The Legendary Chronograph Heuer Golden Hours Moon Phase Ref. 721.208
Nowadays, even if you want to get your hands on this watch, it's not that easy to find.
The watch we will be introducing today is the Heuer Golden Hour Moonphase Chronograph.
For those who already know, this may be obvious, but I will explain the dial.
First, the small window at the 12 o'clock position represents the day of the week on the left and the date on the right.
The register at 3 o'clock is the 30-minute counter and at 9 o'clock is the seconds hand.
The hand in the center is the chronograph hand and starts moving when the chronograph is operated.
And here comes the best part of this watch - the moon phase display at the 6 o'clock position.
As the name suggests, it displays a clear picture during daylight hours and a moon and stars at night.
And currently there is a red crescent moon hand surrounding the 2, which is the date pointer.
A typical chronograph has two registers, one at 3 o'clock and one at 9 o'clock, and as the number of items to be displayed increases, the movement becomes increasingly complex.
So just how amazing is this movement? It would be no exaggeration to say that it is the pinnacle of chronograph movements.
From here on, I will explain about the Valjoux Cal. 88 that is installed in this Heuer.
What is the Valjoux 88?
*The above movements are not from Heuer watches. We only hold Heuer watches on consignment, so we try not to touch them more than necessary.
The Valjoux Call.88 is a movement with a lineage derived from the Valjoux Cal.22 and Cal.72.
While the Valjoux Cal. 22 has been produced since 1914 and the Valjoux Cal. 72 was produced from around 1943, the Valjoux Cal. 88 is a relatively new type of movement that has been produced since 1947.
Therefore, it is equipped with many functions, adopts complex mechanisms, and is characterized by having a calendar display function and moon phase function in addition to the chronograph function.
As such, the Valjoux Cal. 88 was a high-quality movement with excellent functions, but due to its complex structure, production was limited; from the start of production in 1947 to the end of production in 1974, only 13,218 units were produced.
Considering that only 750,000 Valjoux Cal. 72s were produced, this was a very small production run.
Valjoux Caliber 88 and its Derivatives
If we trace the ancestors of the Valjoux Cal. 88, we find that it is the Valjoux Cal. 22, from which various models were derived.
The early development of the Valjoux Cal. 22 had two subdials displaying seconds and a minute counter.
The Valjoux Cal. 23 is a smaller model of the Valjoux Cal. 22, with the same functionality.
Its successor, the Valjoux Caliber 72, increased the number of subdials to three, resulting in the typical chronograph shape that is still seen today.
Then the Valjoux Cal. 72c was born, which added a calendar function to the time measurement function, making wristwatches easier to use.
The Valjoux 88 was the watch that equipped Cal . 72c with a moon phase function, and was packed with many functions despite its size of 29.5 mm in diameter and approximately 7 mm thick.
While maintaining basic performance such as a seconds counter, 30-minute counter, and 12-hour chronograph display, it is a highly refined movement that also features a moon phase function.
Considering that the Valjoux 72 is 6.95mm thick, while the Valjoux Cal. 88, which has additional functions, is almost the same thickness at about 7mm, you can get an idea of its functionality and high level of technology.
As such, the Valjoux 88 is equipped with a more complex and advanced mechanism than other models, and since there are fewer of them produced, it is considered a more valuable movement and is priced higher.
However, due to its high functionality, it was praised as a superior movement along with the Valjoux 72 in authoritative books in the watch industry, and was recognized for its high level of perfection even back then.
For this reason, the Valjoux Cal. 88 is used in products from a variety of manufacturers, including Heuer, Doxa, Baume & Mercier, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piquet.
One of the attractions of the Valjoux 88 is the moon phase function.
As such, the Valjoux Cal. 88 was praised for its high level of perfection, but what is particularly noteworthy is its moon phase function.
The moon phase function of the Valjoux series was introduced in the movements that began production in 1947, but the function itself had existed before that.
The moon phase function was already invented and used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when pocket watches were still the norm, and allowed people to know the phases of the moon over time.
In addition to its basic performance, the Valjoux Cal. 88 was equipped with a new moon phase function , making it an excellent movement with many appealing features.
How much is a Heuer Moonphase worth?
As I mentioned earlier, lesser known brands such as Doxa also make moon phase watches equipped with the Valjoux Cal. 88, but even watches from these brands are now traded at high prices.
This is because it is a watch that can no longer be found today, so it is only natural that you would want to have a Doxa watch at hand.
But this time, the watch is from Heuer.
If you're a watch lover, you're probably familiar with the brand Heuer.
When it comes to a moonphase watch made by Heuer, it's only natural that it would be in high demand once it hits the market.
And what's attractive about this watch is that it's an 18K yellow gold version.
Although I've seen stainless steel models here and there, I don't think I've seen many gold models.
The gold version of the Breitling Navitimer First is also very rare, but this one is even rarer.
There are a variety of watches, and each one is very cool, but I think it would be appropriate to describe this watch as a pinnacle of stylish complicated mechanisms that allow you to feel the craftsmanship of the artisans.
It has been overhauled and all of the mechanisms are working with great precision, so if you have been looking for a moon phase watch, this is your chance.
