Heuer has now become a household name - albeit under different ownership than founded it, namely TAG Heuer, which took over in the mid-1980s. But the watch here - a pewter-cased Heuer Ref. 973.015, with its original Heuer-signed bracelet - is no ordinary TAG, which in the years since the mid-1980s has had some...questionable design choices.
The Ref. 973 diver represents old-school Heuer design, even if it comes in a smaller package, represent a bygone era for Heuer. Heuer managed to scale down all the elements of its highly popular 980 dive watch series - produced beginning in 1979 through 1982 - to make a stunning dive watch, never an easy feat.
The Heuer 2000 series was short lived, available only for a limited period, with few made. The design has aged well, and wouldn’t look out of place if launched in more contemporary times. The factory bead-blasted case and bracelet, and atypical reverse triangular hour markers render the watch quite "tool like," even in it's lady-like 28mm case. Most vintage women's divers feature a more delicate linked bracelet, but the Heuer design mimics the men's version with its chunky design, and provides a proper professional dive watch quality.
The attention to detail and quality is remarkable, and seems even more of an achievement with the smaller Heuer cases. Heuer built these divers to high standards, and rendered these waterproof to 200m – just like their bigger brothers.
Despite being officially labeled as a 28mm diver, this - like all Heuer divers – didn’t include crown guards and crown, which make it around 32mm. With 14mm lugs, make no mistake, it’s a small watch - but perfect for an active woman.
This Heuer comes on its original bracelet, and with spring bar tool and rugged travel case.
1984 Heuer 2000 Ref. 973.015 Women’s Diver, w/Original Bracelet
DIAL: Black Heuer-signed dial, with "church" hands; date at 3 o’clock position functions as designed. Dial lume - including bezel pip - glows strongly.
BEZEL: Unidirectional bezel, with bezel insert in excellent condition; bezel ratchets with a satisfying click. Inlaid “pip” remains, and in great condition.
CASE: Atypical pewter case measures 29mm (w/o crown, 33mm with) x 36mm; matching signed caseback.
CRYSTAL: Sapphire crystal, no deep scratches.
BAND: The Ref. 973 comes on a Heuer-signed stainless-steel bracelet that will fit up to an approx. 7.25 inch wrist (or nearly eight inch wrist with the wetsuit extension used); links remain tight.
MOVEMENT: ESA 536.121quartz hacking movement.
CROWN: Correct Heuer-signed crown.