HEUER | Autavia, Ref. 1163, A Stainless Steel Chronograph Wristwatch, Circa early 1970s

HEUER

Autavia, Ref. 1163

A Stainless Steel Chronograph Wristwatch, Circa early 1970s

Dial: white

Caliber: cal. 12 automatic, 17 jewels

Case: stainless steel

Closure: leather strap with Heuer tang buckle

Dimensions: 42 mm

Signed: case, dial and movement

Case numbers: ref. 1163 / serial: 241163

The Heuer Autavia 1163 was one of the first models to run on the pioneering Caliber 12 self-winding chronograph movement that was developed through an alliance between Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton, Dubois-Depraz, and Buren. This particular example with a white dial, black sub-dials, and blue chronograph hand is nicknamed the “Jo Siffert” because the late legendary Swiss racecar driver (and Heuer’s first official brand ambassador) wore one. The Autavia 1163T features a stainless steel case with a pair of chronograph pushers on the right hand side and the winding crown on the left - a telltale sign that the Caliber 11 movement sits inside the watch. A coveted Heuer reference fitted with a rare “Jo Siffert” dial, the importance of this model was further emphasized when TAG Heuer released the limited-edition Autavia Jo Siffert Collector's Edition in 2018 as a modern-day homage to this vintage chronograph.