Behind the Scenes of the Newly Relaunched OnTheDash with Jeff Stein
After 15 years of cataloging the world of vintage Heuer, the reference site OnTheDash has relaunched with a new look, more great content, and a very handy watch finder.
By Josh Shanks
Contributor
Friend of Watchonista Jeff Stein has relaunched his OnTheDash website. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last two decades, OnTheDash is THE definitive reference for all things vintage Heuer.
Over the years, we’ve come to know and respect Mr. Stein for his passion and enthusiasm for all things HEUER. We’ve also collaborated a few times! Stein wrote for us an incredibly eloquent piece on the TAG Heuer Carrera lineup. It’s refreshing to see a vintage guy take on a modern classic. We’ve also sat with Stein multiple times to discuss his collection and passion. You can find our previous interview HERE, and a collection overview HERE.
About the new OnTheDash
After 15 years of existence, OnTheDash has been completely revamped. Sporting a new minimalist design with a very click worthy wall of content that lets you dig deep into the archives of this exhaustive Heuer reference page. Most notably for collectors, the new site features an intuitive searchable database of nearly every vintage Heuer reference known. Over 550 vintage models to be exact. The database is called ‘Watch Finder’ and you can easily discover this feature by clicking the watch icon on the top center of the page.
In order to achieve this monumental undertaking a new software platform was required. On top of this new backend technology, a load of new content was written by Stein, and a plethora of new vintage images were uploaded that will give even TAG Heuer’s vault a run for their money.
Interview with Jeff Stein
On the occasion of the launch, I sat down with Stein and discussed trends, his collection, and prodded him to give me details on what’s next for vintage Heuer.
Since you first launched OnTheDash, we’ve seen a meteoric rise in the vintage Heuer market. Any correlation?
Well, we have seen a strong market for most categories of vintage watches over the last 15 years. In terms of what OnTheDash might have contributed, I would say that we have provided reliable reference information so that newcomers can understand the brand and its heritage, so you can be more confident in buying a particular watch. We have also helped to create a very strong community of collectors, where people share their watches, information and the passion for the brand. Add the fact that the Heuers are beautiful watches, with a unique heritage, and that is the formula for success.
From your standpoint of being one of the foremost authorities on vintage Heuer, what’s next in this scene?
In terms of the watches, I believe that as some collectors experience sticker shock with the Autavias and Carreras from the 1960s, they will find beautiful watches and good value in the chronographs from the 1940s and 1950s. The Monaco will turn 50 in 2019, so we can also expect a lot of attention there. For the community, I am optimistic that the new platform for OnTheDash will provide a valuable resource, but also a place for even greater collaboration. Adding three watches to the site used to be a night’s work, and now we can do that in a couple of minutes.
Is there one watch throughout OnTheDash’s history that has continued to captivate you?
People think of me as an Autavia guy, and in terms of my collection, that’s the largest concentration of watches. The “crown jewel” of my collection is probably an Autavia, circa 1967, with a special-order silver dial and the “Wings and Wheel” logo of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the dial. That watch captures Heuer’s racing heritage, extreme scarcity, and interesting provenance from the original owner.
But I tend to get captivated by a lot of different watches, which is part of what makes this hobby so interesting.
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