Heuer, “Autavia”

The history of Heuer and car racing goes back to 1933 when Heuer designed the first on-board counter for racing cars and aircraft. Taking its name from a combination of its target markets (AUTomotive and AVIAtion), the “Autavia” wristwatch was unveiled in 1962 and was the first new model (a wrist-chronograph with a rotating bezel) launched under the guidance of the company’s then-new CEO, Jack Heuer.

As proof of this desire to associate the brand with the racing world, Jack Heuer was the first sponsor of Formula one. The Autavia was worn by the greatest motor racing champions such as Jo Siffert, Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt. It was also associated to the military world, some of them being issued to the Kenyan Air Force.

The “Autavia” embodies the brand’s motor racing spirit; initially a dashboard timer, the “Autavia” became a wristwatch in 1962 and was at the heart of the Heuer range until 1985.

The “Autavia” is hugely popular with collectors today, especially the first-generation models from the 1960’s, which are powered by manual-winding Valjoux movements. Heuer’s own “Chronomatic” movement was introduced in 1969 along with a totally new case design.

The Ref. 11630 belongs to the third generation of “Autavia”, produced from late-1972, succeeding to Ref. 1163 which was launched in 1969. This particular model featuring an orange 30-minute counter (subsidiary dial at 3 o’clock) was nicknamed by the collectors “orange boy”. This orange colour combined with the “tonneau”-shape case make it an iconic chronograph of the 1970s.