would probably not release one maker's design to another without approval.

A possibility is that there was an agreement that Zodiac would receive Heuer-designed cases from the case maker with approval from Heuer and then Zodiac assembled the watches themselves. In any case, it's difficult to conclude that there was no relationship that took place, the depth of that relationship is up for conjecture until a principal could explain what happened.

In the meantime, I'm going to be adding more of them to my collection and no matter what name is on the dial, they are still super-cool, high-quality vintage watches.

: Rick,

: I can't really say with all certainty that these Zodiacs were made
: by Heuer, what I can say is that in my opinion, everything seems
: to point that way. From the fluted pushers, serial number
: between the lugs, to the design/style of the case. I just can't
: see how Zodiac would make a chronograph case using all those
: bits of design, instead of just being original.
: The case on this one reminds me quite a bit of the one housing the
: Heuer Jarama, but in my opinion the Zodiac is a much better
: looking timepiece.

: I have never owned a vintage Zodiac, with its serial number between
: the lugs, and they made quite a few of those, but their
: chronographs all do.
: I love the way the Zodiac sits on the wrist, at 43mm is 1mm larger
: than an Autavia 1163/11630, but it feels much more comfortable
: than any automatic Autavia. It is definitely built right.

: I have talked to quite a few Zodiac collectors, and most of them
: seem to believe the Zodiac/Heuer connection is nothing more than
: a story made up by someone trying to get more money for their
: Zodiac chronographs. I agree, some unscrupulous sellers do that
: sort of thing, but in my opinion, the truth is plain to see.
: I went on vintagezodiacs.com a few times, until I learned I wasn't
: really learning anything there.

: One with a faded dial...
:
:
: And one that looks quite a bit like a Heuer Carrera... Hmmm... I
: wonder how it turned out like that...
:

: Regards

: Darwin