SIGNED HEUER, AUTAVIA, FIRST EXECUTION MODEL, REF. 2446, CASE NO. 49’430, MOVEMENT NO. 457’044, CIRCA 1962

Now a darling of the collectors community, the Heuer Autavia for years remained in the shadows selling for extremely conservative prices. With the rise in popularity of vintage sports watches The Autavia was a natural choice to see explosions in value do to its comparable to other important models from the period such as the Rolex Daytona (which shared the same movement, dial supplier and bracelet maker as the Heuer) and Omega Speedmaster. The 1st execution dial with oversized registers is the origin of the Autavia myth and has attained cult status among collectors, with its importance vindicated by an example selling for 125,000 USD in the Christie’s December 2016 New York sale. Presented in exceptionally honest condition, with strong case shows signs of wear from being used as the marker intended, this example has a heavily patinaed and distressed dial, representing the age of the watch well and a storied life that it has no doubt lead to be found in this condition.