Edouard Heuer, a Swiss watchmaker in the late 1800’s, founded his own watch making company in Switzerland. The stand-out of the design of his watches was the so-called “oscillating pinion”, a mechanical part of the timepieces that so revolutionized the watch making industry in 1887 that it is still in use today. Heuer made advances so unique, so advanced; that they are copied in today’s manufacturing processes.

The history of the Heuer time keeping designs is rich and full of success. Edouard was constantly improving his time piece designs, and making them for different applications. For example, he patented the first winding mechanism for a chronograph with an autonomous crown. Edouard Heuer, before his death in 1892, was the first watch maker to go into mass production of timepieces. Charles Heuer, one of his sons, created a doctor’s watch that could measure pulse rates in 1910. In 1911, the sons of Heuer revealed the first automobile dashboard chronograph. This time piece gave drivers their first “time of trip”, and was later adapted to small aircraft. In 1916 came the first wristwatch from the Heuer Company, which was adapted from pocket chronographs. These were ladies wristwatches and were very precise. This was the same year that the Heuer company created the Microsplit stopwatch, which was accurate to 1/100 of a second.

Before the advances of quality personal timepieces, the Heuer Company had their focus on accuracy, especially in automobile racing. They were timekeepers for three Olympic Games, they were that trusted. The first waterproof watch, which is a fine watch indeed, was the Mareograph-Seafarer, which had the ability to get exact time of the tides. In 1946 came the Solunar, which was even more precise.

1964 was the first time that Heuer merged with another watch company, Leonidus. Heuer-Leonidus created the first wristwatch with a ring date indicator, and in 1969, the first automatic micro-rotor watch was created. This was also near the same year that Heuer watches made the silver screen, being worn by Steve McQueen in the auto racing movie, Le Mans, in 1970. As the designing and researching continued, so did the quality and exactness of precision. Because of their definitude with time, the Heuer Company was the official timekeepers of Formula 1 racing from 1971 to 1979.

During this illustrious time in the company’s reputation, the first ever side-by-side LCD and Analog wristwatch, the Chronosplit, was created in 1975. This innovation was later copied by several manufacturers the world over.

As the Heuer Company grew, so did its reputation. Their timepieces must be where the phrase “Swiss Movement” comes from. Their dedication to exacting standards and innovative precision continues today, with styles and functions of personal chronographs that continue to outperform other manufacturers in the world.

In 1985, the company Techniques d’Avant Garde, acquired the Heuer Company. TAG, as it is known, is a company known for its high-tech manufacturing and radical ideas. This would be the perfect match for precision timekeeping. They have continued the idea and have stuck to their motto, “Swiss Avant Garde Since 1860”.

The watches that have come from this merger have been outstanding, to say the least. When TAG secured Heuer, their first watch created was the “Executive”, a quartz-driven watch. Quartz movement was much more precise than a spring, and that’s where the company was headed – the research and design of high-precision, high-tech watches and time keepers.

But, in 1990, TAG-Heuer reintroduced the Auto-chronographs from the 1960’s and 70’s. These watches still had the same precise movements from the past, but had added functionality for the contemporary. In the 2000’s, TAG-Heuer introduced many new styles for men and women, some of which were updates to the Formula 1, Aquaracer, the Link, Carrera, and the Monaco.

Currently, the newest of high-tech designed watches, the Grand Carrera, is the gold standard for meticulousness and accuracy. This fantastic watch, which is typical of the handsomeness of TAG-Heuer watches, is the epitome of high-tech.

The Grand Carrera Grand Date GMT is the top of the line, with automatic-chronometer movement, luminous hands, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, stainless steel case waterproof to 100 meters, large double date window, solid steel band, diamond studded bezel, and the new TAG Heuer certified CROC Caliber 8RS, which the time is indicated by rotating discs instead of hands.

TAG-Heuer is constantly updating their designs and movements, and they even offer phones, eyewear and other items on their online catalogue.