Within the Heuer Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer 2447 dial we see two key differences, the “T” indication below the center post, as well as an outlier with additional lines and both light/dark blue coloring on the tidal register
All dials have:
– tidal register (“lunar dial”) with
— inner rotating dial featuring indicator with crescent moon and point
— surrounding 24 hour marks with AM/PM indication
– 30 minute register with blue area (regatta timer) between 0-5 minutes
– 12 hour register with shorter marks on the hour, longer on half-hours
– Luminous triangular markers at all hours except 3 and 9 (additional exceptions, below)
– Applied index markers at all hours except 3, 6, 9; double markers at 12
The most prominent design on the dial is the “tidal” register (branded as “Solunar” on other references, and Heuer referring to as a “lunar” dial). This register features a inner rotating dial and is surrounded by hour numbers with AM/PM indication. The lunar dial is set based upon local tide tables, with the pointer end indicating high and low tides (see image below). On that dial, the crescent moon when pointed up indicates a full moon, when at the 9 o’clock position indicates a waning room (last quarter), 3 o’clock indicating waxing (1st quarter), and pointing down is a new moon.
But…why should you care? Well, because you swim, boat, hunt, fish and farm, of course. The high and low tides let you plan time on the water for you and your mariner buddies. When you get back to the farm you’ll leverage the indicator showing the waxing moon indicating growth, harvest at full moon, and crop storing during a waning moon. And since you follow the Solunar Theory, you’ll be able to determine periods of fish and game activity as well.
I have divided the known pieces into 3 groups. I would like to be able to say based upon case number, but with few available and with dial elements overlapping in ranges, it is difficult to see patterns as of yet:
1. Top two rows, which have the clean dial (no T).
These dials do not have luminous plots at 3 and 9 with one exception, which is a dial with thicker ‘Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer’ text.
3. Center row, which has outliers (and when there is just one of anything…well…it makes me look much, much closer – I would like to see at least one other example to be more confident that the “unique” piece wasn’t so because it was modified). This row contains one watch with a different tidal register design, and the other watch has the “HEUER” logo at 12 o’clock above ‘Seafarer’ text.
3. Bottom two rows, which had the ‘T’ indication below the center post and above the hour register.
‘T’ dials have luminous plots at 3 and 9, which also differentiates them apart from most “no T” dials.
Images via (L to R):
Row 1: OnTheDash, Christie’s, Collections Corner, Antiquorum
Row 2: HODINKEE, OnTheDash
Row 3 (outliers): OnTheDash, @vintageheuercarrera
Row 4 (T): Christie’s, Christie’s, Menta Watches, @divetimer
Row 5 (T): OnTheDash, OnTheDash, Wind Vintage