Stopwatch HEUER ref. 804.901 (roadmaster)

HEUER ref. 804.901 (roadmaster), a stopwatch for young drivers ?

HEUER is well-known for its investment in sport car. Jack Heuer as a race driver was deeply involved in the developpement of the famous dashboard timer “Monte-Carlo” (by the way … did you know he decided to design it, with a high-legible dial, after a bad reading on its Autovia made him missed the victory in a car race ?). The first part of the 70’s was really a golden age for HEUER ; dashboard timers of the manufacturer were references for all pilots, and the association with Ferrari was a success.

At the same time, HEUER launched economical range of stopwatches whose the ref. 804.901, also known as the roadmaster. The road-master was a very interesting alternative to the expensive classical dashboard timers “Monte-Carlo” and “Autovia”. Like the popular trackmasters 8042 and 8047, it features a pinlever movement and a robust (very) high-colorful plastic case (note that a most classical metallic version exists). Affordable prices and funny 70’s design let’s make us believe HEUER economical range of stopwatches targeted young cutomers. User manual of the roadmaster confirms this assumption, as it can be read in the introduction text “young in styling and modern”.

Manual recalls the implication of HEUER in sport racing cars : “brand name tied in with Formula 1 car racing”. Young pilots were sure they had a timer from the leader timekeeper and the best swiss stopwatch manufacturer ! Like professionals, they could fix it on their car dash with a kind of strong adhesive sitcker (missing on the red model above), and then, time their performances with the 3 commands, the tachymeter and the rotating bezel.

Technical informations

Reference

804.901

Full designation

HEUER-LEONIDAS ref. 804.901– roadmaster

Functionalities

• start and go on by top green crown
• stop by left red side push pin
• reset to 0 by right black side push pin

Recorder and register

• 1/5em second recorder (long orange hand makes one revolution in 60 seconds)
• central 0-60 minute register (small yellow hand makes one revolution in 60 minutes)

Circa

Trackmaster stopwatches were produced in the 70’s. Note that the red model above was sold lately. The italian reseller dated the deal on 1995. It was probably at the time a New Old Stock model.

Caliber

• 8045
• pinlever escapement
• 1 jewels
• shockprotected

Dimension

63 mm without crown