A very special and exclusive Microsplit
The HEUER miscrosplit stopwatch ref. 250 is pretty rare, and it’s most exclusive when its case displayed the mysterious SP logo.
US MADE !
All is quite unsual on this digial timepiece. Although the reference is spotted in an italian 1980 official catalogs (see calibre11), this specimen was made in USA as it is printed on the back-sticker. It’s not the first HEUER exception of the so-call “swiss made”.
Examples can be mainly found during the end of the 70’s and early 80’s when HEUER began to struggle with the big swiss watchmaking industry crisis. From the end of 70’s large part of microsplit 10XX were manufactured in Hong-kong, some other mecanical stopwatches in Germany, and few watch models in France (HEUER monnin).
Personally, the ref. 250 is the only one known to be assembled in the US. But this “US made” does not sound so strange as Jack HEUER strongly developped compagny activity on the US market and was in touch with high-tech american compagnies to design accurate electronic devices.
The enigma of the SP logo
The SP logo is the second uncommon element. Followed by a pattern “CXXX” id number it sometimes can been seen on digital HEUER stopwatches, mostly from the US. It also happened a kind of drugstore cross (not on this model) accompanied it. Maybe SP stands for a pharmaceutical or chemical company which placed order to HEUER. Investigation is on the way but if you have any information on it, do not hesitate to send a message :).
Special design and advanced features
Finally the stopwatch itself is special. First, its massive and rugged dark black case (lightly different of the model presented in the calalog) is far from the other microsplit references design. Second its features are advanced at this time ; it can manage lap/and split times it can save it in its large 250 entries memory. For sure it was an high-end advanced product at this time, announcing actual pocket pro.
Technical informations
Reference
250
Full designation
HEUER-LEONIDAS ref. 250– microsplit
Functionalities
- split-time (records interval time)
- lap time (records lap duration)
- 250 entries memory
- reset, times recall and mode changing by pushing the big central button
Circa
very early 80’s (vintage stopwatch)
Calibre
- quartz
Dimensions
65 mm (without the lanyard attach) * 55 mm
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