Michael:

Though your posting has created some controversy (because of the concurrent auction), I think the piece is interesting and wanted to jot out a couple of thoughts. I have received some e-mails asking what I think of the chronograph, so I'll post something here, in lieu of writing the e-mail replies.

In terms of whether or not it is genuine, meaning made by Heuer, once again we find ourselves speculating as to whether it is a fake (produced by someone other than Heuer) or a rare prototype (made by Heuer, but never marketed in this form).

It seems strange to me that Heuer would have made this one -- as a prototype or otherwise. The Easy Rider had a distinctive, characteristic shape -- basically a round dial, with a fixed bezel, in an oval case.

The shape of the case wwas the defining characteristic of the Easy Rider, just as the rotating bezel defined the Autavias (as least until the re-issue). I'm not sure who designed the chronograph, but surely it was designed to capture the spirit of movie, Easy Rider.

Easy Rider, the movie, was the story of two buddies, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, riding their Harley choppers across America . . . the movie was the essence of late-60's psychedelic rock. . . it was Steppenwolf and "Born to be Wild" . . . somewhere between rebellion and revolution . . . the apocalyptic journey of two drug-fueled, anti-hero bikers across America . . . it was the essence of "counter-culture".

So when I look at the funky looking Easy Rider chronographs that we know to have been made by Heuer, with the red, white and blue in the crazy, drug-warped oval case, I can see the tie-in to the movie.

When I look at the one you are offering for sale, with its very conventional looking case, I can't see the imagery of the movie at all. I mean, would Hopper and Fonda have worn this chronograph?? wouldn't they have conveyed the same look (the same endorsement of American culture of the day) with a simple Timex??

Sorry for the long-winded ramble . . . not drug-induced, but it is getting kind of late. My guess (and nothing more than that) -- Heuer didn't put the crazy-looking Easy Rider dial and hands in this very conventional looking case, so someone else must have . . . I would be surprised if it were a rare prototype . . . I would think that someone else out this one together. The origin of the case remains a mystery.

I mean, was this one designed to be worn while riding a Harley chopper or a Honda 50 Sportster??