Heuer Autavia Second Execution 'Pre-Andretti', c. 1960s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

It's no secret that the team at Analog:Shift is partial to all things motorsports and racing, and there are few brands with as strong a motorsports connection as Heuer. The 1960s and 1970s were boom times for sporty wrist watches with color and a little flash, and Heuer was no slouch in their offerings - take the Autavia for example. Introduced in 1962, the Autavia is one of many examples of Heuer's mastery of sporting chronographs — combining robust construction with a proven mechanical chronograph movement. We've even heard them referred to as "Heuer's Submariner" - not because they make for good diving watches (they don't), but because their design is just as timeless, and their functionality as a racing chronograph parallels that of the Rolex for timing dives. This particular Autavia, a Reference 3646, is an early example dating to circa the 1960s. It's beautiful, strong, 38mm stainless steel case with an acrylic crystal, barrel pushers, and a bi-directional rotating bezel with a 12hr insert, houses a simply fantastic matte black Tritium dial with recessed silver sub-registers and applied indices, a matching 'dauphine' handset and the venerable Valjoux 92 hand-cranking movement. Fitted to one of the excellent Ralstra® International perforated rallye straps with a drilled steel pin buckle, this piece's sporty design combines super-functional utility with a timeless sporty look that hits us harder than just about anything. The vintage Heuer wave may be in slack tide at the moment, but it won't last. Don't miss out on an incredible opportunity to snag this special piece before they inevitably begin climbing once again!