Jacky Ickx full house

Delroyb
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I went to drop off a Jacky Ickx to a customer yesterday and found out why he bought it. A full house!
It is interesting to note that the two black detailed dial versions have subtle differences of font and markers. I think the second one (predominantly white) is a later variant?

easy%20riders_zpsmka3zswc.jpg
 
Hubert
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These look pristine!
 
Delroyb
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Hubert Hubert
These look pristine!

They were. The one I sold him is the red version, the first I've ever had on a correct bracelet.

However, I am pretty certain the handset on the blue dial version was wrong. But then no one has fully documented these so it may well be right.
Hubert Hubert
These look pristine!
 
Calibre11
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Great shot! I wrote this a while back

https://www.calibre11.com/heuer-easy-rider/

There are quite a few dial variations of these. The standard Leonidas models:
72Chronos2829.jpg

...and the Jacky Ickx editions
Page1.jpg

It's hard to be sure from these photos, but the Yellow Leonidas appears to have different hands to the others- I wonder if those have been used for your blue example?
 
Delroyb
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Nice, thanks for those. Looking at the chap's blue example, it had silvered baton hands, which looked pretty generc, with a thin lollipop second hand. I've noticed with the Easy Riders that though hand colour changes about, the basic design seems the same accross Leonidas/Sears/Ickx models.
 
Delroyb
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Another little point of interest while I remember. The Ickx models also appear to have a higher grade movement. While the Sears/Leonidas ones I've had seem to come with the single jewel 8420, both the Ickx versions I've serviced had 17 jewel 8420s.
On another note, the split stems simply do not exist to buy, I ended up having to make one from scratch!
 
Calibre11
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Delroyb Delroyb
Another little point of interest while I remember. The Ickx models also appear to have a higher grade movement. While the Sears/Leonidas ones I've had seem to come with the single jewel 8420, both the Ickx versions I've serviced had 17 jewel 8420s.
On another note, the split stems simply do not exist to buy, I ended up having to make one from scratch!

That is interesting- didn't know that the Ickx models had better movements...although as you say, I'm not sure the jewel count was the problem with these movements given the lack of parts.

Here is the extract on the Easy Rider from Jack Heuer's autobiography

“Easy-Rider” Wrist Chronograph is a Flop

In December 1971 we launched our “easy rider” wrist chronograph which we thought would appeal to the youth market thanks to its coloured fibreglass case and low price. We also made a “Jacky Ickx” version named after – and signed by – Belgium’s star racing driver who was one of the best brand ambassadors we ever had.

The “Easy Rider” used a new chronograph movement made by the ébauches factory Bettlach A.G., a pin-lever watch movement manufacturer. It was the world’s first Roskopf (pin-lever) wrist chronograph. The launch was a big success, both for the Jacky Ickx model and our own version, and by the end of 1972 the “Easy Rider” was responsible for 9% of our total annual sales.

With the benefit of hindsight, however, it is clear we should have subjected the pin-lever movement to more resistance tests because it was not long before many of the chronographs were being returned to us for repairs. To limit any damage to our reputation as a manufacturer of quality products we decided to withdraw the “Easy Rider” from our product range. We had planned to produce 20,000 pieces in 1973, and even though Bettlach subsequently improved the quality of the movement the damage had been done and for us the model was dead.

We did, however, keep in mind the idea of a low-priced product that would appeal to Formula one enthusiasts and we came up with the “Easy Rider” helmet clock. The first model was of course a Jacky Ickx helmet clock. We had agreed with Jacky to pay him one Swiss franc for every Jacky Ickx helmet sold. When other Formula One drivers saw the Jacky Ickx helmet many of them, recognising the side-income potential, wanted us to make an individual model for them as well and we went on to produce helmet clocks in the racing colours of James Hunt, Alain Prost , Carlos Reutemann, Jacques Laffite and Clay Regazzoni, among others.
 
Delroyb
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That is an interesting piece. They were very much designed as throwaway movements in the day, though with a bit of fettling they can still be persuaded to keep good time. The one in the pic above I managed to get to under 10 sec/day with 0.1 beat error, so not bad for a pin pallet.

Here is a pic of the split stem before I silver soldered the parts together. The screwdriver is a 0.8mm for reference. I used a generic split stem for an ETA movement, turned it down till I had just the female split part then silver soldered it into a stem I made from scratch. A fairly painstaking process for something you would normally just buy!
 
ickx stem.jpg
craigbythesea
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Great piece. Just agreed to buy a black faced Ickx with a steel case. Will post pictures when it arrives.
 
Calibre11
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craigbythesea craigbythesea
Great piece. Just agreed to buy a black faced Ickx with a steel case. Will post pictures when it arrives.
Look forward to seeing it!
 
craigbythesea
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With buyer and selling travelling, it will be back end of next week. Can't wait.
 
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