Heuer Professional Diver 1000 Ref 980.013 36MM Circa 1980s

This is a 38 mm quartz diver helped steer the company through the turbulence of the quartz crisis and laid the groundwork for the modern TAG Heuer Aquaracer line that followed two decades later. It did so not with the glamour of Heuer’s famous chronographs, but by offering a robust, affordable tool watch that answered a growing demand for reliable underwater timing  .

Origins in a difficult decade

By the late‑1970s Swiss chronograph sales had collapsed, and Heuer urgently needed a new revenue stream. Jack Heuer’s solution emerged after conversations at the 1979 ISPO sporting‑goods fair, where diving‑equipment companies complained about unreliable private‑label watches. Partnering first with French supplier G. Monnin, Heuer produced the reference 844 automatic and its quartz sibling 8440. The concept proved so successful that production soon moved to Switzerland and the catalogue was broadened into what became the 1000 Series  .

Birth of the 980.013

In 1981–82 Heuer expanded the range beyond the 42 mm “jumbo” case. The men’s‑size 38 mm model was given the internal code 980.013 and offered the same 200‑metre rating and screw‑down crown as its larger sibling but in a trimmer package that suited everyday wear. Early batches remained Heuer‑signed; after TAG’s 1985 takeover, the dial logo changed yet the case and dial details were effectively identical  .

Design and specification

The stainless‑steel case measures 38 mm across, 45 mm lug‑to‑lug and just under 11 mm thick, giving the watch a compact profile for a true dive instrument. Crown guards flow smoothly from the mid‑case, and the unidirectional bezel carries an aluminium insert with a lume pip at zero. On the dial, bold tritium blocks sit inside a printed minute track, complemented by Mercedes‑pattern hour and minute hands and a slender seconds hand with lollipop counterweight. Legibility was paramount: everything essential glows, while white on black printing keeps the display uncluttered even in murky water. Power comes from an ESA 536.121 in first‑run pieces and the ETA 955.114/112 series in later “L”‑suffix versions, movements prized for low‑battery consumption and quick‑set date functionality  .

Evolution during rapid growth

The first 980.013 cases were thick‑walled and carried no suffix. In 1984, when the dial text gained the word “1000”, Heuer also slimmed the mid‑case slightly; these thinner examples bear an “L” after the reference. Two‑tone, PVD and full gold editions followed as the design’s popularity soared. When TAG branding replaced the Heuer shield from 1986, little else changed beyond the logo and the deletion of the word “quartz” from the dial  . Through the 1980s the model became a dependable choice for recreational divers, sailing crews and anyone wanting a rugged watch with Submariner cues without the Submariner price.

Why it mattered

The 1000 Series, and the 980.013 in particular, delivered exactly what the market needed: the visual language of a professional diver, serious water resistance and quartz convenience at a fraction of the cost of Swiss automatics. Sales were strong enough to keep the company profitable in the run‑up to its 1984 acquisition, giving TAG Heuer breathing space to regroup and eventually return to mechanical chronographs in the 1990s  .

Presence in the twenty‑first century

Survivors vary from mint “safe‑queens” with box and papers to heavily worn daily beaters. Cases without over‑polishing still show crisp lug facets, and original tritium often fades to an attractive parchment hue. Thanks to the ETA base calibre, keeping the watch running remains straightforward. Although overshadowed by prestige models in auction headlines, the 980.013 occupies an important niche for enthusiasts who appreciate functional vintage design with a direct link to one of Switzerland’s comeback stories.

Final thoughts

The Heuer Professional Diver 1000 980.013 may never have raced around Monaco or sat on Formula 1 pit walls, yet its influence on the brand’s survival and on later TAG Heuer dive watches is undeniable. Compact, clear and purpose‑built, it stands today as a reminder that sometimes the most decisive breakthroughs arrive not with fanfare but with the quiet competence of a watch that simply does its job, wherever its owner chooses to swim, sail or work.

• Case in good vintage condition, hairlines visible around both sides.
• Bracelet in good condition, has some stretch and hairlines.

• Dial & hands good condition
• Lume cracked on hour hands