“A piece of History”
Over the course of history, Heuer has supplied numerous countries around the world with watches for their military forces.
I give the example of a very rare Carrera sold to the armed forces of Angola, as recognised by the engraving on the case back reading FAPLA - Forças Armadas Populares de Libertação de Angola.
Originally, what was a Guerilla fighting force, FAPLA went on to become the official armed force of Angola in 1976, after the Angolan independence from Portugal.
With Soviet Union influence, by the Komandirskie Watches, the government decided to offer to the military high ranks a watch with FAPLA engraved on it.
Ministry of Defence, and highest rank generals, Heuer watches, model Carrera cal 12, 110.573 F
Other officers wear Enicar watches with quartz and mechanical movements.
In the same year 1976, there was a civilian watch company, “Rocha Monteiro” in Luanda (Angola), which ordered the watches direct from the Swiss factory, in the same year 1976 for the government.
With the disbanding of the FAPLA, and the formation of the Angolan Army, a department was formed called “Relojoaria Militar” where these watches were repaired and maintained.
During the Civil War, this department was closed, and many of the watches were lost.
This short piece of information and history was provided by an old watchmaker who worked at that time in the “Relojoaria Militar”. He was Manuel Figueira, who worked there until they closed, and nowadays has a little watch shop in Luanda in the centre of the city, the Angolan capital.