1970s Heuer Quartz (Ref. 980.007) "Monnin Case"

While today there are probably more quartz watches in the Tag Heuer stable than not, if we go back a handful of decades to when Heuer was the only name on the dial, the brand was known almost exclusively for their incredible mechanical movements.

But the 1970s "quartz crisis" spared no one, not even the legends, and Heuer had to do something to keep the doors open. So, they came out with these battery-powered "Monnin Case" dive watches, which told time more accurately and, more importantly, were much cheaper to produce – a win-win for a company in dire straits.

And while "quartz" tends to be a 4-letter word among watch enthusiasts today, the fact remains that this is a fantastic, classically designed dive watch made by one of the most storied brands in horology – and a piece that's far more accessible than the vintage Monacos and Carreras floating around out there. It's maybe even more unique, too.