My most memorable acquisitions of 2004...
I knew this Scan Day was coming up, so like a good soldier I opened up my email In Box last night to refresh my memory about what watches have come my way this year...
An hour later, after I had gone through about about three to four weeks of email's I came to one conclusion... I get a LOT of Freakin' eMail!
And this method of determining what was my most memorable / favorite acquisition for 2004 simply wasn't going to work... Wanna know how many email messages I received last year that weren't outright spam, or expected subscriptions or bulk mail? 10,002 exactly.
So I thought back and said... Well, everyone will be mad if I don't mention my favorite Heuer Acquisition. Sorry David... The Audi Sport got double teamed by the twins (which happened to be my first acquisition of 2004): |
Hello,
Did anybody see what happened to the pair of #11.204's being offered for sale recently? The seller was selling on behalf of a USA motor sport club I think. I forgot to bookmark the item and cannot find them now. Thanks.
Terry Andrews As promised here are scans and the background of my latest Heuer Acquisitions: ![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/twins_610w.jpg) From the Seller, Bryan Cohn:You'll be very pleased with thes for your collection, as the history and linage can be traced to new.
I'll be happy to provide you with the information if you'd like.....Be ready for several pages! (Just kidding) ![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/open_610w.jpg) They've only had two owners. St. Louis Region, and a gent by the name of Bob Hubbard
Bob was an MG/Triumph/Mazda dealer in Columbia Mo. who also happened to be a damn fine racecar driver and engineer.
He ran MG Midgets for years with SCCA, running in the top five at the Runoofs for years, winning the June Sprints and other major amatuer SCCA events all over the US.
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/one_inside_610w.jpg) Eventually, he sold the dealership and started on a career as a race mechanic for Mazda factory teams in IMSA. He worked all the biggies, Downing, Mandaville, Al Bacon (GTU) for many years.
He retired from that in the mid 90's, and went back to racing his MG Midget, that had been parked in the mid 80's. His cars were so far ahead of their time, that the car not only was still competitve, but lead the 2000 Runoffs (with a different driver, another fine gent, Don Cooper)!!!
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/inside_detail_610w.jpg) Bob was in an accident while racing the MG during the end of the 1999 season, where he broke his neck, but had no permenant damage.
During treatment, they found he had cancer, and he passed within the year, but not before selling the car to Don Cooper, who fixed it and then raced it in the before mentioned races.
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/pass_through_inside_610w.jpg) From what we know, during all this time, his crew used the watches to time him and his competition.
St. Louis Region bought them new, but no one knows for sure when. There are no Region records back that far of this sort. We do know when electronic timing came into fashion, and from that can guess their purchase timeframe of somewhere in the mid/late sixties.
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/second_610w.jpg) At the end of 1973 they were fazed out in favor of the "New" system.
We don't know exactly when Bob bought them, but it couldn't have been much later than the start of the 1974 racing season.
I hope that has shed some light on the watches for you.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/heuer/watches/pocket/split-seconds/back_610w.jpg) So, that's the background history of my latest acquisition(s)... I also own a pair of Omega Split second Rattrapante Pocket chronograph watches, but they are physically larger watches than the Heuers, but they make an interesting counterpoint to one another. To read more about the Omega's follow this link...
That's pretty much the story, aside from the fact I'm very pleased to have them in my collection. They seem to be keeping pretty good time. |
|
As most of you know, I love Omega's as much as I love Heuers... It was an unusual year over on the Omega side of things. I think I had more indigestion over what was going on in Bienne than ever, but I not only bought my first new Omega ever, but I bought three in the space of about 3 months. The most memorable was the first... “Domino”, which I figured I'd never have any chance of getting my hands on: |
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/omega/watches/speedmaster/japanese/dominos_740.jpg)
This one came from Japan from a noted Collector of Speedmasters who contacted me out of the blue. A great transaction that is most memorable...
As for my "independent" most memorable acquisition it has to be the one that's Jeff's fault: |
![](http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/sinn/Katun/sinn_146.jpg)
Which has been a wrist favorite ever since I received it.
Overall, despite the continual weakening of the Dollar, the smaller and smaller field of candidate watches of which to stalk, and fiewer and fewer items on my wish list, 2004 was still a good year. Hopefully 2005 will be as rewarding and enjoyable.
Thanks for your interest and I have to say, there have been a bevey of BEAUTIFUL watches posted today. I've been droolin'!
Cheers, Good Hunting for us all and Happy New Year!
-- Chuck |