Unfortunately I was a neophyte Heuer man in 1986. My Dad and I bought matching matte finish chronographs from Tourneau--I think they were 1000s. The watch completely broke down after about a year and proved virtually unfixable by the Springfield service center. My Dad's also broke down a bit later. In essence we were each out about $650 in 1986 for two Heuer paperweights! I finally dumped mine somehow, but he somehow mnaged to fix his and he still has it. I've owned many watches over the years, but Heuer really was spinning in circles in '86.

It wasn't until about ten years later that I dipped my tow back in and bought him a Calculator.

: Hi Mark, of course you're right, I got it altogether wrong with the
: case! I must've got confused by the right-hand crown...also
: hands are very different from 501.50x.
: Indeed a very nice watch, though I've never seen it in the metal.

: As for a switch in policy "from names to numbers" I don't
: know, the same catalogue (1985 if I am not wrong) had a lot of
: named ones, and in the same series, or at least bundled together
: under the "1000 series chronographs" section, we had
: the L5100 Carreras and some (wonderful) Cal.12 Autavias, but
: indeed we had the 510.50x, the non-Monzas, and the non-Cortina
: L5100 as well. So really a mixed bag for a confused and
: convoluted period for Swiss watchmaking industry in general and
: Heuer in particular.
: And still, at least IMHO, Heuer brought out in this very hard
: period a series of gems that are among my personal favourite:
: the 510.50x above all, the L5100 Carreras (especially the black
: PVD one 510.511) and the some of the most beautiful Autavias,
: the silver dialled, the black PVD etc...ah, what a time!
: Cheers

: Fabrizio