The largest independent, non-commercial, consumer-oriented resource on the Internet for owners, collectors and enthusiasts of fine wristwatches. Online since 1998.
Informational Websites ChronoMaddox -- the legacy of Chuck Maddox OnTheDash -- vintage Heuer website Zowie -- Omega information
Discussion Forums ChronoMaddox Forum Heuer Forum Omega Forum
Counterfeit Watchers ChronoTools Forum ChronoTrader Forum
Vintage Heuer Discussion Forum
The place for discussing 1930-1985 Heuer wristwatches, chronographs and dash-mounted timepieces. Online since May 2003.
OnTheDash Home What's New! Price Guide Chronographs Dash Mounted Collection
My first Autavia, the watch that introduced me to Heuers

A few years ago I was happy with my 1999 Seamaster 2531, Tag Monaco and Rolex GMT2c, the Rolex barely left my wrist, the Tag satisfied my Steve McQueen moments out driving my old cars and the Seamaster was my first proper watch, generally left in a drawer. Then I was introduced to TZ-UK and started taking an interest in vintage watches. The Tag was soon sold (and the Rolex followed, to help pay for an old car restoration) and I started picking up watches from eBay and the sales sub-forum on TZ. My first Autavia came from eBay, from a seller in Argentina. I didn't know much about watches (still don't) and crucially I didn't do any research, I just liked what I saw. A few bids later and £750 worse off my first Heuer arrived, a 2446 Autavia. Naturally it stopped working about a week after it arrived - presumably the WD40 could only do so much - so off it went for a service and a few new bits inside. I've bought and sold or traded on a few Autavias since then, including a £400 Siffert from eBay, and currently have eight, but the 2446 remains my favourite. It has what could be described as patina, if you were feeling generous, and it was probably put together from spare parts to fleece some idiot on eBay. The subdial hands are all different. I'm not sure the bezel is correct for this model and I don't think they came with red main chrono hands. It has bags of character though, and I can't work out how that bezel hasn't fallen apart considering the scrapes covering it. It's probably already setting off your OCD, if it appeared on eBay now from an Argentinian seller it would probably have an airforce engraving on the caseback and the word Malvinas featuring somewhere in the description, it might even have papers with fresh ink dating it to 1963. There'd definitely be a thread on OTD pointing out all the horrors and warning us all about the seller. Still, I'm that mug and I love it and along with my 7763 it's not every going to be sold. Not that anyone would buy it...

Messages In This Thread

My first Autavia, the watch that introduced me to Heuers
Re: now that watch has character!
Current Position
Chronocentric and zOwie site design and contents (c) Copyright 1998-2005, Derek Ziglar; Copyright 2005-2008, Jeffrey M. Stein. All rights reserved. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the terms of use. CONTACT | TERMS OF USE | TRANSLATE