Born in 1977, the HEUER Cortina marked a rare departure from the brand’s deep connection to motorsport. Introduced as part of Heuer’s third generation of Caliber 12 chronographs, the Cortina was conceived as a winter-sports model, named after the Italian ski resort Cortina d’Ampezzo and aimed at a more refined sporting lifestyle beyond the racetrack.

The Cortina features the model’s distinctive octagonal stainless-steel case with integrated bracelet — a design very much aligned with the late-1970s shift toward angular luxury sports watches. The black dial is almost flawless and the tritium lume has aged beautifully, developing a soft vanilla patina that adds warmth to the otherwise sharp and architectural design.

Inside is the Heuer/Buren Caliber 12 automatic chronograph movement, recently serviced and running flawlessly. The watch retains its original luminous material and naturally aged indexes, preserving the honest character you are searching for.

At 39 mm, the Cortina wears with notable presence while remaining exceptionally comfortable on the wrist thanks to its integrated bracelet design. Shown on a 17.5 cm wrist, it will fit wrists up to approximately 18.5 cm. (Generic clasp extension available upon request)

Produced for only a relatively short period, the Cortina remains one of the lesser-seen and more distinctive chronographs from Heuer’s late-1970s catalogue — an uncommon alternative to the brand’s better-known racing models.