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Heuer Autavia Big Subs

Ref. 2446 1st Execution circa 1965/6

Maker:

Heuer

Model:

Autavia

Reference No.:

2446 1st

Date:

circa 1965/6

Serial No.:

53XXX

Case:

Unpolished, 39mm. diameter, steel, screw-on back, 19mm. thick bevelled lugs, plain pushers, case back signed

Bezel:

Original Minute bezel with lume triangle

Dial:

Black with 3 silver/white subsidiaries, original lume hour markers and minute divisions

Hands:

Steel dauphine hands with matching lume, white painted chronograph hand

Movement:

Valjoux 72, manual wind, signed Ed Heuer & Co SA

Strap:

Brown Leather strap by Bulang & Sons

Info:

NOTES - Jack Heuer “Looking back I can say that the “Autavia” wrist chronograph was the first real wristwatch product I personally created for the company." In fall 1961 Jack Heuer and his design team went to the drawing board to create one of the first Heuer chronographs. Launched in 1962, two variants were available, both manual wind: the reference 2446 for the three register version powered by the legendary Valjoux 72 movement (as used in a certain Rolex Daytona), and the reference 3646 for the two register version powered by the Valjoux 92. The earliest and most desirable examples are referred to by collectors as the "First Execution" or “Big Subs” as the dials of these models are distinguished by their large white sub-dials contrasting against black dials. The hands came in two styles starting with hands entirely covered in radium, referred to as ‘all lume', to a triangle-shaped insert of luminous material. These watches were introduced at a time of transition and at least two "First Execution" Autavia dials are known with the "T" signature above "SWISS" denoting tritium lume, while most have radium lume. All of these early Autavia watches have unsigned crowns and pushers that are slightly smaller than later generations. Whilst later examples made their way on to the wrists of such great drivers as Jochen Rindt, Mario Andretti, Jo Siffert, and Derek Bell, it is the First Execution Big Subs Autavia that shows the origins of this iconic model. The present watch, with original lume markers, unpolished case and even the original crystal, represents an opportunity to own a defining example in the history of Heuer chronographs.