1985 Heuer 980.006 L 'Jumbo' - 42mm Monnin case
Very nice condition - original 'Tag Heuer' signed bracelt
£1600.00
Out of stock
The 42mm Monnin divers watch case was used by a multitude of brands from the early 1980s onwards. Amongst the most well-known and prestigious of these is the Heuer version, commonly known as the 'Jumbo'. The 980.006 L version can be accurately dated to a single year of production in 1985, just a short time before Heuer became Tag Heuer. As it had quite a short shelf life it is one of the rarer versions and has some minor differences to the earlier 980.006s, including a thinner case and movement, a slightly recessed bezel ring and elaborately embossed signed case back.
It features a unidirectional rotating bezel with metal insert, and the crown locks when in the fully 'in' position but is not a screwdown crown. According to https://heuerville.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/heuer-diver-980-006l/ there was some variation in the type of crown found on the 'L' versions, with the majority being the push-in locking crowns but some being supplied with screwdown crowns.
The 980.006 is fitted with the ETA 963.116 quartz movement, which has recently been serviced as described in the condition report.
The case back has the very nicely embossed Heuer signature referred to above. The bracelet, which was fitted to the watch when acquired, has the the later Tag Heuer signature on the clasp, but as this was a transitional model produced immediately prior to the change to Tag heuer, some of the Heuer 908.006s were fitted with Tag bracelets from the factory and this is believed to be the original strap. The bracelet also has a 'diver's extension' allowing the strap to be extended to fit over a wetsuit.
The bracelet is sized at 178mm on the last hole of the clasp micro adjuster, with the divers extension closed. It can be reduced using the micro adjuster or lengthened using the divers extension.
Overall the watch is in good, unrestored condition. There are general minor marks to the case from use, which is in original, unpolished condition. The case back is in good condition, with the signature and reference clearly marked. The crystal is in very good condition and unmarked. The dial is excellent with good tritium lume plots. The hands have the original lume. There are very minor cracks in the lume on the hours hand (visible under magnification) and the lume on both hands has been stabilised with binder to prevent deterioration. The bezel insert is in good condition with some marks/scratches and the luminous material in the pip is missing (this can easily be replaced if required)..
The watch was fully stripped, cleaned and serviced in April 2026.
The case parts and bezel were stripped and ultrasonically cleaned. The original ETA 963.116 movement was fully stripped, mechanically and ultrasonically cleaned using waterless solutions and hot air dried. The movement was rebuilt and lubricated using Moebius oils. Images of the movement rebuild are included in the listing. The movement has been regulated for accuracy and on the quartztester machine was measured at +/-0.00 seconds per day. This is a snapshot reading taken after servicing and this accuracy may differ from this figure in use and subsequently. The watch hacks and sets from the crown and correctly locks when pushed in. The date indicator automatically advances and the date quickset functions as expected. The unidirectional bezel rotates smoothly. The case back gasket was also replaced and greased and a new 395 battery was fitted.
The watch is complete with the original plastic spacer ring.
Please examine the images to assess cosmetic condition for yourself. The images form an important part of the description.
The watch is absolutely suitable for everyday use, but it is vintage watch so is not recommended for sports or use in extreme conditions. The watch has not been pressure tested so water resistance is not guaranteed. This watch is covered by our non-waterproof 6 month guarantee.
Issued: No
Issue details: N/A
Date of manufacture: 1985
Rarity: Not known
Movement: ETA 963.116
Diameter: 42mm
Lug width: 20mm
Hacking: Yes
Case back: Screw down
Screwdown crown: No - locking crown
Bracelet: Stainless steel
Other features: Unidirectional rotating bezel
Classic mid 80s divers watch
Pre-Tag Heuer
Rarer L version of the 980.006
ETA 963.116 movement
Recently serviced
Good, original condition
6 months non-waterproof guarantee
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