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Lot Essay
The present watch is one of only a small number of silver Autavia dials known to the Heuer collecting community. In fact, less than 10 of these Autavia SN dials are known, including one that remains preserved in the collection of TAG Heuer.
Hunted with extreme interest by collectors and considered by some to be the most beautiful Heuer dials ever made, the exact story of the origin of these silver Autavia dials is unknown and has generated significant interest from experts and collectors. In fact, the silver Autavia dial owned by TAG Heuer generated tremendous excitement when revealed to a group of devoted Heuer collectors in 2013.
It is understood that on most, if not all, of the Autavia SN models known to the market, the dials were added after the watches left Heuer headquarters. That is the case with this watch. The dial was placed inside a beautiful crisp, unpolished original example of a 2446C. The 2446C is a large “compressor” case reference and combined with the striking silver dial, it conveys remarkable beauty and aesthetic power. It is also powered by the legendary Valjoux 72 movement.
The Autavia SN models are certainly among the most attractive Heuer chronographs and desired models from the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, these dials have served as the inspiration for the newly-introduced Autavia Jack Heuer 85th Birthday Special Edition to be released this fall.
This is notably only the second time one of these SN dials has come up for auction, with the previous model selling for $37,500 at Christie’s in December 2015 in New York and not as in as nice of condition as this watch.
Hunted with extreme interest by collectors and considered by some to be the most beautiful Heuer dials ever made, the exact story of the origin of these silver Autavia dials is unknown and has generated significant interest from experts and collectors. In fact, the silver Autavia dial owned by TAG Heuer generated tremendous excitement when revealed to a group of devoted Heuer collectors in 2013.
It is understood that on most, if not all, of the Autavia SN models known to the market, the dials were added after the watches left Heuer headquarters. That is the case with this watch. The dial was placed inside a beautiful crisp, unpolished original example of a 2446C. The 2446C is a large “compressor” case reference and combined with the striking silver dial, it conveys remarkable beauty and aesthetic power. It is also powered by the legendary Valjoux 72 movement.
The Autavia SN models are certainly among the most attractive Heuer chronographs and desired models from the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, these dials have served as the inspiration for the newly-introduced Autavia Jack Heuer 85th Birthday Special Edition to be released this fall.
This is notably only the second time one of these SN dials has come up for auction, with the previous model selling for $37,500 at Christie’s in December 2015 in New York and not as in as nice of condition as this watch.