89 Heuer Unusual and Rare Autavia “exotic” Tonneau-shaped Automatic Chronograph Wristwatch in Steel, Reference 1563 Stamped 1163v Between Lugs

Estimate: €10,000 –⁠ 20,000

Model: Autavia
Reference: 1563
Case Material: Stainless steel
Bracelet Material: Leather
Year: 1970s
Movement: Automatic
Caliber: 15′
Case N°: 269824
Dimensions: 40 x 42 mm
Signed: Case, dial, movement

It is funny to note that the Heuer watch most often worn by racers was the Autavia, which nothing has in common with cars and tracks in its name. Just to name a couple, the Formula 1 champions Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt wore manual-wind Autavias in the late 1960s and in the course of history this model change and evolved so much offering to the clients many variations. Among these creations the reference 1563 here offered is something different from the classic Autavia. It is indeed the mysterious caliber 15 with racing dial equipped on a classical cal. 11 case also known as the “Exotic” Autavia. The Caliber 15 movement deletes the hour recorder and moves the running seconds register up to 10 o’clock, so that the “Exotic” Autavia has an asymmetrical and unusual dial. The present lot in stainless steel is fresh and crisp in all its components and the black tachymeter bezel is almost untouched. The black dial has oversized lume markers and hash-mark track with thin orange hours markers that reals the hands and half of the minutes register. These 1163 captures the style of the 70s and has also gained a lot of interest in the last years. Between the lugs is also stamped 1163 V.