Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Heuer, Rare Autavia Ref. 2446C GMT Chronograph, c. 1969
- Maker / attribution
- Heuer (maker)
- Date
- c. 1969
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- stainless steel
- Auction house
- LiveAuctioneers auction archive
- Lot
- Item 71763658
- Credit line
- Auction lot record: lot 54170, Watches & Fine Timepieces - #5408, Heritage Auctions (2019), via LiveAuctioneers
- Catalogue title (original)
- Heuer, Rare Autavia Ref. 2446C GMT Chronograph, (English)
View the source record (auction lot) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by LiveAuctioneers auction archive (lot Item 71763658), this is a wristwatch by Heuer, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1969. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: stainless steel. The record is illustrated with 2 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Lot description — Heritage Auctions
Heuer, Rare Autavia Ref. 2446C GMT Chronograph, Mark I, Stainless Steel, Manual Wind, Circa 1969 Case: 41 mm, stainless steel, three body, polished, with bi-directional blue-and-red "Pepsi" GMT bezel, smooth round pushers, and snap back, No. 109822 Dial: matte black, "reverse panda," with outer minute track, red five-minute indicators, luminous baton and dot markers, and white guilloche seconds, 30-minute, and 12-hour registers; stainless baton hour/minute hands with luminous inserts, black baton register hands, red luminous arrow-tipped GMT hand, and white sword chrono hand Movement: Valjoux caliber 724 manual wind, 17 jewels, Swiss lever, with chronograph and GMT functions, and rhodium finish Band: stainless steel "beads of rice" bracelet, 15 links, approximately 6 3/4 inches maximum length, including watch, signed Heuer on deployment clasp Signed: Heuer on dial, case, crown, movement, and clasp This first-generation example of Heuer's ref. 2446C GMT Chronograph features smaller, non-stepped registers, and debuted the highly desirable "Pepsi" bezel for the brand. It is accompanied by extra 19 mm Gay Freres end links and three extra links for the bracelet, one extra Heuer-signed leather band with signed stainless buckle), and an 8/2006 service receipt. HID03101242017
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
Related records
Pocket Watches · c. 1960
Heuer Racing SET, c. 1960
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 1980
Heuer Pasadena, ref. 750.501-3, c. 1980
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 1970s
Heuer wristwatch, ref. 110.633, Calculator, circa 1970s
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 1975
Heuer wristwatch, ref. 13/1, circa 1975
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · 1970
Wristwatch by Heno, Switzerland, 1970
Museum Rotterdam
Wristwatches · 1960–1986
'Tri-Compax' calendar chronograph wristwatch in gold case, by Universal, Geneva, Switzerland, 1960–1986.
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · 1969–1970
Beta 21 Quartz wristwatch movement, made in Switzerland, 1970.
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · c. 1969
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, ref. 145022-69st, c. 1969
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva