SPEZIFIKATIONEN
Exceptional Heuer Autavia Diver Chronograph Ref. 11639P with a stunning chocolate brown dial, steel case, Heuer/Buren 12 self-winding movement, from 1970s.
Steel case measuring 42mm
Screw-down case back
Original metric bezel
Original Kristall
Original Krone und Drücker
Original “GF” bracelet
Original-Logo-Verschluss
Heuer/Buren 12 self-winding movement
ANALYSE
Edouard Heuer founded the company that bears his name back in 1860, focusing from the very beginning on the production of highly precise instruments. Even back then, in Saint-Imier, Heuer chronometers were renowned for their great reliability in precise timekeeping. Soon, with the advent and spread of automobiles and aircraft, Heuer specialized in the production of onboard instruments in the early 1900s. One of the first publications featuring an embryonic Heuer-signed wrist chronograph with a 30-minute adder at 6 o’clock dates back to 1916. This was truly a period of great exploration into the possibilities of micromechanics, and the race for the wrist chronograph was an exciting adventure, involving not only Heuer and its subsidiary Rose, but also Breitling and Ralco (sub-brands under Movado). After the race for the manually wound wrist chronograph of the early 1910s, more than 50 years later, a long march began again, leading to the idea of the wrist chronograph powered by a self-winding caliber. In 1969, three rivals faced off: Zenith with its El Primero, Seiko with its caliber 6139, and the Heuer-Breitling-Buren-Dubois-Depraz-Hamilton consortium with their modular caliber No. 11 (and 12). It was an epic tale of intense battles and rivalries, with the three contenders celebrating themselves as the first to give the world the first manually wound chronograph caliber.
In this context, in 1962, Heuer launched its celebrated “Autavia” model (with a manual caliber and both three and two sub-dials). This name had been used by Ed Heuer since 1933 (registration N°80370) to sign dashboard instruments for cars (“AUT-“) and airplanes (“-AVIA). The name was renewed again on June 2, 1953 with the number 146590 by Ed Heuer & CO. S.A. and was preparing to be remembered forever as one of the most iconic names in the history of watchmaking. From 1962 to the present day, Autavia has been synonymous with pioneering flights but, above all, with car racing. In this latter field, the Autavia model became a true symbol, and several important drivers such as Jochen Rindt and Mario Andretti used this chronograph during the 1960s. In 1969, following the implementation of the automatic Buren/Heuer caliber n°11, the shape of the model was subject to further modifications, among which the tonneau case and the crown stand out. positioned on the left. These brand-new models were made famous by renowned racing drivers like Jo Siffert and Gilles Villeneuve in the 1970s, and all the way up to the legendary Ayrton Senna.
This exceptional Heuer Autavia diver chronograph ref. 11639P maintains that same spirit but adds a more marine and diving-inspired feel. Its bezel with a metric decompression indicator identifies the intended use of this amazing watch. It was made for water: a chrono-diver of exceptional aesthetic and construction quality.
The dial, originally black, has over time taken on a fabulous color that fills the eye with its chocolate and tobacco brown tones. A unique piece of great charm. Above this texture, the minute track is pad-printed in white, interrupted by tritium baton indexes. The two subdials are white and stand out clearly from the surface. The date window is positioned at 6 o’clock, while At 12 o’clock is the Heuer signature and the name Autavia. The hands are broad pencil-shaped to accommodate the luminous material, while the chronograph seconds hand is intense yellow and triangular in shape.
The steel case is tonneau-shaped, typical of the roaring ’70s. Its upper surface is finely satin-finished to leave room for a polished bevel on the outer edges. The crown is on the left; on the right are the push buttons for activating the chronograph mechanism. This case is very thick because it had to seal the movement inside with a screw-down case back and special gaskets to secure the chronograph pusher holes.
This incredible timepiece is complemented by its original “GF” rice grain bracelet and original logo clasp. For much of the 20th century, the Gay Frères company established itself as an undisputed leader in the wristwatch industry, earning a reputation as one of the world’s largest and most renowned bracelet manufacturers. A brand that needs no introduction.
Inside the case is the legendary caliber modulae 12, a self-winding chronograph movement that operates via a micro-rotor hidden from view by the levers as it is grafted directly onto the base plate of the Buren time-only movement. It complements the caliber 11, launched in 1969 by the Heuer-Breitling-Buren-Dubois-Depraz-Hamilton consortium. It is 31mm in diameter and just 7.7mm thick, oscillates at 21,600 A/h and has a 42-hour power reserve.
