Heuer Seafarer 2443

Retailed by Abercrombie & Fitch: Seafarer, Reference 2443 | A stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with tide indication | Circa 1955

Dial: silvered Calibre: cal. Valjoux 721 manual, 17 jewels, stamped AXF Movement number: 453'792 Case: stainless steel, screw-down case back Case number: 7'144 Size: 38 mm diameter Signed: case, dial and movement signed Abercrombie & Fitch Box: no Papers: no Accessories: noneThe story of the Heuer Seafarer Reference 2443 originates in the 1940s. The Manhattan retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, which then self‑styled as the “Greatest Sporting Goods Store in the World" and counted presidents and celebrities among its clientele, commissioned a series of chronographs from Heuer, then at the helm of the production of watches purpose-built for sport. Featuring a regatta countdown and tidal time indication powered by the calibre Valjoux 721, the Seafarer allowed the wearer to follow the tides according to the Solunar theory, making it ideal for water sports - namely sailing and fishing. The Seafarer underwent various iterations and modifications until its final production in the 1970s, each with distinctive and colourful versions of the dial. The present reference, preserved in good overall condition, is an example of the second iteration of the 2443 model from the mid-1950s, featuring a silvered dial, yellow-and-blue tide indication, and display of the 5 and 7 o’clock numerals. The distinctive dial of the present example is a charming example of the sophistication of specialised mechanical sports watches in the twentieth century.