HeuerAutavia

The design of the Autavia 2446 is famously inspired by the world of motorsport. Deriving its name from the combination of the words "AUTOmobile" and "AVIAtion", Heuer Autavia chronograph wristwatches from the 1960s were often found on the wrists of professional racecar drivers.

The Heuer Autavia 2446 ‘Rindt’ is a highly sought-after classic that perfectly links watches and motorsport. It’s nickname is a tribute to Jochen Rindt who, in 1970, became Formula One’s only posthumous world champion, and was often to be seen wearing this reference.

This Heuer Autavia 2446 has a round, stainless steel case with large chronograph pushers and an original signed, fluted crown. The case measures 39 mm in diameter and is sharp and thick, retaining its definition. The screw-down case back features the Heuer hallmark, 'AUTAVIA' and 'STAINLESS STEEL CHRONOGRAPH - WATERPROOF - GUARANTEED 300 FT UNDER WATER' on the outside. The case has straight-line 19 mm lugs with sharp bevels, and it comes on a black leather racing-strap with a stainless steel Heuer buckle. In addition, the watch is provided with a period-correct ‘Beads of Rice’ stainless steel bracelet with Heuer-signed clasp in very good condition. The serial and model numbers are sharply defined between the lugs.

The case features a black, rotating bezel with a twelve hour graduation.. The black, third-execution dial is in excellent condition and has white minute markers and applied, faceted silver index markers for the hours. It features a white Heuer logo, while 'AUTAVIA' is referenced on the dial at twelve o'clock. A 'SWISS' marking is visible at six o'clock on the twelve-hour sub-register, along with the “T” indicating the tritium fill of the hands and the hour markers.The chronograph hand is white, giving the dial a nice monochromatic look. The sub-registers at three, six and nine o'clock are the thirty-minute, the twelve-hour and the sub-second dials, respectively, featuring Arabic numerals and black, second-execution hands.

The watch carries the manual-winding, Valjoux Calibre 72 (labelled as "Leonidas") at its heart, beating at 18,000 A/h, with a power reserve of approximately 46 hours.

This very rare, 17-jewel manual-winding, third execution Heuer Autavia (ref. 2446 with Valjoux 72 movement) vintage watch is in great condition with the original dial only showing some small signs of age. The movement is working, whilst the case is in very good condition and the strap being fair.

The watch is offered with a period-correct ‘Beads of Rice’ stainless steel bracelet with Heuer-signed clasp in very good condition.

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