Last month I wrote about the amazing Heuer Chronosplit- the space-age LED/ LCD watches released by Heuer in the 1970s. I mentioned that there were a number of experts on these watches, making the decision a little easier about whether or not to enter the potentially frustrating world of Chronosplit ownership.

Without doubt one of the best websites dedicated to the Heuer Chronosplit is LED-forever , which has pages on all sorts of funky LED and LCD watches, including a special Chronosplit section.

There are separate pages on both versions of the Chronosplit (LED/ LCD and LCD/ LCD) as well as photos of the various models offered. You’ll also find photos of the Chronosplit modules, copies of the Chronosplit instruction manual, photos of various F1 drivers wearing their Chronosplits and a repair service which would be useful if it all goes bad with your watch.

Its an amazing site with some great photos and useful information, so anyone with a passing interest in these watches should certainly check it out. The main page is here and the Heuer section can be found here

I still haven’t been brave enough to buy a Chronosplit, but the day is getting closer…

It must have been an interesting day in 1975 when the new Heuer catalogue arrived at the retailer. Take a look at the 1974 catalogue- all of the classics are there with a range of Calibre 12/ 14 and 15 movements: Monaco, Autavia, Carrera, Calculator, Silverstone and Montreal. Most of us would be happy to just collect the watches that appear in this single catalogue, as each of these models is coveted by collectors today.

Imagine the shock in 1975 when Heuer introduced the Chronosplit range- a combination LCD/ LED solid-state quartz watch that looked like nothing else the company had produced before. As the name implies, the watch had two displays, each powered by its own movement.

The Chronosplit is a pretty powerful reflection on the manner in which quartz movements were initially positioned by the Swiss houses- not as a cheap alternative to a mechanical movement, but as heralding a revolution in watch design. Heuer could have packaged the quartz movement in the Autavia case to show the world that quartz watches could look exactly like their mechanical cousins, but with the advantage of less servicing and greater accuracy. Instead, they chose the bold route- to showcase the new technology in a space-age design watch that looked like nothing else.

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