Rare Double Heuer Stopwatch Set | “Indianapolis Motor Speedway” Printed Dials (c. 1970)
--- $19,250 CAD ---
*Applicable taxes, import fees, and shipping not included
The word rare is thrown around quite liberally in collectors’ circles, but these IMS-signed Heuer stopwatches are truly deserving of that title. With less than a dozen documented individual examples to have surfaced, and even fewer surviving as complete pairs, they stand among the most elusive intersections of motorsport and horology. Their scarcity makes them a truly electrifying find for serious collectors.
A NOTE FROM THE CURATOR
Heuer timepieces featuring the iconic “Wings and Wheel” insignia of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are among the most sought-after watches and stopwatches by collectors. Only a handful of IMS-branded Heuers are known to have ever been produced: a single version of the Autavia chronograph, three variants of the Carrera 45 Dato, and JUST ONE stopwatch, the ref. 503.220, which is what we have on presentation here. Two of the IMS Autavia‘s were sold for over $190,000 USD each (2017 and 2023), and one of the double IMS Stopwatch sets sold for $18,750 USD at auction.
The 503.220 is a 1/100-second mechanical stopwatch, capable of remarkable precision, with a central hand making a full rotation every 3 seconds and an inner register measuring up to 3 minutes. Each stopwatch features a three-function crown:
- First push: starts the timing
- Second push: stops the timing
- Third push: resets the hands to zero
This example, a rare matched pair of IMS-signed Heuer 503.220 stopwatches are housed together in their original black Heuer-branded twin housing. Using the pair together allowed race officials, team members, and spectators to time consecutive laps of a car, or compare performance between two cars on track.
PROVENANCE
Adding to its significance, this specific set was recently acquired by its current owner from the estate of a photographer who worked for the Indianapolis Star, a publication that has been on-site covering the iconic Indy 500 since its inaugural race in 1911.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is perhaps most famous as the site of one of motorsport's most storied races, the Indianapolis 500. In the more than century-long history of the Indy 500, the 1960s and 1970s stand as a golden era. A time of innovation, legendary drivers, and danger (just look up the events from the 1973 season, one of Indy 500's most fatal periods to date), transforming the race into the modern spectacle we know today.
It was during this pivotal period that Heuer was aggressively expanding its presence in motorsport, both in Europe and North America, and the Indy 500 was the crown jewel as the most important U.S. single-seater race, and a global motorsport spectacle alongside Le Mans, and Monaco.
Heuer secured contracts official timing at major circuits and events worldwide. The IMS stopwatches and chronographs fit squarely into that strategy, even though their official use remains somewhat murky.
The watches and stopwatches that feature the special IMS printed dials, like seen here, are now among the most mysterious, rarest, and most sought-after relics from motorsport history.
JUST HOW RARE ARE THEY?
Jeff Stein of OnTheDash, one of the foremost authorities on Heuer, has spoken to the mystique and rarity of these pieces, stating, “The back-story of these sets of stopwatches is not known definitively to the community of collectors, but they are exceptionally rare, with fewer than 10 of the individual stopwatches seen in the market.”
So, with so few known individual examples to have surfaced, and even fewer matched twin sets (I have seen just 2 examples appear at major auction houses in the last 10 years), it’s safe to say this set represents a meaningful percentage of all IMS-branded Heuer 503.220 stopwatches in existence today.
For collectors of Heuer, Indianapolis Motor Sport memorabilia, or just motorsport history in general, this set, presented in exceptional working condition, is truly an exhilarating find.
____________________________________________________________
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Combined Set: Two (2) Heuer ref. 503.220 IMS-signed stopwatches
- Original black Heuer-branded twin plastic housing
CONDITION
- Both stopwatches remain in impeccable condition with vivid red/blue hands, and bright, untouched dials with fully intact and untarnished print. Very mild scuffing can be seen on the crystal, but no major distractions.
- Printed Indianapolis Motor Speedway insignia on each dial is sharp and clean.
- Original rear case stickers intact on each stopwatch.
- Service history is unknown, but both stopwatches appear to function flawlessly - winding, starting, stopping, and resetting to first position as designed.
- The rare black Heuer-branded plastic twin housing is preserved in superb condition with no cracks or major damage, only showing a few deeper scratches on the front-side.
____________________________________________________________
SPECIFICATIONS
- REFERENCE: 503.220
- CASE: 53 mm each, non-reflecting black anodized finish for the outside cap.
- MOVEMENT: Cal. 7710 mechanical, 7-jewel lever escapement, antimagnetic, shock-resistant, unbreakable mainspring
- FUNCTIONS: 1/100-second stopwatch, central 3-second hand, 3-minute register,
- SPECIAL FEATURES: Three-function crown (start/stop/reset), IMS-signed dials
- HOUSING: Original twin black Heuer-branded plastic housing
____________________________________________________________
*Applicable sales tax and shipping will be calculated at checkout**
All payable taxes and duties are the buyer’s responsibility.
Please carefully read Shipping & Returns before making your purchase.
