Heuer Autavia Ref. 73663 - 'Jo Siffert Colors'

While the Carrera gets all the attention, the Heuer Autavia is actually the ‘OG’ Heuer. A combination of ‘Automotive’ and ‘Aviation’ - the Autavia line originally started as dash mounted rally timers made for motorsport and aviation applications. It was not until the early 1960s that first Autavia wrist chronographs came around. The first generation Autvaia, the Reference 2446, utilized screw-back cases and the venerable Valjoux 72 manual-winding movements, while the second generation case with used a snap-back case or ‘Compressor’ Case - hence the model shift to 2446C.

The piece that we have here, a Ref. 73663 is a ‘cushion case’ Autavia based off of the Ref. 1163 released about a year earlier with the famed automatic-winding Calibre 11 movement. When you think of an Autavia, theres a good chance that this basic form is what comes to mind.

This particular example dates to circa 1972 and with its white 'panda' dial with contrasting black subsidiary registers, it is perhaps the most sought-after and desirable within both the the 1163 and 73663 range. It comes to us in truly fantastic overall condition, with an immaculate dial, the correct 'fluted' pushers, correct signed crown, and rotating bezel with a black aluminum timing insert. The case shows signs of having been very, very lightly previously polished, retaining correct factory-spec finishing throughout and showing only light wear. Inside, dial is beautifully preserved — seemingly flawless, in fact, with a clean surface and evenly patinated Tritium plots. The handset matches beautifully.

Visually similar to the more talked about and historically collectible Calibre 11 models, the Ref. 73663 in many ways is a more pure chronograph, with its manual-winding movement, three register design with no date, and the crown and pushers on the same side of the case.