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In good pre-owned condition with signs of wear from use
- Case and bezel has some scratches and marks
- Crown guard has a ding
- Dial and hands are in wonderful condition
- New battery fitted
- Screw down crown
- Crystal has a few slight marks
- Paired with an unworn black rubber Zuludiver strap. Also included is an original Tropic Sport strap with original Heuer buckle, the strap is worn with a small split.
When people talk about vintage Heuer, it's usually the iconic chronographs—like the Autavia, Carrera, or Monaco—that steal the spotlight. Stories of rare, record-setting models seem to pop up all the time. But there's one watch that had a huge impact on Heuer’s history and still flies under the radar. Its success came as a surprise and arrived just when the company needed it most. As Jack Heuer himself put it, “We could not imagine that this model would be the very watch that was to help the company recover.”
THE WATCH
The Heuer 980.113 features a durable 38mm stainless steel case with protective crown guards and a unidirectional rotating bezel, designed for safe dive timing. Powered by a reliable Swiss quartz movement, it offers precise timekeeping and was, as it says on the dial water-resistant up to 200 meters, Its features a matt black dial and with luminous hands and large lumed indices, the watch also includes a date window at 3 o’clock, we have paired it with an unworn rubber zuludiver strap.
A BIT OF TRIVIA
In the late 1970s, Heuer was facing tough times when a diving gear company approached them at a European trade show looking for durable dive watches that could be co-branded. To fill the gap quickly, Heuer partnered with the French company G. Monnin to produce a rugged, oversized dive watch with bold crown guards—this became the reference 844. The watch quickly gained popularity thanks to the growing demand for dive watches and the appeal of brand partnerships. Available in both automatic and quartz versions, the 844 sold in large numbers and played a key role in keeping Heuer afloat during a difficult period. It remained a strong seller well into the early 1990s, even after the company became TAG Heuer. After a year of working with G. Monnin, Heuer brought production of the reference 844 in-house, rebranding it as the 980.XXX series. They expanded the line with a variety of options, including fully luminous dials, both quartz and mechanical movements, multiple case sizes, and finishes in stainless steel, gold-tone, and even PVD coatings. Buyers could also choose between rubber straps or metal bracelets, making the watch highly versatile and appealing to a wide range of customers. The Heuer diver was an instant success and continued to perform strongly even after the brand transitioned to TAG Heuer in 1985. Following the merger, the dive watch line remained largely unchanged but quickly grew in variety and popularity. In 2004, it evolved into what we now know as the Aquaracer. Looking back, the influence of the original Heuer Professional is clear—these dive watches have consistently been among the brand’s top sellers since their debut in 1979.
Their success came down to a clear value proposition: a reliable tool watch from a respected brand that delivered confidence and quality at a fair price. But more than that, it was a testament to Heuer’s ability to adapt. While much of the watch industry struggled with the rise of quartz technology, Heuer embraced the shift and made it work on their own terms—something that helped set them apart during a challenging time.
OUR THOUGHTS
The 980.113 absolutely stole the show at P2P—everyone fell head over heels for it right away, and it’s easy to see why you’d want to wear it every single day without hesitation. This vintage Heuer tool watch is the real deal, proudly well loved and bearing the marks of a life well-lived, full of character and history. But don’t be fooled—it’s got tons of life left and is more than ready to take on countless new adventures with style and grit!
